asked the Minister of Transport whether, on the grounds of

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been called to the case heard in the Appeal Court on 12th May in which Miss Maudie Cross, of Ipswich, was prosecuted for an offence under the Road Traffic Act, 1930, the result of which is that if two or more persons agree to share the fare of a

I have considered this suggestion, but I do not think it practicable for the present to adopt it.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will state the result of the latest census taken of horse-drawn vehicles which pass certain important points in the London area under his jurisdiction; and whether the number of these horse-drawn vehicles is decreasing?

The numbers of horse-drawn vehicles and of all vehicles (including pedal cycles) recorded in the census taken in the years 1931, 1933 and 1935 by the Metropolitan and City of London Police at 95 comparable census points in London were as shown below. The figures relate in each case to a period of 12 hours on a week day in July.taximeter-cab they are guilty of a criminal offence; and will he consider introducing legislation to amend this particular provision of the Act?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given on the 18th May to the hon. Member for the Scotland Division (Mr. Logan), of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Transport when Chelsea Bridge will be completed or open again to traffic?

It is expected that the work will be completed by the autumn of next year.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, with a view to securing uniformity of lighting on main roads within county areas, he will consider the desirability of taking steps to vest the duties of lighting authority in the county road authority?

The Road Traffic Act, 1934, gave County Councils certain powers to light roads and I recently asked them to consider the present position in their several areas.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that the East Anglian Electric Supply Company, Limited, are unwilling to supply the smaller villages in Suffolk with electricity for economic reasons; and whether he will, in the public interest, make representations to the above company with a view to their supplying these villages and, in particular, Kelsale?

The Electricity Commissioners have recently discussed with the company the carrying out of further developments in villages in East Suffolk (including Kelsale), and at present await formal proposals from the company.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will give comparative figures of the costs of production of electrical power under any of the large hydro-electric schemes, and those of any of the recent schemes when anthracite or small coals are used?

The relative costs of production of electricity at hydroelectric and coal-fired stations depend mainly on the load factor at which the stations are operated; they cannot usefully be compared unless the conditions of operation, and the conditions under which the electricity is used, are comparable. The capital cost of hydroelectric stations when fully developed is of the order of £30 to £40 per kilowatt installed, that of steam stations of the order of £14 to £18. The running cost (exclusive of overhead charges) of a hydro-electric station is about 0.025d. per unit; that of a modern steam station with coal at say 12s. per ton, about 0.1d. per unit.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the number of consuls-general, consuls and vice-consuls, salaried or unsalaried. which His Majesty's Government has in the United States of America?

The numbers of His Majesty's consular officers in the United States are as follow:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, with regard to the notification by the Italian Government that legation premises in Addis Ababa will no longer enjoy extra-territorial rights, whether this exposes such legations to the possibility of entry and search; and what instructions have beer sent to Sir Sydney Barton with regard to his codes and archives?

No such notification has beer received.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any representations have been made to his department with regard to the disappearance of the boat "Girl Pat"; and whether he can make any statement on the subject?

No, Sir. I have no information as to the movements of this ship other than that which has appeared in the Press.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware of the increasing practice of certain persons, usually rag merchants, who seek to do business outside elementary school premises as the children are leaving school; that often groups of children are dangerously congregated together near exits which lead on to the public highway; and will he consider taking steps to prevent this practice on the grounds of public safety?

The hon. Member's question is the first intimation which I have received of this particular difficulty. The matter is primarily one for the Police, but I should be glad of any information the hon. Member has on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many Scottish general practitioners have attended the refresher course at the British postgraduate school, Hammersmith, since its inception; whether general practitioners attending are given any financial assistance to cover fees, expenses, and the cost of engaging locum tenens; and whether the Department of Health for Scotland intends extending the scheme of refresher courses for the benefit of all panel doctors in Scotland?

I have no information as to the total number of Scottish general practitioners who have attended the course referred to in the first part of the question. Refresher courses are available in Edinburgh and Glasgow, and normally Scottish medical practitioners attend one or other of these courses. The Department of Health for Scotland make a limited number of grants annually to insurance practitioners in the Highlands and Islands and in rural and semi-rural areas of the Lowlands for the purpose of assisting them to take a course of postgraduate study. There is however no intention to extend this assistance to all insurance practitioners in Scotland. In past years two grants have been given to doctors who attended the London course, and this year two prospective beneficiaries propose to take this course.