asked the Minister of Health what is the total number of houses, as for England and Wales, completed with State assistance from 1919 till 31st December, 1935, or the last available date; and the total amount of State subsidy paid in respect thereof?

The total number of houses completed in England and Wales with State Assistance from 1919 up to 31st March, 1936, was 1,252,777. The total amount of Exchequer contributions paid in respect of State-assisted houses up to that date was £164,489,622.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has taken any further steps to maintain good housing standards since he received a deputation upon the subject from the National Federation of Building Trades Operatives in July of last year; whether he has yet considered the scheme submitted to him by the building industry for improving standards of construction and design; and, if so, whether he will be able to give practical effect to his sympathy in this matter, which he has previously expressed, by assisting the progress of this scheme or dealing with the matter effectively in any other way?

Since my right hon. Friend received the deputation referred to many representations have been made to local authorities by circular and otherwise. My right hon. Friend has received the scheme referred to by the hon. Member and has asked the Central Housing Advisory Committee to consider it and advise what action is necessary and desirable.

asked the Minister of Health whether, wherever it is established that the rate of a local authority is imposing grave hardship upon the ratepayers in South Wales and Monmouthshire, he will obtain powers to supersede such authority and, if necessary, to appoint commissioners to take over the administration?

It is the statutory duty of local authorities to levy rates sufficient to cover their estimated expenditure, and the course suggested by my hon. Friend could not in my right hon. Friend's view be justified on the ground indicated in the question.

asked the Minister of Health how many rating authorities in South Wales and Monmouthshire are now levying rates in excess of 20s. in the£ and, in view of the fact that this is a distressed area, is he satisfied that the money thus raised is being administered and expended to the best advantage?

Last year 27 rating authorities out of 95 in South Wales and Monmouth levied rates in excess of 20s., apart from six rural district councils which levied such rates in some only of their parishes. My right hon. Friend is not yet in possession of full figures for the current year. As my hon. Friend is aware, my right hon. Friend has made suggestions to more than one authority for the improvement of their administration.

asked the Minister of Health whether the committee which is considering the nutritive values of foods will make recommendations as to the correct cooking of such foods, in order that the full benefit of such nutritive values may be obtained?

My right hon. Friend understands that the committee are fully alive to this aspect of the problem.

asked the Minister of Health the number of workers still in in- dustry and over 65 years of age receiving contributory pensions; and also the number of contributors over 60 years and under 65 years of age still in industry?

Approximately 310,000 persons in receipt of pensions awarded under or by virtue of the contributory pensions scheme are in employment within the scope of that scheme. The number of persons between the ages of 60 and 65 who were insured under the National Health Insurance and Contributory Pensions Acts in the middle of 1935 was approximately 823,000 (including 171,000 women) but this number includes persons who were in a period of free insurance and no precise information is available as to the number who were actually in employment.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that a commodity composed of a mixture of sugar and other ingredients including a small proportion of honey is being sold as honey; and whether he will take steps to protect the public from this deception?

My right hon. Friend is aware that a substance which is not pure honey is sold under the name of "prepared honey" with a label indicating that it is a mixture. My right hon. Friend has no power to take any action in the matter, but if the circumstances of the sale are such as to constitute an offence under the Food and Drugs (Adulteration) Act, the duty of enforcement rests on the local authorities and it is also open to any person to take proceedings.

asked the Minister of Health the average mortality per 1,000,000 persons in Great Britain from cancer for each decennial period since 1850, and the mortality for the last five available years, respectively?

The standardised mortality rates per 1,000,000 persons in England and Wales from cancer for the periods specified by the right hon. Member are set out below. For the Scottish figures I would refer him to the Secretary of State for Scotland:

1851–60	…	…	…	326
1861–70	…	…	…	396
1871–80	…	…	…	484
1881–90	…	…	…	610
1891–1900	…	…	…	767
1901–10	…	…	…	867
1911–20	…	…	…	928
1921–30	…	…	…	991
1930	…	…	…	1,003
1931	…	…	…	998
1932	…	…	…	1,001
1933	…	…	…	997
1934	…	…	…	1,003

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to ensure administration by the Monmouthshire County Council on an economic basis; and will he institute an inquiry into the administration and expenditure of the council and, if necessary, assume control of its finances?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answers to his questions on the 14th and 21st of this month.

asked the President of the Board of Trade upon what information he based his recent calculation that the proportion of the recent advance in retail prices of shoes due to additional import duties on box and willow calf would be equivalent to about 3d. on a pair of shoes of average grade; and whether he will make further inquiries?

When the additional import duty became operative in March last the average c.i.f. price of imported box and willow calf was about 11d. per square foot. I am informed that on an average 2 square feet of upper leather are used in the manufacture of a pair of shoes. The 15 per cent. increase in duty on foreign box and willow calf would accordingly be equivalent to about 3d. on a pair of shoes of average grade in which such leather is used.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will consider giving notice of withdrawal from the Congo Basin Treaty to the other parties concerned?

I would refer to the answer on this subject which was given to my hon. Friend on the 9th December last.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give the number and names of those countries which at the present time have currency restrictions under which British firms are frequently unable to obtain payment for goods supplied?

Some degree of control over the purchase and sale of foreign exchange is exercised in the following 33 countries:

Angola.	Iran.
Argentina.	Italy and Italian Colonies.
Austria.
Bolivia.	Latvia.
Brazil.	Lithuania.
Bulgaria.	Nicaragua.
Chile.	Paraguay.
Colombia.	Poland.
Costa Rica.	Portugal.
Czechoslovakia.	Portuguese East Africa.
Dantzig.
Denmark.	Portuguese Guinea.
Estonia.
Germany.	Rumania.
Greece.	Spain.
Honduras.	Turkey.
Hungary.	Uruguay.
Iceland.	Yugoslavia.

It is not possible within the limits of question and answer to give a comparative estimate of the difficulties which the restrictions entail for United Kingdom firms in the various countries concerned. For detailed information, I would refer my hon. Friend to the memorandum "Exchange Restrictions in certain foreign countries," issued by the Department of Overseas Trade, of which I am sending him a copy. It can be supplemented where desired by direct inquiry of that Department.

asked the Secretary for Mines if he is aware that royalty owners in South Wales are showing reluctance to continue the concessions they made to colliery companies on account of depressed conditions in the coal industry for fear that by doing so they may depreciate the value of their properties for compensation purposes; and whether he will state as soon as possible the terms of the Government's scheme to unify coal-mining royalties?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and to the second part in the affirmative.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he can state the total amount of oil extracted from coal at Billingham; the number of tons of coal consumed; and the average price paid for such coal?

By the courtesy of Imperial Chemical Industries, Limited, I am able to supply the following information: Up to date a total of 110,000 tons of petrol has been produced and the total quantity of coal used in connection with the Billingham plant has been 411,500 tons. I should not feel justified in asking the company for the information asked for in the last part of the question.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the reasons why he will not give to unemployed persons in Govan and Glasgow the advantages which are given to the unemployed in other areas by Leaflet E.D.L. 29, 1935, which deals with the payment of travelling and removal expenses?

The areas to which the facilities set forth in the leaflet E.D.L. 29 apply are mainly those dependent on coal mining and certain other basic industries which have suffered from a prolonged period of depression. These facilities have not been extended to large cities such as Glasgow, where, although unemployment is severe, there is a variety of industries affording numerous opportunities of employment.

asked the Postmaster-General the result of the reductions in overseas radio-telephone rates which were made last year; and whether any further reductions in these rates are contemplated?

I am glad to say that the reductions in the radio-telephone rates to Australia, South Africa and India which were made last June have resulted in a satisfactory increase in traffic. The reduced night rates which were introduced in the services to Canada and the United States in June last have also proved popular; and arrangements have now been made with the telephone authorities in those countries for a further reduction of rates from 1st July next. The rate between London and New York or Montreal will be reduced from 40s. to 28s. a minute during the day, and from 28s. a minute to 20s. a minute at night, the cheapest telephone rate that has ever been available across the Atlantic. The night rate will also be available throughout Sundays.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India the name of the machine gun now used by the cavalry forces in India; what is its performance; and why it is used in preference to the Bren machine gun?

There are two machine guns in use by the cavalry in India:

(i) The.303-inch Vickers machine gun, capable of firing 450–600 rounds a minute.

(ii) The.303-inch Vickers-Berthier light machine gun, capable of firing 250 rounds a minute at a rate of 500 rounds per minute.

In 1933 the re-equipment of cavalry in India with a light machine gun was considered necessary and since at that time technical trials had shown the Vickers-Berthier to be satisfactory, and as the trials of the Bren were still inconclusive and the gun was not available, it was decided to equip the cavalry in India with the former. Re-equipment was complete early in 1935.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies on what date the High Commissioner offered to the Arabs in Palestine the suggestion of a Royal Commission before which they could bring their grievances; whether the Jewish agency was informed about this offer and when; with what object was the offer made; and whether the Arabs accepted or rejected that offer?

The hon. Member appears to be under a misapprehension. There has been no question of making an offer of a Royal Commission. The decision of His Majestys' Government to advise the King to appoint a Royal Commission after order is restored, in order, without bringing into question the terms of the Mandate to investigate causes of unrest and alleged grievances either of Arabs or of Jews, was communicated by the High Commissioner to Arab leaders in Palestine on the 14th May. The Secretary of State for the Colonies communicated the decision to the President of the Jewish Agency for Palestine, at the first opportunity after his arrival in this country, that is on the 18th May, before making his announcement in the House that afternoon. As it was a case not of an offer but of a decision, the last part of the question does not arise.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any information concerning the activities of the Supreme Arab Strike Committee in Palestine, which is advocating the non-payment of taxes to the Government of Palestine and enforcing the strike by me ins of violence; how many Arabs have been killed and wounded in consequence of their refusal to abide by the orders of the Strike Committee; and whether the said committee is recognised by the Government of Palestine?

I understand that the Arab Supreme Committee represents the principal Arab political parties in Palestine and is so regarded by the Palestine Government. My information is that the committee has hitherto endeavoured to restrain the extremer elements and has publicly discountenanced violent measures. I have no information as to any Arabs having been killed or wounded for refusal to abide by the orders of the Supreme Committee or of the Strike Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can make any statement about the situation in Palestine; whether order has been reestablished; and how far the local police has been strengthened to deal with the Arab unrest in that territory?

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any statement to make on the situation in Palestine; whether he has any indication as yet as to how the announcement of a Royal Commission has been received by the Jewish and Arab leaders; what the terms of reference to this commission will be; and when its personnel will be announced?

A state of unrest accompanied by sporadic acts of violence still continues in Palestine. Hon. Members will have seen reports in this morning's Press to the effect that the most serious disturbances which have taken place occurred in Gaza yesterday. I am glad to say that order has been restored there. In addition to other measures the High Commissioner has taken steps to restrict the movements of agitators and strike leaders. Authority was given earlier in the year for increases in the British and in the Palestinian sections of the police, and the High Commissioner has recently authorised the enrolment of a number of ex-constables as supernumerary police.As the hon. Members are aware, the military garrison has been substantially reinforced since the outbreak of unrest. With regard to the appointment of a Royal Commission after order has been restored, there is no reason to suppose that this will not be generally acceptable. It is not yet possible to make any statement about the terms of reference or the personnel of the commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs what part, if any, the British and the Canadian Dominion Governments are taking in the scheme to settle 500 British families in Manitoba; by whom the scheme is being promoted; and whether it has the approval of the Oversea Settlement Committee?

I presume that my hon. Friend refers to the scheme in relation to Manitoba in which the Empire Migration Settlement Group are interested. No communication has been received by me from the Canadian Government on the subject, and I am not yet in a position to refer the scheme to the Oversea Settlement Board for consideration. I understand that, as a preliminary step, the chairman of the executive committee of the group has recently left for Canada in order to investigate the matter locally.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is in a position to state what localities have been selected as sites for the new ordnance factories on removal from Woolwich Arsenal?

The War Office have had under consideration the provision, in localities less open to air attack, of certain of the factory activities now carried on at Woolwich Arsenal and Waltham Abbey. Two sites have been selected for factories for the operation of filling ammunition with explosives, one at Chorley in Lancashire and one at Bridgend in South Wales. A third site in Scotland is under consideration for a factory for the manufacture of explosives, but it. is not possible at present to state the precise locality, as inquiries have not yet been completed.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air why the pattern for the mess dress and mess undress for officers of the Royal Air Force was changed; what the average cost to each officer is estimated to be; and whether in future His Majesty's Govern- ment will consider giving grants to officers to defray the cost of new uniforms consequent on such changes?

The changes, which were made in 1934, arose from a general desire within the Royal Air Force itself. They were designed to improve the appearance of the mess dress and to make it more distinctive. The cost of the change varied from £2 to £12 according to rank, in the case of officers then serving. No additional expense falls upon junior officers commissioned since the change was made. As regards the last part of the question, I do not think there are sufficient grounds for departing from customary practice.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether the school managers at Naseby, Northampton, have held any meetings since the year 1931; and, if so, what was the date of the last meeting and for what reason regular meetings are not held?

I have ascertained that no meetings of the managers of Naseby Church of England School have been held since 1931. I am unaware of the reasons, but I will call the managers' attention to the statutory requirements in this respect.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any statement to make with reference to the theft of a diplomatic bag from a British messenger on the train from Addis Ababa to Jibuti recently; and under whose control the railway in Ethiopia now is?

As regards the first part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given yesterday to the hon. Member for Broxtowe (Mr. Cocks), to which I have nothing to add, except that my right hon. Friend has now received a report that the bag has arrived at Jibuti. As regards the second part of the question, the railway is, according to my right hon. Friend's information, still operated by the staff of the French Railway Company.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will inquire as to the reason for the expulsion of the "Times" correspondent, Mr. Steer, and others from Addis Ababa by the Italian military occupying forces; and under what circumstances British journalists can reside there and freely carry on their work?

His Majesty's Ambassador at Rome is being instructed to ascertain from the Italian Government the reasons which led the Italian military authorities to issue an order of expulsion against Mr. Steer. My right hon. Friend knows of no other case of the expulsion of British subjects.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what action is contemplated in response to the Italian suggestion that the extra British guard at the legation at Addis Ababa should now be withdrawn?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which was returned yesterday to the hon. Member for Kingswinford (Mr. A. Henderson), to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to the publication of the balance sheet of the Suez Canal Company announcing increased dividends; and whether he is now in a position to say what is the increase in the amount of dues paid or payable by the Italian Government since preparations for the Abyssinian campaign began?

I have only seen an announcement that increased dividends are to be paid. From a rough estimate based on the traffic figures published by the company, it appears that in 1934 Italian shipping paid £700,000 in dues, in 1935 £2,000,000, and in the first quarter of 1933 £700,000. The hon. Member will be able to find the statistics on which these estimates are based in the Annual Reports of the Company for 1934 and 1935 and in the periodical Bulletins so far published by the company this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how the various German possessions in Africa were allocated amongst each of the allied Powers after the War, giving the area and population of each at the time it was so allocated?

The relevant figures for the areas concerned are as follow:

Territory and Allocation:—	Approximate area (in square miles).
German East Africa:
(i) Tanganyika Territory (Mandate held by Great Britain)	366,632
(ii) Ruanda Urundi (Mandate held by Belgium)	20,500
(iii) A small frontier area, formerly part of Portuguese East Africa, restored to Portugal in full sovereignty	200
German South West Africa:
Mandate held by Union of South Africa	320,000
Cameroons:
(i) French Mandated Territory	166,500
(ii) British Mandated Territory	34,081
(iii) Territory ceded by France to Germany in 1911, restored to France in full sovereignty	100,000
Togoland:
(i) French Mandated Territory	23,700
(ii) British Mandated Territory	13,041

No reliable figures of population are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has anything to report as a result of the decision taken at Stresa to proceed with negotiations which would cover Eastern Europe with a system of non-aggression and mutual assistance treaties?

I would refer the hon. Member to the Blue Book Cmd. 5143 and to the White Papers Cmd. 5118, 5134 and 5175, in which the course of the negotiations for an Eastern Pact is clearly shown.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is in a position to make any further statement on the subject of the refortification of the Dardanelles by the Turkish Government, and to express the views of His Majesty' Government on the contention of the Turkish Government that such refortification would be more likely to secure the constant development of commercial navigation between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea than is secured by existing conditions?

The Turkish Government have proposed that a conference should be held in the near future to consider the question of the revision of certain portions of the Straits Convention of Lausanne. This proposal is receiveing the urgent consideration of the various Powers concerned. As regards the last part of the question, I am unaware of any contention of the nature to which my hon. Friend refers.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has anything to report as a result of the decision taken by the Stresa Powers in April, 1935, to continue actively the study of the proposed air pact for Western Europe?

I would refer the hon. Member to the Blue Book Cmd. 5143 and to the White Papers Cmd. 5118, 5134 and 5175, in which the course of the negotiations for a Western Air Pact is clearly shown.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any communication has been received from the Governments of Austria, Bulgaria, and Hungary as a result of the recommendation made to those countries by the Powers represented at Stresa to the effect that they should examine the question of a revision of the armaments clauses of the treaties by which they are bound with a view to its settlement by mutual agreement in connection with general and regional guarantees of security?

Item 6 in the Joint Resolution, to which I gather the hon. and gallant Member is referring, contains no mention of a recommendation by the Powers represented at Stresa to the Governments of Austria, Bulgaria and Hungary. The recommendation to examine revision of the armanent clauses of the treaties of St. Germain, Neuilly and Trianon was to be addressed not to those Governments but to the other Governments concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) whether, in view of the lapse of time since it was announced that every effort was being made to determine the cause of the leakage which resulted in a copy of the Maffey Report getting into Italian hands, he can now say what progress has been made in the inquiry into this matter; and whether the source of the leakage has been ascertained;(2) whether all the copies of the Maffey Report, which were officially circulated, have been accounted for?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that no information has been given to the House as to the result of any inquiry which the Government may have set on foot with a view to establishing responsibility for the leakage of a copy of the Maffey Report into Italian hands; if any inquiry has in fact been held; if all the circulated and numbered copies of the report have been accounted for; if any responsibility has been established; if any individual has been held to blame; and, if so, what disciplinary action has been taken?

I would refer to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Bishop Auckland (Mr. Dalton) on 24th February, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether maps showing the new local government boundaries following their revision under the 1929 Act are available for the areas in which this revision is complete; and, if so, whether they can be made available to Members in the Library?

The revised local government boundaries are shown on ordnance survey maps on the scale of half-inch to one mile, known as "Administrative Diagrams." The maps of 40 counties are already published, and the rest are in preparation. Changes in boundaries are also shown on the 25-inch and 6-inch scale ordnance survey maps, as new editions are published. As the hon. Member will be aware, steps are being taken to expedite the revision of maps on these scales. A complete series of maps showing the new boundaries in manuscript are deposited at the Ministry of Health and the offices of the county councils, and are available for inspection. I am arranging for copies of the half-inch scale maps already published, showing the new boundaries, to be supplied to the Library. Copies of the remaining maps on this scale, together with new editions of the 6-inch scale maps, will also be supplied as and when they are published.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the amount of tax on road fuel oil received during the financial year 1934–35; and under what category of oil was this previously included?

Heavy oil used as road fuel was not separately distinguished prior to 8th August, 1935, and the amount of revenue derived from it before that date cannot, therefore, be stated. It was probably included under the general categories of fuel oil and gas oil.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware of the warning by magistrates in Liverpool and elsewhere of the danger of supplying liquor to motorists; and whether he would be prepared, by departmental circular or otherwise, to advise licensing magistrates that a suitable condition for the grant or renewal of a licence would be the pro-minent display in the rooms and bars where motorists are able to get drink of injunction of the Minister of Transport and of the British Medical Association that it should be left entirely alone before and during driving?

My right hon. Friend has made inquiry and understands that the chairman of the Liverpool Licensing Bench did not do more than express the opinion that licensees have some moral duties in connection with the supply of liquor to motorists, and that they should be watchful of such of their customers who they know are in charge or are likely to be in charge of motors. He has no information as to any similar statements made by other benches of magistrates.As regards the second part of the question, my right hon. Friend could not undertake to issue advice to licensing benches on the lines suggested by the hon. Member. He would point out that licensing justices have no power to impose conditions on the renewal of licences and that the number of new on-licences granted each year represents a very small proportion of the total.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can furnish a list of the 95 licensing districts in England and Wales, outside the Metropolitan Area, which now have 10.30 p.m. as the latest permitted hour on weekdays throughout the year; and also the names of the eight licensing divisions which have reverted to the latest hour as fixed in 1934, namely, 10 p.m.?

The list asked for in the first part of the question is as follows:

Petty Sessional Divisions.
Amersham.	Brentford.
Ampthill.	Bulmer East.
Ashton-under-Lyne.	Burnham.
	Burnley.
Bishop's Lydeard.	Buxton.
Blackburn.	Chapel-en-le-Frith.

Chertsey.	Ouse and Derwent.
Claro.
Clitheroe.	Saddleworth.
Coventry.	Scunthorpe.
Deal.	Skyrack.
Dickering.	Slough.
Dukinfield.	Somerton.
Eastern Ainsty.	Spelthorne.
Edmonton.	Staincross.
Fenny Stratford.	Stockport.
Glossop.	Stony Stratford
Gore.	Tadcaster.
Henley.	Taunton.
Lower Agbrigg.	Todmorden.
Lower Barkstonash.	Upper Barkstonash.
Lower Osgoldcross.	Upper Osgoldcross.
	Uxbridge.
Kingston.	Wetherby.
Maidenhead.	Willesden.
Middleton.	Windsor.
Mortlake.	Wimborne.
Newport Pagnell.	Wiveliscombe.
North Aylesford.	Woburn.
Oldham	Woodbury.
Otley.	Workington.
Boroughs.
Ashton-under-Lyne.	Margate.
	Middleton.
Barnsley.	Monmouth.
Burnley.	Morley.
Clitheroe.	Mossley.
Coventry.	Oldham.
Eastbourne.	Ossett.
Exeter.	Pembroke.
Glossop.	Pontefract.
Gravesend.	Richmond.
Great Yarmouth.	Rochdale.
Harrogate.	Rochester.
Henley-on-Thames.	Rotherham.
	Sandwich.
Hyde.	Southampton.
Kingston-upon-Thames.	Stalybridge.
	Taunton.
Macclesfield.	Wakefield.
Maidenhead.	Windsor.
Manchester.

The districts (seven in number) referred to in the second part of the question are the following:

Petty Sessional Divisions.
Diss.	Wisbech.
Gallow.	Wragby.
Boroughs.
Pudsey.	Wisbech.
Yeovil.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is now in a position to make a statement with regard to legislation to deal with the problem of maternal mortality in Scotland?

I hope that it will be possible during the present Session to secure the passage into law of a Scottish Bill dealing with this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount paid in Poor Law relief in Glasgow for the first three months in 1933 and 1936, respectively?

The total amount paid in poor law relief in Glasgow in the first three months of the year 1933 was £457,621. The corresponding figure for the first three months of 1936 was £794,532.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has had any reports from the police upon the Fascist meetings which are held on Sunday evenings at White Domes Road, Hampstead Heath; whether he is aware that on Sunday, 17th May, a speaker there referred to the Jews in language so obscene that the audience was roused to indignation; and whether he has any statement to make on the matter?

I have obtained reports from the Commissioner of Police who informs me that Fascist meetings are usually held on Sundays at this site. At these meetings considerable heckling and interruption take place and as a result of past experience of the attitude of Fascists and anti-Fascists towards each other, arrangements have been made for a senior police officer to be present. On the occasion in question one of the police officers present heard a very offensive remark used but at the moment his attention was divided between the speaker and the noisy crowd and he is not in a position to say on oath by whom the expression was used. I take the opportunity of stating that any person in the Metropolitan Police District who, in any thoroughfare or public place, uses abusive or insulting words with intent to provoke a breach of the peace or by which a breach of the peace may be occasioned is guilty of an offence and the police, who have a difficult task in this matter, do their utmost to enforce the law in this regard.