asked the Secretary for Mines what were the total pit-head sales of coal for domestic consumption from the 1st January to 31st May, 1936; how much of this coal was sold under contract; and what was the average increase in price for that portion of the coal which was sold outside contracts existing on 1st January?

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he can make arrangements to publish the quarterly statistical summary in respect of the coal mining industry for the March quarter of 1936 before the Debate on the Motion to set up the central coal selling scheme?

Arrangements are being made for this Summary to be published on 19th June.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the fact that when making trunk calls telephone subscribers are frequently kept waiting for long periods, sometimes exceeding 10 minutes, after being told by the operator to hold on; and whether any instructions are given to operators, and, if so, of what nature, as to how they should advise a subscriber when they find themselves unable to obtain the required trunk connection as quickly as expected when first demanded?

Telephone operators are instructed that when dealing with a trunk call which cannot be established immediately they should advise the subscriber at the end of 30 seconds that they are trying to connect him and should repeat the information if necessary at the end of a further 30 seconds. If after a total wait of about 90 seconds the connection cannot be established the subscriber should be advised that the trunk lines are still engaged and that he will be rung up later. If my hon. Friend has any specific cases in mind in which these instructions have not been acted on, I should be glad to have inquiry made if he will furnish me with particulars.

asked the Minister of Labour on what grounds, in the cases of Mr. Albert Edward Evans, residing at 76, Broad Street, Crewe, and Mr. Richard Brookes, residing at 46, Ramsbottom Street, Crewe, a weekly deduction was made by the Crewe appeal tribunal in respect of earnings of the first 5s., or one-half, whichever was the less, instead of the daily deduction of one-sixth, as provided in the transitional payments regulations under the Economy Order, in view of the direction imposed in the Unemployment Assistance (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1935 (Standstill Order)?

The Appeal Tribunal is an independent statutory body of final jursdiction. I may point out however that the deduction in respect of earnings under the transitional payments scheme was not necessarily limited to one-sixth of the weekly rate. Under the Temporary Provisions Act the officers of the board and the Appeal Tribunal have to form an opinion on the facts of each case of the amount of the adjustment which would have been made had the application been one for transitional payment and to determine accordingly.

asked the Minister of Labour when the first annual report of the Unemployment Assistance Board will be printed and made available to Members of Parliament?

This report is with the printers and copies will, I hope, be available in the Vote Office at about half-past six o'clock next Tuesday.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state as on the latest convenient date the estimated number of insured persons, the numbers of claimants for unemployment insurance benefit, the number of applicants for unemployment allowances, and the number of other insured persons unemployed in the South-Eastern and North-Western areas, respectively?

The following table gives the information desired:

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed workers on the registers of the employment exchanges in Edinburgh and Leith, respectively, on 1st May, 1936, and the

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he has received any reports on the teaching of foreign languages in secondary schools through the medium of gramophone records; has this method proved satisfactory; and is it the intention of his Department to recommend the use of this method in all secondary schools?

The board are at present engaged in considering returns made by His Majesty's Inspectors as to the use made of gramophone records in a number of secondary schools, and I would prefer to answer the latter part of the hon. Member's question when the results of this consideration are available.

The following table gives the information desired:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received any information as to the agreement between the Soviet and Chinese Governments relating to joint action against Japan; when it was signed; and what were its terms?

My right hon. Friend's information is that the Chinese Government have categorically denied that any such agreement has been concluded.

asked the Secretary of State to the Colonies whether the necessary steps are being taken to provide food and shelter for the Jewish residents evacuated from the old city of Jerusalem owing to the insecurity prevailing there?

The High Commissioner is being asked for a report on the matter.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what was the total output of oats in England and Wales for the years 1912–13 and 1934–35?

The quantities of oats produced in England and Wales in the crop years 1912–13 and 1934–35 were respectively 1,320,000 tons and 1,138,000 tons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will state the total amount spent on education in Tan- ganyika and Kenya for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date?

The figures are as follow for the year ended on the 31st December, 1935:

asked the Minister of Agriculture what was the number of promotions from grade to grade in the Departmental Clerical Class of the Ordnance Survey during the last ten years?

During the period in question there have been 20 promotions from lower to higher grade, and nine from higher grade to superintendent, in the Departmental Clerical Class of the Ordnance Survey.