asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that manufacturers of flags and bunting in this country desire to prevent foreign-made decorations being used on the occasion of the Coronation next year; and whether, in view both of the desirability of British-made flags being used and of the fact that British manufacturers are capable of satisfying any demand, he proposes to take steps to ensure that no foreign goods of this nature shall be used by local or other authorities?

I agree with the view that it is desirable that British-made flags should be used, and I hope that this view will be generally accepted. I am not empowered to give a direction in this matter to local authorities, but my predecessors have urged them to make use of goods and materials of home production and, where that is not practicable, to give preference to goods and materials of Empire origin, and I will remind local authorities of this in any circular which I may issue in connection with the celebration of the Coronation.

asked the Minister of Health whether the Exchequer contribution under the Housing Act, 1930, is payable in respect of cottages of historical or architectural interest which are the subject of demolition orders, provided an undertaking is given that these cottages will not be again used for human habitation?

The Exchequer contribution would be available towards re-housing accommodation provided for persons displaced from cottages which are closed for habitation on an undertaking given by the owner under Section 19 of the Housing Act, 1930. The Act provides for the giving of such undertakings prior to the making of demolition orders by the local authority and my hon. and gallant Friend will appreciate that they cannot effectively be given after demolition orders have become operative. If my hon. and gallant Friend is aware of any cottage of special interest which is already the subject of a demolition order perhaps he would send me particulars.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of promotions in the departmental clerical class of his Department from employment clerk to employment officer and from employment officer to third class officer during the last 10 years?

During the 10 years 1926–35 inclusive, 2,006 employment clerks have been promoted to the grade of employment officer and 540 employment officers have been promoted to the grade of third class officer.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of men and women registered at the Borough (Walworth Road) Employment Exchange whose claims for benefit during the 12 months ended to the last convenient date were disallowed on the grounds of not being normally insurable and not seeking insurable employment, and for not being in insurable employment for a reasonable period during the preceding two years?

During the 12 months ended 31st May, 1936, 199 claims by men and 82 by women were disallowed by the Borough (Walworth Road) Court of Referees on the ground that the claimants were not normally insurable and/or would not normally seek to obtain a livelihood by means of insurable employment. The figures relate to claims and the number of separate individuals concerned is not available. The condition applicable to claimants for transitional benefit that they must show that they had a reasonable period of insurable employment in the preceding two years, was abolished by the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1930.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he is aware that Messrs. Maple and Company, Limited, contractors to his Department, are not observing the collective agreements recognised by the road transport industry; and whether, as such

Year.	Gross Surplus.	Appropriation of Gross Surplus.
		Interest and Dividends.	Depreciation, etc. Funds. Debt Redemption and other purposes, including balances.
	£	£	£
1932–33	33,534,110	14,807,148	18,726,962
1933–34	35,807,978	15,008,962	20,799,016
1934–35*	36,950,000	15,460,000	21,490,000
* Approximate figures.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty (1) how many ex-Navy men have rejoined the Navy since November, 1935;(2) how many men who were on the Naval Reserve have rejoined or been readmitted to regular naval service since November, 1935?

The number of ex-Naval ratings and ex-Royal Marines who have re-entered between the 1st December, 1935, and the 15th May, 1936 (the latest date for which returns are available) is 515. This does not include men non-observance is a breach of the fair-wages clause of the contracts, he will say what steps he is taking to secure the observance of that clause?

I have been asked to reply. A complaint has recently been received from the Transport and General Workers Union that the firm in question are not observing the terms of the Fair Wages Resolution of this House. The matter is under inquiry.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he can state the profit from electricity undertakings (public and private companies) for the years 1933, 1934, and 1935, respectively?

The figures for the gross surplus of authorised electricity undertakings (public authority and company undertakings) in Great Britain and for the appropriation thereof are as follow:who were members of the Royal Fleet Reserve. The number of Naval and Marine reservists entered between the same dates is 675, which includes 224 members of the Royal Fleet Reserve or Royal Marine Reserve who had previous Naval or Royal Marine service. Men entered or re-entered for temporary emergency service are included in these figures.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he can state the amount of railway stores required for the Indian state railways purchased through the High Commissioner for India for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date, giving figures separately of the amounts purchased from British manufacturers and from foreign firms?

The figures for the 12 months ending on 31st May, 1936, are as follow:

	£
British manufactures	19,322
Foreign manufactures	7,528
	£26,850

Most of the orders for railway stores required for state-worked lines axe now placed by the Government of India direct under the rupee tender system. The above figures do not include amounts spent on the purchase of stores by the Indian Railway Companies.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he will give the amount of money spent by his Department in Northern Ireland during the year ended March, 1936, other than one the personnel of the Air Force stationed there?

As I have explained to my hon. Friend in correspondence, the extraction from the accounts of figures of expenditure in respect of a particular geographical region would, in the case of the Air Ministry, entail considerable labour which, in the light of current pressure upon the Department, would not be justified.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what were the number of pigs returned by occupiers of agricultural holdings exceeding one acre in Hampshire in 1931 and 1934, respectively?

:The number of pigs returned by occupiers of agricultural holdings exceeding one acre in Hampshire (excluding the Isle of Wight) was 49,901 in 1931 and 61,904 in 1934. For Hampshire including the Isle of Wight the figures were 68,513 and 83,172 respectively.