asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he hopes to be able to make use of the provisions of the Scottish Drainage Act to deal with the floodings in the Kelvin Valley before the autumn floods begin?

I am glad to be able to state that as a result of further consideration it is my intention to proceed with a drainage scheme in the Kelvin Valley. Owing, however, to the statutory procedure involved it will not be possible to commence drainage operations during the current year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has considered the petition by the criminal lunatic asylum staff at Perth, complaining of long hours of duty and irregular meal times; and what action he intends to take to remedy these grievances?

After consultation between the Governor and the staffs a revised scheme of duties proposed by the staffs was introduced experimentally on the 27th April. The working of this scheme will be kept under review and any suggestions made by the staff for alteration will be duly considered. No suggestion for change has so far been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether he can state the number of poor, with their dependants, in receipt of public assistance in Scotland at 15th May, 1936, or the latest convenient date; and giving the number of destitute able-bodied poor, with their dependants, separately;(2) whether he can state the number of poor, and their dependants, receiving relief in poor houses in Scotland at 15th May, 1936, or the latest convenient date?

The number of poor persons with their dependants in receipt of public assistance in Scotland at 15th May, 1936 was as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will give the number of working-class houses completed in Scotland, to the latest convenient date, under the different Acts which are operating; and whether he is satisfied at the progress that is being made?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction of Scottish housing authorities at the high cost of repayment of loans contracted with the Public Works Loans Commissioners for housing purposes for some, if not all, of their housing schemes prior to 1930; and will he give consideration to a further modification of the Treasury Minute of October, 1933, with a view to bringing the interest

The answer to the first part of the question will be found in the following tabular statement. With regard to the latter part of the question, local authorities built the record number of 18,651 houses during 1935. I appreciate that good progress is being made. Much however remains to be done and all possible steps are being taken to accelerate the output.charges on these outstanding loans more in conformity with present interest charges for capital borrowed for houses erected under the 1930 and 1935 Housing Acts?

The hon. Member's suggestion would involve the payment by the State of a subsidy to enable the Local Loans Fund to meet its existing obligations, and my right hon. Friend cannot adopt it.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the area of land under oats in the East Central Agricultural Division of Scotland in the year 1913; and what is the corresponding acreage in 1936?

The acreage under oats in the East Central Agricultural Division of Scotland (comprising the counties of Angus, Clackmannan, Fife, Kinross and Perth) in 1913 was 161,708 acres. On such information as is at present available the acreage in 1936 is estimated at 157,000 acres.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total produce of oats and barley from the north-eastern agricultural division of Scotland for the years 1912–13 and 1934–35?

The estimated produce of oats and barley in the northeastern agricultural division of Scotland (comprising the counties of Aberdeen, Banff, Kincardine, Moray and Nairn) in the years specified, is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total output of oats and barley for Scotland for the year 1934–35?

The estimated total produce of oats and barley in Scotland in the years 1934 and 1935 is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total gross valuation of agricultural subjects in the north-eastern agricultural division of Scotland for the years 1913, 1925, and 1935, respectively?

The following table gives the information required:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government has received any report from His Majesty's Minister in China on the order of the Hopei-Chahar Political Council making the Bank of Hopei the sole bank of issue in Hopei and Chahar; and what attitude on the matter is taken by His Majesty's Government?

His Majesty's representative at Peking has reported the receipt of information to the effect that the Hopei-Chahar Political Council had on 23rd May issued an order designating the Hopei Provincial Bank the sole bank of issue for Hopei. This information has not as yet been officially confirmed.

asked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence whether the imported supplies of chilled and frozen meat can be dealt with by the present facilities in the case of national emergency should the arrivals of liners carrying such cargo be subject to disorganisation and delay; and whether he is in general satisfied with the cold storage accommodation in this country in case of emergency?

I have fully in mind the importance of the contingency to which my hon. Friend refers in the first part of the question. As regards the second part, the existing cold storage accommodation is well in excess of normal requirements.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been called to a fatal accident at Greenwich to a boy named Arthur Briggs, who fell from a pedal cycle under the rear wheels of a motor-lorry; and, in view of the frequency of such accidents, will he consider the reintroduction of a regulation made by a previous Minister to enforce the provision of a guard rail, running board, or similar safety device to guard effectively the space between the front and rear wheels of heavy motor vehicles?

Yes, Sir. Regulations were proposed in 1931 but were not brought into operation. It is my intention to make them effective and to this end I have circulated a draft.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has noted that for every 55 deaths from road accidents in 1935 only one charge of manslaughter arose; and whether he is satisfied that the law in this respect is adequate and is being up-held?

I do not think that any inference with regard to the adequacy of the law or its administration can be drawn from the figures to which the hon. Member refers. The question whether or not proceedings can be taken and if so whether they should be proceedings for manslaughter or for some other charge depends on the evidence which is available, and I have no reason to suppose that there is any hesitation in taking proceedings where the circumstances justify it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now in a position to indicate the lines on which trade will be resumed with Italy; and, in view of the general anxiety prevailing among business men in Britain and Italy on this question and the proposals submitted to him by the Federation of British Industries, can he assure the House that no time will be lost in restoring general trade conditions between Great Britain and Italy?

My right hon. Friend is not in a position to make any statement on this subject pending the forthcoming meetings of the Council and Assembly of the League of Nations, when the future of sanctions is to be considered.

asked the Minister of Health the number of married women, widows, and unmarried women who are contributing under the National Health Insurance Acts?

The number of women insured for Health Insurance purposes on 31st December, 1935, aged 16 to 65, is estimated at about 5½ millions, of whom approximately 4,300,000 were unmarried (including widows) and 1,200,000 were married women. Further subdivision of the statistics as between spinsters and widows is not available. These numbers include persons who were in a period of free insurance, but not those women who, having married and ceased employment, remained entitled to special benefits for a period of two years.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that under the National Health Insurance Act a panel doctor has to certify an individual as fit for work as soon as he is no longer totally incapacitated, whilst some employers, such as railway companies, refuse to allow an individual to resume employment until he is fully restored to health, with the result that he is deprived both of wages and national health insurance benefit; and whether, therefore, he will consider the desirability of amending the Health Insurance Acts to provide benefit to an insured person until he is fit to resume his normal employment?

Insurance medical practitioners and approved societies have been advised that an insured person should be regarded as incapable of work within the meaning of the National Health Insurance Acts if he is unfit to follow his ordinary occupation but it appears probable that he will soon be fit to do so. Cases of the kind referred to by the hon. Member should not, therefore, arise.

asked the Minister of Health how many rural district councils in England and Wales have made application for Exchequer grants in aid of new housing accommodation required for the purpose of the abatement of overcrowding among members of the agricultural population under the terms of Section 33 of the Housing Act, 1935, and the number and amounts of the grants approved by him under that section up to the end of May, 1936?

General proposals for the erection of houses to relieve overcrowding are not due for submission till the 1st August. Applications have, however, been received from three rural district councils, and are under consideration by the Rural Housing Committee appointed under Section 33 of the Housing Act, 1935.

asked the Minister of Labour what representations have been made to his Department urging the institution of special provisions for the training and employment of deaf and dumb persons; and does he propose any action in the matter?

A request has recently been made to my Department by the Mission to the Deaf and Dumb in Glasgow and the West of Scotland, for a grant in aid of its training and placing scheme, but I regret that it has not been possible to accede to this request.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has considered the requests that members of the local employment committees might be supplied with copies of the annual report of his Ministry; and whether he can now arrange for that to be done?

Copies of the Department's annual report are available for reference by members of local employment committees, but I am afraid that, owing to the expense involved, it is not possible to supply members with free copies.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will give the number of insured persons under the Unemployment Insurance Acts, with the numbers in receipt of insurance benefit and the number receiving unemployment assistance in the Aberdare and Mountain Ash Employment Exchange areas for the last available date and for the same date in 1930, 1932, 1934, and 1935, respectively?

The following table gives the information desired, so far as it is available:

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can indicate the countries in which the 40-hour week has already become generally adopted; and also the countries which are taking measures to establish the 40-hour week?

I am not aware of any country where the 40-hour week has been generally adopted although in certain countries the normal weekly hours of work of sections of the working population are limited or are proposed to be limited to 40. I am having the details extracted and will send them to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can state the Governments which have enacted legislation providing for annual holidays with pay for wage-earners; and the Governments which have such legislation under consideration?

Information on this subject is contained in a report made by the International Labour Office to the Nineteenth Session of the International Labour Conference at Geneva in 1935, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy. In addition I am having the records at my disposal examined and will send the hon. Member any additional information which is relevant to his inquiry.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will give the amount of money spent by his Department in Northern Ireland during the year ended March, 1936; and what contracts have been awarded to Northern Ireland during the past 10 years?

During the financial year 1935 contracts were placed with firms in Northern Ireland for textiles, clothing, boats, rafts and fresh provisions for ships visiting Northern Irish ports, to a total approximate value of £14,500. In addition, His Majesty's Ship "Penelope" ordered in March, 1934, is still under construction at Belfast. I regret that information regarding contracts awarded during the last 10 years is not readily available. Its compilation would necessitate search in office records involving an expenditure of time and labour which would not be justified.