asked the Minister of Transport whether he will urge the London Midland and Scottish Railway Company to take urgently-needed steps to improve their property in Stoke-on-Trent and Longton and to improve the conditions under the railway bridges?

Certainly, Sir, if the hon. Member will give me authenticated information which would justify such a plea.

asked the Minister of Transport whether it is proposed to build any new bridges over the ship canal between Manchester and Warrington; and, if so, at what points?

No proposals for new bridges have been submitted to me by the authorities on either side of the canal.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the fact that the number of cases which came before the London courts during 1935 for obstruction in the streets by motor vehicles amounted to 18,000, he will consider the advisability of causing to be erected at an early date signs in every street, indicating whether parking is permitted, forbidden, or allowed during certain periods, as is done in many foreign capitals?

Authorised parking places are in all cases marked by signs.

asked the Minister of Transport whether the Menai Straits Bridge and the Conway Bridge are considered adequate to meet the needs of modern traffic; is he aware of the constant congestion; and can the House be informed of the results of the examination that was made of the bridges by the engineers?

I have just received a report from the consulting engineers on Menai Bridge. I have not yet received proposals from the responsible highway authorities for the improvement of the Conway Bridge.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the fact that His Majesty's Ambassador to the Spanish Republic has absented himself from Spanish territory for nearly three months and taken up residence in France, his appointment has been terminated?

I resent, and I am sure that hon. Members will join with me in resenting, the imputation which the hon. Member has seen fit to make against His Majesty's Ambassador. The Prime Minister dealt very fully with this matter in a recent Debate, in the course of which he made it abundantly clear that it was only on the instructions of His Majesty's Government, and in order to conform his movements with those of other members of the Diplomatic Body, that Sir Henry Chilton had not returned to Madrid. I associate myself most fully with what the Prime Minister said on that occasion. I need only add how much I regret that the hon. Member has thought it proper to comment in these terms upon a public servant who is not only unable to defend himself but who throughout a most difficult and trying time has enjoyed the fullest confidence of His Majesty's Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the statement of the Prime Minister of France that if concerted action with the British Government were possible France would be prepared to raise the embargo on the export of arms to the Spanish Government; and whether he will consider taking such concerted action?

The hon. Member will recall that, in the course of the Debate on 29th October, I quoted a statement which the French representative on the International Committee had made, as reported in the communiqué, the preceding day, regarding his Government's attitude as to non-intervention in Spain. That statement was as follows:

"The French Government maintained in its entirely their attitude in regard to the non-intervention agreement, and would take all possible steps to secure the effective application of the agreement for the adoption of which they had taken the initiative in the interests of European peace. They would therefore examine any practical scheme of control that might be submitted and would participate in any measure that might be accepted by all the participating Governments."

His Majesty's Government have received no communication, official or otherwise, to suggest that the French Government have modified the attitude set forth in this statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the statement issued by the Spanish Government to the effect that Italian soldiers belonging to the 10th artillery company of Rome have been sent by the Governor of Rome, together with guns, to assist the rebels in Spain, and in view of the urgency of the situation and the gravity of this statement, he will communicate directly on the subject with the Italian Government?

I have received from the Spanish Ambassador a statement on this matter based on the alleged information of an Italian soldier taken prisoner by the Spanish authorities. It is not for His Majesty's Government to take up direct with the Italian Government a case of this nature. Information such as that referred to by the hon. Member, if it is substantiated, would appear to be a matter for consideration by the International Committee regarding Non-Intervention in Spain.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether a satisfactory solution has yet been found with regard to large-scale smuggling of goods into China to the detriment of British trade and financial interests in that country?

My information is that there has recently been a sensible decrease in the volume of the smuggling and that the preventive services are now enabled to operate more effectively than has hitherto been possible. His Majesty's Government earnestly hope that further progress may be made in this direction so that the situation may become completely normal again.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the prejudice to British trade, he can make any statement as to the present extent and activities of Japanese smuggling in Northern China?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend to-day in reply to a question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Dudley (Mr. Joel).

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he will give the value of contracts placed in the Coventry and Birmingham districts for aero engines, or in connection therewith, in the last six months; and how much in total is involved in the proposed new factories?

The value of the contracts placed in the Coventry and Birmingham districts for aero engines and items directly connected therewith in the last six months was £2,053,982, and the cost of building and equipping the proposed new aero engine factories in those districts will probably be in the neighbourhood of £2,600,000.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air how many men have been promoted from the other ranks in the Royal Air Force to become officers in each of the last three years; and what percentage of the total new officers they were in each of these three years?

The required figures for the last three years (excluding promotions to Warrant Officer) are 18, 19 and 35, and the corresponding percentages of the total number of permanent commission are 15.3, 15.3 and 23.2.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the British Steel Federation have yet succeeded in reaching a more stable basis with the suppliers of raw materials and submitted a comprehensive presentation of the proper relation between the prices of the main iron and steel products, as recommended by the letter of the Import Duties Advisory Committee on 9th April; and will be publish the relevant documents?

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps have the British Iron and Steel Federation taken since the writing of the letter of the 14th February by the Import Duties Advisory Committee towards the reduction of transport and handling charges and the securing of the greatest possible advantages from the integration and association of plants?

The matters referred to in these questions fall within the subject-matter of the inquiry which, as was announced in Debate on 15th July last, the Import Duties Advisory Committee are making into the present position and future development of the iron and steel industry. No doubt the committee will deal with them in their report.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether and, if so, what movements have taken place this year in the prices of pig-iron, scrap iron, coke, and other materials whose price is a factor in determining the cost of production of steel?

The average prices of these materials in October, 1936, as compared with December, 1935, show increases of about 9 per cent. for pig-iron, 8 per cent. for ferro-manganese, 7 per cent. for steel scrap, and 17 per cent. for furnace coke.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that British cement manufacturers and other British traders pay an ad valorem duty of 8 per cent. in respect of goods sent to the Sudan, whereas cement and other goods sent from Egypt to the Sudan are exempt from tariff duty; and whether, having regard to the large sums provided by Great Britain in connection with the government of the Sudan, he will see that this unfair discrimination against British goods as compared to Egyptian goods is discontinued?

I am aware that the import duties are as stated. The duty-free admission of goods of Egyptian origin to which my hon. Friend refers results from the Anglo-Egyptian Agreement of 1899, which established the condominium over the Sudan.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that, although the retail price of milk is higher under the Milk Marketing Scheme, the producer and the distributor are getting less, because there is a 20 per cent, increase in produce each year, with the result that more milk has to be sold for manufacture, which reduces the price for the producer; and if he will take steps to limit uneconomic produce?

Sales of milk under the Milk Marketing Scheme increased by 16 per cent. in 1934–35 as compared with 1933–34 and by about 5 per cent. in 1935–36 as compared with 1934–35. The prices received by the registered producers were, in general, somewhat higher in 1934–35 than in 1933–34. The average prices for 1935–36 are not yet available, but it is anticipated that they will be a little less than those for 1934–35. My right hon. Friend has no information as to the comparative returns of distributors. As regards the last part of the Question my hon. Friend will not expect my right hon. Friend to anticipate the results of the Government's consideration of the report of the Milk Reorganisation Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any information he can give as to the steps taken for the recovery of the Wallace relic stolen from the Abbey Craig Museum at Causewayhead, Stirling, on Saturday last; and whether any information has been obtained as to the mental condition of the persons responsible for the theft?

This matter is still under active investigation by the police, and I am not yet in a position to make any statement on the subject.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether it is now possible to adopt a recommendation contained in the Report of the Public Libraries Committee, 1927 (paragraph 503), that the British Museum should print and publish to readers catalogue-cards on the model used by the Library of Congress, Washington, the provision of which the committee declared would be of incalculable value to research conducted in the British Museum, and the cost of which, it was estimated, would not exceed £1,000?

The production and supply by the British Museum of catalogue-cards of new publications to other libraries subscribing for the service has not been found practicable, but the Museum's monthly printed lists of new entries are issued to subscribers at a moderate price, recently reduced, and I understand that these can be utilised by mounting on cards, if desired. The additional service suggested would not be of value to research workers in the Museum. I would add that the tentative estimate of cost in the Report of the Public Libraries Committee referred only to initial expenditure and assumed that spare accommodation was available for the service without cost.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether his attention has been called to the increased export of coal from Poland to Italy as a result of the recently concluded commercial agreement between the two countries; and what steps are being taken to protect the interests of the British coal industry?

I am aware of the position as regards exports of Polish coal to Italy, but would inform my hon. Friend that the relations between exports of British coal and Polish coal to overseas markets generally, including the Italian market, are governed by the Confidential Agreement of December, 1934, between the British and Polish coal industries. I understand that the position in these respects has been the subject of recent discussion and of agreement between the two industries. Furthermore, with regard to the position of United Kingdom coal in Italy, I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend, the President of the Board of Trade, on Monday regarding the provisions of the new Commercial Agreement between this country and Italy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has made further inquiries respecting the alleged forgery of a letter purporting to be sent from Sir Offori Atta to the commissioner of eastern provinces, Koforidua, containing an attempt to pervert justice; and what steps he is taking to trace the alleged forger?

I have received a full report from the Governor of the Gold Coast, from which I am satisfied that the letters dated the 26th of June and the 8th July, alleged to have been written by Sir Offori Atta to certain Government officers, are forgeries. The local police have the matter under investigation.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the insanitary and depressing conditions of the premises of the local unemployment assistance board at 118, Boden Street, Glasgow; and whether, in the interests of the staff and applicants for assistance, he will take steps to secure more suitable accommodation?

I am informed that the Board is aware of the disadvantages of the office accommodation occupied at 118, Boden Street, Glasgow, and special steps are being taken by H.M. Office of Works to secure more suitable premises.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he will obtain information regarding the number of cases in which outside traders in sweetmeats and biscuits are allowed special privileges of entry into school precincts; whether school staffs conduct or supervise such trading; and how profits so made are disposed of?

The Board have no information as to the alleged practice, which is primarily a matter for the concern of the school authorities. They have no reason to think that the practice is sufficiently widespread to justify them in making complete inquiries. But if the hon. Member has any particular instance in mind they will be pleased to look into it.

asked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence whether he is satisfied that the expenditure of the money required to complete the Ark Royal and to build two further aircraft carriers is justified, in view of our need for fighting aircraft in this Country?

Yes, Sir. His Majesty's Government are satisfied that substantial increases in the strength of the Fleet Air Arm cannot be averted or delayed in view of the essential importance of the Navy in preserving the sea communications of this country and in thus ensuring its supplies of seaborne food and raw materials.