asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has considered the copy sent to him of a resolution by the joint meeting of execu- tives of the National Union of Teachers and of the Educational Institute of Scotland, which, while welcoming Circulars 1445 and 98 on physical education as indicating the desire of the Government to safeguard the physical condition of school children, calls upon the Government also to introduce measures designed to secure for all schoolchildren not less than the minimum standard of nourishment laid down in the report of the British Medical Association or in the survey report of Sir John Orr; and whether he will see that the children of Scotland are not only guaranteed a good education but, what is more important, also adequately fed?

The whole question of the physical condition of young persons is under the consideration of the Government, but my right hon. Friend is not in a position at present to make any statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he proposes to take to see that the legal officials in Scotland, and particularly the sheriffs-substitute, receive a proportionate rise in salary to the County Court Judges and other magistrates in England?

I propose forthwith to review the salaries of sheriffs and sheriffs-substitute in consultation with the Treasury. I may add that legislation is not required for this purpose, as the salaries in question are not fixed by Statute.

asked the Lord Advocate whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the procurator fiscal in Rothesay acts in the capacity of procurator fiscal and defending lawyer at the same court and in the same case; and if he will take steps to end this anomaly?

I have made inquiry into the allegations made by the bon. Member and am satisfied that he has been misinformed.

asked the Lord Advocate whether his attention has been drawn to the number of cases recently before the courts in Glasgow where lawyers have been charged with fraudulent conversion of investment funds to their own use: whether there is any protection of clients by periodical examination of books and necessary production of funds; and if not, will he be prepared to amend the law with a view to this necessary protection of poor persons?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative and to the second part in the negative. As regards the last part of the question I understand that the whole matter has been under consideration by professional bodies in Scotland, and my right hon. Friend and I are examining the position.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of registered unemployed men and women in Glasgow for the years ended 1933 and 1935, respectively

The average numbers of men and women aged 18 years and over registered as unemployed at Employment Exchanges in Glasgow in the year 1933 were 97,894 men and 15,907 women, and in the year 1935 82,161 men and 14,180 women.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount of public assistance relief paid in Glasgow for the years ended 1933 and 1935, respectively?

The total amount of public assistance relief to outdoor and

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can give the number of persons in receipt of payments by the Unemployment Assistance Board at each

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of registered unemployed men and women and the total amount of public assistance relief in Scotland for the years 1933 and 1935, respectively?

The average numbers of men and women aged 18 years and over registered as unemployed at Employment Exchanges in Scotland in the year 1933 were 294,085 men and 51,455 women and in the year 1935, 245,330 men and 44,196 women. The total amount of public assistance relief to outdoor and indoor sane poor in Scotland during the year 1932–33 was £4,676,800 and during the year 1934–35, £6,563,555.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) whether he can give the weekly expenditure of the Unemployment Assistance Board on the latest available date, and also the weekly expenditure in November, 1934;(2) whether he can give the total numbers of persons in receipt of payments by the Unemployment Assistance Board in Great Britain at the latest available date, and also the numbers in November, 1934?

The following table shows approximately the number of payments and the amounts paid by way of transitional payments and unemployment allowances, respectively, in the weeks ended 30th November, 1934, and 30th October, 1936:of the Employment Exchanges in the county of Durham on the latest available date, and also the numbers in November, 1934?

The following table shows, for each Employment Exchange in the county of Durham, the numbers of separate weekly payments of unemployment allowances, during the week ended 30th October, 1936, and of transitional payments during the week ended 30th November, 1934:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that lambs are being brought from Ireland to East Riggs, where they are being slaughtered and sent to London as Scotch lambs; and whether he will take steps to prevent this misrepresentation which is robbing the Birkenhead lairages of trade which is normally theirs?

I am aware that for several years Irish lambs have been brought from Ireland to East Riggs from May to October for slaughter and consignment to London, but I am not aware that they are sent to London under the description mentioned in the question. Perhaps my hon. and gallant Friend would care to furnish me with any information he may have on the matter.

My right hon. Friend is aware that the wholesale prices of eggs have been higher this year than for a number of years past. Information is not yet available to enable him to say what the production of eggs this year will be, but the fact that the number of young fowls on farms in June of this year was larger than a year earlier suggests that the improvement in prices has already had some effect in encouraging producers to make arrangements to increase their output of eggs.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will consider taking power by legislation to confiscate funds which are sent into this country from foreign sources for the support of political organisations?

The hon. Member will appreciate that there are a number of difficult questions involved in this suggestion, and I am not in a position to give any undertaking.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that many British importers from Italy have been deprived of their livelihood not only during the period of sanctions, which ended on 18th July, but, owing to the delay in reaching a trade agreement with Italy, until the present day; and will His Majesty's Government consider some form of compensation for these and other British importers from Italy who have been compelled to bear the burden of sanctions?

I regret that I can add nothing to the answer on this subject which I gave to my hon. Friend on a previous occasion. I informed him then that after careful consideration His Majesty's Government had decided that compensation cannot be granted for losses attributable 'to the sanctions imposed against Italy.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Russian trade organisations in Great Britain are in the habit of exercising pressure on British manufacturers to agree, in case of a dispute, to accept arbitration in Moscow; and whether, in the case of any dispute in connection with the purchase of British goods carried out through the medium of the British financial guarantee, the Board of Trade will provide that any such dispute shall be settled by British courts or by an arbitral tribunal in this country?

Yes, Sir; I have received representations regarding this question of arbitration in connection with Anglo-Russian trade and the matter is now under consideration. As regards the second part of the question which, I assume, relates to the agreement dated 28th July, 1936, between the Export Credits Guarantee Department and the Soviet Trade Representative, there is provision in that agreement for payment to be made within 30 days without question, if the shipping documents (including invoices) conform to the terms of the relevant contract or contracts.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has received any communication following the recent canners' conference at Liverpool regarding the Ottawa agreements?

No, Sir.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any information regarding American companies that have built factories in Canada to enable advantage to be taken of the Ottawa Agreements?

I understand that some factories in Canada have been established wholly or partly by interests in the United States of America. The products of such factories are eligible for Imperial Preference in the United Kingdom on the same terms as those of other Canadian factories but I cannot say if this was the reason for their establishment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether as an integral part of our overseas policy with the Colonies, his Department will encourage direct interworking and interlocking arrangements between producers of raw material and the factory users of such products at home; and whether he will suggest to overseas governors the desirability of promoting such a policy without delay?

I am not sure that I understand the precise nature of my hon. Friend's question. Such arrangements have for example been established between Dunlops and Dunlop Rubber plantations in Malaya, and between various grocery companies and certain tea companies. Several other examples could be given. Such arrangements appear to me to be matters for the businesses concerned rather than for Governments, but if my hon. Friend will let me know exactly what information he requires I will endeavour to supply it.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can make any statement on the prospect of an early meeting of the bureau of the Disarmament Conference for the discussion of the manufacture of and trade in arms; the publication of armament estimates; and the establishment of a permanent disarmament commission?

The present position is that on 10th October the Council of the League authorised its President, after consultation with his colleagues, to settle, as soon as circumstances permit, and in any case before the end of the year, the date of the meeting of the bureau of the conference. When it meets the bureau will decide its own agenda.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the reason for the daily routine order 1372 of 12th August, 1936, which stipulates that airmen of the rank of corporal and below must not take suit cases on transport or freight ships, but must confine their luggage to two regulation kit-bags; and whether he is aware of the hardship caused by this order to airmen who have been stationed abroad for long periods of time and have collected personal belongings and souvenirs such as books, athletic cups, and presents for friends and relatives, which it is impossible to pack in kit-bags?

Certain instructions have been issued with a view to avoiding difficultites that arise on disembarkation when the regulation baggage is considerably exceeded and the recognised procedure for shipping it is not observed. It was not intended, however, to make it impossible for airmen to ship a reasonable amount of private baggage and I regret that the instructions that were issued did not make this sufficiently clear. Steps have now been taken to clarify the position,

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether any service flying for training or any other purposes is still carried out on the Virginia type twin-engine bomber?

Yes, Sir. Three Squadrons are at present equipped with Virginias and the type is also used for parachute testing at Henlow for which it is quite suitable. The Virginias will be replaced by new types of machines as they come forward, but my hon. and gallant Friend will appreciate that this does not necessarily mean that the rearming of existing squadrons will take precedence over the formation of new ones.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether any additional aerodromes sanctioned by his Department have taken over land which previously had been used for agricultural purposes; what is the acreage of such land taken over; and what consideration is given to the interests of food production when approval is sought for these aerodromes?

Some 20,000 acres of land which were being used for agricultural purposes have been acquired for additional aerodromes under the Royal Air Force expansion scheme. The siting of such aerodromes is necessarily determined by strategic and other considerations and the actual choice is still further limited by factors governing suitability for flying purposes, but the interests of food production are always considered and land which is of special value for such purposes is avoided so far as practicable.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what progress he has made in his promised efforts to arrange that travel agencies shall sell tickets for all British air services?

I regret to say that it has not been found possible to persuade the railway companies to change their attitude in this matter.

asked the Postmaster-General which telephone exchanges in Scotland suffered interruption, due to stormy weather, on seven days in total during 1936; and whether special attention is being paid to lines crossing exposed places to these exchanges?

The telephone exchanges in question are as follows: Whalsay, Glendaruel, Fintry, Auchenmalg, Dundrennan, Kirkinnar, Port William, Crinan, Dunragit, Garlieston, Newluce, Sorbie and Iona. In the case of Whalsay the interruption was due to a breakdown of the submarine cable. The answer to the second part of the question is in the affirmative. Special methods of construction are used in exposed places with a view to preventing as far as possible such interruptions.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the additional cost per mile in laying underground telephone as compared with overhead poles carrying 20 wires; and whether he will consider installing underground cables at exposed places between towns where frequent interruption occurs in stormy weather?

The additional cost varies according to the local conditions: on the average it is about £280 per mile. It is the policy of the Post Office to place trunk and junction telephone lines underground wherever it is practicable to do so, with due regard to the economic and other factors involved. At the present time 90 per cent. of the total wire mileage of Post Office lines is in underground cables.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will consider the possibility of sanctioning reduced postal rates during the Christmas mailing period on parcels addressed to members of His Majesty's Forces serving abroad?

My hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion is receiving active consideration but it raises a number of difficult issues and I regret that I am not yet in a position to say whether anything can be done on the lines he proposes.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has come to a decision regarding the issue of a series of commemorative postage stamps in connection with the Coronation?

As I informed my hon. Friend the Member for East Leicester (Mr. Lyons) last Thursday, this question is under active consideration.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can give the House any information in conection with the explosion that took place at the Crombie naval armament depot; and whether he can state the cause of the explosion and the number of persons injured?

The explosion on the 17th August was due to ignition of firedamp in a tunnel excavation connected with the construction of an additional magazine at Crombie. The capacity of ventilating arrangements has now been increased and additional precautionary measures have also been effected.I regret to say that four workmen employed by the contractors and one watchman employed by the Admiralty were injured.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the reception by the Iraq Government to Fawki, the High Commissioner still holds that Arab discontent in Palestine is due to internal causes only?

I am not aware that the High Commissioner for Palestine ever has held or has given expression to the opinion which the right hon. and gallant Member attributes to him in his question.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he receives all reports of Jews murdered in Palestine; and will he give the figures since the end of the strike?

Civilian casualties in Palestine reported for the period 13th October to 14th November, both dates inclusive, are as follow: 1 Jew killed, 3 Christian Arabs wounded, 2 Moslems killed and 4 wounded.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the total number of casualties sustained in Palestine by the three arms of the British Forces, and by the Palestine Police Force, since the outbreak of the disturbances last April; whether the British wounded have, so far as possible, been removed from Palestine for treatment in Egypt; if so, how many British members of the expeditionary force are now being treated in hospitals in Egypt; and whether he will make a statement as to the casualties inflicted on the Arabs in Palestine since the outbreak of the disturbances?

As regards the first and last parts of his question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 29th October to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Denman). Further casualties reported for the period 13th October to 14th November, both dates inclusive, are as follow:His Majesty's Forces: 1 killed, 4 wounded.Palestine Police: 2 Moslems wounded.Civilians: 1 Jew killed, 3 Christian Arabs wounded, 2 Moslems killed and 4 wounded.As regards the second and third parts of the question, I understand that until the end of September all British wounded were treated in Palestine, but that during October a number of sick and wounded were evacuated to Egypt.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what assistance is being given or is proposed by any colony towards the restoration of our armed strength, whether by money, arms, or men; and, if the answer is none, will he find out what they each could do in the present emergency, bearing in mind the changed conditions of warfare?

I must demur to the right hon.. Gentleman's suggestion that the Colonies render no assistance to Imperial defence. They have assisted and are assisting in that task (1) by the maintenance of local forces, such as the Royal West African Frontier Force and the King's African Rifles; (2) by regular contributions towards the cost of British garrison troops or Imperial defence generally; (3) by voluntary money contributions towards the cost of general Empire defence. The right hon. Gentleman no doubt remembers that Malaya has made very generous gifts as a contribution towards the cost of the Singapore Base. Flying clubs have been started in some dependencies and others are under consideration, and the part that the Colonial Empire does and can play in Imperial defence is fully appreciated.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the committee charged with preparing a scheme for safeguarding the civil population of Warwickshire from the risk of air attack are unable to proceed with the training of personnel owing to their inability to obtain from the War Office the respirators necessary for demonstration purposes; and whether steps can be taken to expedite the supply of these respirators?

Every endeavour is being made to meet the demands for these respirators, and I do not agree that there is any undue delay in my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the position as regards the amalgamation of Northern and Southern Rhodesia?

Following is an extract from a despatch which I have sent to the Governor of Northern Rhodesia explaining that it was not felt that the time had yet come to reconsider the decision reached in 1931. The Governor of Northern Rhodesia has made an announcement in these terms to the Legislative Council. I may add that in making a similar communication to the Government of Southern Rhodesia my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, stated that he would be glad to take the opportunity to discuss the matter with the Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia when he visits England next year.

"The question of the amalgamation of the territories is governed by the decision announced by His Majesty's Government in 1931, which was only taken after a most thorough examination of the whole problem, and also after consultation with members of the Parliamentary parties then in opposition. Although it was made clear in that announcement that His Majesty's Government did not wish to reject the idea of amalgamation in principle, if circumstances should justify it at a later date, the announcement was definitely intended as settling the question for some time to come, and I do not feel that during the period of five years which has elapsed there has been such a material change in conditions as would justify reconsideration of the decision reached after so much thought in 1931. A further point that arises is that, although there may be a body of opinion among the European agricultural settlers in Northern Rhodesia which favours amalgamation, the unanimity which was reached at the Victoria Falls Conference was obtained only on the basis of a constitution conferring the right of "complete self-government," and I understand that there are some members of the Legislature of Southern Rhodesia who would definitely reject the idea of amalgamation on any basis short of this. The attitude of His Majesty's Government to this suggestion so far as it relates to Southern Rhodesia will have been made clear by the recent publication of Sir Herbert Stanley's despatch relating to the proposed amendment of the Southern Rhodesia Constitution."

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can make any statement with regard to the present strength of the Territorial Forces; and what steps he proposes to take to bring them up to full strength?

There is at present a shortage of 1,854 officers and 41,984 other ranks in the Territorial Army. Although the position is still far from satisfactory, there are indications that the need for recruits is becoming more widely appreciated, and I am pleased to say that since April of this year there has been an increase of 9,582 in the number of recruits taken as compared with the corresponding period last year. During the coming months steps are being taken to launch an intensive recruiting campaign, and I have every confidence that, given the necessary support, the recent satisfactory results will be surpassed.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider recognising the national services of employers who give extra leave on full pay to their staffs during training in Territorial Army camps by authorising them to use an official badge on their letterheads?

Yes, Sir. This question is under consideration.

asked the hon. and gallant Member for Barkston Ash, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, how many men are now directly employed at Kielder by the Commission; and of these how many come from distressed areas and how many belong to the North Tyne Valley?

Ninety-one persons 'are now directly employed at Kielder by the Forestry Commission. A census has not been made of the origin of all the workers, but it is known that 23 are ex-miners from a local colliery which is now closed down and two come from the statutory Special Areas. The remainder appear to be local workers who require regular employment.

asked the hon. and gallant Member for Barkston Ash, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, what is the cost of their cottages at Kielder for the bungalow type and for the box-shaped type, respectively?

The cost of the Forestry Commission cottages at Kielder is as follows: single bungalow type, £527, double bungalow type, £513, and two-storey type, £459.

asked the hon. and gallant Member for Barkston Ash, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, at what rents is it proposed to let the new cottages at Kielder of the bungalow type and of the box-shaped type, respectively?

No rents have yet been fixed for the new cottages at Kielder but, following the normal procedure, the rent will probably be in the neighbourhood of £10 per annum.

asked the hon. and gallant Member for Barkston Ash, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, at what average rent per acre it is proposed to let the forest holdings at Kielder?

No rents have been fixed for the land to be attached to the new holdings at Kielder. It will depend in each case on the type of land. Probably an average figure will be 10s. per acre.

asked the hon. and gallant Member for Barkston Ash, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, how many acres towards the total of 200,000 extra acres promised to be taken and planted in or near the Special Areas have actually been taken to date; how many of such acres taken are in or near each of the Special Areas, respectively; and how many men from each of the Special Areas, respectively, are now working on these extra acres?

Approximately 30,000 acres in or near the Special Areas have been approved for acquisition, 18,600 in the north of England and 11,400 in South Wales. Work will start as soon as legal formalities are completed and possession secured. Meanwhile schemes have been approved for the establishment of 72 forest workers' holdings in Northumberland and 29 in South Wales and 55 cottages are in course of erection. At the moment also 15 men are engaged in Special Areas nursery work in Northumberland and 17 in South Wales.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has considered the representations from the Cotton Trade League, urging His Majesty's Government not to agree to any international arrangement for the stabilisation of currencies that does not include Japan, and that in any such arrangement it shall be insisted that the Japanese yen be pegged at its par value of 2s. 0½d. to the £ sterling; and what answer, if any, has been tendered to these representations?

If arty arrangements for the stabilisation of currencies were to be proposed, all relevant factors would be borne in mind, but the question is not one which arises at the present time.