asked the Minister of Transport what action, if any, was taken by the Ministry to further the projected transport board for the co-ordination of transport in South-East Lancashire; what is the present position of the negotiations; and will the Ministry encourage further efforts to improve the efficiency of public service by such means?

I will send the hon. Member a copy of the answer given on this subject on 29th October.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he can state the number of people killed and injured on the roads of France, Germany and the United States during any recent year?

The following figures have been extracted from the latest published returns. The figures for France and the United States relate only to accidents in which motor vehicles were involved. The German figures are understood to embrace all road accidents.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether during his recent discussions with Colonel Beck any mention was made in regard to Palestine; and, if so, whether he can tell the House the nature of any such observations?

Yes, Sir. The Polish Foreign Minister, while expressing himself as fully alive to the difficulties of the situation in Palestine, referred to the large annual increase in the population of Poland, and to the problems by which his Government are faced as a result of the restrictions placed on immigration by those countries to which Polish nationals used formerly to emigrate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can state the amount of intoxicating liquor per head of the population imported into Palestine during each of the last five

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that clerks to the magistrates in several districts fail to acknowledge the receipt of fines sent through the post or to give stamped receipts of payments over £2; and will he circularise all benches of magistrates with instructions to remedy this grievance?

My right hon. Friend recognises the desirability of a proper acknowledgment being sent to persons from whom payments are received through the post, and thinks that it is the practice at most Courts of Summary Jurisdiction. He has no authority to issue instructions years, and from what countries the greater part of such imports are received?

The information asked for is contained in the annexed tabular statement.to magistrates or their clerks in this. matter, and a general circular on the subject would appear to be unnecessary, but if the hon. Member will let my right hon. Friend know of any particular Courts. which he has in mind where this practice does not obtain, he will be glad to consider the question of asking them if they can arrange to adopt it.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware of the case of William George Franklin, of 91, Brant wood Road, Tottenham who was convicted on 10th November by the Court of Summary Jurisdiction sitting at the police office, Towcester, of driving a motor vehicle in a dangerous manner and failing to stop in case of accident and fined £5 10s. and licence suspended for six months; and, in view of the fact that a police officer produced a record of six or seven previous convictions for motoring offences, with fines and loss of licence, which Franklin had not incurred, and that Franklin has held a driving licence for 15 years with only one previous conviction, and is now unemployed, he will inquire into the case, with a view to the mitigation of the sentence and restoration of his licence?

I have made inquiries as to the circumstances of this case and can find no ground on which I could properly advise any mitigation of the penalty which the Court thought fit to impose. I am informed that in announcing its decision the Court made it clear that no account had been taken of any previous convictions alleged against the defendant which were not admitted by him.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can give an estimate of the quantity of money in the world which could at short notice be made available for movement over the exchanges; and, seeing that this money was described as a dangerous factor by the Macmillan Committee in June, 1931, that it was the movement of short-term money which drove this country off the Gold Standard in September, 1931, and that it still menaces exchange stability, whether he will take steps to introduce legislation to prohibit the buying and

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the total cost of the report of the Milk Reorganisation Com- selling of foreign currencies over the exchange by private speculators?

I am not in a position to give an estimate of the kind referred to in the first part of the question. But if my hon. Friend has in mind international short-term indebtedness I may add that according to the published estimates of the Bank for International Settlements the aggregate of international indebtedness, with maturity of not more than 12 months, of European countries and the United States has fallen by nearly 60 per cent., namely, from 70 milliard Swiss francs at the end of 1930 to 29 or 30 milliards at the end of 1934, with little change during 1935. Legislation in the sense suggested in the second part of the question would involve setting up exchange control in this country and would be contrary to the policy of His Majesty's Government in regard to the suppression of restrictions of this kind.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give the export and import figures for the six months ended 31st October, 1936, or nearest convenient date, between this country and Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, respectively?

The following table shows the total declared value of merchandise imported into and exported from the United Kingdom and registered during the six months ended October, 1936, as consigned from or to Canada, Australia and New Zealand.mission and the revenue received from advertisements; and will he state if any opportunity was provided for Scottish firms to insert advertisements in the report?

The answer to the first part, of the question is £453, and to the last part in the affirmative. I regret that I could not answer the second part without disclosing to competing firms the rate tendered by the advertising agent who obtained the contract.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons resident in Doncaster, Bentley, and Adwick-le-Street, respectively, have been placed in employment by the Employment Exchange since November, 1935?

I am having inquiries made and will communicate with the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Labour on what evidence the Stratford Exchange has decided that Edwin Sheldrake, 33, Preston Road, Stratford, was 66 years of age on 30th November; and whether he is aware that Edwin Sheldrake does not appear in the records at Somerset House?

I understand that it was explained to him at the Exchange that according to the Departmental records his age was over 65, and suggestions were made to him as to the kind of evidence he might be able to produce for the purpose of establishing his correct age. No formal decision was given, but arrangements have now been made for obtaining such a decision, as regards unemployment benefit from the insurance officer, and there will be the usual right of appeal against this decision.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the additional offices for Ministry of Labour business which are being established or are about to be established in Dukinfield?

It is not proposed to establish in Dukinfield any additional offices for Ministry of Labour purposes. There are Employment Exchanges at Ashton-under-Lyne, Stalybridge, Hyde and Denton.

asked the hon. and gallant Member for Barkston Ash, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, what is the total acreage, respectively, in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, and England owned, leased, or controlled by the Forestry Commission?

In Northern Ireland no land is controlled by the Forestry Commissioners. In Scotland the area under their control is 448,500 acres: in England and Wales, 509,000 acres. The Department's records relate to England and Wales as a single administrative unit, and separate figures for Wales are therefore not readily available.

asked the hon. and learned Member for Montgomery, as representing the Charity Commissioners, whether he will state the name of the consulting architect employed by his Department for the report and control of ancient buildings; and what his experience has been in these matters?

Mr. W. D. Caröe, of 3, Great College Street, Westminster, S.W.1, is the architect employed by the Charity Commissioners in all cases in which they require the services of an architect. He has had a long and varied experience in regard to ancient buildings.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he will give particulars of the number of aerodromes constructed or reconstructed for the Royal Air Force during the current financial year; the average price paid per acre for the land; and in how many cases protests have been lodged by local opinion to the proposed aerodromes?

As regards the first part of the question, the number of aerodromes under construction or reconstuction for the Royal Air Force at the present time is 66. As regards the second part, it would not be in the public interest to give the information requested, and as regards the last part, protests were received in a few cases but they came almost exclusively from individuals whose particular interests were affected rather than from local bodies.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that since May, 1936, the appropriate staff association has sought to secure from the Board of Admiralty proposals regarding the future conditions of non-industrial women staffs in His Majesty's dockyards; and whether he now proposes to take any action in this matter?

I presume that my hon. Friend's question relates to certain lower grades, most of whom are at present temporary employees. The setting up of a permanent grade of sub-clerical employees, which would include these persons, is a complicated problem, and has been affected by a recent award of the Industrial Court. The question is, however, under consideration, and the representatives of the, staffs concerned will be taken into consultation as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can make any statement on the measures to give effect to Sir Alan Pim's recommendations, particularly as regards the introduction of an income tax in Kenya?

The Government of Kenya with my approval has already expressed its readiness to accept Sir Alan Pim's recommendations in principle and the report is at present being considered by the Government of the Colony and discussed in the Legislative Council. As regards income tax, a Bill has been published for information, and it is the Kenya Government's intention to introduce it into Council if the Finance Committee so recommends. The provisional Estimates for next year have been prepared on the assumption that income tax will be introduced.