asked the Minister of Labour the intention of His Majesty's Government with regard to the recommendation of the Unemployment Insurance Statutory Committee that the salary limit for unemployment insurance for non-manual workers should be raised from £250 to £400 per annum?

I am not at present in a position to make a statement on this subject.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of unemployed men and women resident in the borough of Southwark on the registers of the Employment Exchange at the last convenient date?

On 14th December, 1936, there were 7,487 unemployed men and 2,052 unemployed women, aged 18 years and over, on the registers of the Borough (Walworth Road) Employment Exchange. Of these 4,241 men and 1,490 women were resident in the Metropolitan Borough of Southwark.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the plans for the erection of the new permanent building to house the Employment Exchange for the borough of Southwark have been completed; and when this building is expected to be finished?

(for the First Commissioner of Works): I have been asked

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs the total amount of British capital invested in New Zealand; and what progress has been made in the recent conversations to increase trade between this country and New Zealand?

No official estimates of British investments overseas are available. But according to a tentative estimate based on careful but not yet fully completed research which I have

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will indicate the course of employment by industries and percentages, respectively, for the city of Leicester for the months of November and December, 1936?

The available figures relate to the area served by the Leicester Employment Exchange and Juvenile Employment Bureau. The following table shows for this area (a) the numbers of insured persons, aged 16 to 64 years, recorded as unemployed in the principal industries in Leicester at 23rd November, and 14th December, 1936, and (b) these numbers expressed as percentages of the estimated numbers insured at July, 1936:obtained through the courtesy of Sir Robert Kindersley, the amount of British-owned securities and private investments in New Zealand is £140,000,000. As regards the second part of the question, I have nothing to add at present to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Newcastle-on-Tyne, North (Sir N. Grattan-Doyle) on 17th December.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that great hardship has been caused to firms in Hull and other parts of the United Kingdom through the action of the Dutch government in forbidding the export of processed milk to this Country except upon condition that the number of British firms handling the importation of Dutch processed milk be reduced; whether his department has at any time made representations to the Dutch government on the subject; and, if so, what was the nature of such representations?

As part of the arrangements which have been under discussion for the control of shipments of condensed milk to this country, the Netherlands Government were asked to take such steps as would ensure that any marketing agreement between the British manufacturers and the importers was effectively carried out. It had, I understand, been found impossible to enforce a previous agreement owing to the fact that the trade was insufficiently organised. The Netherlands Government have therefore made arrangements to limit the number of agents to whom the shipments are consigned, but I am informed that all the regular importers will receive their share of the imports.

asked the President of the Board of Education the number of children on the register of the public elementary schools of the city of Leicester for the year ending 31st December, 1936?

The number of children on the register of the public elementary schools of the city of Leicester was 33,920 on the 1st October, 1936, the latest date for which we have figures.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will give particulars of the amount of tinned milk supplied to the Army and used at the majority of stations abroad; and the country of origin of same?

During the year ended 31st December, 1936, approximately 2,000,000 lbs. of condensed milk, which was all of home origin, was supplied to stations abroad.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will provide a statement showing what countries are engaged in the export coal trade; the amounts exported in each case, together with the quantities sent, respectively, to countries of destination; and will he provide this information for each year from 1924 to the latest available date?

I am sending the information to the hon. Member.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that the Wallet spitway is much silted, therefore causing much delay and inconvenience to passenger navigation; and whether he will take steps to investigate the circumstances?

I have no information to suggest that the Wallet spitway is becoming progressively shallower, although I am aware that its position is subject to frequent change. On this account the spitway is periodically examined and is due for re-survey in the coming spring. No responsibility for removing any silt which might be found in the spitway would rest with the Admiralty.