asked the Postmaster-General whether he has considered the representations from the Metropolitan Borough Council of Deptford and certain business firms in that borough with regard to the inadequacy of the postal facilities now available in the Evelyn Street area of that borough; and what steps he proposes to take to remove this grievance?

I have reviewed the postal facilities in Evelyn Street, but I am afraid the provision of a Crown office is not warranted at present. I am, however, arranging for one of the sub-offices to remain open on Thursday afternoons.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has come to any decision upon the recommendations of the committee appointed by the Institution of Electrical Engineers that statutory powers should be sought to compel owners of electrical plant which causes interference with broadcast reception to instal suppression apparatus?

The question of introducing a Bill to secure the powers required to give effect to the Committee's recommendation is under consideration, but I am not yet in a position to announce a decision.

asked the Home Secretary whether there have been any prosecutions or warnings of any persons or organisations as yet under the Public Order Act; and, if so, whether he will give particulars?

I have been asked to reply. Prosecutions under Sections 1 and 2 of the Public Order Act, 1936, cannot be taken without the consent of the Attorney-General. Six persons have been prosecuted under Section I, all of whom were convicted. I have no information about the numbers of warnings or prosecutions under other 3ections of the Act.

asked the Minister of Labour whether suitable sites have been secured for the new Employment Exchanges at Radcliffe and Ramsbottom. respectively; and, if so, when building will be commenced?

(for the First Commissioner of Works): An offer of a suitable site at Radcliffe has been accepted, and it is expected that building work will commence in the autumn. At Rams-bottom a site is under consideration but has not yet been finally approved.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any agreement or compromise has been arrived at with the representatives of the European community in Kenya as to the taxation to be borne by them and by the native community generally?

No, Sir. In connection with the Budget proposals for the year 1937 the European elected members of the Legislative Council of Kenya asked for an assurance that the direct taxation of Europeans would not be increased for the purpose of expanding the native services, while at the same time reducing the direct taxation of natives. I have asked the officer administering the Government to inform them that their point of view will be borne in mind as questions arise regarding the provision for such services. But direct taxation is not the only source of revenue and with increasing prosperity the native community as others will pay more in indirect taxes; and I have made it clear that there cannot be a hard and fast relation between the expenditure on native or non-native services and the amount of revenue derived from the direct taxation either of Europeans, Asiatics or natives.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the recent reports by commissions or commissioners in Kenya, Uganda, and Nyasaland on the disadvantages of the ungraded hut and poll tax as the instrument of native taxation, he will consider setting up a commission to investigate the whole question of native taxation in African territories?

As a result of the reports of the various commissions, referred to by the hon. Member, the various systems of native taxation at present in operation in East Africa are under consideration by the Governments concerned, and I have urged them to pay particular attention to this matter. Such investigations will naturally take a considerable time, and moreover the hon. Member will appreciate that the circumstances in the various Dependencies differ widely. I do not consider that the appointment of yet another commission as suggested by the hon. Member would be helpful.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can state the number of egg producers in this country at the end of each of the years 1934, 1935, and 1936?

I regret that the particulars desired are not available.

asked the Minister of Health whether in view of the claim that an Act (34 and 35 Henry VIII) dealing with herbalists gives to this section of unregistered practitioners the right to engage in medical practice without compliance with the Medical Act, 1858, thus defeating the purpose of this Act to enable the public to distinguish between qualified and unqualified practice, he will make provision to secure the repeal of this legislation of 40o years ago?

I am advised that the Act of 34 and 35 Henry VIII enabled the persons named therein to treat certain medical conditions without incurring penalties under an earlier Act of the same reign which had given a monopoly of practice to physicians and surgeons approved thereunder by the Bishop, and that it does not give to these persons the rights which are secured by registration under the Medical Act, 1858. The latter Act, however, as the hon. Member is aware, does not prohibit practice by unregistered persons. There appears, therefore, to be no conflict between the two Acts, and I do not feel called on to take action in the direction suggested in the question.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider the possibility of a rebate of duty on spirits supplied solely on doctors' prescriptions, in view of the hardship caused to old persons of limited means for whom small regular doses of spirits are prescribed medicinally?

I am afraid that my right hon. Friend cannot see his way to initiate the necessary legislation to give effect to my hon. Friend's suggestion.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will state the number of applications received to date by the Special Areas Reconstruction Association; how many of them were within the scope of the company; how many have been rejected; how many have been approved; and the amount of the loans thereunder?

I am informed that the total number of applications of all kinds received to date by the association is 451, but more than 50 per cent. were either inquiries, indefinite applications or applications that for one reason or another were not pursued. It is therefore not possible to say how many of the total were within the scope of the association. One hundred and seventeen applications have been refused, 38 loans totalling £223,450 have been agreed to in principle.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will state the quantity and value of the total imports, and the quantity and value of iron and steel rivets, imported free of duty into registered shipyards for 1933, 1934, 1935, and 1936?

Following are such figures as are available:Approximate value of all goods liable to ad valorem duty, and the separate value of iron and steel rivets and washers, admitted duty free (or on drawback of the duty) into registered shipbuilding yards in each of the calendar years 1933–36:

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he can state the number of coal mines in operation in Great Britain; the number of separate undertakings; and the amount of capital invested on the latest available date?

There are 1,893 pits at work and about 970 separate undertakings. I regret that I have no information which would enable me to make an estimate of the amount of capital invested.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will make a statement giving particulars of the Royal Commissions and Committees of Inquiry, excluding Standing and Statutory Committees, appointed by Government during the last or previous Parliaments and which are still sitting?

The following statement gives particulars of the Royal Commissions and Committees of Inquiry (excluding Standing and Statutory Committees) appointed by the Government during the last or previous Parliaments which are still sitting:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any information as to the negotiations in progress between the German Government and the Portuguese Government for the exploitation of certain Portuguese colonies; and to what extent this question is affected by the treaty obligations which exist between this country and Portugal and her dependencies?

The Portuguese Government have published a statement denying the rumours referred to. The treaty obligations between this country and Portugal do not appear in any way to be concerned.

asked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence whether he will given the total expenditure in the present financial year up to date on the re-armament programme for the three Services, and state, as far a. possible, how much of this has been allocated to the distressed areas?

I regret that it is not possible, without an incommensurate amount of labour, to assess the actual expenditure that has occurred under the Rearmament Programme during the current financial year, but I can give the hon. Member the value of orders placed between 1st April and 31st December. These amounted to a total of £137,509,900, of which £31,884,000 worth was placed in the Special and Distressed Areas. Certain items of normal expenditure are included in these figures, as it is not possible to separate them. The figures do not include the sums authorised for expenditure by His Majesty's ships and naval establishments.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received any recent reports from His Majesty's Ambassador in Moscow showing the condition of unemployment in the Soviet Union; and what, if any, provisions have been made in this current year in the Budget for social insurance unemployment payments?

Recent reports from His Majesty's Ambassador at Moscow on labour conditions in the Soviet Union make no allusion to the condition of unemployment. As regards the second part of the question, an analysis of the Soviet budget for 1937, recently received from Lord Chilston, does not disclose the existence of any specific provision for social insurance unemployment payments.