asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the question of summoning the Bureau of the Disarmament Conference was considered by the League of Nations Council; and, if so, what was the decision?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to a similar question by the hon. Member for Kingswinford (Mr. A. Henderson) on 1st February last, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can make any statement on the results of the League of Nations Special Committee's discussions on reform of the League covenant; and whether it is the aim of the committee to report to the Council of the League before the next Assembly?

As regards the first part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to a question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Colchester (Mr. O. Lewis) on 21st January. As regards the second part of the question, I am not yet in a position to state when the committee will report. The hon. Member will recollect that the report, when prepared, is to be submitted to the Governments of the States members of the League. The committee is, however, authorised to propose a special session of the Assembly, should it consider it advisable to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the declaration of the Senate of Danzig that it bases its relations with the High Commissioner on the legal statute in force, is interpreted by the League of Nations as giving the High Commissioner the right to report at once any infraction of that legal statute?

The report adopted by the Council on 26th January states that it is for the High Commissioner to decide, on the basis of whatsoever information may be available to him, as to the questions, if any, in regard to which he will ask for explanations from the Senate, and thereafter to decide himself whether or not it is advisable for him to make a report to the Council. It is clear from this that the High Commissioner has the right to report any infraction of the legal statute, but that he would first seek the observations of the Senate on the question at issue. This involves no departure from the procedure followed in the past, and it is specifically stated in the report adopted by the Council that the right of the High Commissioner to ask for information from the Senate, and the duty of the Senate to furnish the information asked for, remain unquestioned.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has had a report from the British Ambassador in Tokyo upon a pamphlet issued by the Japanese Army on l0th January, 100,000 copies of which have been distributed, in which Great Britain is accused of interfering with Japan's continental policy and of showing a marked tendency to impair established peace in the Far East; and whether he will instruct the Ambassador to represent to the Japanese Government that, in order to maintain Anglo-Japanese friendship, that Government should dissociate themselves from the sentiments expressed in the pamphlet?

No, Sir; my attention has not been drawn to this particular pamphlet, but I will call for a report and will bear in mind the suggestion contained in the last part of my hon. and gallant Friend's question.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what percentage of civil servants in Northern Ireland, for whose conditions of service the Treasury is responsible, are of Irish Free State or Northern Ireland origin, respectively?

I regret that information on this question is not available and could not be obtained without disproportionate labour and expense.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will give preference to civil servants of Northern Ireland origin when considering applications to serve in that part of the United Kingdom?

Subject to the requirements of the public service, candidates for initial appointment who have expressed a preference for employment in Northern Ireland are assigned to any vacancies which may exist there. The transfer of officers already in the service is arranged according to seniority or date of application for transfer. It would not, I regret, be practicable or desirable to alter these arrangements, but my hon. and gallant Friend may rest assured that vacancies in Imperial Departments in Northern Ireland are, in practice, not normally filled except by officers having some connection with that part of the United Kingdom.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he has considered the representations submitted from the Carmarthen County Council and the Llanelly Borough Council urging the Government to grant extra payments to old age pensioners and widows in receipt of widows' pensions during Coronation week; and whether the Government will agree to this proposal?

I am aware that representations have been made on this subject. I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend on the 19th January to the hon. Member for North Tottenham (Mr. R. C. Morrison).

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether he will state the number of seats being erected in the royal parks for the purpose of viewing the Coronation procession; the cost of erecting the same; and whether this work is being executed by direct labour or contract?

(for the First Commissioner of Works): The number of seats being erected in Hyde Park, St. James's Park, and the Green Park is 75,000 and the total cost approximately £112,000. The work is being undertaken by contract.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury (1) how many of the women employed in the lower grade of the general clerical class as on the 1st April, 1936, entered that class by means of the special post-war limited competitions;

I am having inquiry made as to the extent to which the information desired by the hon. Member can be made readily available, and I will communicate further with him in due course.

asked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been called to the differentiation of practice under which the Ministry of Labour Staff Association, which enjoys sole recognition for certain grades in the Ministry of Labour, is allowed to hold meetings on Employment Exchange premises to which it is permitted to invite members and non-members, while the Civil Service Clerical Association, which enjoys sole recognition for analogous grades in the Unemployment Assistance Board, is allowed to hold in Unemployment Assistance Board offices meetings of members only; and whether he will give instructions for equality of treatment in the two cases?

I am aware of the difference to which the hon. Member refers. The practice in relation to the staff of the Unemployment Assistance Board is a matter within the discretion of the Board and has, I understand, been discussed with the Association concerned.

asked the Minister of Labour how many women below the age of 16 and above that age, respectively, were assisted by the Ministry to go to Leicestershire and elsewhere in England, respectively, to take part in the woollen industry and other industries, respectively, for each of the years 1932 to 1936, inclusive; and what were the total sums expended in each of these years on such women for travelling expenses and maintenance allowances?

pursuant to his reply (OFFICIAL REPORT, 29th January, 1937, cols. 1201–2, Vol. 319), supplied the following information:The following table shows the numbers (1) of women of 18 years of age and over and (2) of girls under the age of 18, from

asked the Minister of Labour whether it is with the authority of his Department that area officers of the Unemployment Assistance Board make deductions from disabled ex-service men where the pension, including supplementary allowance for a wife, is £1 a week or less; and does this represent a change from the standstill arrangement?

My right hon. Friend has nothing to add to his reply of Thursday last except to say that the position is the same now as during the period of the "standstill."

asked the Minister of Transport whether he can now make any further statement in respect of the restoration of the notices on London omnibuses and tramcars during the period when cheap fares are in operation?

I understand that particulars of cheap fares in operation on the omnibuses and tramcars of the London Passenger Transport Board are shown on the fare boards inside the the depressed areas who were transferred through the Department to employment in Leicestershire, and elsewhere in England (excluding Monmouthshire), respectively, during the years 1932 to 1936 inclusive:vehicles. The board inform me that the structure and design of their omnibuses and their newer types of tramcar are unsuitable for the display of outside notices and that they are satisfied that such notices are unnecessary.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will state the number of persons employed by local authorities in Great Britain in clerical or administrative employment and in general work, respectively?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a similar question on the 7th December, 1936, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Health the total number of villages supplied with water, arid the total amount expended in so supplying them, under the provisions of the Rural Water Supplies Act, 1934; whether work under the Act is still in progress; and, if so, when the programme is likely to be completed?

With the aid of the £1,000,000 grant under the Rural Water Supplies Act, 1934, schemes have been undertaken for 2,250 parishes at a total cost of over £7,100,000. About one-third of the schemes have been carried out, and it is anticipated that work on the remainder will be completed by the end of 1938.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Government have yet decided what action is to be taken to carry out the recommendations of the Royal Commission on the Private Manufacture of Armaments, in view of the length of time during which this matter has been under consideration?

I hope it may be possible to make an announcement on this subject before very long, but the press of other urgent business does not make this possible at present.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department what proportion of exports to Russia during the past 12 months consist of armaments, tools and machinery, and what is the total value under each head; and whether, so far as concerns exports guaranteed by the Export Credits Department, instructions or advice have been given that such orders should not have preference over orders from British Dominions, India and the Colonies?

The total value of exports of the produce and manufactures of the United Kingdom consigned to the Soviet Union during the year 1936 was £3,492,459, of which arms, ammunition and military and naval stores amounted to £2,955, machine tools (metal working) and parts thereof to £324,748, and other machinery and parts thereof to £364,618. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative. The sole concern of the Export Credits Guarantee Department under its recent agreement with the Soviet Government, is to enable our manufacturers, in accepting orders from that country, to obtain payment in cash. It remains open to any manufacturer to decide whether to accept any such orders and whether or not to give them preference over orders from any other overseas market.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department what complaints he has received from manufacturers' associations in New Zealand of the difficulty that is being experienced in obtaining tools and machinery from England for guaranteed delivery within the year?

The Department of Overseas Trade has not received any complaints from manufacturers' associations in New Zealand regarding the difficulty mentioned in the question. I have seen a statement in the Press that complaints have arisen in New Zealand and His Majesty's Trade Commissioner at Wellington has been instructed to offer to the Minister of Industries and Commerce all possible assistance in the investigation of any such complaints.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether any steps are being taken, or will be taken, to bring to the notice of British manufacturers the fact that many Australian cinemas are willing to include British industrial films in their normal programmes; and whether similar arrangements can be made with any other Dominions?

The Australian company controlling the largest chain of cinemas in the Commonwealth have offered to exhibit British industrial films in their ordinary programmes. This offer has been widely circulated in this country by the London Office of the Australian Association of British Manufacturers. The proprietors of an important cinema at Montreal recently made a somewhat similar offer and this also has been brought to the notice of concerns likely to be interested. My hon. Friend may rest assured that whenever possible full advantage will be taken of similar opportunities.

asked the Postmaster-General when the regulations in the Post Office Guide were last revised, particularly those with regard to pre-paid rates for printed papers?

All sections of the Post Office Guide are constantly under revision. The guide will appear in a more convenient and attractive form in September next, and I hope that the manner in which the regulations relating to printed papers are set out will make them clearer. If the hon. Member has any particular point in mind with regard to these regulations, I shall be glad to consider it.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he can state the value of the mails delivered to Germany for distribution by air to South America during the year 1936?

The payment due to be made to the German Post Office for the conveyance of United Kingdom air mails to South America during the year 1936 is £34,000.

asked the Postmaster-General what was the number of new telephones installed in Great Britain during the years 1930 to 1936, inclusive; what was the total sum spent in telephone development in that period; and how the provision. Of telephones in this country compares with that in other countries?

The net increase in telephone stations in this country, that is the total number of new stations less the number of stations given up, during the years referred to by my hon. Friend was as follows: In 1930, 109,267; in 1931, 82,515; in 1932, 65,577; in 1933, 78,927; in 1934, 139,200; in 1935, 183,075; and in 1936, 238,442.During these seven years, some £52,000,000 has been expended on the provision of new telephone plant. In addition, it is estimated that approximately one-half of the expenditure of about £112,000,000 on Post Office buildings during the same period, was attributable to telephone requirements. According to the latest available figures (those for 1935) the number of telephones per hundred of the population in the ten countries in which the service is most highly developed is as follows:

asked the Postmaster-General whether the two sound films entitled "One Family" and "A Southern April," which passed to his Department from the Empire Marketing Board, are still being exhibited to the public; and what arrangement his Department has made for any future presentation of these films?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. As regards the second part, no arrangements have been made for the future presentation of these films.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he can state the number of war pensioners who have responded to his suggestion for a deduction from their pensions for providing for their old age?

I am glad to say that up to and including 30th January the number of pensioners who had found it to their advantage to avail themselves of the scheme was 7,358. Fresh applications are continually being received.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what administrative action he has taken or proposes to take in order to remedy the unfair burden imposed upon householders and small holders under the Land Drainage Act?

I am not aware that the Land Drainage Act imposes an unfair burden on householders and small holders, although the payment of drainage rates, like the payment of other charges, may be found more onerous in some individual cases than in others. Administrative action in the direction of mitigating possible hardships is within the discretion of the responsible local authorities.

asked the Attorney-General whether he is aware of the widespread public anxiety in regard to recent mass trials in South Wales; and whether lie will consider the difficulties in administering justice in respect to individual persons under the jury system in mass trials of this kind?

I am not aware of the difficulties to which the hon. Gentleman refers, but my hon. and learned Friend will consider any point the hon. Gentleman may care to bring to his notice.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether, in view of the total loss of an aeroplane, passengers and crew whilst prospecting the national air routes suggested by the Maybury Committee, he will immediately take the necessary action to plan trunk air routes for Great Britain and equip them with the directional control which is well known and essential for the safety of the air-travelling public?

As regards the regret-able accident to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers, I feel sure he appreciates that it would be premature to make any assumption as to its cause in advance of the investigation by the inspector of accidents. The aeroplane in question was fitted with wireless apparatus, I am informed, and direction finding services were available in this case. As regards the adoption of the recommendations of the Maybury Committee, I can at the moment only refer to the reply which I gave last Wednesday to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Thanet (Captain Balfour).

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will have instructions issued for the names of ratings who qualify professionally for sub-lieutenant to be reported to the Admiralty and close attention given to the progress of the sub-lieutenant scheme by the Second Sea Lord and chief of naval personnel, in order that it shall not die out through want of Admiralty interest and attention?

I can assure the hon. Member that the progress of the scheme for the direct promotion of ratings to commissioned rank is constantly under review by myself and my advisers. I would explain that so soon as a rating is considered by his Commanding Officer to be potentially suitable for commissioned rank, even though he lacks the prescribed qualifications, the fact is reported to the Admiralty and thenceforward the Admiralty and future Captains under whom he may serve keep a careful watch on his training and development.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty (1) whether he will state the reasons for the institution of a supplementary list of naval officers between the ages of 21 and 30 years from the mercantile marine, observing that the number of promotions awarded to the lower deck in recent years has been the lowest in the 25 years since commissioned rank was opened to ratings and that 69 ratings are qualified for sub-lieutenant;(2) whether, instead of recruiting merchant service officers for the Navy, he will increase the number of commissions awarded to lower-deck candidates between 21 and 25 years under the new sub-lieutenant scheme and consider awarding commissions to warrant officers between 23 and 30 years under similar arrangements to the mate scheme of 1912?

The institution of the supplementary list of Naval Officers was found necessary in order to assist in filling the immediate vacancies caused by the Naval re-armament programme, by a system of short service entry. It was not possible to rely on promotions from the lower deck for this purpose as there were not enough fully qualified and suitable candidates. Far from desiring to restrict the number of commissions awarded to candidates from the lower deck, the Admiralty would gladly see a larger number of suitable candidates coming forward in order to allow of an increase in the number of direct promotions to commissioned rank from the lower deck. In this connection, the hon. Member is incorrect in stating that 69 ratings are qualified for sub-lieutenant. The figure which he has in mind represents the number who have passed a written examination in certain educational subjects and the number is now 78. In addition to this educational test, various professional qualifications are necessary and of course the general qualifications of the candidate have to be taken into full account.With regard to the last part of the second question, I would point out that the new scheme for the promotion of ratings to commissioned rank is based on the desirability of ensuring that all officers, both ex-cadet and ex-lower deck, shall receive equal training. The officers who were promoted under the Mate Scheme of 1912 found themselves at a serious disadvantage owing to their not having received training equal to that of other officers, and for this reason I consider the re-institution of the scheme undesirable.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many refugees have been evacuated through the efforts of Great Britain from territory in Government hands in Spain and from territory in the hands of the nationalists, respectively?

Up to 31st January, 1937, nearly 17,000 men, women and children of more than 50 different nationalities had been evacuated from Spanish ports in His Majesty's ships. Particulars of the ports from which these persons were evacuated are not available but practically all ports in Spain and in the Balearic and Canary Islands contributed to the total.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the fact which was elicited in proceedings regarding two officers of a Spanish ship who appeared at Cardiff police court on 18th December charged with landing in this country without permission; that when the ship was in London in November the police ordered a quantity of Communist literature to be burned; and under whose instructions, and under what statutory authority, the police took this action?

I have seen a news report of the proceedings referred to and am informed by the Commissioner of Police, who has caused inquiries to be made, that the police who visited the ship while it was in London emphatically deny that any order was given that the literature in question should be burned. The second part of the question accordingly does not arise.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he can give figures showing the difference in the revenue of India in the year 1929 and in the year 1935, and, so far as possible, the figure of revenue received in the year 1936?

For the first two figures and for the budget estimate for 1936–37, I would refer my hon. Friend to page 112 of Part II of the Indian Budget volume for 1931–32, and page 72 of Part II of the volume for 1936–37, which have been presented to the House. The final figures for 1935–36 and the revised estimate for 1936–37 will not be available until after the Indian Budget has been presented at the end of this month.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is satisfied that the detenus in India are receiving humane treatment; and whether he will ask for a report of the conditions in which the detenus are living?

Yes, Sir. The whole question of the position and treatment of these terrorist detenus has been constantly engaging the attention of the Governor of Bengal, who in addition is kept informed by non-official visitors. My Noble Friend does not therefore see any reason to call for any special report on the matter.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India on how many occasions during the current session of the Indian Legislative Assembly the Governor-General has disallowed motions of adjournment to consider matters of public importance?

No such motions have been disallowed during the current session, which began on 25th January.

asked the Undersecretary of State for India why motions which are tabled for discussion with the permission of the president of the Legislative Assembly have been disallowed thereafter by the Governor-General recently?

The Governor-General has power under the Indian Legislative Rules to disallow any Resolution or, notwithstanding the consent of the President, any motion for adjournment in the Indian Legislature, on the ground that it cannot be moved without detriment to the public interest or on the ground that it relates to a matter which is not primarily the concern of the Governor-General in Council.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he will state the total number of vacancies at Sandhurst which have, since the commencement of the scheme for the Indianisation of the Indian army, been filled by competition by candidates belonging to the enlisted classes?

Since 1933 Indian cadets have been trained at the Indian Military Academy in India and no longer at Sandhurst. In either case candidates entering by competition have not been classified according to whether they belong to the enlisted classes or otherwise; and I am not aware that the information asked for is available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will consider the introduction of regulations to provide that the marking of eggs as new laid shall be confined to eggs produced in Great Britain and Northern Ireland?

I do not regard my hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion as feasible. AS the Reorganisation Commission for Eggs and Poultry for England and Wales point out in their report, the expression "new laid" properly relates to freshness and not to origin. My hon. and gallant Friend will be aware that imported eggs are already distinguishable from home-produced eggs by a mark of origin on the shell.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, with a view of absorbing the present surplus of liquid milk, he will arrange for consideration to be given to a scheme under which the Milk Marketing Board will guarantee such a price to farmers who produce butter which they have made on their own farms from milk produced by their own cows as will provide real encouragement to farmers to engage in the production of butter; and what steps are being taken at the present time by the board to promote the sale in this country of butter made on British farms?

I am willing to consider any such scheme, but I am sure that my hon. and gallant Friend will not expect me to agree in advance that a scheme of this nature would necessarily be in the best interests of the milk industry at the present time. As to the last part of the question, the Milk Marketing Board are not at present taking any steps to promote the sale of farmhouse butter.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can give the House any information relative to the accident that took place during the demolition work on the site of the old Cambridge Theatre, E.; whether he can state the cause of the accident; what precautions were taken to prevent it; and the number of persons injured?

These operations are not at present subject to the Factory Acts, but I understand that the accident was due to the collapse of part of a protective hoarding and that two persons were injured but not seriously.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that the convictions for drunkenness increased in Birmingham last year by 37 per cent., being now double what they were four years ago; and whether, in connection with the consultations now taking place between the Home Office and local authorities about the conditions of safety in a time of national danger, he proposes to direct the attention of the magistrates to this aspect of public safety and order?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I do not quite follow the hon. Member's suggestion in the second part, but I see no reason to suppose that the magistrates are in need of any advice from my right hon. Friend.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has considered the application for the extension of passports held by Norwegian or Danish seamen who refused to sign at Cardiff for voyages to Spanish ports held by insurgents; and whether he will consider granting the necessary extension so that these seamen may engage on vessels bound from the Bristol Channel for neutral ports?

I have made inquiries and find that the alien seamen to whom the hon. Member refers made no application for permission to land for transfer to other vessels, and arrangements for their repatriation were made by the union to which they belong. The hon. Member will appreciate that in the interests of our own seamen there must be restriction on discharge of alien seamen from foreign boats with a view to their seeking engagement in other vessels.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can nom, inform the House as to the nature of the replies which he has received from the Newspaper Proprietors' Association and the Newspaper Society to his letter drawing their attention to authenticated cases of Press persecution of members of the public?

I understand that the Newspaper Society are considering this matter and that the Newspaper Proprietors' Association have appointed a committee for the purpose.