asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether the sugar-producing Dominions subsidise their sugar exports and, in that case, on what lines?

I am informed that no subsidies are paid in respect of exports of sugar from the Commonwealth of Australia or the Union of South Africa, though there is a system in each of these Dominions whereby the internal price of sugar is maintained at a fixed level.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he can state the number of meetings that have been held by the Overseas Settlement Board; what recommendations have been made to him by this board; and has he taken any action in regard to same?

The Overseas Settlement Board have held 24 meetings since they were appointed. As regards the second part of the question, the board presented to me at the end of July an interim report which was published as Cmd. 5314. That report dealt, amongst other things, with the question of amending the Empire Settlement Act, and the legislation which was recently discussed in this House was based upon the board's recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Dominions how many of the seven members originally appointed to the Commission of Government of Newfoundland in 1934 are at present serving in that capacity; and the dates of appointment of all present members together with the office or employment immediately prior to their becoming commissioners?

Two of the original members of the Commission of Government are still serving as such. The particulars asked for in the second part of the question are as follow:Governor:

asked the Secretary of State for the Dominions whether he will state the number of children of school age in the Dominion of Newfoundland as returned in the census of 1936; the number of children actually attending school; and the number appearing as never having attended any school?

The Newfoundland census returns give the following figures for the year 1934–35, which is the latest period for which figures are at present available:

Total number of children of school age	60,122
Number of children attending school	45,802
Number of children not attending school (including those who have left at an early age)	14,320

No figures are available as to the number of children who have never attended any school.

asked the Secretary of State for the Dominions how many persons in the Dominion of Newfoundland are in receipt of Government or other public relief in money or kind; what was the total value of such relief in 1936; and whether he can give comparative figures in respect of each of the years since 1934?

The number of persons in Newfoundland in receipt of public relief in December, 1936, was 71,219, compared with 61,847 in December, 1935, and 53,191 in December, 1934. The figure for December, 1933, was 71,172. The total value of the relief given in 1936 was approximately $1,400,000, compared with $1,150,000 in 1935 and $1,000,000 in 1934.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs what invitations to the Coronation celebrations have been sent, or are being sent, to the High Commission territories of South Africa?

Sir Cecil Horde, the President of the Special Courts of the Bechuanaland Protectorate and Swaziland and Judicial Commissioner of Basutoland, has accepted an invitation to represent these territories at the Coronation. An invitation was also addressed to the Paramount Chief of Basutoland, but, though he was anxious to accept, I understand that his health will not permit of his undertaking the journey to this country.

asked the Postmaster-General how many foreigners have been licensed by him for employment in the British Broadcasting Corporation, other than artists; and whether they have all received his written approval under the Charter?

Two members of the female staff employed in the New York Office of the British Broadcasting Corporation are of American nationality and have been appointed with my written consent. I have not authorised the Corporation to employ any other non-British subjects as members of their staff.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that in some cases persons employed as bakers, in addition to working at night, are obliged to work as much as 76 hours per week with no recognised times for meals; and whether he is prepared to make a statement on hours of work in the industry before the departmental committee which is inquiring into night-baking issues its Report?

My information is that men employed as bakers do in some cases work long hours such as those indicated in the question. As the hon. Member is aware, a Committee has been set up on the subject of night baking, the report of which will, I hope, give full information on these matters. I think it will be best to await the Committee's report.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether any negotiations for the purchase of land between Wallingford and Benson, in the neighbourhood of Ashbury and Lambourne, in the county of Berkshire, for air stations or bomb-practice areas are in either contemplation or agreed upon?

I have been asked to reply. Negotiations are proceeding for the acquisition of about 460 acres of land for a Royal Air Force aerodrome in the neighbourhood of Benson. No other purchase is being considered near the places mentioned.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air how many separate sites have been purchased for new aerodromes and aeroplane factories during the past two years; how many of the sites were agricultural; the area of each; and the price paid for the land in each case?

I lave been asked to reply. The number of separate sites for new aerodromes and aeroplane factories of which the purchase has been completed during the past two years is 25. In the great majority of cases the land can be regarded as agricultural but it is not practicable to differentiate precisely in each case between agricultural and nonagricultural areas. The acreage of the aerodrome sites and the total cost of each are given in the subjoined table. The cost includes in a number of cases compensation for severance for disturbance, loss of crops, etc., purchase of houses

Aerodrome.	Acreage.	Cost.	Remarks.
		£
Harwell	220	11,650	—
Cranfield	413	17,500	Purchase price includes clearance rights over 23 acres.
Feltwell	383	19,500	—
Marham	499	8,650	—
Stradishall	375	7,600	Purchase price includes clearance rights over 82 acres.
Church Fenton	255	26,500	Purchase price includes clearance rights over 78 acres.
Thorney Island	1,450	78,500	Purchase price covers an additional area of 1,338 acres of saltings.
Odiham	216	9,000	—
Montrose	308	18,600	—
Debden	245	14,900	Purchase price includes clearance rights over 76 acres.
Upwood	570	23,500	—
Wyton	409	16,200	—
Scampton	410	25,000	—
Hemswell	443	25,500	—
Dishforth	455	26,000	—
Driffield	407	15,230	—
Leconfield	498	23,750	—
Ternhill	406	32,900	Purchase price includes clearance rights over 49 acres.
Hullavington	479	14,300	Purchase price includes clearance rights over 2 acres.
West Freugh and Luce Bay	2,700	19,400	—
Penrhos and Hell's Mouth	609	21,500	—
Manby	275	8,800	—
Theddlethorpe	165	7,250	—
Welbourne	108	3,600	—

Factory Site.
Site.			Acreage.	Cost.	Remarks.
				£
Birmingham	…	…	17½	10,500	—

asked the Postmaster-General what arrangements have been made for the future presentations of the films entitled "One Family" and "A Southern April" which passed to his Department from the Empire Marketing Board?

The position remains as stated in my reply to the hon. Member's question of the 29th January. I do not propose to make any arrangements for the future presentation of "One Family" I am arranging for copies of "A Southern April" to be placed in the Empire Film Library, and it will also be available for inclusion in special programmes of Post Office films to form a background of general interest.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has yet, as recommended by the Commissioner of Church Temporalities in Wales, either exercised his powers under Section 4 (1) of the Welsh Church (Temporalities) Act, 1919, to direct all local authorities to accept the transfer of the burial grounds transferable to them under the Welsh Church Act, 1914, or, in the alternative, proposes to introduce legislation providing for their transfer to some other body or bodies?

The question of the transfer of those burial grounds which have not been taken over by local authorities is at present under consideration.

asked the hon. and gallant Member for Rye, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, what are the approximate numbers or the proportion of the following trees which have been planted, or are proposed to be planted, on the North Tyne and Redesdale Forestry Commission properties, namely, Scotch fir, Corsican or similar pine, Norway spruce, Douglas fir, Sitka spruce, hardwoods?

The numbers of trees planted on the North Tyne and Redesdale Forestry Commission properties are as follow:

—	North Tyne.	Redesdale.
	1,000's.	1,000's.
Scots pine and Corsican pine.	583	223
European larch and Japanese larch.	113	21
Norway spruce and Sitka spruce.	8,058	1,654
Douglas fir	69	5
Other conifers	107	8
Hardwoods	18	—

The numbers proposed to be planted during the current season are as follow but revisions may be necessary:

—	North Tyne.	Redesdale.
	1,000's.	1,000's.
Scots pine and Corsican pine.	62	83
European larch and Japanese larch.	3	23
Norway spruce and Sitka spruce.	2,867	617
Douglas fir	8	1
Other conifers	26	4
Hardwoods	13	1

The numbers for subsequent seasons have not yet been fixed.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the average number of vehicles in use by the various naval departments for the carriage of goods, stores, and equipment in 1920 and 1936, respectively; and what was the approximate quantity and cost of petrol used in each case?

The number of vehicles with internal combustion engines used by Naval Departments for the purposes mentioned was 383 in 1920 and 365 in 1936. In the latter year these vehicles consumed approximately 270,700 gallons of petrol costing £14,100. The corresponding information for 1920 is no longer available.

asked the Prime Minister whether the speech of the First Lord of the Admiralty represented the policy of the Government when he referred at Bradford, on 5th February, to the necessity for closer co-operation between Dominion Governments on Defence and to other matters?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave yesterday in reply to a question by the hon. Member for the Kingswinford Division of Stafford (Mr. A. Henderson).

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will consider the practicability of supplying young workers in factories with milk on similar terms to which it is now being provided to schools?

The amount of Exchequer grant at present authorised by Statute towards schemes for increasing the demand for milk is fully allocated to the milk-in-school and other schemes, but I will bring my hon. Friend's suggestion to the notice of the Milk Marketing Board.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the approximate net revenue derived from duties on imported goods since the commencement of the current financial year to the last convenient date?

The approximate net amount of revenue derived from duties on imported goods in the period 1st April, 1936, to the 31st January, 1937, was £176,418,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated amount of the economy which has resulted from the reduction of the fineness of the silver coinage from 37–40ths to 50 per cent. under the Coinage Act of 1920, from the beginning of that reduction to the end of the year 1936; and what is the estimated proportion of the silver coinage which is now of this 50 per cent. fineness?

The amount realised by the sale of the surplus silver resulting from recoinage during the 16 years since the passing of the Coinage Act, 1920, which has been available to reduce the net cost to the Exchequer of financing the redemption of redundant silver coin, is approximately £8,500,000. The proportion of silver coinage which is now of the 50 per cent. standard of fineness is estimated at about 95 per cent.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he will give the number of men and women, respectively, employed in each of the following staff groups of the Civil Service as on 1st April, 1936; administrative, general executive, general clerical, writing assist-

Non-Industrial Staffs Employed in Government Departments on 1st April, 1936.
Grade Group.	Established.		Others.		Total.
	Male.	Female.	Male.	Female.	Male.	Female.
Administrative	1,790	25	35	1	1,825	26
General Executive	4,169	260	6	1	4,175	261
Other Executive	11,784	493	376	5	12,160	498
General Clerical	28,000	8,628	5,475	1,436	33,475	10,064
Other Clerical	22,773	3,691	7,627	424	30,400	4,115
Writing Assistants	—	8,711	—	211	—	8,922
Typing Grades	33	8,494	15	2,714	48	11,208
Inspectorate	1,956	434	543	7	2,499	441
Professional, Scientific and Technical.	5,613	60	3,020	47	8,633	107
Subordinate Supervisory and Technical.	7,652	257	5,796	784	13,448	1,041
Minor and Manipulative	94,745	26,402	49,286	16,699	144,031	43,101
Messengers, Porters, Women Cleaners, etc.	1,070	18	10,035	8,284	11,105	8,302
Unestablished Assessors, Collectors, Distributors and Clerks to Commissioners of Income Tax.	—	—	1,064	23	1,064	23
Totals	179,585	57,473	83,278	30,636	262,863	88,109
The above figures exclude:
Staffs engaged on Reserved and Agency Services in Ireland, numbering 4,964, as their cost is met finally from Irish revenues.
Locally entered Staffs abroad.
Ministry of Labour Branch Managers, who are paid by fees, numbering 547.

The statement below gives the desired information as on 1st April, 1936. The figures furnished are not in all respects comparable with those furnished in reply to the hon. Member's question of 4th February. This is due to the fact that the source from which figures for 1936 and future years can be made available differs from that available on previous occasions, and includes certain staffs to which previously there were references in footnotes. The main bodies of staff now included, numbering in all some 11,000 persons, are War Department and Air Ministry out-station staffs, Diplomatic, Consular, etc., staffs serving abroad, and certain Admiralty staffs serving on tours of duty abroad.