asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give the substance of the Belgium reply to the British Locarno note of 4th November?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my noble Friend to a similar question asked by the hon. Member for Kingswinford (Mr. A. Henderson) on Monday last.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the difficulties which will stand in the way of enabling large numbers of the public to visit the Fleet in the Thames during the Coronation period, he will consider the desirability of stationing some capital ships at Chatham and Sheerness during this period?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I have to-day given to the hon. and gallant Member for Chatham (Captain Plugge).

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the difficulties of providing for large-scale visits by the public to vessels of His Majesty's Navy in the Thames during the Coronation period, he will consider the desirability of stationing some capital ships at Sheerness and Chatham during this period so as to provide alternative means for the public to visit the Fleet?

It has been arranged for the capital ships, during the visit of the Home Fleet to the Thames, to berth off Southend, where considerable facilities will be available for visitors to see them. On account of their draught, it would not be possible for these vessels to berth at Chatham, and at Sheerness the only suitable berths would be no more accessible than those at Southend.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether any seats at reduced prices to view the Coronation procession are being reserved for societies for the deaf; and, if so, by what method are they being allotted?

It is impossible to make special provision for societies such as those mentioned by my hon. Friend, but it is to be hoped that the groups amongst which the representation is to be allotted may, in selecting their representatives, not fail if possible to remember sympathetically claims such as those referred to in the question.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that the new form of Coronation oath will now affect Northern Ireland; and, as the Protestant reformed religion is not established there by law, does he intend to bring in legislation to repeal the Church of Ireland Disestablishment Act of 1869?

If the hon. Member will compare the new form with the oath taken in 1911, he will see that neither in its old nor in its new form is the phrase to which he refers inconsistent with the Act of 1869, which there is no intention of repealing.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider granting increased old age, widows', and dependants' pension allowances during the Coronation festivities to enable the recipients to appreciate practically the festive occasion?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which my right hon. Friend gave on the 19th January to the hon. Member for North Tottenham (Mr. R. C. Morrison).

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the British destroyers recently bombed by rebel or Italian planes were armed with the latest anti-aircraft guns and fire control; and, if so, will he call for a report on the efficiency of these guns and their ammunition supply during the action?

I presume that the hon. Member refers to the incident in which bombs were dropped near His Majesty's destroyers "Havock" and "Gipsy" on the 13th of this month. On this occasion two rounds of 4·7 inch ammunition were fired, together with a few bursts of machine gun fire. In the circumstances, I see no reason to call for a special report. It would not be desirable to reveal details of the antiaircraft armament of these vessels.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will cause inquiry to be made as to the progress of completing the necessary forms in connection with the application for remission of tithe payments where the existing figure exceeds one-third of Schedule B, due to the difficulty of obtaining the required documents and legal aid in filling in the forms; and whether, in special circumstances, the date for sending in these forms may be extended from the 1st March?

I have been asked to reply. I do not consider that an inquiry as suggested by my hon. and gallant Friend is necessary. It may, however, be the case that an owner of land has been unable to lodge an application in the prescribed form before 1st March, 1937. If, in such a case, he has before that date notified the Inspector of Taxes of his intention to make a formal application for a certificate of annual value, I understand that that notification will be accepted as complying with the statutory requirements provided that an application in the prescribed form is made at an early date thereafter.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the inconvenience caused by the delay of the Ministry in granting sanction for road construction schemes; that five months elapsed before sanction was granted in the case of the York-Tadcaster scheme; and whether this delay can be obviated in future?

Sanctions are given with such speed as is compatible with the evolution of plans and this is generally appreciated by Highway Authorities concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the total amounts received in payment of fines in Scotland for criminal offences, for statutory offences in connection with motor cases, and for other statutory offences, respectively, for each of the years 1919 to 1936, inclusive?

Separate figures for statutory and common law crimes and offences are not available, but the following table gives some particulars of the amounts received from fines for each of the years 1919 to 1935 inclusive. Similar figures for the year 1936 have not yet been received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Governments of the sugar-producing Colonies will be specifically represented, apart from the representation of the Crown agents or the Colonial Office, at the International Sugar Conference; and whether, in that case, he can give the names of such representatives?

In accordance with the usual practice at international conferences the sugar-producing Colonies will not be individually represented, but their interests will, as stated in my reply to the hon. Member for Newcastle-on-Tyne of the 18th February, be represented by the United Kingdom delegation.

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

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and the second part does not therefore arise.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the unemployment in the British West Indian islands due to the repatriation of British West Indian negroes from Cuba, he proposes to take any steps to encourage the re-absorption of such negroes in sugar plantations in these islands; and whether the matter will be borne in mind in connection with the coming International Sugar Conference?

The latest information in my possession does not suggest that there is at present any unemployment in British West Indian islands due to repatriations from Cuba, and the questions do not therefore arise.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can give in tons the actual sugar output of the British West Indies, with British Guiana, Mauritius, and Fiji, for the season 1935–36, and the estimated output in the 1936–37 season?

I have not yet received figures for actual production of sugar in the British Colonies for the season 1935–36, but the actual exports from all parts of the Colonial Empire in the calendar year 1936 totalled almost exactly one million tons, including the sugar equivalent of fancy molasses exported from Barbados. It is estimated that exports in the present calendar year may slightly exceed that figure.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his Department has had the evidence submitted to the Royal Commission, Palestine, made available to it, other than through the reports that appeared in the Press; and whether he will take steps to make such evidence available to Members of this House?

It is the practice for the text of evidence before Royal Commissions to be transmitted to Departments for printing and for no other purpose, and I have not read any of the evidence of the Palestine Royal Commission myself. I shall no doubt receive the printed evidence from the Royal Commission when their report is issued. As regards the second part of the question, I would invite reference to the reply which I gave on 27th January to the hon. and gallant Member for Hitchin (Sir A. Wilson).

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether the Bedeaux system or the Taylor system is employed in any of the works or factories receiving contracts from his Department?

I have been asked to reply. I have no precise information as to whether these systems are employed by any Air Ministry contractors.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many married soldiers under 26 years of age there are in the Army?

I regret that the information is not available, since soldiers who marry under the age of 26 years are not obliged to report the fact.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether preference will be given to disabled ex-Service men on any light work in connection with the proposed new munition factories?

In the engagement of labour for War Department establishments it is the practice to give preference to disabled ex-Service men for work for which they are suitable. This practice will be followed in regard to the new factories. Firms undertaking contracts in connection with the construction of the factories are required to observe the conditions of the King's National Roll.

asked the Minister of Health whether any agreement has now been reached in respect of the medical fee for juvenile patients shortly to be brought into health insurance?

No agreement has yet been reached, but the matter is again to be brought before my right hon. Friend by a deputation from representatives of the medical profession very shortly.

asked the Postmaster-General when it is proposed that telephonic communication between London and Malaya will be completed?

The introduction of public telephone service with Malaya will be arranged as soon as satisfactory communication has been established. Arrangements to that end are well advanced but I regret that a definite date for opening the service cannot yet be furnished.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the total number of soldiers' wives receiving public assistance as a consequence of their not receiving any Army separation allowances owing to their husbands having married before attaining the age of 26 years; and how many such cases are resident in Northumberland?

I regret that the information desired by the hon. Member is not available.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has considered the 'representations from the National Federation of Grocers' Associations in favour of a national survey of the operation of the Housing Acts in relation to dispossessed shopkeepers and compensation; and what was the nature of his reply?

I presume that my hon. Friend is referring to certain representations made to the Central Housing Advisory Committee. My right hon. Friend has not yet received any report from the committee on this question. As indicated in the reply given on the 18th February to a question by my hon. Friend, the Member for Gillingham (Sir R. Gower) my right hon. Friend is proposing to obtain information as to the extent to which local authorities have made allowances to shopkeepers who have been dispossessed or otherwise affected by clearance operations. The information when obtained will be submitted to the Advisory Committee in connection with their consideration of this matter.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will consider giving legal force to an opinion first expressed by his Department in 1931 and confirmed by him in a letter, dated 5th January, 1937, in connection with an industrial process in which a material known as glass-silk is used, namely, that persons employed in handling this material should be provided with protective clothing, respirators, and goggles in order that the admitted risks of dermatitis and irritation of the throat and nasal passages may be as far as possible avoided?

I am advised that the experience of the Factory Department has not proved the effects of this material to be so serious as was feared in 1931, and the Home Office letter of last month did not go so far as to confirm the views expressed six years ago. I am, however, having special inquiries made with a view to considering what further action is called for.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can state the number of civil process prisoners who were committed to prison during the 12 months ended to the last convenient date; whether he is satisfied with the present method of treatment for debt of prisoners as satisfactory; and what steps, if any, he proposes to take towards its alteration?

During 1935 the number of persons committed to prison under orders made by the various courts, including the High Court and county courts for the enforcement of civil debts, was 9,205. The treatment in prison of persons committed under such orders is governed by Statutory Rules, and my right hon. Friend knows of no reason for their alteration.

asked the Minister of Labour how many young persons under 18 years of age have been trans- ferred from the administrative county of Northumberland during the years 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935 and 1936, respectively; and the total cost of such transference to the Ministry?

The number of young persons under 18 years of age who have been transferred annually from the administrative county of Northumberland during the years 1932 to 1936 inclusive were respectively 121, 88, 92, 231 and 415. The cost of such transference is estimated at approximately £4,870.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that German specialists are now employed on important armament construction work at Irvine, Scotland; and if he will take steps to see that British subjects shall receive preference on work of this kind?

Chemical plant, of a type hitherto not used in this country, is being erected at Irvine by a British contractor, who has received permission to employ two Germans experienced in the erection of this type of plant to ensure that it is correctly assembled. In this way it is hoped to establish the necessary technique in this country for the erection of further plant entirely by British labour.