asked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence whether, so far as possible, British materials, including stone, are used in the construction of new State factories and the roads needed in connection therewith?

Yes, Sir. It is the practice of the Government Departments to use British materials, including stone, wherever possible.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can state the total number of houses involved in slum-clearance schemes during the course of 1936; and the number of houses exempted from these schemes on the report of the inspectors of his Department?

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, what was the number of women employed in the lower grade of the departmental clerical class of the Customs and Excise Department as at 1st April 1936 and how many of those employed on this date fell within each of the following age groups: under 21 years of age; 21 to 25 years; 26 to 30 years; 31 to 35 years; 36 to 40 years; 41 to 45 years; 46 to 50 years; and over 50 years?

The number of houses included in Orders relating to slum clearance schemes on which my decision was given during 1936 was 47,784 and of these 1,554 were excluded by me from the operation of the Orders. In addition 395 houses alleged to be unfit for human habitation were adjudged by me not to be so unfit, and were included in the Orders as properties to be purchased at full market value.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will give particulars for 1936 of the names and ages of the persons executed in England and Wales for the crime of murder; the dates on which, and the prisons at which, each execution took place; the number of convicted murderers who were reprieved; the number of those reprieved who had been recommended to mercy by the trial jury; and the number of those reprieved who were not so recommended to mercy?

The particulars of those executed in 1936 are as follow:

Two hundred and fifty-nine women were employed in the basic grade of the Departmental Clerical Class of the Customs and Excise Department on the 1st April, 1936, and their age grouping on that date was as follows:—

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will state the quantity of Foreign coal imported into this Country for the six months ended to the last convenient date, and the countries of origin of the same?

The total quantity of foreign coal which entered the United Kingdom in the six months ended 31st January, 1937, was 378 tons, 253 tons from Germany, 81 tons from Japan, 39 tons from France and 5 tons from Belgium.