asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he can state the number of British firms who have closed their doors in Hankow during the past five years; and how many British firms are still left?

I regret that the information in possession of the Department

Country whence consigned.					1934.	1935.	1936.
					£ million.	£ million.	£ million.
Canada	…	…	…	…	27·1	30·0	41·4
Australia	…	…	…	…	30·8	31·4	34·2
New Zealand	…	…	…	…	28·8	29·9	32·6
India	…	…	…	…	18·4	18·1	19·5
Union of South Africa		…	…	…	4·8	6·8	5·8

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many milk producers Marketing are

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has received any report from His Majesty's commercial attaché at Copenhagen on the negotiations for a low-tariff area in Europe; what is the position of Denmark as regards such a group; and whether His Majesty's Government is taking any steps to facilitate its formation?

Information has been received from various sources, including His Majesty's Representative at Copenhagen, as to informal discussions between the countries parties to the Oslo Convention, including Denmark. These discussions, which I understand are exploratory, have been directed towards the possibility of lowering trade barriers. I have, however, no precise information as to any proposals that may have been discussed, and the last part of the question does not, therefore, arise.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the value of food supplies imported into this country from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, and South Africa, respectively, for each of the last three years?

The following table shows the declared value of food and drink (including living animals for food and feeding stuffs for animals) imported into the United Kingdom during each of the years 1934 to 1936 and consigned from the undermentioned countries.registered with the Milk Marketing Board; the number of producer retailers; and the levies paid by the latter during each year of the Board's existence?

I am informed by the Milk Marketing Board that the number of producers registered under the milk marketing scheme is approximately 149,000, and that the number who hold retail licences is approximately 65,000. The average producer-retailer contribution in each year of the scheme is shown in the following statement:

Year (ist October—30th September).	Average nominal contribution (a) (Pence per gallon).	Average contribution paid after allowing for level delivery and accredited premiums (b). (Pence per gallon).
1933–34	1·58	0·89
1934–35	2·51	1·93
1935–36	3·13	1·96
(a) Unweighted average.
(b) Weighted average.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the approximate amount of meat and sugar, respectively, consumed in this country during 1918 when rationing was in force and the approximate amount of such commodities now produced annually in this country?

Total consumption of meat (excluding poultry, game and rabbits) in the United Kingdom in the year 1918 has been estimated at approximately 1,833,000 tons and average production in the United Kingdom in the years 1934 and 1935 is estimated at 1,408,000 tons. Corresponding figures for sugar (refined basis) are 975,000 tons and 536,000 tons respectively. The figures for the year 1918 relate to Great Britain and all Ireland, and do not include quantities shipped to British Forces overseas; those for the years 1934 and 1935 relate to Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can make any statement as to the proposals for the further increase of the armed forces in Italy in consequence of the rearmament programme of this country?

I am not aware that proposals for a further increase of the armed forces in Italy have been made in consequence of the British rearmament programme.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will give the total amount of moneys paid out from the Post Offices in the city of Leicester for the year 1936 in respect of war pensions, contributory widows', orphans', and old age pensions, non-contributory pensions, and other issues under his Department, including payments to blind persons?

The following amounts (approximately) were paid out in the year ended 31st December, 1036, from Post Offices in the city of Leicester in respect of

	£
Army and Navy and Air Force Pensions and Allowances	250,000
Contributory Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Pensions and non-contributory pensions, including payments to the Blind	550,000

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the Glasgow Post Offices are refusing to accept parcels of cigarettes and clothing addressed to men in Spain; and can he state the grounds for refusal?

I am aware that parcels of cigarettes and clothing addressed to Spain have been refused at Glasgow. As regards the cigarettes, there is a long-standing prohibition of the importation of tobacco into Spain; for the rest, there is no Parcel Post to Spain at the present time. Articles of clothing, up to a limit of 2 lb. in weight, could be sent at sender's risk by the international Small Packets service which is still in operation.

asked the Home Secretary whether the Air Raids Precautions Department has reached any conclusion in regard to the value of underground car parks for air raid precaution purposes; and, if not, when such information will be available?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a question by the hon. Member for Romford (Mr. Parker) on 17th February.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in carrying out the proposed experimental increase in the police motor patrols, he will consider the claims of suitable ex-service men for recruitment if they have been fully trained, instructed and capable of carrying out the work; whether he will consider the establishment of special recruiting conditions for this extended road patrol staff on a limited period of engagement and non-pensionable, and by so doing release constables for their normal police duties?

The men to be employed on the proposed experiment will be experienced men already in the forces concerned: it would not be practicable to recruit for the purpose men who would have to be trained first in all the duties of constables and subsequently in the special duties of motor patrols. In recruiting the necessary additional men to fill the resulting vacancies for constables on ordinary police duties, the Chief Officers of Police concerned will pay due regard to the claims of ex-service men, but the ordinary conditions of recruitment must obviously apply. In the Metropolitan Police, where alone there is power to recruit constables on short-term engagements, some of the recruits will be engaged on that basis.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the death of a boy of 17 who fell down a lift shaft of a block of flats under erection in London on 25th February; and whether any report on the accident has been made to him?

Yes, Sir. The accident occurred on a building under construction. I understand that the shaft was intended for a service lift and that the opening into it was about 2 feet 9 inches above the floor of the kitchen, but that there were a few inches of rubble on the floor which would of course make it less difficult to fall into the opening. The youth went into the room to speak to another workman, but neither that workman nor another who saw him enter the kitchen, was able to say how he came to fall into the opening.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in the case of any proposal that may be put forward at the coming International Sugar Conference for the introduction of a quota in sugar production in any of the British Colonies, he will ensure that no assent is given to it unless the restriction: applies to all the sugar producing countries in the world?

Sugar is produced in a great many countries, some of which are of little importance from the point of view of the world market for sugar, and I do not think it would be possible to undertake that no scheme of regulation should come into operation unless every producing country without exception participated in it; but the hon. Member may rest assured that no International Agreement involving any regulation of exports from the British Colonial Empire will be applied to them unless it also covers all countries whose production is important for the world market.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the fact that the sugar production of the British Colonial Empire is likely to exceed 1,000,000 tons during the current year, he can state whether arrangements will be made to ensure that the British delegation to the International Sugar Conference shall contain persons directly representative of that production in the same way as other delegations?

As stated in my reply to the hon. Member for East Dorset (Mr. Hall-Caine) on 24th February, British Colonial interests will be represented by the United Kingdom delegation, which will include myself and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, as announced by the Prime Minister in reply to the hon. Member for Bassetlaw (Mr. Bellenger) on 4th March. Furthermore, as stated to-day in reply to the hon. and gallant Member for Accrington (Major Procter), I have arranged to have available a committee of representatives of Colonial producers for consultation when necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what has been the approximate increase in the sugar production in British Colonies since the last sugar conference was held; and whether he will give an assurance that at the coming conference no quota will be agreed to on behalf of the British Colonies which does not make allowance for the continued expansion of such production?

I assume that my hon. Friend refers to the Preliminary International Conference held in 1934. Exports of sugar from the British Colonies have been as follow:

	Tons.
1933	782,000
1934	751,000
1935	851,000
1936	1,000,000

In considering any suggestion that may be made for a quota for the British Colonies during the forthcoming conference, account will be taken of the latest figures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will give an assurance that he will not agree to any proposals at the International Sugar Conference which will not provide for the continued reasonable expansion of British Colonial sugar output, in view of the fact that Great Britain is still dependent for its sugar supply, to a large extent, upon foreign-grown sugar?

In any negotiations for an international agreement account must be taken of the fact that the principal foreign sugar exporters have reduced their production substantially, while British Colonial production has been expanding, but subject to this, the desirability of ensuring that the British Colonial Empire should receive a fair share of any increase in the demand for sugar in this country will certainly be borne in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action he is proposing to take with reference to German Nazi propaganda broadcasts to British colonies and mandated territories; what effect they are having on the natives in former German colonies; and to what extent the British Broadcasting Corporation is supplying programmes to these areas?

With regard to the first two parts of this question I have nothing to add to the reply which was given to the hon. Member on 3rd March by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. With regard to the last part I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 23rd February to the hon. Member for Middleton and Prestwich (Sir N. Sandeman) by the Assistant Postmaster-General in which he stated that last year programmes to all parts of the Empire were broadcast by the B.B.C. for a period of 17¼ hours out of every 24 hours. I understand that the transmission from 5.15 p.m. to 10.45 p.m. is primarily intended for reception in Africa, but that transmissions at other times may also be heard in Africa.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the present approximate population and annual revenue of Tel-Aviv, Jaffa, Haifa, and Jerusalem, respectively; and how these figures compare with those for 1922?

The population of these four towns in 1935, the latest date for which figures are available, is estimated as follows:

Jerusalem	110,000
Tel-Aviv	110,000
Haifa	85,000
Jaffa	74,000

Comparative figures based on the census of 1922 were approximately:

Jerusalem	63,000
Tel-Aviv	15,000
Haifa	25,000
Jaffa	33,000

I am not in possession of the latest statements of municipal revenue, but I am asking the Officer Administering the Government of Palestine if he can supply the necessary figures, with a comparative statement for 1922.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what has been the total volume of oranges despatched from Tel-Aviv Port during the current season; and whether any arrangements are under consideration for the completion of the loading and unloading facilities at this port during the current year?

I am informed that about 200,000 boxes of oranges had been despatched from Tel-Aviv Port from the commencement of the current season up to the 9th March. As regards the provision of facilities in future the whole question of port facilities at Tel-Aviv and Jaffa is under consideration, and a marine survey is being undertaken in order to assist in arriving at a decision.

asked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence whether it has now been decided to establish a Government factory in the Special Area of West Cumberland?

No decision has so far been made to establish a Government factory in the Special Area of West Cumberland.

asked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence whether he is aware that a firm, whose works are situated at Crayford and Dartford, are at present engaged in the execution of a contract to supply ammunition boxes for Government Departments and are not complying with the fair-wage clause, as is expected of all Government contractors; and will he take steps to remedy this?

If the hon. Member will furnish particulars of the firm concerned and of the alleged infringement of the "Fair Wages Clause," I will have the matter investigated.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he can state the total number of casualties on the Southern Railway caused through the live rail; and the number of fatal accidents for the years ended 31st December, 1935, and 1936?

Total casualties 1935, 45; 1936, 48. Fatalities 1935, 2, of whom one was a trespasser; 1936, 8, of whom 7 were trespassers.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, with a view to the removal of congestion by the parking of motor cars in the streets adjacent thereto, he is prepared to recommend the construction of an underground parking place beneath the surface of Sloane Square?

It will be for the local authority to consider.

asked the Minister of Transport whether the recent erection of protective railings at the tramcar-shelter opposite Temple Gardens on the Embankment, the danger of which has been repeatedly brought to the notice of his Department, is to be regarded as a preliminary step to the pulling down of the said tramcar-shelter?

These rails are being provided in conjunction with a comprehensive scheme of signals on the Embankment and I anticipate that conditions will be made much safer.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, before further restricting the parking of motor cars, he will consult the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the probability of a considerably reduced revenue from motor-car licences resulting from the restricted usefulness to their owners of motor cars in the London area?

There will be no restricted usefulness of motor cars.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated annual cost of increasing old age pensions from 10S. to 15s. weekly?

The extra cost of increasing from Jos. to 15s. a week old age pensions (including contributory old age pensions and blind persons' pensions but not widows' pensions) would be about 33,000,000 a year at the present time.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will make investigation into the circumstances attending the delay in granting the blind person's pension to George Dew, 17, Chandos Road, Stratford, E.?

I understand that the delay in this case arose from the fact that the claimant was not registered as a blind person at the time he made his claim to pension. The necessary evidence as to his blindness has now been furnished and the claim will be submitted to the local Pension Committee for consideration at their next meeting.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what is the total estimated expense to be borne out of public funds in conveying the Members of the House of Lords to the naval review at Spithead on 20th May, in providing them with free meals, and in entertaining them at the illumination of the Fleet?

I regret that it will not be possible to answer the hon. Member's question until the number of acceptances is known.

asked the Lord President of the Council to which of the 17 groups to which it has been decided to allot seats to view the Coronation procession the cooperative societies belong; and how many seats they have been allotted?

The Co-operative Movement is included among the organisations in Group 12. As regards the second part of the question, long and detailed consideration was given to the allocation of these seats by the Coronation Committee of the Privy Council, which includes members of all parties and Privy Councillors of great authority and experience. I hope that my hon. and gallant Friend will agree that the House may repose confidence in the decisions of such a committee. No useful purpose can be served by making allocations the subject of public discussion. The committee, to which the task of drawing up preliminary proposals was entrusted, saw at once that they could not do more than suggest allocations which would give effect as far as possible to the idea of having the main national interests represented on the Government stands. I feel, therefore, that it would not be in the general interest to publish the specific figures awarded to each organisation within the categories referred to in the answer which I gave to my hon. and gallant Friend on Monday last.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can state the number of aliens working in Great Britain under permits, giving the number employed in each industry during the three months ended 31st December, 1936?

My right hon. Friend in reply to a similar question by the hon. Member on 18th February stated that information in this form was not available and offered to discuss the matter with a view to assisting the hon. Member. The position is the same to-day and I gladly renew the offer previously made.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether, in view of the fact that, with the exception of gloves, the uniform and equipment authorised for the use of officers on home service by the dress regulations of the Royal Air Force is entirely blue and black, he will consider substituting black gloves for the brown gloves at present called for?

I am advised that brown gloves are felt to be preferable to black on grounds both of appearance and general convenience of supply.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what are the basic pay and allowances of a married flight-lieutenant, aged 30, serving at a home station, for whom no married officers' quarters are provided at the public expense, and a married newly promoted squadron-leader serving under the same conditions, respectively; and what is the average age of promotion to the rank of squadron-leader?

The daily rates as asked for are £1 5s. 4d. pay and 12s. 7d. allowances for the flight-lieutenant, and £1 10s. 10d. pay and 12S. 9d. allowances for the squadron-leader. The average age of promotion to the rank of squadron-leader for the latter half of 1936 was 34⅔ years.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he can make a statement as to the result of the investigations carried on by the Air Ministry relative to the catapult system of propulsion available for long-range trans-ocean air services; and whether any decision has been arrived at as to whether this system would be an improvement on the imperial air communications?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on the 10th February last to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for St. Marylebone (Captain Cunningham-Reid), to which nothing can be usefully added at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many burglaries have taken place in the Prestonfield, the Saughton, and the Corstorphine districts of Edinburgh, respectively, during the three months ended 6th March, 1937; what diminution of the police force has been made in Edinburgh since the police boxes have been introduced; and whether he has any statement to make on the subject of the burglaries in Edinburgh which have for some time been the occasion of considerable annoyance and apprehension to the inhabitants?

During the period referred to the numbers of housebreakings in the districts of Prestonfield, Saughton and Corstorphine were six, seven and two respectively. In addition there was one case of shopbreaking in Corstorphine. Since the introduction of the police box system was approved the net reduction in the authorised strength of the police force has been 25, but 21 constables engaged on clerical and other duties are gradually being released for ordinary police work by the substitution of civilians. I am at present considering an application by the police authority for an addition of 20 constables to the strength of the force. There has been a diminution in the number of housebreakings in Edinburgh during the past year.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is aware that there has recently been an acute shortage of steam coal required by shipping on Merseyside; can he state the cause of the shortage; and what steps are being taken to ensure that all shipping requirements will be promptly met?

Yes, Sir. I am aware that there is a shortage of coal not only in this country but in Europe generally. The shortage is mainly due to increased demand but supply in this country has been interfered with to some extent by the influenza epidemic and a prolonged stoppage at certain pits in the Midlands. I am to-day meeting representatives of all coal producing districts in order to discuss what steps can be taken to ensure that the demands of the market are met.

asked the Secretary for Mines, in view of the fact that it is estimated by the German Government that within two years Germany will have produced from coal all the oil required for military purposes and in view of our present dependance on oil supplies from overseas, what steps are being taken by the Government to facilitate the production of oil from coal in this country?

Even if what the hon. Member describes as a fact had been fully established it does not follow that what Germany may consider to be a desirable policy is necessarily the proper policy for this country. As regards the production of oil from coal in this country, I would refer the hon. Member to recent answers which have been given on this subject by the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence and myself, copies of which I am sending him.