asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has received any offer from firms engaged in the manufacture of armaments expressing willingness to manufacture and supply the same on a non-profit making basis; and, if so, whether he has accepted such offer?

I have received an offer, which the Department is considering, to make cartridge cases on an agency basis without profit: and another, which the Department has declined, to make empty shell on the basis of no profit and no loss to the firm. In neither case is the firm at present engaged on the manufacture of armaments, and both schemes assumed the provision by the Government of plant and buildings.

asked the Secretary of State for War what Departments are now concerned in the administration of civil employment training schemes for soldiers before and after discharge; and what part each Department plays in these schemes?

During the coming financial year the existing Army Vocational Training Centres administered by the War Office will continue to train soldiers with a view to their obtaining civilian employment when they leave the Colours. In addition the Ministry of Labour will arrange for the training of a large number of soldiers, on discharge, for whom training could not be provided, before discharge, at an Army centre. From 1st April, 1938, the Ministry of Labour will be solely responsible for the vocational training of soldiers, after discharge from the Army.

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) whether he is aware that in cold weather the coal allowance for Army units is sometimes insufficient; if the present computation of such allowances is made rigidly without regard to the weather; and if he will inquire into the present system of granting these allowances with a view to amendment;(2) whether he is aware that, owing to the cold winter, many regiments are overdrawn in their coal allowances; and if permission will be granted for them to write off these overdrafts?

I am aware of the fact that the scales of fuel allowed in barracks have sometimes proved insufficient in cold weather. While, however, the scales of fuel are expressed in terms of weekly quantities, the totals are calculated to meet full annual requirements, and savings made in the summer can therefore be set off against excess consumption in the winter, and underdrawals in one year may also be carried forward to the following one. The regulations provide, moreover, that charges on account of annual overdrawals may be remitted in suitable cases. The scales of fuel have recently been reviewed, and certain additions will be made to them from 1st June next.

asked the Secretary of State for War what were the various points of interpretation to which the award of the Industrial Court on the case of departmental clerks, issued on the 12th of October last, gave rise; in what circumstances it has taken six months to settle these points of interpretation; and what are the points stated to be still outstanding?

The points of interpretation concerned generally the method of assimilation to the new scale including the application of the efficiency bar laid down in the award. At the same time consideration had to be given to the effect of the award on the existing clerical organisation, and these matters together involved prolonged discussions at a period when other large questions of pressing importance were being dealt with. The outstanding points have now been settled.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether "The Territorial," a paper which possesses a privileged circu- lation among members of His Majesty's Forces, enjoys any official status or support?

No, Sir.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his Department has any system under which he can secure regular reports on overcrowding on the suburban railways serving London; and whether, in that case, he will publish a précis of them during the last six months?

I have no power to call for such reports.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will inquire into the circumstances of the granting of a licence to the L.U.R. at York for an additional vehicle weighing about four tons for their base at Malton, where a licence had been refused to them by the appeal tribunal two days previously for a vehicle weighing two and a-half tons; and why the request by road operators to make representations in view of the decision of the appeal tribunal was refused by the licensing authority?

If any interested party feels that the authority, which I must again emphasise is not under my control, has failed to deal with a case properly, his remedy is to apply to the appeal tribunal or to the courts, as the case may be.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the desirability of having transport facilities organised effectively in readiness for any emergency, he will urge the Traffic Advisory Council to report, without further delay, upon the co-ordination of the principal transport services and the regulation of freight-carrying charges as between roadway and railway undertakings?

I will call the attention of the Transport Advisory Council to the hon. Member's views.

asked the Attorney-General whether his attention has been drawn to a recent case in the King's Bench Division in which damages of £1,200 were awarded against a church authority in respect of an accident occurring in a church; and whether, in view of the dilapidated state of many church fabrics and the inability of most parochial church councils to raise such a large sum of money, he will consider taking steps to make insurance against third-party risks compulsory upon parochial church councils?

I have no knowledge of the case to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers. As far as I am aware there is no Government Department which can deal with the suggestion. The matter appears to be one for the Church Assembly to consider, with a view to initiating legislation if they thought it necessary.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will consider representing to the competent legal or other authorities that juries, frequently called upon to serve in long cases, should be provided with some form of seat more comfortable than the present wooden benches and with some kind of desk furnished with paper and pencils to enable them to take notes?

I do not think that there are sufficient grounds for the action suggested.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what has been the total cost of foreign sugar imports into this country during the past 10 years?

During the 10 years ended 1936 the aggregate declared value of the refined and unrefined sugar imported into the United Kingdom and consigned from foreign countries amounted to £105 million.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what were the countries of origin of the foreign sugar imported into this country during 1936; and what was the balance of trade between those countries and Great Britain during the same period?

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, what is the amount paid by the South African Government towards British defence?

The provision made in the estimates of the Union of South Africa for 1936–37 for Defence purposes amounted to £1,362,790.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the

The following table shows the merchandise trade balance for the year 1936 between the United Kingdom and each of the principal foreign countries from which sugar was imported into the United Kingdom during that year.average numbers for 1935–36 attending at Glasgow the Board of Trade examinations for mercantile marine officers' and engineers' tickets; and whether he can give the numbers who have come from Aberdeen and the counties of Aberdeen, Banff, and Kincardine?

In each of the years 1935 and 1936 there were 44 examinations for certificates of competency as Master and Mate, and 44 examinations for certificates of competency as Engineer, held at Glasgow. The numbers of candidates at these examinations (including repeated attempts) were as follow:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, in view of the approach of the herring fishing season, whether he can make a statement in regard to the policy to be pursued by the Herring Board for the season 1937; and, in particular, what loans will be available to the fishermen from the board for reconditioning and/or gear; the terms of these loans; and whether, in the event of reconditioning being commenced before his statement, these loans will be made retrospective to apply to such reconditioning?

I am informed that it is the intention of the board to continue their policy of developing markets at home and abroad and to assist fishermen, where necessary, by means of loans for the building of new vessels for reconditioning existing vessels and for the acquisition of nets and gear. The board are prepared to consider loans for these purposes on terms which they have issued in the form of printed statements. I have arranged for prints of these statements to be sent to my hon. Friend. I am informed that it is not intended that loans for reconditioning should be granted retrospectively.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in order to avoid a repetition of the straits to which our people were reduced for want of adequate food supplies in the late War, a comprehensive policy for greatly increasing home-grown food can be promulgated?

I have been asked to reply. I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply my right hon. Friend gave on the 11th March to the hon. Member for Central Southwark (Mr. Day).

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, with a view to helping the agricultural industry and as an aid to home defence, he will take any necessary action to increase the quantity of home-grown wheat upon which wheat deficiency payments can be made?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to a question by the hon. Member for Central Southwark (Mr. Day) on 11th March, 1937, of which I am sending him a copy and to which I am at present unable to add.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will state the figures for and against the milk marketing scheme which were recorded at the initial poll of the industry on the subject?

The following are the figures:

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that 1s. calls made from a public call-box after 7 p.m. are charged an extra 2d. as call-box fee; and whether he is prepared to remove this extra charge as in the case of telegrams sent from public call-boxes?

The merging of the call office fee in the charge for a telegram was effected with the object of extending the number of points at which telegrams can be accepted without extra charge particularly when local post offices are closed. The conditions in the telephone service are different; and, as the charges for long distance calls have recently been substantially reduced, I do not feel justified in incurring the loss of revenue which would result from the abolition of the call office fee.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that letters are not delivered in the Paganhill district of Stroud until after 8.45 a.m.; and whether he will take the necessary steps to expedite the delivery?

The matter was already receiving attention and arrangements have now been made for the first delivery in Paganhill to be completed by 8.30 a.m.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the number of men engaged in the work of laying out the Team Valley Trading Estate; the number engaged in building and construction work; the number of factories in course of erection; and when it is anticipated that the first factory will be ready for occupation?

I am making inquiries and will let the hon. Member have the information as soon as it is available.

asked the Minister of Labour how many boys and girls of the ages of 14 years and 15 years, respectively, have been transferred from Durham County under the Ministry's transference scheme for the years 1933, 1934, 1935, and 1936, respectively?

Statistics are not available to show the numbers of juveniles transferred from County Durham in the age groups 14 and 15 respectively. The following figures indicate the numbers of boys and girls over 14 and under 18 who have been transferred from that county during each of the years in question:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can state the number of applications for naturalisation by Jews in Palestine last year; the number granted; and the general grounds for refusal of such applications?

I have no information as to the number of applications by Jews last year, but the total number of applications from all sources was 5,444. The number of Jews actually naturalised in 1936 was 4,847. I am not in a position to say on what grounds any application was refused.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can state the number wounded and killed, respectively, each week from the first week in February of this year to the present time of Arabs and Jews, respectively, in Palestine by criminal attacks; and what steps are being taken to prevent a recurrence of troubles such as occurred last year?

I will ask the High Commissioner for a tabular statement in the form desired by the hon. Member. As regards the second part of the question, I am not at present able to add anything to what I said in reply to questions in the House on the 17th March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to the remarks of a magistrate at Tiberias to a Jewish defendant that if he were attacked by anyone it was his place to run away and not attempt to defend himself; and whether he will take steps to see that Jewish citizens in Palestine are allowed the same rights of defence as people in this country?

I have no official information regarding the alleged remarks of the magistrate at Tiberias to a Jewish defendant. As regards the second part of the question, I know of no grounds for the suggestion that Jewish citizens in Palestine have not the same rights of self-defence as people in this country.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what revision has taken place in the sub-lieutenant scheme of promotion from the lower deck since its introduction in 1931; the reasons for this revision; and the results achieved, if any?

Apart from minor changes of an administrative character, the scheme has been altered by the abolition of the original restriction on the issue of special confidential reports on ratings over 21, and by the introduction of suitable arrangements for the participation of ratings of the communications branch in the seamen branch scheme. The object of all these changes was to facilitate the working of the scheme. No suitable basis exists for a comparison between the results achieved under the scheme in its original form and as now modified, since only a short time elapsed between its inception and the first alteration and since the most recent changes have also been in operation for only a brief period.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will state the number of contracts for furniture and fitments placed by his Department last year; the total value of these contracts; and how much of that sum went to Scottish firms?

The total number of contracts for wooden furniture and fitments placed by the Admiralty in 1936 was 54. The total value of these contracts was £8,918. Of this sum £164 went to Scottish firms. In addition to the above contracts for furniture and fitments a further 37 contracts were placed by the Admiralty in 1936 for special boxes, all of which are of a high grade of woodworking. The total value of these contracts was £101,613. Of this sum £45,487 went to Scottish firms.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, the number of contracts for furniture and fitments placed by his Department last year; the total value of these contracts; and how much of that sum went to Scottish firms?

I understand that the hon. Member desires information concerning purchases on behalf of the Air Ministry. Furniture required by the Air Ministry is purchased by my Noble Friend's Department on an agency basis. The number of contracts involved is approximately 275 and the total value approximately £140,000. Contracts worth approximately £3,600 were obtained by Scottish firms.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, how many people are now engaged upon the work of erecting the munition works at Chorley; and whether they are being recruited from Employment Exchanges in the area other than Chorley in proportion to the numbers of registered unemployed?

The erection of the munition works at Chorley is being carried out by contract, and the number of workpeople at present being employed by the contractor and sub-contractors in this connection is about 630. I understand that of this number 221 were employed through the Chorley Employment Exchange, 142 of whom were registered at that exchange and 79 elsewhere, and that as regards future vacancies that may be notified to the local exchange, consideration will be given, as far as suitably qualified men are not available locally, to men possessing the necessary qualifications who are registered at exchanges in other districts.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that considerable dissatisfaction exists among the British lighthouse keepers employed in the Egyptian ports and lights service owing to the fact that the lighthouses nearer shore are now manned mainly, if not entirely, by Egyptians and the more distant lighthouses, where conditions are more difficult and the work more arduous, are manned partly by Egyptians and partly by British, and that the latter arrangement, particularly, proves unsatisfactory in practice; and will he make representations to the Egyptian Government regarding this matter?

I am asking His Majesty's Ambassador in Cairo for a report.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in connection with the proposals for the reform of the mixed courts in Egypt, the Egyptian Government have given any undertaking that there will first be a revision of the penal code and code of procedure?

The Egyptian circular note to the Capitulatory Powers dated 3rd February, states that the Egyptian Government will promulgate a penal code and code of procedure whose texts will be communicated to the Powers. I should add that both codes have been drafted by committees which included British and other non-Egyptian legal experts.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he will state the number of six-day licences and the number of seven-day licences in Wales and Monmouthshire, respectively?

The information is not immediately available, but as soon as it is obtained I will send it to my hon. and gallant Friend.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will make inquiries into the origin of a cargo of pipes which was recently unloaded in part at Torquay and in part at Plymouth; what marks of origin these pipes bore; and whether they were marked in accordance with the law?

I am having inquiries made and will communicate the result to my hon. and gallant Friend when they are completed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the weight of sugar in terms of refined equivalent exported in composite articles during each of the calendar years 1933, 1934, 1935, and 1936?

The quantity of sugar, in terms of refined equivalent, contained in composite articles exported during each of the years 1933 to 1936 was as follows:

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he will make arrangements whereby local education authorities could delegate to headmasters and headmistresses of schools authority to give meals to necessitous children without waiting for a certificate from the medical officer of the authority?

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the Board's Circular 1443, from which he will see that there is no requirement that a certificate should be given by the school medical officer before children may receive free meals. It is for the local education authority to decide whether children should be fed, and in paragraphs 4 and 5 of the Circular they are urged to invite reports from school medical officers, teachers, and others in regular contact with the children from day to day, and to make interim arrangements, pending full investigation, for the immediate feeding of children recommended for meals.

asked the President of the Board of Education how many selective central schools there are in England and Wales which are recognised by the Board; in what way these schools differ from the ordinary senior or central schools; and in what way their function and status will be affected by the partial raising of the school-leaving age which is due to take effect in 1939?

So-called selective central schools are not recognised by the Board of Education as such, and I have no list of them which would enable me to give the hon. Member the figure for which he asks. The degree of their selectivity, and the scope of their curricula and aims, would appear to vary considerably; and in the circumstances it is not possible to generalise as to their difference from other senior or central schools, or as to the way in which they will be affected by the raising of the school age to 15.

asked the President of the Board of Education how many pupils over 15 years of age were in attendance in the elementary schools of England and Wales on 31st December, 1936?

I have no figures for any date later than 31st March, 1936. The figure for that date was 19,155.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will consider the practicability of enlisting the co-operation of local cycling clubs, such as the South-West Norfolk Cycling Club, for purposes of carrying messages and maintaining communications, when these have broken down, in the event of an air raid?

Local authorities are expected to organise emergency communication arrangements as part of their scheme of air raid precautions; and I would suggest that a cycling club which is prepared to assist should offer the services of its members to the local authority.

asked the Home Secretary the number of accidents that have occurred at the Hull docks during the months of January and February, 1937?

The number of accidents reported as occurring in premises in Hull to which the Docks Regulations apply is as follows: