asked the Minister of Labour what steps are being taken to mitigate the serious position in which the central branch of the Manchester Royal Infirmary will be placed as a result of the Ministry's proposed new building scheme on the adjacent site; and whether he can rive an assurance that modifications to meet the major grounds of objection will now be adopted?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to my reply to oral questions on the subject to-day.

asked the Minister of Labour what occupations account for the increase of 1,182 in the number of unemployed in Sheffield as between 22nd February and 15th March; and whether he can give the numbers in the occupations most largely affected?

The increase is almost entirely accounted for by the building and public works contracting industries.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether any change is contemplated in the method of selecting

asked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been called to the second industrial survey of South Wales; and whether he will favourably consider the advisability of similar surveys for other parts of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?

This and similar surveys were made by non-official bodies in collaboration with Government Departments and I am always ready to place the information in possession of my Department at the disposal of Development Councils or other responsible bodies undertaking inquiries of this kind.

asked the Minister of Labour how many families have been settled to date by the Special Areas Commissioners on self-supporting small holdings; and the total acreage comprised in such settlements?

Following is the information:apprentices for His Majesty's Stationery Office printing works at Harrow and South London; and, if so, whether such change will be in conformity with the recognised customs of the industry?

The Controller of His Majesty's Stationery Office recently appointed a Departmental Committee to advise him generally on the recruitment and training of technical personnel in his Department. This committee will include in its inquiry the question of recruitment of apprentices in the Department's printing works. I am not aware of the existence of any recognised customs in the printing industry for the selection of apprentices. In this, as in other industries, selection is governed by the suitability of the candidate.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will give particulars as to the number of boys who sat at the last examination of candidates for apprenticeship at His Majesty's Stationery Office printing works in Harrow and South London; the ages of the boys; the names of the towns from which they came; the number who passed the examination and their ages, and the proportion of these who were sons of civil servants?

There were 47 candidates at the examinations held in July and August, 1936, for apprenticeships in His Majesty's Stationery Office Printing Works at Harrow and Pocock Street. Their ages ranged between 14 and 16 years, and, with the exception of one boy who came from Luton, the whole of the candidates resided in Greater London. As a result of these examinations 11 boys, aged between 14 and 16 years, were appointed to fill vacancies, and, so far as my information goes, only one successful candidate was the son of a civil servant.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he has considered the letter from the Civil Service Clerical Association, dated the 20th February, containing draft terms of reference for arbitration on the case of grade II departmental clerks; whether any reply has been sent to this; and, if not, what is the explanation of the long period of delay?

A reply has been sent to the Civil Service Clerical Association.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will, for the convenience of Members, add an index of the contents to the cyclostyled copy of evidence given before the Royal Commission on Tyneside?

The normal practice is not to incur the cost of preparing an index of evidence given before a Royal Commission when the evidence itself is not to be printed. I regret that I cannot make an exception in the present case.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware that at a meeting of the National Ex-Servicemen's War Pensions Association, held in Southport on Friday last, their pension grievances were discussed and a greater measure of justice demanded from the Government, failing which the association would organise a protest march to London during Coronation week; and what steps he proposes to take to remove the grievances of these men and thus prevent them taking part in the proposed march for which many of them are physically unfit?

I have seen a Press report of a small meeting at which a resolution was passed calling for a substantial increase in the general scales of war pension. I have no power to increase these scales which I would remind the hon. Member were fixed by this House at a time when the cost of living was nearly 50 per cent. higher than it is now. In these circumstances I feel bound to suggest, in the interests of disabled pensioners, that those who are advising the association should reconsider the desirability of the suggested march.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the recent unsettlement of commodity prices, due to rumours that the Federal authorities in the United States contemplate a reduction in the American buying power of gold; and whether, in view of the dislocation this would cause to world trade, he will consider further co-operation with the appropriate authorities in France and the United States along the lines of the tripartite exchange agreement last autumn?

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies which I gave to questions on the same matter by my hon. Friend the Member for East Aberdeenshire (Mr. Boothby) on Tuesday last.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what number of applicants in each of the last three years for short-service commissions have been re-fused respectively, after submitting an application form and without being granted an interview, and after having been interviewed; and what percentage these numbers formed in each case of the total number of applicants?

I regret that the complete figures for which the hon. Member asks are not readily available, and as they could not be compiled without considerable labour I trust that he will not press for them.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can indicate the increased cost of building materials since April, 1936, to the present date, in the city and county of Lincoln on such essentials as cement, timber, paint, glass, and articles of ironmongery, respectively, and the known alteration of such prices for the whole of the country?

I will send my hon. Friend a statement giving the desired information.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can indicate the increased cost of building materials since April, 1936, to present date in the city and county of Leicester on such essentials as cement, timber, paint, glass, and articles of ironmongery, respectively; and the known alteration of such prices for the whole of the country?

I will send my hon. Friend a statement giving the desired information.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can state the number of deaths of infants due to vaccination recorded by the Registrar-General in the last 10 years?

The number of deaths of infants under one year of age classified to vaccinia or other sequelae of vaccination during the 10 years 1926 to 1935 was 42.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will enumerate the several counties that have been enabled, in consequence of increased grants, to reduce the county precepts upon rating authorities within their area and the amount of decreased rates in each case?

I will send the hon. Member a statement showing the rates in the pound of the county precepts for general county purposes for 1937–38 (or the first half of that year) with the corresponding figures for 1936–37 as soon as the information is available.

asked the Minister of Health what variation has taken place in the amount of rates levied by the rating authorities scheduled, partly or wholly, as special areas following upon the modification in the block-grant formula?

I shall be happy to send the hon. Member a statement when copies of the rate demand notes of the authorities concerned are available.

asked the Minister of Health what has been the effect upon the amount of rates levied by each of the rating authorities within the county of Glamorgan as a result of the rebate granted to railway companies?

If the hon. Membjer is referring to the effect of the reduction of railway assessments and any consequent refunds due of rates overpaid, I regret that the desired information is not available, since the amount of the reductions and refunds in each rating area, and consequently the increase of rates attributable thereto, will not be known for some time?

asked the Minister of Health how many single women of 55 years of age and under 65 years of age were insured persons under the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act for the years 1934, 1935 and 1936, respectively?

Actual figures for the specified years are not available but an estimate made in 1935 put the number of insured single women between the ages of 55 and 65 at approximately 175,000.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air if he will indicate particulars of the commercial air-services now operating on all trans-Canadian routes?

I understand that the only commercial air services at present operating within the Dominion are one running north-west from Prince Albert to Herschel Island and Coppermine, and one from Pembina via Winnipeg to Ilford.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will state the quantity of coal consumed in Great Britain and the amount per head of the population for the year 1936?

The quantity of coal available for consumption in Great Britain in the year 1936 was 175,840,000 tons. The consumption of coal per head of population was 77 cwts.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will state the output of coal, quantity exported, and the average declared value per ton f.o.b. in Great Britain, and South Wales and Monmouthshire, respectively, during the year 1936?

The quantity of saleable coal raised in Great Britain during 1936 was 228,448,356 tons. The quantity of coal exported was 34,532,777 tons and its average declared value per ton, f.o.b., 17s. The corresponding figures for South Wales and Monmouthshire were 33,886,179 tons, 13,171,986 tons and 20s., respectively.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will state the sums paid by the British coal mines in rents, royalties and wayleaves for the year 1936?

During the year 1936, the estimated amount paid by colliery owners in Great Britain in royalties and wayleaves (including the rental value of freehold mineral where worked by the proprietors) was £5,031,000.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will state the percentage addition to base rates paid to Nottingham miners for September, 1936, and each succeeding month, and the profits per ton for the same months received by the coalowners?

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary for Mines whether his attention has been called to the serious shortage of British coal; and whether he has received any representations from the business interests concerned suggesting that the quota should be increased?

Yes, Sir, but no action on my part in this respect is called for, as the allocations made by the Central Council of Colliery Owners, on which the quotas are based, have been fixed so as to meet in full the requirements of the districts, and supplementary allocations have been freely granted as demand requires.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many cases have been brought to court under the Oil in Navigable Waters Act; and what total fines have been imposed for infringement by shore works and by shipping?

pursuant to his reply (OFFICIAL REPORT, 16th March, 1937; col. 1886, Vol. 321) supplied the following information:So far as I have been able to ascertain there have been 57 cases of proceedings by harbour authorities and other bodies under the Oil in Navigable Waters Act, 1922. In 47 of these cases convictions were obtained and fines amounting to 949 imposed.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in cases where the Post Office offers work to ex-service men of riot more than 40 years of age and not less than 5 feet 4 inches in height, the stipulation as to height is always enforced; and whether he will be prepared to relax it in the case of men who were accepted for service in His Majesty's Forces during the War?

The height limit is strictly enforced in the recruitment of ex-service men to situations as postmen and I regret that in the interests of efficiency I am unable to make the exception proposed.

asked the Postmaster-General whether any decision has been reached whereby the British Broadcasting Corporation will use their Empire station at Daventry for the purpose of broadcasts in other languages than English, with a view to countering the propaganda broadcasts from foreign stations in languages other than that of the country in which the station is situated?

The question whether any broadcasts should be made from the Empire station in languages other than English is under consideration, but a decision has not yet been reached.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that many education committees do not allow children in the playgrounds until just before the time of assembly, with the result that they play about in the street with danger to themselves; and whether he will consider suggesting to all local authorities that the fullest possible use of all playgrounds should be made by the children in non-school hours?

I am not aware of the practice to which the hon. Member refers. I am proposing shortly to communicate with local education authorities upon the recommendations made in the report of the Interdepartmental Committee on Road Safety among school children, and will draw their attention to the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he will state the location of each 4 the nursery schools recognised as efficient but not in receipt of any grant?

The three nursery schools recognised as efficient but not for purposes of grant are situated at Chelsea, Stepney and Sutton (Surrey).

asked the Home Secretary whether the efficiency grants to local police authorities will be increased, having regard to their activities in connection with air raid precautions?

Police authorities expenditure in the training of police personnel in anti-gas measures, the adaptation of police buildings to meet air raid risks, the engagement of extra staff to deal with air raid precautionary work falling on the police or other similar purposes, will rank for police grant at the usual rate, that is to say, half the approved expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether it is the practice for police officers selected for detective duties to attend courses of specialised training in the investigation of crime; and whether there is any co-operation between Scottish police forces and Scotland Yard in this matter?

At present the arrangements for the training of police officers selected for detective duty are made locally and vary from force to force. In some cases they include the sending of officers to the larger Scottish forces, or to New Scotland Yard, for specialised instruction. The institution of centralised courses of instruction for detective officers from Scottish forces generally is receiving consideration.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is able to state under what regulation Armenians, Turks, and other nationalities are attesting before Liverpool magistrates that they are British subjects, and such declaration is being accepted as proof of British citizenship?

There is no law or regulation under which an attestation by an alien that he is a British subject could be accepted as proof of such change of status. Persons to whom certificates of naturalisation are granted are required to take an oath of allegiance before the naturalisation becomes effective, and possibly the hon. Member is referring to persons who take such oaths before a magistrate—though I cannot find that there have been any Turks or Armenians among the persons in Liverpool who have been naturalised this year.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has considered the introduction of legislation dealing with the use of motor cars at elections, the provision of additional polling stations, and other matters dealing with contested Parliamentary elections?

I am not in a position to make any statement about legislation on these subjects. As regards polling stations careful provision is made in Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1918, and I have no information to suggest that this provision has proved unsatisfactory.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can give the House information regarding a circular issued by the prison department to all candidates for the prison service to the effect that all accepted candidates will not be allowed to engage or re-engage in any section of the Army, Navy, or Air Force reserves except in those cases where service is obligatory; that no successful candidate will be permitted to enlist in the Territorial Army; and that no successful candidate who is already a member of that body will be allowed to re-engage on completion of his term of enlistment?

A warning in the terms stated in the question has for some two years been included in the notice as to qualifications which must be fulfilled by candidates for the prison service. As I have previously explained, the reason is that at the present time so high a proportion of the prison staff are reservists that it is impracticable to allow more officers to undertake obligations which might result in their withdrawal for military duty at a time when they would be urgently needed in the prison service.

asked the Home Secretary what steps have been taken to implement the London markets exemption clause of the Shops (Sunday Trading Restriction) Act; whether any memorandum on the subject has been issued by his Department; and whether he has received a copy of the order proposed to be issued by the London County Council?

I understand that the question of making orders under Section 8 of the Shops (Sunday Trading Restriction) Act is under consideration, both by the Common Council of the City of London and the London County Council, and that the councils will in due course give public notice of their intention, as required by the Act. A memorandum on the Act has been prepared in my Department, and will shortly be published and placed on sale. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many houses have been erected under the various Housing Acts in Buteshire and Renfrewshire,

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether, when the customs officers at Bombay confiscate books, they do so because of the title or the name of the author or publisher, or whether they read each book; and by what means they decide whether it is or is not a Communist publication?

In dealing with Communist literature the customs officers are guided by the terms of the notification issued under the Sea Customs Act, of which I will send the hon. Member a copy. In cases where there is any doubt, the book is referred to the Central Government for orders.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, in view of the unsatisfactory conditions as regards employment among the fishermen of Newfoundland, what is the outlook in this respect for the forthcoming year?

In a reply which my right hon. Friend gave on the 16th March he referred to the difficulties

The following statement gives the information desired:caused to the Newfoundland fishing industry by the loss first of the Italian and later of the Spanish markets owing to the situation in those countries, and stated that exports to Italy had recently been resumed as a result of the Commercial Agreement concluded with the Italian Government in November last. I am glad to say that, except in Spain, market prospects generally are now reported to be more promising. Progress is being made by the Newfoundland Fisheries Board with the introduction of improved methods both of production and marketing, and with a view to ensuring an increased return to the producer, the Newfoundland Government have lately remitted the duty on petrol used in the fisheries and have adopted a scheme under which fishermen will this year be provided with salt at a reduced price. In addition every effort is being made to encourage fishermen to pursue complementary occupations where this is possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the policy of restricting Colonial sugar production which is being put forward by the British delegation at the International Sugar Conference includes any proposal to forbid entirely the production of sugar or experiments in connection with such production in all British Colonies where sugar is not at present grown to any substantial extent; and whether the governors and legislatures of these Colonies have been consulted in the matter?

No proposal for complete prohibition of production of sugar in Colonies not at present producing has been put forward.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of the alarm caused to sugar planters in Barbados at the prospect of a limitation being imposed upon their output as a result of the International Sugar Conference; and whether the Barbados sugar-growing industry was consulted before a decision was reached with regard to the British policy to be pursued at this conference?

I have received no information that the general feeling of sugar planters in Barbados is that indicated by my hon. Friend. As regards the latter part of the question, I would refer to my reply to the hon. and gallant Member for Birkenhead, West (Lieut.-Colonel Sandeman Allen) on 24th February. I should add that a special representative of the Barbados industry has recently arrived in this country and will be consulted as may be required with other members of the Committee of Representatives of Colonial Producers referred to in my reply to a previous question by the hon. Member on 10th March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that, with the improved economic conditions throughout the world, the consumption of sugar is rapidly increasing and is likely, in the course of a few years, to outstrip production; and whether he, in these circumstances, will agree to no unreasonable restriction on Colonial sugar exports at the International Sugar Conference?

I am aware that there is a possibility of a considerable increase in the consumption of sugar but it is a matter of conjecture whether such possible increase exceeds the larger potential increase of production. If any regulation scheme is agreed to it is certainly intended that provision should be made for increases of export quotas to meet any increased demand.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in connection with the Imperial Conference to be held in London this year, he will consider the desirability of holding a special Colonial conference, to which representatives of the leading industrial and agricultural interests in the Colonies would be invited?

I hope that I and my advisers will have the opportunity of discussing many questions with representatives from the Colonial Empire who will be in London during the next few months, but I do not think that time could possibly be found for a formal conference of the nature suggested during the current year, having regard to the pressure on all concerned of unavoidable public engagements.