asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that certain men are employed by the Air Raids Precaution Department, Derby Street, Manchester, at the rate of 1s. per hour; and whether this is the trade union rate of wages prevailing for such employment?

Certain men are employed by the Air Raid Precautions Department at Manchester at 1s. per hour, which is understood to be the usual rate of pay for the kind of work they are performing. There does not appear to be any trade union rate for the class of work in question.

asked the Minister of Health how many of the counties scheduled, partly or wholly, as Special Areas, benefited as a result of the modification in the block-grant formula, stating also the sum of money received in each case for the year 1936–37 and the present financial year?

The following administrative counties, which are scheduled wholly or partly as Special Areas, benefited as a result of the modification in the block-grant formula:

Name.		County Apportionment.
		1936–37.	1937–38.
		£	£
Cumberland	…	414,206	473,694
Durham	…	1,555,649	1,726,326
Northumberland	…	591,764	641,753
Brecknock	…	99,316	118,559
Glamorgan	…	1,295,150	1,524,696
Monmouth	…	526,717	674,816
Pembroke	…	155,435	184,457

The 1937–38 figures are based on provisional data, and are therefore subject to adjustment. In addition, as part of the new block grant arrangements these counties benefit from the cessation of the contributions which up to 1st April, 1937, were payable by them under the Unemployment Act, 1934.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that the Annual Report of the Prisons Commission for 1935 has only just been presented to Parliament and that the Criminal Statistics for 1935 have not yet been published; and whether, in view of the importance of these Reports, he will endeavour to expedite publication for the year 1936 and subsequent years?

Consideration has already been given to the question how to accelerate the preparation of the general Criminal Statistics and the Prison Statistics with due regard to economy in clerical labour, and I am glad to say that for the year 1937 a new system of collecting and compiling the statistics has been introduced. It is hoped that the new system will make it possible to publish the figures for 1937 early in 1938. As regards the Report of the Prison Commissioners, I may point out that, while the statistical information relates to 1935, much of the information given in the Report relates to the work of 1936.

	Ammanford Employment Exchange.	Burry Port Employment Exchange.	Carmarthen Employment Exchange.	Garnant Employment Exchange.	Kidwelly Employment Exchange.	Llanelly Employment Exchange.	Tumble Employment Exchange.
Approximate number of unemployment books exchanged by insured persons (July, 1936):—
Men, aged 18–64	4,560	1,080	3,220	4,460	1,400	13,430	5,610
Women, aged 18–64	210	70	450	60	50	1,770	70
Juveniles, aged 14–17	430	60	340	330	90	1,860	510
Total aged 14–64	5,200	1,210	4,010	4,850	1,540	17,060	6,190
Number of insured persons recorded as unemployed at 15th March, 1931:—
Men, aged 18–64	1,747	627	408	2,578	526	2,426	727
Women, aged 18–64	23	19	37	27	6	179	17
Juveniles, aged 14–17	92	25	15	134	3	112	45
Total aged 14–64	1,862	671	460	2,739	535	2,717	789
Insured persons with claims admitted for insurance benefit at 15th March, 1937:—
Men, aged 18–64	999	202	226	1,702	186	1,111	419
Women, aged 18–64	18	13	26	17	1	121	15
Juveniles aged 16 & 17	65	18	7	103	—	45	15
Total aged 16–64†	1,082	233	259	1,822	187	1,277	449
Insured persons with applications authorised for unemployment allowances at 15th March, 1937:—
Men, aged 18–64	294	404	154	833	314	1,164	284
Women, aged 18–64	2	5	7	8	3	14	2
Total aged 18–64†	296	409	161	841	317	1,178	286
The above figures exclude persons insured under the Agricultural Scheme.
† Juveniles under 16 years of age are not entitled to apply for benefit or for unemployment allowances; unemployed insured juveniles aged 16 and 17 were, at 15th March, not entitled to apply for unemployment allowances.