asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received any information as to the treatment of evangelists and employés of British and American missionary societies in Abyssinia?

If the hon. and gallant Member is referring to native personnel, the answer is in the negative. As regards British missionaries, I would refer him to the reply given to the hon. Member for Kingswinford (Mr. A. Henderson) on Monday last.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) how many observing officers and assistant observing officers have been appointed to date to observe the scheme of observation of the Spanish frontiers within the zones allotted, respectively, to German and Italian warships; where these observers will be stationed; and whether their instructions will enable them to report any infringement of neutrality or other possible abuses on the part of such warships;(2) what British officials have been instructed to report on the working of the scheme of observation of the Spanish frontiers within the zones allotted to German and Italian warships, respectively;(3) what staff is available to help any British officials instructed to report on the working of the observation scheme within the zones allotted to German and Italian warships, respectively; and which of the latter have cyphers?

My Noble Friend appears to be under some misapprehension as to the nature of the scheme of observation, and I am arranging to have a copy sent to her of the Committee's resolution of 8th March, which contains an outline of the scheme.The only parts of the Spanish frontiers which are divided into zones for naval supervision are naturally the sea frontiers, and on these there can be, of course, no international officers stationed. The observers employed by the Board are based on certain "control ports" outside Spanish territory, at which all merchant ships bound for Spain are required to call. Their duty is to go on board such ships and watch the unloading of the cargoes when they arrive in the Spanish port.These officers, of whom there will be one or two on board every merchant ship belonging to a European Power which visits Spain, will of course be in a position to give full reports to the International Board regarding any facts which they think relevant to the observance of the Non-Intervention Agreement.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many British naval vessels and of what description have recently been withdrawn from the neighbourhood of the Spanish coast within the zones allotted for observation to German and Italian warships; and how many British naval vessels and of what description still remain within those waters?

Three of His Majesty's Ships have been, and will continue to be maintained in the area referred to by the hon. Member. The composition of this force varies from time to time as individual vessels are relieved.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any official particulars are available to show the benefits and defects of the Excess Profits Duty; and whether these can be published as a White Paper?

An account of the Excess Profits Duty is already available in the 63rd, 64th and 65th annual reports of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue showing how the duty was charged and the amount of revenue derived from it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the capitalised value of all the old age, widows, and orphans pensions which the State now guarantees or to which it contributes; and whether he can also separately give the capitalised value of the pensions dealt with in legislation now before the House?

The capitalised value of the liabilities under the Widows, Orphans and Old Age Contributory Pensions Acts was given as at 31st March, 1934, in the Government Actuary's Decennial Report on the scheme dated 15th April, 1935 (House of Commons Paper No. 82). Pensions up to age 70 are dealt with in paragraphs 48 and 49 and those after age 70 in paragraph 46. Considerable labour would be involved in bringing these figures up to date, but I hope that (with the full explanations of them given in the report) they will be sufficient for my hon. Friend's purpose.The capitalised value of the liabilities under the proposals now before Parliament are given in paragraph 22 of the Government Actuary's Report on the Financial Provisions of the Bill (Command Paper No. 5415) on two alternative hypotheses as to the number of entrants. The capitalised value of the present and prospective old age pensions under the Old Age Pensions Acts to persons now over 16 is in the region of £1,700,000,000. This figure includes the cost given in the Papers referred to above as the cost of over-70 pensions to persons whose qualification rests or will rest on the contributory schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can state the names of the Governor of Jerusalem prison and also the public hangman for Palestine?

There is no such appointment as "Governor of Jerusalem Prison." The Jerusalem Central Prison is supervised by the Assistant Superintendents of Prisons who are posted in Jerusalem from time to time. There is no public hangman. The Assistant Superintendent and the staff of the prisons are responsible for carrying out any executions.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why regulations under Section 70 (1) (b) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1929, similar to those made by his Department on 5th June, 1934, to cover new small burghs, etc., have not been made to cover new large burghs when new burghs with the requisite population in each case under the Local Government (Scotland) Act can be formed under the Burgh Police (Scotland) Acts?

A large burgh is defined in Section 77 (1) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1929, as meaning a burgh containing a population of twenty thousand or upwards; and Section 77 (2) of the Act provides that the reference to population in that definition is to be deemed to be a reference to the population within the police boundaries of the burgh according to the census of 1921. In view of these provisions a new burgh created under the Burgh Police (Scotland) Acts would not, by virtue of having a population of twenty thousand or upwards, become a large burgh for the purposes of the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1929, and accordingly the question of Regulations under Section 70 (1) (b) dealing with the creation of large burghs does not at present arise.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that great distress has been caused among the Africa cutter owners on the River Gambia through the operation of the Navigation and Pilotage (Consolidated) By-Laws, 1936; and whether he is taking any steps to ensure that these men shall have an opportunity of earning their livelihood on the river?

I have received no complaints regarding the effect of the Gambia Navigation and Pilotage (Consolidated) By-Laws, 1936. I understand that the by-laws are designed for the good order and safety of vessels, their crews, passengers and cargo, plying upon the waters of the River Gambia. The bylaws have been made in accordance with the provisions of the Gambia Navigation and Pilotage Ordinance of 1916. which also provides that if any number of persons, not less than six, having an interest or stake in the navigation of the River Gambia consider themselves aggrieved by any by-law, they may appeal to the Governor, who may revoke or vary the by-law if he sees fit to do so. I am causing inquiries to be made of the Governor as to whether the issue of the by-laws in question has inflicted hardship on any particular class of persons, and whether he has received any appeal under the provisions of the Ordinance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when the report of a committee appointed to review the Resident Native Labourers Ordinance, 1925, in Kenya, will be published; and whether progress with the proposals in Kenya to regulate afresh the conditions of residence of African labourers on Europeans' farms can be delayed pending such publication?

The Committee to which the hon. Member refers was appointed by the Governor of Kenya and prepared the draft of a new Ordinance which was submitted to my predecessor in 1935. It is not proposed to publish its report. I have made some suggestions for alteration in the draft and I understand that the Colonial Government is giving further consideration to the points I have raised.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the inconvenience to the public, he proposes to intervene in the omnibus dispute in North Kent and in the sympathetic strike arising therefrom in the Grays and Chelmsford districts?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Maidstone (Mr. Bossom) on 26th April, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the amounts of money paid out each year under the several Unemployment Acts in unemployment benefit, transitional payments, Unemployment Assistance Board allowances, etc., since the commencement of such payments in South Wales and Monmouthshire, also similar payments made in the Special Areas in South Wales and Monmouthshire?

pursuant to his reply (OFFICIAL REPORT, 23rd March, 1937; Col. 2756, Vol. 322), supplied the following statement:The table below shows the approximate amounts of unemployment benefit, transitional payments and unemployment allowances paid direct through Employ-

ment Exchanges situated in South Wales

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that in West Birmingham women and children are engaged in work in their homes on assembling radiator fronts for luxury motor-cars; that in this work 150 discs must be adjusted on each of 100 rods for a payment of 1s.; that this rate of remuneration works out at 2d. an hour; whether this sweated industry falls within the terms of the Trade Boards Act; and whether he will make inquiries as to what action can be taken?

I am not aware of these circumstances. The Trade Boards Acts do not apply to the manufacture of radiator fronts, but if the hon. Member will give me the names and addresses of the employers and workers concerned I will make inquiries.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that in West Birmingham women and children are engaged in work in their homes which involves sewing flags on streamers of tape for Coronation celebrations at a rate of pay which provides a remuneration of 3d. per hour; whether this sweated industry falls within the terms of the Trade Boards Act; and whether he will make inquiries as to what action can be taken?

The class of employment described in the question would in general fall within the scope of the Made-up Textiles Trade Board or the Toy-Making Trade Board. I am not aware of the cases referred to and if the hon. Member will furnish the names and addresses of the employers and work-people concerned, inquiries will be made immediately.

asked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence what machinery exists for priority of the supply of raw material, and to what extent such priority is given in regard to supplies required for buildings?

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the stoppage of building that must occur if the grave shortage of supplementary raw material continues, he can state what steps the Government proposes to take to meet the unemployment problem that must arise in the building and dependent trades?

Arrangements exist in the Committee of Imperial Defence by which questions of priority as between Government Departments can be settled in regard to the supplies referred to in the questions. Discussions are, moreover, pending or in progress with representatives of the building industry as to the whole position in regard to the supply of both labour and materials in the industry.