asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state the number of cases and the total amount still outstanding in respect of Excess Profits Duty; and the total amount written off as irrecoverable in respect of that duty?

The number of cases in assessment but unpaid at 31st March last was 376, and the total duty outstanding was £4,500,000. The total amount written-off as irrecoverable since the imposition of the duty is approximately f £16,000,000. The total duty paid into the Exchequer to date is over £1,150 millions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is estimated. to have been the yield of the 2d. stamp duty on cheques in each of the last three financial years?

The revenue from the 2d. stamp duty on cheques in the last three years was as follows:

	£
1934–35	3,788,000
1935–36	3,872,000
1936–37	3,960,000

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state the total amount received in import duties on foodstuffs during the financial year 1936–37?

The approximate amount of Customs duties collected during the financial year 1936–37 on foodstuffs, including tea, coffee, cocoa and certain foodstuffs used in part as feeding-stuffs for animals (which cannot be separately distinguished) was £38,381,000.

Estimated total amount of Rents, Royalties and Wayleaves paid in the Coal Mining Industry in Great Britain, and South Wales and Monmouth in each year from 1920 to 1936 and the amount of Royalties Welfare Levy paid by coal Royalty owners in Great Britain in each financial year ending 31st March, 1927 to 1937.
						Estimated Rents, Royalies and Wayleaves paid.*
Year.						Great Britain.	South Wales and Monmouth.	Royalties Welfare Levy paid. (Year ended 31st March) Great Britain.
						£	£	£
1920	…	…	…	…	…	6,606,000	1,765,000	—
1922	…	…	…	…	…	6,521,000	1,675,000	—
1923	…	…	…	…	…	6,643,000	1,781,000	—
1924	…	…	…	…	…	6,430,000	1,705,000	—
1925	…	…	…	…	…	5,829,000	1,538,000	—
1927	…	…	…	…	…	6,049,000	1,607,000	159,447
1928	…	…	…	…	…	5,528,000	1,397,000	180,818
1929	…	…	…	…	…	5,899,000	1,535,000	184,162
1930	…	…	…	…	…	5,551,000	1,434,000	223,955
1931	…	…	…	…	…	5,089,000	1,232,000	215,708
1932	…	…	…	…	…	4,828,000	1,142,000	202,313
1933	…	…	…	…	…	4,821,000	1,171,000	179,963
1934	…	…	…	…	…	5,016,000	1,183,000	175,614
1935	…	…	…	…	…	4,990,000	1,152,000	183,482
1936	…	…	…	…	…	5,027,000	1,133,000	179,773
1937	…	…	…	…	…	—	—	182,516
								(Provisional).
*From 1922, the rental value of freehold minerals where worked by the proprietors is included.

NOTES.–1. Figures are not given for the years 1921 and 1926 when there were protracted disputes in the coal mining industry.2. Royalties Welfare Levy is at the rate of is. od. in the L or 5 per cent. Royalties are also subject to deductions of a similar amount in respect of Mineral Rights Duty.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the amount of Bank of England notes in average circulation in each of the last three financial years; and what was the amount of the profit on these notes paid by the Bank to the Treasury under Section 6 of the Currency and Bank Notes Act of 1928?

The average weekly amount of Bank of England notes in circulation was:

	£
1934–35	381,027,299
1935–36	400,326,267
1936–37	445,638,290

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he can state the amount paid in royalties in the mining industry in each year, respectively, since 1920; the amount paid in the same period in the South Wales coalfield; and the amount of the levy of 10 per cent. on royalties for each year since its imposition to date?

The information is as follows:The amount of profit available for the Treasury under Section 6 of the Currency and Bank Notes Act, 1928 (i.e. the net income from the securities held by the Issue Department after taking account of any profit or loss on periodical revaluation), was:

	£
1934–35	2,755,000
1935–36	1,448,000
1936–37	985,000

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the aggregate amount of the banknotes of the Scottish banks of issue in average circulation in Scotland in each of the last three financial years; what was the rate of composition in place of Stamp Duty on them; and what was the total amount of that composition paid to the Commissioners of Inland Revenue in each of these years?

The average circulation of bank notes of Scottish banks of issue during the last three years was as follows:

	£
1934–35	21,272,265
1935–36	21,809,424
1936–37	22,521,960

The rate of composition duty payable is 4s. 2d. for every £100 or fractional part of £100 of the average value of notes in circulation during every half-year.The total receipt of duty in the three years was:

	£
1934–35	88,081
1935–36	90,254
193–37	92,871

asked the Minister of Transport (1) whether land tractors driven on a road only as set out in the definition of a land tractor in the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations, 1937, and which are hauling nothing other than land implements or agricultural tractors are, in the view of his advisers, motor vehicles used upon highways for the purpose of Regulation 5 (4) of the above regulations;(2) whether it is his intention that land implements hauled by land tractors driven on a road only when proceeding to and from the site of such work, as is permitted to be done by land tractors under the definition clause of the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations, 1937, should be treated as tractors used upon highways for the purpose of Regulation 5 (4) of the above regulations?

The effect of the regulation to which my hon. Friend refers is to exempt from certain provisions of the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations, 1937, motor vehicles and trailers which are not used upon highways. The exemption would not apply to land tractors or land implements which are used upon highways.

asked the Minister of Transport what are the approximate mileages of road upon which building and improvement lines under the Roads Improvement Act, 1925, the Public Health Act, 1925, and under private Acts, have been prescribed up to 31st March, 1934, and 3rst March, 1937, respectively?

Building and improvement lines had been prescribed under these Acts upon approximately 2,500 miles of roads up to 31st March, 1934, and upon approximately 3,100 miles up to 31st March, 1936. Information for the year ended 31st March, 1937, is not yet available.

asked the Minister of Transport to what extent he has exercised the power vested in him to purchase land within 220 yards of the centre of a road to the cost of making which a contribution has been made from national funds?

If my hon. and gallant Friend refers to the powers conferred upon highway authorities by Section 13 of the Restriction of Ribbon Development Act, 1935, to purchase land for the purpose of preserving amenities, he will see that those powers were not conferred on me by the Trunk Roads Act, 1936.

asked the Minister of Health whether any instructions were given or any request made that the children from Bilbao should be vaccinated or inoculated before reaching this country?

I am not aware of any such instructions or request.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that a number of district councils in Glamorgan are opposed to the administration of the Midwives Act, 1936, by the county council, and have asked the Welsh Board of Health to receive a joint deputation in order that the position might be discussed, and that the Department refused to receive the deputation and gave no adequate reason for their refusal; and whether he will direct the Department to receive the deputation in order that the maximum co-operation may be established in a matter of vital concern to the maternity services of Glamorgan?

As the question of a local inquiry was involved some doubt was properly felt as to the propriety of receiving a deputation. My right hon. Friend is, however, asking the Welsh Board of Health to treat the matter specially and will communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether the Ever Ready Company, Carysfort Road, Stoke Newington, do contract work for his Department; what are the articles supplied to the Air Ministry by this firm; and whether the firm is bound by the fair wages clause in Government contracts?

The Ever Ready Company (Great Britain) Limited, are on the Air Ministry list as eligible to tender for certain electrical stores. Contracts with this firm embody the usual fair wages clause.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will give the total number of persons transferred from Liverpool, Birkenhead, and Bootle under schemes of his Department during the year 1936 and the first four months of this year, respectively, showing the number of boys and girls aged 14 to 18 and the number of men and women over 18 in each case?The following table shows the number of men, women, boys and girls who were assisted through the Department to obtain employment in other areas during the year 1936 and the first four months of 1937, respectively, from Liverpool, Birkenhead and Bootle.

		1936.				First four months 1937.				Total.
		Men over 18.	Women over 18.	Boys.	Girls.	Men over 18.	Women over 18.	Boys.	Girls.	1936.	First four months 1937.
Liverpool	…	773	1,757	499	6	349	560	154	14	3,035	1,077
Birkenhead	…	205	119	26	Nil	92	54	2	Nil	350	148
Bootle	…	83	376	49	8	52	115	18	2	516	187
		1,061	2,252	574	14	493	729	174	16	3,901	1,412

The above table does not include men from the areas in question who have undertaken courses of training in Government Training or Instructional Centres as follows:—

					Government Training Centres.		Instructional Centres.
					1936.	First four months 1937.	1936.	First four months 1937.
Liverpool	…	…	…	…	827	389	1,103	261
Birkenhead	…	…	…	…	259	154	240	53
Bootle	…	…	…	…	217	147	223	69
	Total	…	…	…	1,303	690	1,566	383

A considerable number of these men will have been placed in employment through the Centres, but detailed statistics are not immediately available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many qualified scientists are employed by his Department; and how these numbers compare with those for 1930?

I presume the hon. Member is referring to the number of officers directly employed by the Ministry on research work. The numbers of officers employed at the Plant Pathological Laboratory, Harpenden, and by the Fisheries Department of the Ministry were 6 and 22 respectively both on 1st April, 1930, and on 1st April, 1937. The number employed at the Veterinary Laboratory, Weybridge, was 4 in 1930 and is 11 to-day. In addition a large number of scientists is engaged in research into both agricultural and fishery problems at agricultural research institutes, colleges and university departments of agriculture, at fishery laboratories and at other institutions which receive grants from Government funds. Their investigations are, of course, for the benefit of the agricultural and fishing industries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the new Colonial Marketing Board will concern itself with the marketing of produce of mandated territories within the British Colonial Empire; and whether it will be able to assist the marketing of Palestine citrus in particular?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part of the question, it would be within the competence of the board to deal with the marketing of Palestine citrus, but it will be for them to settle their own programme. I clearly cannot commit them in advance.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he will state the total value of exports guaranteed under the Overseas Trade Acts in respect of which payment by the importers was overdue as at the end of the last financial year, excluding those amounts in respect of which the British Government had already made good the loss to the exporters?

I have been asked to reply. The amount notified to the Export Credits Guarantee Department as overdue at the 31st March last was approximately £210,000. It is not anticipated that any large part of this is likely to result in loss.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can give the House any information as regards the escort of the Spanish steamer "Cabo Corona" by His Majesty's Ship "Foxhound"; and whether it is the policy for His Majesty's ships to give protection to merchant vessels other than British?

The Spanish Steamship "Cabo Corona" was afforded British naval protection whilst conveying refugees from Bilbao to France on the 22nd and 23rd of May last, and whilst returning to Bilbao a few days later. As regards the policy of protecting foreign merchant ships engaged on this duty, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on 3rd May to the hon. Member for the combined English Universities (Mr. Harvey) and to the statement made by my Noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on 24th May.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of artificer apprentices who are to be transferred from the mechanical training establishment at Chatham to the new mechanical training establishment at Rosyth; the number who volunteered to be transferred and the number who were selected, respectively; and the number whose homes are situated in the South of England?

The number of artificer apprentices to be transferred from Chatham to the new Mechanical Training Establishment at Rosyth is 120. Of these 60 entered with full knowledge that they were liable to be sent anywhere for training. Of the remainder, eight expressed a preference for service at Rosyth, and 23 live as far or about as far from Chatham as from Rosyth.