asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether any decision has yet been taken to demolish Duke Street Prison, Glasgow; and, if so, the date when demolition will begin?

It is not possible to dispose of Duke Street prison until another prison for women has been provided. A site at Greenfield Farm near Shettleston has been purchased for the new prison, but in view of the present pressure upon the building industry in Scotland, of the need for concentrating on the urgent problem of housing, and of the heavy building programme now on hand for the Prisons Department for Scotland, the construction of the new prison is being deferred for the time being.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that five associations claiming to represent the whole of the catching interests involved in the East of Scotland herring fishing area have petitioned the Herring Industry Board to make a rule prohibiting Sunday fishing; and if he will represent to the Herring Industry Board the desirability of respecting the reluctance of Scottish fishermen to work on Sundays?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I am informed that the Herring Industry Board are of opinion that it is not within their powers under the Herring Industry Scheme to enforce a general prohibition as suggested.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the large number of non-combatant women and children who have been murdered in Madrid, any, and, if so, what attempts have been made by the British Government to evacuate nationalist sympathisers from Madrid and other large cities in the hands of the Spanish Government?

The House has on a number of occasions been informed of the facilities which have been provided by His Majesty's Ships for the evacuation of Spanish non-combatants from Madrid and elsewhere, and of the constant efforts of His Majesty's Diplomatic and Consular Officers in Spain on behalf of such persons. I am now informed that negotiations are in progress between the Spanish Government and the International Red Cross for the evacuation of a large number of women and children from Madrid.

asked the Home Secretary whether permits or passports have been granted to the Spanish refugee children at present resident in this country; and, if so, for how long?

Young persons under 16 years of age are exempt from the passport and registration requirements of the Aliens Order, but by arrangement full records containing all necessary personal and family particulars of these children were supplied to the Immigration Officer on their arrival. The children were given leave to land not for any specified period but on the general undertaking of the committee responsible that they would be repatriated as soon as circumstances permit.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what action he has taken, or proposes to take, with reference to the systematic anti-British news and propaganda disseminated by such foreign news agencies as D.N.B., Tass, Havas, Stefani, and Domei, and the biased news reports sent out by foreign radio stations including that located at Bari, Italy; whether he is aware that such news messages go out almost daily from Bari in 16 languages; and whether he is kept fully informed as to their contents?

The question of the issue of news in an inaccurate form by certain foreign news agencies is naturally a matter of concern to His Majesty's Government. There is clearly no action open to His Majesty's Government which can put a complete stop to this practice, although it may be possible to make representations to foreign Governments concerned in specific cases. Much thought has been given to the question of counteracting the effects of such distorted news. Arrangements are already in existence for ensuring so far as possible that accurate news of matters of concern to His Majesty's Government is available to the British Press and news agencies. Any more positive action on the part of His Majesty's Government in this direction is rendered difficult by the necessity in this country of respecting the liberty of the Press.As regards the broadcasting from Bari and other foreign stations of news with an anti-British bias, representations have several times been made and His Majesty's Government are constantly reviewing the possibility of other action. The question of the use of languages other than English in the Empire programme broadcast from Daventry is at present under examination by the British Broadcasting Corporation.The answer to the last part of the question is Yes, Sir.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can now say what grant is to be paid to local authorities on expenditure incurred in connection with air raid precautions?

I regret that I am unable to add anything to the reply which I gave to a number of questions on this subject on 8th April, but I can assure the hon. Member that there will be no avoidable delay in coming to a conclusion.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has seen the reports of the new gas mask to be made available by the German Government for their population; whether the claim that, as no chemicals are employed, this mask can be used indefinitely has been investigated by his experts; and whether the Home Office is trying similar appliances in this country?

I have seen descriptions in the Press of a respirator which is to be sold to the German public, but no statement that this respirator would afford protection for an indefinite period has been brought to my notice. Research is constantly being carried out into methods of gas filtration, and any developments in this field are carefully investigated.

asked the Home Secretary when the report by the committee on child adoption may be expected; and whether there is an early prospect of legislation making it possible for Scottish persons to adopt children domiciled in England, and vice verse?

I have just received the report of the Committee on Adoption Societies and Agencies and have given instructions for its presentation to Parliament. While the Adoption of Children Act, 1926, and the Adoption of Children (Scotland) Act, 1930, provide that an adoption order shall not be made in favour of any applicant who is not resident and domiciled in England or Wales, or Scotland, respectively, it is not necessary that the infant shall be so domiciled, and the question of legislation on this point, therefore, does not arise.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will state the number of convictions secured against motorists for failing to observe the signals at Coombe Lane, on the Kingston by-pass road, during the last three months; and will he give the comparable figures for the same offence at Shannon Corner?

During the three months ended 31st May there were 50 convictions in respect of such offences at Coombe Lane and 15 at Shannon Corner.

asked the Home Secretary whether the system called knock, whereby prisoners under punishment are awakened by a warder knocking on their cell door at short intervals throughout the night, is, or has recently been, in operation at Dartmoor; whether it has official sanction and. if so. in what circumstances: in how many cases in the last five years it has been applied; and whether he will take steps to put a stop to it?

There is no foundation whatever for the hon. Member's suggestion that such a system exists, or has recently existed, at Dartmoor or any other prison. I hope that the hon. Member will let me know the source of this baseless story. I am sure he will agree that, in fairness to the prison service, its author should not remain anonymous.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the case of a prisoner at Dartmoor who had a crippled arm and was certified insane and removed to Broadmoor; whether that prisoner is still at Broadmoor; whether he is now sane, and, if not, from what form of insanity is he suffering; whether his insanity was brought about wholly or partly by his treatment in Dartmoor; whether his arm became crippled as a result of an attack upon him by a prison officer at Dartmoor; and whether any inquiry has been, or will be, held into the circumstances under which his arm was crippled?

I presume that the case referred to is that of a prisoner named A. H. Jackson, who in April of last year sustained a deep cut on his right forearm from broken glass. The circumstances were fully investigated at the time by the board of visitors, whose inquiry showed that there was no foundation for the suggestion that he had been attacked by a prison officer. The suggestion that the prisoner subsequently became insane owing to his treatment in prison is equally unfounded. His mental condition has improved but he is still unfit to leave Broad-moor Asylum. He was suffering from delusional insanity.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Economic Advisory Council now fulfils any useful purpose, and what is its total cost per annum?

The Economic Advisory Council has submitted a number of valuable reports on economic and various scientific subjects, but it is my intention shortly to review its functions. The cost of the Council, including salaries, wages and miscellaneous items, amounted last year to the sum of £4,865.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why investment trust companies, which merely act as collectors and distributors of revenue, are treated as trading companies for the purpose of National Defence Contribution?

The issue raised by my hon. Friend is one that falls to be dealt with in the Debate on the Finance Bill rather than by question and answer, but I may say that I consider that a tax which extends to business of every description ought to embrace companies whose business activity consists of investment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state in what way the Government propose to implement the Resolution on Members' salaries; and from what date it will take effect?

It is proposed to present to the House early next month a Supplementary Estimate providing for the additional cost of payment of salaries at the increased rate as from the 1st of July.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will state the number of poultry producers in Great Britain?

The latest figures available relate to the year 1930, when fowls were kept on approximately 300,000, or 75 per cent. of the agricultural holdings of over one acre in extent in England and Wales. I have no comparable information relating to the whole of Great Britain.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will state the approximate cost of compiling a register of poultry producers and of conducting a poll of such poultry producers?

I have no information as to the number of poultry-keepers who would be concerned and I regret, therefore, that I am unable to give my hon. Friend a reliable estimate.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can state the yield of potatoes for the last ten years in this country; and the amount of potatoes imported for the same period, together

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the percentage increase in the imports from the United Kingdom into the British Mandated Territories between the year 1932 and the latest complete year available; and what was the corresponding increase in the imports into those territories from Germany?

It is not practicable to furnish comparable aggregated figures from the trade returns of the individual countries. Exports of United Kingdom goods to the British Mandated Territories (except Cameroons, Togoland and New Guinea) increased from £1,819,000 in 1932 to £2,553,000 in 1936, or by 40 per cent., while those from Germany rose from

The following statement shows for the United Kingdom the estimated total production of potatoes, together with the quantities imported and the average wholesale prices per ton in England and Wales of certain descriptions of home-grown and imported main-crop potatoes in each of the periods September to August in the years 1927–28 to 1936–37.10,027,000 to 24,569,000 Reichsmarks, or by 145 per cent.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will state the total value of arms and ammunition sold from this country to foreign countries during 1934, 1935, and 1936, respectively?

The total declared value of arms, ammunition and military and naval stores exported from the United Kingdom to foreign countries during the years 1934, 1935, and 1936, amounted to £1,365,000, £1,607,000 and £1,302,000, respectively. These figures include sporting arms and ammunition and explosives for industrial use, the value of which cannot be precisely stated.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will state the total value of material, raw or manufactured, bought from Germany by the British Government or by British manufacturers for the purpose of manufacturing armaments during 1934, 1935, and 1936, respectively?

I regret that the desired information is not available. It would not be possible to distinguish the imports of materials for the manufacture of armaments from those for other manufactures.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that an Irish jury attributed a death from generalised tuberculous infection following prophylactic inoculation against diphtheria to the presence of tubercle germs in a bottle of prophylactic supplied by the English firm of chemists who supply most of the diphtheria prophylactic used by public authorities in England and Wales; and whether he will have a searching inquiry made into this matter in view of the seriousness of the allegation made?

I have seen a Press report to the effect stated in the first part of the question. As to the second part, careful inquiry concerning the prophylactic supplied by the firm referred to has already been made by medical officers of my Department and the result leads to the conclusion that no tubercle bacilli were present. As the matter is somewhat technical I will send the hon. Member further particulars.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can state the number of persons in the county of Cumberland receiving old age pensions; and how many of those are getting additional allowance from the public assistance committee?

I regret that the information asked for in the first part of the question is not available, as the records of old age pensioners are not kept on a geographical basis. The number of persons in the administrative county of Cumberland, together with the associated county borough of Carlisle, who were in receipt of old age pensions and also in receipt of poor relief on 1st January, 1937, the latest date for which figures are available, was 1,578.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can state the total number of unemployed building-trade workers in Glasgow and the number for each trade, respectively?

The total number of insured persons, age 14 to 64 years, in the building industry classification, recorded as unemployed at Employment Exchanges in the large burgh of Glasgow at 24th May, 1937, was 3,809, of whom 3,597 were men aged 21 to 64 years, 182 were youths and boys under 21 years, and 30 were women and girls. The numbers of unemployed men, aged 21 to 64 years, in the various occupations were as follow:

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will take steps to prevent family anxiety and financial hardship resulting from the enlistment of young men by causing all would-be recruits to produce a certificate of birth showing them to be not below the enlistment age prescribed by Army regulations and, in the case of applicants below the age of 21 years who are wholly or partly responsible for the maintenance of their parents, to produce written evidence of the parents' consent to their enlistment?

My right hon. Friend cannot accept this suggestion, which would almost inevitably have a serious effect on recruiting.

asked the Secretary for War, whether he is aware that an application by the Fylde Ex-officers' Association to be represented at the Royal review of ex-service men on 27th June has been refused; and whether he is in a position to state the reasons for this refusal?

I am glad to say that arrangements have now been made for the Fylde Ex-Officers' Association to be represented.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will state the number of Territorial units engaged in anti-aircraft and searchlight work; and to what extent, if any, they fall short of the full strength in officers and men?

The number of units is 161 and the deficiency approximately 48 per cent. of the establishment.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will state the total number of Regular anti-aircraft and searchlight units, and to what extent, if any, they fall short of the full strength in officers and men?

The number of units is 36 and the deficiency approximately 20 per cent. of the establishment.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether war service with the British military mission in Serbia is regarded as service with the Crown?

Any member of the regular Army who served during the War with the British Military Mission in Serbia would normally count the time for Army pension. I cannot, of course, say how such service would be regarded by other Departments of State.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can make a statement on the grievances which have led the Indian community in Zanzibar to protest against the Clove Bill, now before the legislature, as involving their total elimination from the trade, to urge the Government of India to impose an embargo on cloves for Zanzibar, and to declare a hartal in support of their protest?

The clove industry is the pre-eminent economic basis of Zanzibar and, in order to protect the interests of the native growers, the Government of Zanzibar has prepared legislation to control the trade through a body called the Clove Growers' Association. This body is Government controlled and the provisions of the Bill now under consideration will concentrate the purchase of all cloves in the hands of the Association. This measure has been taken after prolonged inquiry including the visit of a special Commissioner appointed in April, 1936, and I would emphasise the fact that no racial discrimination is involved. I am placing a copy of the Commissioner's report in the Library.The Indian National Association in Zanzibar has made representations as the hon. Member states but its apprehensions are not well founded. The most explicit assurances have been given to the effect that in the administration of the Decree as little disturbance as possible will be caused and to this end an undertaking has been given that all traders who have previously been dealing in cloves will be allowed to continue as agents for the Association. As a result no person who has been dealing in cloves in the past will be eliminated from the trade against his wish, while the exporters will only be affected in that they will have to get their supplies from the Association.The suggestion as to an embargo is not as the hon. Member thinks, but is a suggestion that the Government of India should prohibit the import into India of cloves from Zanzibar, and I fail to see how such a prohibition would benefit the Indian exporter of cloves from the Protectorate to India.I have been in close touch with the Government of India, and I hope that responsible Indian opinion, both in India and Zanzibar, will accept the assurances which I have mentioned as adequately safeguarding the interests of the local Indians while it must be recognised that those of the native producers must come first.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has given further consideration to the representations by the Indian community in Zanzibar on the Clove (Purchase and Exportation) Decree, 1937; and whether, with a view to seeing whether the interests of all parties can be reconciled, the progress with this measure can be deferred pending the arrival in Zanzibar of the new British resident?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the full answer which I have just made to the hon. Member for Wentworth (Mr. Paling). As regards the second part of the question, it is not practicable to delay the introduction of the Decree because the clove harvest begins in Zanzibar in the month of July. The Acting Resident has, however, agreed to defer taking the Bill through final legislative stages until the 15th of July in order to allow of further discussion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any actual stocktaking has occurred in recent years of the stocks of cloves with the Clove Growers' Association in Zanzibar; whether, in view of the legislation affecting the activities of the association now pending, any independent check by weighing the stock of cloves can be taken for comparison with the stock now standing in the books of the association?

So far as I am aware the first part of my hon. Friend's question is in the negative. The Clove Growers' Association is a non-profit-earning body closely controlled by the Zanzibar Government, and I have no reason to believe that Government is not entirely satisfied with the stock position. The legislation now pending would not appear to affect the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has yet come to any conclusion regarding the provisional agreement on migrant native labour between Southern and Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland; and when he will be in a position to make a statement?

I have recently addressed despatches to the Governments of Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland conveying my general approval of the agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the practical difficulties still standing in the way of the ratification of the International Labour Office Convention on the recruitment of native labour; how soon his discussions with the Governments in the Colonies will be completed; and what is the policy of the British Government in relation to the Union of South Africa in respect to this convention as far as recruitment in Nyasaland and other British Colonies is concerned?

The only difficulty standing in the way of the ratification by His Majesty's Government of the International Convention concerning the Regulation of Certain Special Systems of Recruiting Workers, which was adopted by the International Labour Conference last summer, is whether or not it can be applied without modification to certain African territories where labour is recruited for work in the Union of South Africa. This matter is still under consideration, and discussion with the Government of the Union.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has ratified the draft agreement between the Colonies of Nyasaland and the Rhodesias on the subject of migration; and whether he proposes to publish such agreement with his observations thereon?

I have approved the Agreement, which was published last November. I am placing in the Library a copy of my despatch to Nyasaland. The despatch to Northern Rhodesia simply sent a copy of the despatch to Nyasaland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can give any information regarding an anonymous gift of £25,000 annually for the benefit of the peasantry of Jamaica; in particular, how this gift is to be administered; and whether definite schemes for its application have been drawn up?

I am pleased to be able to inform the hon. Member that I have received a report from the Governor of Jamaica that the United Fruit Company and the Standard Fruit and Steamship Corporation have offered to set aside for a period of years one cent per count bunch of bananas exported by them from Jamaica. In a normal year the combined sum so set aside should amount to about £20,000, and it is proposed to devote this to the promotion of schemes for the benefit of agricultural workers, based primarily on agriculture.It is intended that the funds thus made available shall be controlled by an unofficial company to be formed in Jamaica, and that while the Government will take no direct part in the administration of the funds, the work undertaken will be supplementary to and co-ordinated with that of the Government. The scheme will, I feel sure, be of great benefit to the Colony. I have as yet received no information as to the details of the work which it is proposed to carry out under this scheme.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether any progress has been made in finding alternative accommodation for the inadequately housed staff of the Romford tax district?

An offer of suitable alternative offices in premises now in course of construction has been accepted, and it is anticipated that they will be ready for occupation by the Inland Revenue staff towards the end of the year.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he will state the reason for the architects to His Majesty's Works and Public Buildings, Edinburgh, issuing schedules specifying Norwegian granite kerbs for a new telephone exchange in Glasgow?

The drawings for the Central Telephone Exchange, Glasgow, specified "Whinstone kerbs," but, by an error in compiling the schedule from the the drawings, "Norwegian granite kerbs" were put into the specification. The error will be rectified and foreign material will not be used.

asked the Secretary for Mines if he is aware that the nearest place to the Cumberland coalfield where an inspector of mines is situated is Newcastle-on-Tyne; and can he say if the Department is prepared to place a resident junior inspector in the Cumberland coalfield, as has been the custom in the past?

Yes, Sir, the present arrangements for the inspection of mines in Cumberland were made at the end of 1935, when the employment of a resident inspector could no longer be justified because of the large and progressive decline in mining operations there; but of recent months there has been some recovery, and I hope the position will soon be such as to justify the re-employment of a resident inspector.