asked the Postmaster-General whether under the new Empire air-mail scheme to be introduced on the South African route any arrangements will be available whereby, in return for a late fee, urgent and important mail can be posted a few hours before the departure of any particular aeroplane and be guaranteed despatch in that machine; and, if not, what alternative arrangements will be available to ensure that important mail will not be crowded out by other correspondence?

The introduction of facilites such as my hon. Friend mentions is not contemplated; but the arrangements made at the outset for the carriage of first-class mails over the route to South Africa, which, having regard to the novel and complicated issues involved, are necessarily experimental and tentative in character, will be reviewed and, if need be, adjusted as and when adequate experience has been had of the incidence of the traffic in relation to the capacity available and other kindred considerations.

asked the Postmaster-General whether any effort has been made, or will be made, by his Department to secure employment for those ex-employés of the Buff Book, Limited, who built up the connection from nothing and who, in consequence of the taking over of the Classified Trades Telephone Directory by the Post Office, have been deprived of their livelihood?

A classified Trades Telephone Directory for London has hitherto been published under an agreement between the Post Office and the Buff Book, Limited, which terminated in May last. Tenders were invited for a new contract and the Buff Book, Limited, was amongst the firms who tendered. The contract was, however, secured by Messrs. J. Weiner, Limited. It will thus be seen that the Post Office has not itself taken over the work but that it has passed from one contractor to another.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he will state the date from which approved teaching service overseas may be taken into account for the purpose of benefit under the Superannuation Bill and for increments granted under the Burnham scale?

The provisions of the Teachers Superannuation Bill relating to periods of absence abroad are designed to operate from the date of the Royal Assent. The eligibility of such periods for increment purposes is a matter for the Burnham Committees, whose general practice has been to bring the provisions governing increments into line with those of the Superannuation Acts.

asked the Home Secretary what is the amount of balance in hand at present in the Westmorland compensation fund; and what number of licensed houses have been referred for compensation, what number extinguished, what amount has been claimed, and what sum has been paid in compensation since 1905 in Westmorland?

According to the last financial statement furnished to me by the compensation authority the balance in hand on the 31st December, 1936, was £716 17s. 4d., in addition to investments of a par value of £2,600. As regards the second part of the question, during the period 1905 to 1936 55 licences were referred to this authority and 42 were extinguished with compensation, the total amount of compensation paid being £23,276 17s. 2d. No information is available as to the amount of compensation claimed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many aircraft were exported from this country in the financial years ended March, 1936, and March, 1937; and what were the makes of the aircraft so exported and the countries to which they were consigned?

, pursuant to his reply (OFFICIAL REPORT, 1st July, 1937; col. 2155, Vol. 325, No. 135) supplied the following statement.

The following table shows the number of complete aeroplanes of United Kingdom manufacture exported during the twelve months ended March, 1936 and 1937, respectively, distinguishing the principal countries of consignment.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the annual Taxation Returns for the year ended 31st March, 1935, have not yet been published; and whether he will endeavour to secure earlier publication in future?

Part I of the statistics referred to (which are now issued under the title of "Local Government Financial Statistics") was published in January last. Parts II and III will be issued shortly. The production of these returns involves the examination and printing of a very large amount of statistical matter, but I will see whether any steps can be taken to secure earlier publication in the future.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is now prepared to reconsider the sentences on the Harworth people in connection with the recent charges?

I understand that the persons in question have applied to the Court of Criminal Appeal for leave to appeal against their sentences. Pending the determination of these applications the question of any consideration of the sentences by me does not arise.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will state the number of local authorities which have introduced by-laws, and the number which have omitted to do so. under the Nursing Homes Registration Act, 1927; and whether complaints are still being received with regard to the existence of bogus nursing homes?

By-laws under the Nursing Homes Registration Act, 1927, have been made by 88 local supervising authorities in England and Wales and by 42 district councils to whom the necessary powers have been delegated. I regret that the information available is not sufficient to enable me to state the number of authorities who have not made by-laws. As regards the last part of the question, the few complaints received in my Department are normally referred to the local authorities who are responsible for the registration and inspection of nursing homes and to whom such complaints should properly be addressed.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of old age pensioners over 70 and the usual expectancy of life after that age, as shown in the returns in the possession of his Department?

The number of old age pensioners over 70 in Great Britain on 31st March last was 1,706,000 (702,000 men and 1,004,000 women). The statistics in the possession of the Departments do not enable the expectation of life of old age pensioners to be computed but there is no reason to believe that it differs appreciably from that of the general population. I am not clear in what sense my hon. Friend uses the expression "usual expectancy of life after that age." On the basis of the National Life Tables, compiled after the census of 1931, the expectation of life of a person at the age of 70 is estimated to be 8.6 years in the case of a man, and 10.0 years in the case of a woman.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will give the number of firms who are establishing industries on the Treforest trading estate, South Wales, and when they are likely to commence production?

Six factories have already been let on the Treforest Trading Estate and tenancies for two others are about to be completed. One firm began production last week and active preparations are being made in the other cases.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of persons in receipt of benefits and allowances, respectively, for the counties of Monmouth, Brecon, Glamorgan, and Carmarthen since 1931 and each year to date.

pursuant to his reply (OFFICIAL REPORT, 14th June, 1937; col. 43, Vol. 325), supplied the following statement.