asked the Minister of Labour whether he can give the total numbers of unemployed in the Hexham, Prudhoe, and Haltwhistle districts, respectively, for 1st July, 1937, and 1st July, 1936?

At 21st June, 1937, the latest date for which figures are available, the numbers of unemployed persons on the registers of the Hexham, Prudhoe and Haltwhistle Employment Exchanges were 452, 525 and 525 respectively. At 22nd June, 1936, the corresponding figures were 712, 639 and 610 respectively.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that at many seaside resorts there is a shortage of trained and untrained staff to meet the requirements of business premises during the months of July, August, and September; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter?

I am aware of the difficulties in fully satisfying seasonal requirements for staff at seaside resorts, but the Employment Exchanges give all possible assistance in meeting these requirements by bringing to the notice of suitably qualified persons in the register particulars of vacancies which are notified by employers. If the hon. Member will let me know of any particular cases which have come to his notice I will have inquiry made.

asked the Minister of Labour what progress has now been made in providing and letting factories on the Team Valley Trading Estate?

I am informed that 45 industrialists have contracted to take space in the Team Valley Trading Estate. The building of 12 factories is complete, or sufficiently so to enable the tenants to begin the installation of machinery. Twenty-eight other factories are in course of construction and in the remaining five cases details of the requirements are under discussion between the Trading Estate Company and the prospective tenants. In addition work has begun on the central administrative building.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will give the latest figures of the registered unemployed at Grimsby in the following categories: men, women, juveniles; and, in addition, by age groups, number in

GRIMSBY EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE. Unemployed persons on the registers at 21st June, 1937.
	Males.				Females.				Total.
—	Aged 21 and over.	Aged 18–20.	Aged 16–17.	Aged 14–15.	Aged 21 and over.	Aged 18–20.	Aged 16–17.	Aged 14–15.
Persons with claims admitted for insurance benefit.	2,227	141	108	—	220	46	45	—	2,787
Persons with applications authorised for unemployment allowances.	1,997	62	12	—	89	12	4	—	2,176
Persons with claims and for applications under consideration.	101	6	17	—	4	5	6	—	139
Others on register	153	9	21	58	85	7	55	128	516
Total	4,478	218	158	58	398	70	110	128	5,618

asked the Minister of Labour (1) whether he can state the total number registered as unemployed in Gateshead in June each year from 1932 to 1937;

(2) the number of juveniles registered as unemployed in Gateshead in June, 1935, 1936, and 1937?

The total number of unemployed persons, aged 14 years and standard benefit and number on unemployment relief?

pursuant to his reply (OFFICIAL REPORT, 21st July, 1937; col. 2245, Vol. 326) supplied the following statement:over, on the register of the Gateshead Employment Exchange in June of each year from 1932 to 1937 was as follow:

Date.		Number on Register.
27th June, 1932	…	13,541
26th June, 1933	…	13,117
25th June, 1934	…	11,856
24th June, 1935	…	11,959
22nd June, 1936	…	9,524
21st June, 1937	…	7,439

asked the Minister of Labour by what approximate date the committee inquiring into the basis for the cost-of-living index figure in this country will issue its Report?

In connection with the inquiries which are to be made by my Department for the purpose of obtaining data as to the present-day distribution of working-class expenditure, required to provide a revised basis for the official cost-of-living index number, I have had the assistance of a Committee to advise as to the methods to be adopted in collecting the required information. The functions of this Committee, however, did not involve an inquiry into, or report upon, the basis of the existing index number. For particulars of the scope and nature of the inquiries which are shortly to be instituted, on lines approved by the Advisory Committee, I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to a

Number of Coal Mines at work, and the Average Number of Wage-earners employed in South and West Yorkshire.
Year.			South Yorkshire.		West Yorkshire.
			Number of Coal Mines at work during the year.	Average Number of Wage-earners employed.	Number of Coal mines at work during the year.	Average Number of Wage-earners employed.
1926	…	…	129	118,028	159	63,836
1927	…	…	131	121,905	159	63,017
1928	…	…	117	117,154	135	55,345
1929	…	…	114	116,943	123	52,303
1930	…	…	109	117,012	117	51,099
1931	…	…	109	110,931	108	49,845
1932	…	…	112	103,804	98	48,127
1933	…	…	106	97,498	101	43,618
1934	…	…	108	96,768	101	43,100
1935	…	…	110	94,792	100	42,169
1936	…	…	107	95,295	98	41,712
*At 17th July, 1937.			88	98,000	80	42,100

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he can state the number of boys up to 18 years who were fatally injured in the coal mines of South Wales and Monmouthshire in 1936 and for the six months of 1937; and similar information in respect of boys who were non-fatally injured?

During 1936 there were 10 fatal and 2,776 non-fatal accidents to boys under 18 years of age in South Wales and Monmouthshire. The corresponding figure for fatal accidents in the first half of 1937 was five. The non-fatal figure is not yet available.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he can state the number of pits at work and the number of men employed at the present time, and for each year since 1926 in South and West Yorkshire, respectively?

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will state the number of men and boys employed, respectively, above and below ground at each of the collieries situate within the area of the Rhondda urban district for the years 1933, 1935, and the latest available date?

The statement is too lengthy for publication in the OFFICIAL REPORT, and I am therefore sending the information to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can state which local authorities have received Exchequer contributions on the basis of £3 10s. per displaced person for providing re-housing accommodation in tenement buildings of more than three storeys on the site of a cleared area, or on other sites the approved cost or value of which exceeds £3,000 an acre; and the total number of dwellings provided in such tenement buildings at 30th June, 1937?

Following is the information:Government contributions at the rate of £10s. per person displaced in connection with slum clearance schemes have been paid to the following local authorities in respect of new housing accommodation provided in tenement buildings:London County Council.Battersea Metropolitan Borough Council.Bermondsey Metropolitan Borough Council.Bethnal Green Metropolitan Borough Council.Fulham Metropolitan Borough Council.Greenwich Metropolitan Borough Council.Hackney Metropolitan Borough Council.Holborn Metropolitan Borough Council.Islington Metropolitan Borough Council.Kensington Metropolitan Borough Council.Lambeth Metropolitan Borough Council.Paddington Metropolitan Borough Council.Poplar Metropolitan Borough Council.St. Pancras Metropolitan Borough Council.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can state the average prices of non-parlour houses, excluding flats and houses specially erected for aged persons, for each of the years 1929 to 1936, inclusive, and also for the March and June quarters, 1937?

The following statement contains the particulars desired by the hon. Member so far as they are available. The figures relate to direct labour schemes commenced and contracts let by local authorities in England and Wales, other than the London County Council.

Year ended 31st December and average cost*of non-parlour houses excluding flats and houses specially erected for aged persons.
						£
1929	…	…	…	…	…	344
1930	…	…	…	…	…	339
1931	…	…	…	…	…	333
1932	…	…	…	…	…	304
1933	…	…	…	…	…	292
1934	…	…	…	…	…	291
1935	…	…	…	…	…	301
1936	…	…	…	…	…	313
Quarter ended 31st March, 1937					…	342
Quarter ended 30th June, 1937					Not available

asked the Minister of Health how many approved societies under the National Health Insurance Acts were carrying on business in the United Kingdom on 31st December, 1936; what was the total amount of their insurance funds at the end of their last financial year; and what were the total sums paid during the last financial year in respect of death claims, sickness benefit, and pensions or annuities, respectively?

The number of approved societies carrying on business in the United Kingdom under the National Health Insurance Acts on the 31st December, 1936, was 849. Information is not available as to the total amount of insurance funds held by approved societies at the end of their last financial year, but I would refer the hon. Member to the report by the Government Actuary on the Fourth Valuation of Approved Societies (Cmd. 5496) from which it will be seen that the total of such funds at that valuation amounted to £164,363,000. Approved societies do not provide payments on death, pensions or annuities, but the total amount expended by them on sickness and disablement benefit in the year 1936 was approximately £17,612,000.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total number of insurance companies carrying on business in the United Kingdom on 31st December, 1936; what was the total amount of their insurance funds at the end of their last financial year; and what were the total sums paid during the last financial year in respect of death claims, sickness benefit, and pensions or annuities, respectively?

One hundred and two insurance companies carried on life assurance business within the United Kingdom during the year 1935, the latest for which full information is available. The total amount of the life assurance funds of these companies at the end of that year was £2,267,177,974, including an amount of £1,067,742,820 in respect of companies established outside the United Kingdom. The total amount of the claims paid or payable in the year in question on death or on maturity amounted to £138,341,205. This figure does not include death payments under employers' liability or personal accident policies, figures as to which are not readily available. The total sums paid in the same year in respect of annuities amounted to £16,342,936. Separate particulars in respect of sickness benefit are not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that four British steamers, the "White-gate," the "Woolos," the "Heathcot," and the "Moorcot," were sold from January to March 1937, to Belgium and Japan; that these vessels received moneys from the Tramp Shipping Subsidy Fund; and whether he can state how much was paid out of that fund to each of those ships?

The United Kingdom registry of the "Whitegate" was closed on 14th January last on sale to Belgian buyers for breaking up. I understand that the other three vessels have been sold to Japanese shipbreakers with forward delivery, but their registry in the United Kingdom is not closed. The only payments made in respect of tramp shipping subsidy for any of these ships have been £285 9s. for the "Heathcot" in respect of 1935 and £309 13s. for the "Woolos" in respect of 1936.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will state the respective amounts of the insurance funds of the various Government insurance schemes at the end of the last financial year, and the average amount of the weekly payment from the said funds?

The assets of the funds mentioned below on 31st December, 1936, in the case of Health Insurance and 31st March, 1937, in the other cases and the average weekly outgoings in respect of benefit and administration were as follow:

			Assets.	Average weekly outgoings.
			£	£
Health Insurance		…	141,570,000	729,000
Widows' Pensions		…	19,150,000	870,000
Unemployment Insurance	…	…	43,700,000	775,000

The assets in the case of Health Insurance do not include approximately £44,000,000 in respect of Reserve Values. The figures for Unemployment Insurance do not include the funded debt of the Fund or the outgoings for the service of that debt.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many Departments enjoying State subsidies for the research work they carry on are thereby empowered to enter into commercial transactions which compete directly with private enterprise; and whether he will state their names and their types of activity?

It is not the practice of Government Departments to undertake work of scientific research or of scientific testing which can be equally well undertaken by private enterprise or left wholly to private enterprise. In the ordinary course, therefore, no question of competition with private enterprise arises.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland where provision is made in the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1929, whereby a burgh with a population of 20,000 or upwards, created since the passing of the Act, must have had that population within burgh police boundaries in 1921, and not within the police boundaries thereof, such as they were in 1921 or may be at the date when the burgh is created, according to the census of 1921; and where, in consequence, power is denied him to frame regulations under Section 70 (1) (b) of the Act, similar to those framed by his Department in 1934 in favour of small burghs, to enable such a burgh to function properly as a large burgh, when, under Section 70 (1) (b), he may make these regulations, if required, consequent upon any alteration of authorities or boundaries?

I am afraid that there is nothing I can add to the statement of the statutory position in regard to the formation of burghs and the question of making regulations as to grant adjustments given in my replies to previous questions by my hon. Friend on this subject.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been drawn to the grave position of the wholesale milk traders by reason of the operation of Section 59a of the Milk Marketing Scheme, as amended by the Milk Marketing Scheme (Amendment) Order, 1936, and, in particular, to sub-section (3) of the said section, which in effect provides for the confiscation of manufacturing and collecting depots without compensation, upon even a change in the policy of the board; and whether he take steps to secure the amendment of this section by giving wholesale milk traders the right to claim compensation upon the withdrawal of licences on the closing down of their businesses resulting upon any such change in the policy of the board?

The approval of the Milk Marketing Board of a depot or factory under paragraph 59a of the Milk Marketing Scheme is not a permit to manufacture milk products but is an approval for the purpose of the allowance of reduced prices, or rebates off or deduction from the prices of milk purchased under contracts made in pursuance of the Scheme and used for manufacturing milk products.The effect of paragraph 59a is that, where the board have previously approved collecting depots and factory premises for these purposes they shall not withdraw their approval or vary the conditions of approval except upon certain specified grounds. One of the grounds on which the board may withdraw their approval is that a change in the policy of the board gives good grounds for such withdrawal, but the Scheme also provides that if there is disagreement between the board and the person to whom approval was granted as to whether there has been a change in policy, and if so whether the change gives the board good grounds for withdrawing approval, the question may be referred to arbitration. Moreover, the provisions of Section 9 of the Agricultural Marketing Act, 1931, are available to any depot owner or factory proprietor who has a complaint as to the operation of the Scheme. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative. I am aware that in present circumstances the withdrawal of approval of premises may make it uneconomic to continue the manufacture of milk products therein, but it has to be remembered that the board are selling milk for manufacture at prices which, after deducting the manufacturing rebate, are very considerably below cost of production.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that under the Milk Marketing Board regulations, if a purchaser receives milk proved upon an analyst's certificate to be deficient, unless each of three check samples taken upon three consecutive days shows deficiency, that purchaser has no redress; and whether he proposes to amend the regulations to give to buyers the protection they require?

I assume that the hon. Member refers to the contract prescribed by the Milk Marketing Board for the sale of milk by wholesale during the year ending on 30th September next. Clause 9 of this contract provides that the vendor warrants the milk to be pure new milk, sweet, clean and marketable with all its cream and without the addition of any preservative; that the purchaser may reject any consignment which is unmarketable; and that the contract may be terminated in the circumstances set out in the hon. Member's question. Moreover, the contract expressly provides that the purchaser's rights and remedies under this clause are in addition to and without prejudice to the rights and remedies conferred on him by common law or statute in the case of a breach or non-observance by the vendor of the agreement. I do not think, therefore, that it is correct to say that unless an analyst's certificate, followed by three check samples, show the milk to be deficient, the purchaser has no redress. In any case, my right hon. Friend has no power to intervene.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that on the plantations and timber concessions in the Cameroons under British mandate 54 accidents, of which 16 were fatal, are recorded in the report presented by the British Government to the League of Nations; and can he state what compensation, if any, was paid to the dependants of the 16 persons who were killed?

I have seen the report to which the hon. Member refers. I have no information beyond that given in the report, but I will cause inquiry to be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether there are any South Africans on the staff of British administrators of native territories; if not, whether he will address representations to the South African Government asking them to appoint liaison officers to help British administrators, so that in the event of the native territories coming under South African administration, the natives may feel assured that their interests will continue to be considered and the same lines of policy pursued as heretofore?

I assume that this question refers to the High Commission Territories in South Africa. Many of the officers serving in them are South Africans who have been recruited in the Union. I will keep in mind the suggestion made in the second part of the question, and would point out in this connection that there is a provision in the Schedule to the South Africa Act, 1909, which is designed to facilitate, in the event of transfer, the retention of officers serving in the Territories at the time.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether telephonic communication now exists between London and Salamanca and London and Barcelona, respectively?

I have been asked to answer this question. The through telephone circuits between London and Madrid, which formerly served the whole of Spain, have been interrupted for many months past. There is no telephonic communication at present between London and Salamanca. Communication is nominally open, by way of Paris, to Barcelona and certain parts of Spain served through Barcelona; but very few calls from London are accepted by the telephone authorities at Barcelona.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that any renewal of the Anglo-Argentine trade agreement will be opposed by British investors, in view of the Argentine Government's refusal to allow the Anglo-Argentine railways to earn a profit on their ordinary capital as a result of the exchange tax by the peso being fixed at more than 15 to the £ and by the non-granting of the revision of railway charges notwithstanding the prosperity of Argentine agriculture; and will he, on behalf of British investors, take up the matter with the Argentine Government independently of the directors of the railway companies concerned?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Hertford (Rear-Admiral Sueter) on 21st April last. I understand that negotia- tions are in fact in progress between the responsible Argentine authorities and the representatives of the Railway Companies concerned.

asked the Minister for the Co-ordination Defence whether, in the general defence programme, steps have been taken to ensure an adequate supply for the photographic requirements of His Majesty's Services of a Home-produced celluloid film base; and whether official tests have produced satisfactory results?

Tests of certain types of home-produced film base have proved satisfactory, and tests of other types are still proceeding. It is not anticipated that any difficulties will arise as regards supplies of photographic films required for use in the Services.