asked the Minister of Health whether he will issue reports for England and Wales, respectively, on the lines of the Scottish report on incapacitating sickness in the insured population?

I am considering the general question of a comprehensive investigation into the extent and incidence of various forms of incapacitating sickness amongst insured persons, but I am not yet in a position to say in what form the results of any such investigation would be made generally available.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will state the amount spent for each of the last five years from national health insurance funds towards refresher courses for panel practitioners; from which section of the funds this money is taken; and whether any such practitioners, after thus benefiting from these funds, leave panel practice for specialist or ordinary medical work outside the scope of the national health insurance scheme?

I will send the hon. Member the desired information, so far as it is available.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that at a recent inquest it was disclosed that the patient, operated upon in hospital, had died from tetanus brought about through the use of diseased gut; and will he take steps to ensure that in future all gut used in this way shall be free from dangerous bacilli?

I am not aware of the particular inquest to which the hon. Member refers. Regulations have recently been issued with the object of securing the sterilisation of surgical catgut and I will send the hon. Member a copy.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the number of vessels in service, some of the sloop type, near to or in short call, in case of civil disturbance, of Trinidad, at one time cut down in number, will now be increased to the original 10?

There is at present no intention of increasing our forces on the America and West Indies Station.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement on the progress of the negotiations for an Anglo-United States commercial agreement?

The informal and exploratory discussions to which I referred on the r3th July in reply to questions by the hon. Members for the Park Division of Sheffield (Mr. Lathan) and for Bassetlaw (Mr. Bellenger) arc continuing between representatives of the United Kingdom and the United States Governments for the purpose of finding a basis for trade negotiations. I regret that I am not in a position to make a fuller statement, but I will not fail to inform the House as soon as I am able to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the agreement which had the effect of nullifying the concession for the extraction of salt from the Dead Sea, had been drafted by 8th May, 1929, and could therefore have been printed in the White Paper Command 3326, and that agreement in terms stated that it was a condition of the grant of the concession that the concessionaires should enter the covenants contained in the agreement, and that those covenants were accordingly a part of the concession the terms of which were at the time promised to this House; and, seeing that the agreement was omitted from the Annual Report to the Permanent Mandates Commission, whether he will take steps to bring the agreement to the notice of the Commission so that its records may contain the complete terms of the concession?

It is assumed that the hon. Member's question refers to the agreement dated 22nd May, 1929. A draft of this agreement was in existence on the 8th May, 1929. It was superseded by a later indemnity agreement signed on behalf of Palestine Potash, Limited, dated the 1st January, 1930. I am advised that this indemnity was limited to a term of three years from that date. I do not consider, therefore, that any useful purpose would now be served by communicating its text to the Permanent Mandates Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what has been the result of the representations which have been made by His Majesty's Government to both sides in the Spanish conflict to respect the lives and properties of the various religious communities in Spain?

Though appeals have been addressed on more than one occasion to the contending Spanish parties to respect the lives of non-combatants, no special representations have been made on the subject of religious communities. The welfare of these communities is, however, a matter in which His Majesty's Government are deeply interested, and I would mention in this connection that His Majesty's consular officers have been able during recent months to facilitate the evacuation of a considerable number of nuns, principally from Madrid and Barcelona.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will indicate to the House any steps which have been taken by His Majesty's Government to bring about improved relations with Italy?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the terms of the joint Anglo-Italian Declaration of 2nd January last, contained in Command Paper Cmd. 5348, and to the statement which I made in the course of the Debate on i9th July last, giving further expression to the friendly sentiments which inspired His Majesty's Government in their relations with Italy.

asked the Home Secretary how many meetings have been held by the committee on corporal punishment in the penal systems of England, Wales, and Scotland?

The committee has so far held eleven meetings.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he has noticed the insanitary condition of many of the chairs in the London Royal parks, which renders them unfit for use; whether he is aware that the gross revenue received by the contractor from season-ticket holders and others is substantial; and, seeing that it is implicit in the season-ticket holder's contract that he should be supplied with chairs in proper condition, whether he will arrange before next season that the contractor shall devote a reasonable proportion to the cleaning of a specified number of chairs each week?

A considerable number of men is constantly employed in keeping the chairs clean, but it is impossible to prevent bird droppings from occasionally fouling seats immediately after they have been cleaned. I am satisfied that the chair licensee is doing everything reasonably practicable to deal with this nuisance.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he intends to issue or make a statement on his recent visit to Lancashire?

On the appropriate occasion.

asked the Home Secretary how many additional factory inspectors have been appointed since 31st July, 1937, and the number of inspectors to date?

The authorised strength of the Inspectorate is at present 270. It has not been increased since last July but it is hoped to appoint shortly some additional candidates from the last competition. As previously announced, a considerable increase in the Inspectorate will be necessary with a view to the enforcement of the new Factories Act and the steps to be taken for this purpose are now under consideration.