asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how the moneys in the Post Office Savings Bank, including Savings Certificates, are invested; with what Departments they are invested; and what rate of interest is paid by the various Departments?

Sums raised by the sale of Savings Certificates do not pass through the Post Office Savings Banks Fund and are not invested but applied in reduction of other debt. Details of the investments held for the Post Office Savings Banks Fund at 31st December, 1936, will be found in the Accounts of the Fund presented to Parliament on 28th June last (63–9999).

In addition to their investments in Government stocks and bonds, the National Debt Commissioners where so authorised by Parliament may advance money to other public Departments. Subject to any directions from Parliament contained in the Act authorising such an advance, the rate of interest is determined at the time the advance is made, having regard to the rates of interest then prevailing. Following are particulars of the advances so made from the Post Office Savings Banks Fund in 1936 and rates of interest charged:

Advances for	Capital outstanding.			Rates of Interest.
	£	s.	d.	per cent
Telegraph Acts, etc.	12,550,000	0	0	3
Commutation of Pensions.	250,079	2	3	3½

asked the Postmaster-General whether he can state the amount standing in the books of his Department as at the last convenient date as subscribers' deposits, either paid for or on behalf of individuals and/or business firms for telephone service?

The total amount of the deposits standing to the credit of telephone subscribers on the 30th September last was £1,228,137.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the unsatisfactory way in which trenches in high roads which have been made by contractors on behalf of the Post Office are filled in and maintained until the proper time arrives for their permanent repair; and whether he will arrange that all such trenches should be repaired in future at the expense of the Post Office by those highway authorities who are willing to do so?

Complaints of unsatisfactory reinstatement of Post Office trenches are, I am glad to say, rare. Highway authorities who so desire are entitled, under the Telegraph Acts, to undertake, at the expense of the Post Office, the restoration of road surfaces in cases of this kind. It is found in practice, however, that many of the authorities prefer that the whole of the work should be carried out by the Post Office or its contractors. I understand that the hon. Member's question is prompted by difficulties which unfortunately arose in a particular locality where this was the arrangement adopted. I will communicate with him as regards the circumstances of the case which were entirely exceptional.

asked the Postmaster-General whether any effort is being made by his Department to reorganise the Post Office service to ensure an early restoration of the penny post?

The question of restoring the penny post is under constant review. It is now estimated that on the basis of the existing traffic it would result in an immediate reduction in revenue of over £7½ million for letters and nearly £1 million for postcards—making a total of about £8½ million. After making full allowance, based on past experience, for the probable increase in postal traffic in consequence of the cheaper rate, the net cost would be over £7½ million. I see no possibility of any reorganisation of the service by which this serious sacrifice of revenue could be avoided.

asked the Postmaster-General whether any decision has yet been reached with regard to the desirability of broadcasting from this country on a short wave-length any foreign languages such as Arabic and Spanish?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 1st November.

asked the Postmaster-General whether a decision has been reached as to the establishment of a Broadcast Relay Station at Southampton; and if it is proposed to acquire any existing plant for this purpose?

The question of the establishment by the Post Office of an experimental Broadcast Relay Service at Southampton is under consideration, but the arrangements have not yet been completed. No such service is at present operated in the area in which the proposed experiment would be conducted, and the question of acquiring existing plant does not, therefore, arise

asked the Postmaster-General what is the present approximate cost of the Television Service, together with the revenue received from licences issued for television receivers?

I am informed by the British Broadcasting Corporation that the capital expenditure incurred on the Television Service up to the 30th September, 1937, less depreciation written off, was £112,000, and that the revenue expenditure up to that date, including depreciation and programme, engineering, and staff costs, was £346,000. As regards the question of licence revenue in respect of television receivers, the position remains as stated in my reply to my hon. Friend on the 12th April last.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any munitions are at present being exported from this country for Japan?

As has been previously explained in this House, His Majesty's Government considers that it is contrary to the public interest to publish particulars of licences issued for the export of arms and ammunition to particular destinations. I may, however, add that during the period 1st July to 30th September, 1937, the value of the exports from the United Kingdom to Japan of arms, ammunition and military and naval stores was £14,612.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the British troops still in Northern China, as a result of treaty arrangements, are still carrying out their normal duties; and whether he can give details?

Yes, Sir, the British troops in North China are carrying out their normal duties. The duties of foreign troops in North China are those laid down in Articles VII and IX of the Boxer Protocol of 7th September, 1901.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any steps have been taken by His Majesty's Government to follow up the offer made by them at Geneva to discuss with other Powers certain abatements of Colonial preferences; and whether any Power or Powers have approached His Majesty's Government in consequence of this offer?

His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom have expressed their readiness to enter into discussions with any Powers which may approach them for an abatement of particular preferences in non-self-governing Colonial territories where these can be shown to place undue restriction on international trade. The initiative thus rests with other Governments, none of whom has as yet approached His Majesty's Government in the matter.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education what percentage of public elementary schools are not making use of the milk-in-schools scheme; how this compares with a year ago; and what steps are contemplated to extend the scheme to all elementary schools?

On 31st March, 1937, the latest date for which figures are available, the milk-in-schools scheme was not in operation in 16.7 per cent. of the public elementary school departments in England and Wales, but the schools where the scheme is not in operation are mainly small schools, and the number of children in these schools was only 7.1 per cent. of the total number of children attending public elementary schools. On 31st March, 1936, the percentage of departments not operating the scheme was 18.2. During the year from 31st March, 1936, to 31st March, 1937, the number of departments operating the scheme increased by 371. I should welcome the extension of the scheme to all elementary schools.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether his reports show the causes of the decline in the number of children taking milk under the milk-in-schools scheme, especially in the rural areas; and whether he will consult with the local authorities and the Milk Marketing Board with a view to improving the methods employed under the scheme?

The latest figures in my possession do not show that there has been a decline in the number of children taking milk under the milk-in-schools scheme, either in the country generally or in the county areas as a whole. On 31st March, 1937, the latest date for which figures are at present available, the number of children taking milk under the scheme in public elementary schools in the county areas in England and Wales had increased by 54,000 since 1st October, 1936, although the total number of children in the schools had fallen by 18,000, and the number of departments in which the scheme was in operation had increased by nearly 200 during the same period. I am, however, aware that difficulties in obtaining a supply of milk have arisen in certain rural areas, and possible means of overcoming these difficulties are being considered by my Department in consultation with the Ministry of Agriculture.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education when His Majesty's Government proposes to take action upon the report of the Departmental Committee on private schools issued in March, 1932?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Frome (Mrs. Tate) on 26th July, a copy of which I am sending him.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he will consider the introduction of legislation to provide adequate facilities for technical training, and the raising of the school age to 16 with adequate maintenance allowance?

As regards the first part of the question my noble Friend is alive to the importance of improving the facilities for technical education where these are deficient, and is already taking steps to secure this end by administrative action. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what proportion of inspectors in His Majesty's Home Dockyards are promoted chargemen; and what is the average age on appointment of those inspectors who are not promoted chargemen?

Appointments of Inspectors of Trades in His Majesty's Dockyards and Naval Establishments are made by competitive examination and not by direct promotion except in a few specialised appointments. Draughtsmen, chargemen and workmen of the various trades, subject to certain age limits and service qualifications, are eligible to compete. The number of Inspectors of Trades is large and to ascertain their previous service and age on appointment would involve an undue amount of labour.

Parker asked the Attorney-General whether he is aware that considerable discontent has been caused in the county of Essex by the fact that such a small proportion of the justices of the peace are drawn from the ranks of the Opposition, and that this discontent is particularly strong in Barking, where there is only one resident Labour magistrate apart from the Mayor, and in Ilford where all the magistrates are supporters of the Government; and whether he will take steps to alter this position?

In making appointments to the Commission of the Peace my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor is most careful to ensure the inclusion in such appointments of persons drawn from the different sections of the community and holding different political views, and in the appointments made to the Essex Commission of the Peace in the last four years this principle has been applied impartially by my noble Friend in considering the recommendations submitted to him. He has received no complaints and has no knowledge of the alleged discontent, but will consult with his Advisory Committee, upon which are representatives of the three parties, about the position in Barking and Ilford.

asked the Attorney-General whether he can state the approximate numbers of justices of peace on the various commissions of the peace who never attend the courts owing to age or for other reasons; and will he consider taking steps to require all those justices to retire who have not attended for a period of three years?

I regret I am unable to give the numbers. There are 319 Commissions of the Peace and it would be an unjustifiable expenditure of public time and money to ascertain the figures for each of these Commissions. But before any additional appointments are made to any particular Commission, my Noble Friend the Lord Chancellor causes a careful scrutiny to be made of the numbers of magistrates, and returns are supplied of those who do not attend the Courts for various reasons. In the absence of any valid reason, Justices who have not attended the Bench or performed any other magisterial work for a period of three years should certainly retire.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the number of unemployed men, women, and juveniles in the parliamentary division of Central Wandsworth at any convenient date in July, August, September, and October, 1935, 1936, and 1937, respectively?

I regret that this information is not available in respect of parliamentary divisions. Unemployed persons resident in the Central Wandsworth parliamentary division would probably be registered either at the Battersea or at the Tooting Employment Exchange.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has had under consideration the under-nourishment among unemployed persons and their dependants in Greenock and elsewhere; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy this evil?

The Department of Health has made periodic investigations into the nutritional state of the people in certain parts of Scotland where unemployment has been serious. The Department's investigators have formed the opinion that the nutritional state of the unemployed is not sensibly inferior to that of the employed. As regards the second part of the question, I would remind the hon. and learned Member that local authorities have powers in necessitous cases to provide food and milk to mothers and infants under the Maternity and Child Welfare Schemes, and milk to school children under the Milk-in-Schools Scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will

Grade.		No.	Rates of Pay (weekly except where shown otherwise).	Scale of Annual Leave.	Scale of Sick Leave on full pay in 12 months.
Chief Dispenser	…	1	£259 to £295 13s. a year*	18 days	156 days.
Assistant Dispenser	…	1	73s. 2d. to 82s. 6d.*	15 days	60 days,
Radiographer and Masseur	…	1	63s. 9d. to 73s. 2d.*	13 days	60 days.
Surgeryman	…	1	79s. 6d.† plus quarters	7 days	6o days.
Orderly, Second Class	…	2	73s. 6d.†	7 days	None (except where reserved privileges apply).
Orderly, Third Class	…	4	70s.†	7 days	None (except where reserved privileges apply).
Labourer	…	1	55s.†	47 days	None (except where reserved privileges apply).
Clerk, Grade III	…	2	£75 to £320 a year*	24 days	156 days.
Clerk, Grade IV	…	1	62s. to 77s. 6d.	21 days	60 days.

Except for the three last grades in the table the pay shown covers all time worked (save for extra pay, where admissible, for work on holidays and closed days), and the alternating system of duty necessary involves periodical attendance on seven days in some cases.

Forty-nine candidates over the age of 31 years have been granted commissions in the searchlight units of the Royal Engineers, Territorial Army. I am unable to give the information asked for in the last part of the question as nomination for appointments to commissions rests with Officers Commanding units and Territorial Army Associations. It is not the practice of the War Office to reject a nomination solely on account of age.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the number of the civil surgery staff employed at the Royal Ordnance Factory, Woolwich; what are the respective salaries of the staff; whether this includes bonus on the industrial or Civil Service scale; whether it is in respect of a six- or seven-day week; what is the amount of annual leave they receive; and whether they are entitled to receive sick-leave with pay?

The following table gives the desired information:

asked the Minister of Transport whether he can state the percentage of through traffic, as compared to local traffic, on British roads?

The description "through traffic" is not one possessing any very precise meaning. It is the fact that by far the greater proportion of traffic is local, but figures are not available.

asked the Minister of Transport what has been the increase in the mileage of trunk roads since his Department became responsible for them?

The Trunk Roads Act, 1936, does not empower me to add to the mileage of trunk roads, save in so far as may be incidental to superseding some part of a trunk road by a diversion or by-pass.

asked the Home Secretary how many prosecutions have been instituted against motorists involved in road fatalities during the past year; and whether he can classify the outcome of these cases?

The only figures available are those relating to proceedings for manslaughter in connection with the driving of a motor vehicle. During 1936 the number of prosecutions for this offence was 125 and in 105 of these cases the offender was committed for trial. The results of these proceedings will be found on page 3 of the Annual Return of Offences relating to Motor Vehicles, of which I am sending my hon. Friend a copy.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that considerable annoyance is caused to the inhabitants of Barking and district by the smoke from the Barking power station; and why the same high standard of smoke cleansing in force at Battersea has not been introduced at Barking even in the recent extensions of plant?

This matter is under observation.. In connection with a recent extension of the Barking station the Electricity Commissioners attached to their consent a condition requiring all reasonable precautions to be observed as regards the elimination of smoke and grit in the use of the extended boilers and plant.

asked the First Commissioner of Works why no steps have yet been taken to re-design the back paths on the north side of the Hylas Garden, Regent's Park, so that this derelict area may be developed with suitable benches as a decorative addition to the St. John's Lodge garden retreat for the summer use of the public?

The scheme for dealing with this area is still under consideration. I regret that there has been some delay owing to the pressure which other urgent services have entailed upon the Department.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he can name the number of British firms now carrying on commercial operations in Manchukuo; and how this total compares with that of a year prior to the scission of that country from China?

From the information available in the Department of Overseas Trade it would appear that the number of British firms now carrying on commercial operations in Manchuria is 21. The number in the year 1931 was 28.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he will investigate the extent to which British export business has been neglected during recent months owing to the concentration of certain firms upon rearmament, with a view to taking remedial action at the earliest possible opportunity?

I cannot agree that there has been any general neglect of export markets, and I would point out that the declared value of United Kingdom exports (home produce and manufactures) in the first nine months of 1937 was £386 millions, a higher figure than any in the same period for the last six years. His Majesty's Government have repeatedly urged on manufacturers the necessity for retaining, and, if possible, expanding their connections in overseas markets, and I do not consider that a general investigation of this character would serve any useful purpose.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has any statement to make on the position of foot-and-mouth disease in the county of Norfolk, with particular reference to the basis of compensation for animals slaughtered?

There have been 16 outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in the county of Norfolk during the past three weeks and 873 cattle, 647 sheep and 569 pigs have been slaughtered in consequence. The compensation payable to the owners of these animals amounts to slightly more than £23,000. These outbreaks may be associated with the present heavy incidence of disease in Western Europe. The basis on which compensation is computed is laid down in Section 15 of the Diseases of Animals Act, 1894, which prescribed that where the animal slaughtered was affected with the disease, the compensation shall be the value of the animal immediately before it became so affected, and in every other case the compensation shall be the value of the animal immediately before it was slaughtered.

asked the Minister of Agriculture why the prices of all sorts of butter are rising; what is the average price of English butter; what is the percentage of English butter placed on the market; and whether, in a case of shortage, the butter factories of the country are in a position to increase their output?

The recent increase in prices of butter may be associated with the reduced supplies available in the past two months, retained imparts in September having been nearly 30 per cent. less than in September of last year. Home-produced butter is the product both of farms and of creameries and average prices during October were 1s. 4¼d. per lb. for farm butter and 1s. 5d. per lb. for creamery butter. It is estimated that home-produced butter accounts for approximately 10 per cent. of the total supply of butter in the United Kingdom. As regards the last part of the question, I have no doubt that factories could increase their output of butter if additional supplies of milk were available for the purpose.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has received representations with regard to the anxiety felt by small bacon curers at the possibility of their elimination from the industry owing to the new proposals for marketing; and whether he will ensure that the fullest consideration is given to the claims of the smaller men in the industry, especially where they have carried on operations for many years?

I have received representations on this subject and I can assure my hon. Friend that the Secretary of State for Scotland and I will give the fullest consideration to the position of the smaller bacon curers before arriving at any conclusions with regard to the future organisation of the bacon industry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what acreage of willow growing is in England and Wales and where grown; and how much employment is absorbed by the willow-growing industry, including the manufacturing side?

The latest official figures for the acreage of willows and the estimated production are to be found in "The Agricultural Output of England and Wales, 1925," Cmd. 2815. Statistics dealing with willows are not, however, now collected, but I am indebted to the Rural Industries Bureau for the following figures indicating the present position. There are in England about 2,300 acres under cultivation for basket willows, of which some 1,500 are in Somerset, the remainder being divided between Lancashire, Trent Valley, Severn Valley and Suffolk. No willows are grown in Wales. The number of persons actually employed in the cultivation of basket willows is about 100, of which 80 are in Somerset. The number employed in basket-making and kindred occupations is about 5,500, of whom 2,000 are blind persons specially trained for the work.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will state the average wholesale and retail prices of home-produced eggs at the latest convenient

Commodity.			1937			1936
			£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.
(a) Eggs, Retail	…	per dozen		2	3		2	0
(b) Eggs, National Mark (Special Weight)	…	per dozen		2	4		2	6
(b) Eggs, National Mark (Standard Weight)	…	per dozen		2	2		2	4¼
(c) Eggs, Wholesale, 1st quality	…	per dozen		2	3¼		2	3¾
(c) Eggs, Wholesale, 2nd quality	…	per dozen		2	0¾		2	1½
(d) Wheat	…	per cwt.		9	2		8	11
(e) Maize, Argentine	…	per cwt.		7	0		5	7
(e) Bran, British	…	per cwt.	7	16	0	6	18	0
(e) Weatings	…	per cwt.	8	13	0	7	10	0
(f) Middlings (Fine Imported)	…	per cwt.	8	5	0	7	2	0

(

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will give the quantity and value of willow rods, basket and wickerware imported into this country and the country of origin?

Description.	Declared value.	Principal countries of consignment.
	£
Willows for basket-making	16,243	Netherlands, Belgium, Argentine Republic, Madeira.
Baskets and basketware—
Baskets manufactured wholly or partly of willow, cane or wicker.	211,066	Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Poland.
Furniture	6,080	Belgium.
Other descriptions (including fitted baskets)	4,307	Czechoslovakia.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware of the widespread antipathy to birching of children date in October, 1937, and at the corresponding date in 1936, respectively; and the average prices at such dates of wheat, bran, maize, and middlings?

The following statement shows the average wholesale prices of certain grades of eggs and of feeding stuffs during the week ended 27th October, 1937, and the corresponding week in 1936; and also the retail prices of eggs on 1st October, 1937, the latest date for which such prices are available, an don the same date in 1936:

I have been asked to reply. The following table shows the total declared value of imports into the United Kingdom of willows for basket-making and of baskets and basketware during the year 1936, together with the principal countries of consignment. Particulars of the quantities imported are not recorded.under 14 years of age in Greenock and elsewhere; and if he has any statement to make regarding legislation to abolish this form of punishment?

I have received representations from Greenock and elsewhere against the birching of juveniles. Pending the report of the Departmental Committee on the question of corporal punishment, which was appointed in May last by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and myself, I can make no statement regarding legislation.

asked the Home Secretary what special precautions are being prepared for the safety during air raids of the populations of seaside and other holiday resorts during the holiday seasons?

It is for the local authorities concerned to consider what special measures may be required for such visitors as may remain at holiday resorts, but the Home Office has been in touch wit:a the Hotel and Restaurant Association as to the precautions that can be taken in their premises.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will state the progress that has been made with air raid precaution plans in the coastal areas of Northumberland and Durham?

One county borough in this area has formulated a scheme and it is understood that other local authorities in the area have schemes in course of preparation. An Inspector of the Department recently visited the area and a further visit has been arranged to be carried out in the next week or two. A Regional Inspector will be stationed at Newcastle-on-Tyne early in the new year, with the two counties as his area.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that three men, charged at Old Street police court with insulting behaviour and discharged under the Probation of Offenders Act, were pulling down a red flag which had been hoisted at the back of the crowd; and whether any other insulting behaviour took place to warrant their arrest?

On the evening of 1st November a crowd of about a thousand people was assembled to await the declaration of the poll of the Shoreditch Borough Council Election. Following upon the hoisting of a red flag, there was a rush and fighting took place between political opponents. During the rush two or three constables were knocked to the ground. As a result proceedings were taken against several persons on various charges, including that of using insulting behaviour whereby a breach of the peace might be occasioned.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will provide a Return for each of the county boroughs and non-county boroughs in England and Wales, showing the number of local government electors on the 1937–38 register, the number of electors in contested wards and their percentage of the total, the number of persons voting and the percentage to the total number of electors and to the electors in contested wards, and the total number of councillors returned unopposed?

Information of the nature requested could not be furnished without special inquiry of each of the local authorities concerned, and my right hon. Friend regrets that he would not feel justified in instituting such inquiries.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether, in view of the present experimental nature of the various devices for preventing ice formation on aeroplanes, he can state what advice is given by his Department to private flyers and to operators of commercial aircraft in this country?

The following three publications have recently been issued on the subject of ice accretion on aircraft:

(1) Notice to Airmen No. 205 of 1937, which warns pilots of the possibility of their controls becoming jammed and mentions a particular case of this trouble together with the methods employed in overcoming it.

(2) Notice to Airmen No. 221 of 1937, which notifies the system to be employed for reporting by wireless or on landing that icing conditions are being encountered and states that the Meteorological Office broadcasts all warnings received of ice accretion conditions.

(3) Ice Accretion on Aircraft, Notes for Pilots, a pamphlet which has just been published by the Meteorological Office and which contains an explanation of the process of ice formation together with advice on how to navigate aircraft to avoid dangerous ice formation and information regarding the warnings of ice accretion which are issued by the Meteorological Office.

asked the Minister of Pensions how many cases of blindness have been accepted as due to war service or accentuated by it in each of the last three years; and how many pensions in each period have been awarded for the discovery of hitherto unsuspected shrapnel?

The cases of impaired vision, including those of total blindness, which were accepted in each of the last three years numbered respectively 9, 10 and 9. The numbers of wounds and injuries accepted for compensation or for any necessary treatment in the same years were respectively 456, 393 and 386. A proportion of these cases would represent the effects of shrapnel which had previously caused no disablement, but I am unable to give figures separately for this class of case.