asked the Secretary for Mines whether he proposes to take any action arising out of the report of His Majesty's Deputy Chief Inspector of Mines on explosions in coal mines in France?

I have been asked to reply. My hon. and gallant Friend is unavoidably absent and he apologises to hon. Members. I have nothing to add at present to the answer given to the hon. Member for Llanelly (Mr. J. Griffiths) on 2nd November.

Will the Minister take up the question of British mines?

The hon. Member will see that a very full answer was given. I will send him a copy.

Will it be possible for us to have a discussion on this report, which is one of the most important reports ever published? It shows that Britain, instead of being in the forefront, is in a backward state, and also in a state of complacency.

The hon. Member must not address that question to me.

Will the right hon. and gallant Member convey it to the proper quarter?

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is aware that the exports of British coal to Newfound- land for the first nine months of this year showed a reduction of 43,072 tons as compared with the corresponding period of 1936; what explanation he can give for this reduction; and what steps he is taking in the matter?

I am aware of the facts as stated by the hon. Member. I am advised, however, that the shipping season began abnormally late this year, and that it is as yet too early to say how the figures for the year as a whole are likely to compare with those for 1936.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is aware that the shipments of coal from the Bristol Channel ports to the Dominion of Canada for the first nine months of this year showed a reduction of 118,051 tons, as compared with the shipments for the corresponding period of 1936, and that the shipments of British coal to Canada have been declining each year since 1933; what explanation he can give for the continued fall in our exports of coal to the Dominion and for the continued increase of exports from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Germany, and Indo-China; and what steps he is taking to prevent the loss of this important market for British coal?

I am aware of the facts stated in the first part of the question. With regard to the second part, in the first eight months of 1937 there have been no imports of coal into Canada from Indo-China, and imports from Germany were lower than in the same period in 1936. This is the first year since 1930 in which Russian coal has been imported, but the quantity is limited. The decline in the United Kingdom share of the Canadian market this year is largely accounted for by the increase in imports from the United States, in the price of which, I understand, there has been a substantial reduction this season. The situation is also affected by the brisker Continental demand for United Kingdom anthracite, and by increases in the North Atlantic freight rates. As regards the third part of the question, as the hon. Member is aware, my hon. and gallant Friend is constantly in touch with the position as regards the export trade.

Can the right hon. and gallant Member say when we are likely to derive any benefit from the Canadian Trade Agreement and the Ottawa Agreement?

I am afraid I cannot answer that question without notice.

Is it not time for the Government to remember that we are rapidly losing this market? Are they not ashamed of the fact that they cannot keep a market which the Labour Government got?

Is the hon. and gallant Member aware that in the case of another market where the Government have taken appropriate steps to try to reopen it for coal, hon. Members opposite took them to task very severely last night?

asked the Secretary for Mines whether his attention has been called to the serious fall in British coal exports to foreign and Dominion markets; whether he is satisfied that the fall is not due to the high prices for coal imposed through the central selling schemes; and what action he proposes to take to help the industry?

Coal exports from the United Kingdom were nearly 2,000,000 tons higher in the 12 months subsequent to 1st August, 1936, the date on which the central selling schemes came into operation, than in the preceding 12 months. With regard to the last part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 29th October to my hon. Friend the Member for Newport (Sir R. Clarry).

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will state the collieries in Durham county at which the 58 females are employed?

At 12th December, 1936, there were 59 female wage-earners employed at 44 mines under the Coal Mines Act, 1911, in Durham. My hon. and gallant Friend is sending the hon. Member a list of the collieries concerned.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether, in view of the fact that much research and experimental work has been carried out, it is the intention of the Government at an early date to introduce schemes for the home production of oil by erecting hydrogenation plants in the special areas, so as to hasten the development of this industry with a view to finding work for miners and other classes of labour?

My hon. and gallant Friend regrets that he cannot make any statement on this subject until the Falmouth Committee have reported and the Government have had an opporunity of considering the report.

asked the Secretary for Mines the number of persons who are in receipt of royalties from coal in Durham county, and the amount paid during the last 10 years?

My hon. and gallant Friend regrets that information as to the number of persons in receipt of royalties from coal in Durham is not available. As the reply to the second part of the question involves a number of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

How does it come about that we are told that this information is not available, seeing that a year or two ago we could get the details from each county?

In the question on the Order Paper the hon. Member asks for the number of persons in receipt of royalties. We know the amount they get, but not the number of persons.

If the numbers are not available, how are the Government to determine what compensation is to be paid and the persons to whom it is to be paid?

Perhaps the hon. Member will be good enough to put that question to my hon. and gallant Friend the Minister for Mines.

Can the right hon. and gallant Member give the amount paid?

I am circulating the figures in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Will the right hon. and gallant Member make an effort to obtain particulars as to the numbers?

I will convey the observations of hon. Members to the Secretary for Mines.

asked the Secretary for Mines the amount of money paid in coal royalties in Great Britain during the years 1930, 1933 and 1936, giving separate figures for Lancashire; and the value of mineral royalties owned and worked by colliery companies in Great Britain, giving separate figures for Lancashire?

As the reply contains a number of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary for Mines the amount of capital invested in colliery amalgamations in Great Britain for the years 1930, 1933 and 1936, showing the amount invested before amalgamation and after, giving separate figures for Lancashire?

My hon. and gallant Friend regrets that the information asked for is not available.

asked the Secretary for Mines the amount of coal mined by machinery in Great Britain for the years 1930, 1933, and 1936, respectively, giving separate figures for Lancashire?

As the reply contains a number of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary for Mines the number of persons killed by accident in or about mines under the Coal Mines Act for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date?

During the 12 months ended 31st October, 1937, 822 persons were killed at mines under the Coal Mines Act, 1911.

How does that compare with the previous 12 months?

In the previous 12 months the number was 795, so there is a considerable increase, but it must be borne in mind that the saleable output of coal has increased considerably in the same period, and so has the number of wage-earners.

asked the Secretary for Mines what representations he has received with regard to the restoration of the Miners' Welfare Fund to rd. per ton?

My hon. and gallant Friend has received no representations.

Is this matter receiving consideration in view of the fact that the Committee recommended the restoration of the penny when prosperity returned to the mining industry?

That is a different question. Perhaps the hon. Member will put it down.

The right hon. and gallant Member says that no representations have been received. Does he consider that representations in this House are of no use?

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is aware that the underground workings extend, in many instances, to over a mile; and whether his Department has examined this question with a view to making regulations that the workmen shall be conveyed to their work when the coal face reaches a certain distance?

My hon. and gallant Friend is aware of the fact mentioned. The question has been examined, and evidence on it has been tendered to the Royal Commission on Safety now sitting.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the composition and what are the functions of the Board of Trade Advisory Council; how often it meets and the date of its last meeting; and whether it issues any report of its proceedings and, if so, to whom?

The Board of Trade Advisory Council consists of representatives of industry and commerce, with Dominion and other official representatives. Its main function is to keep the Board of Trade informed of the position and prospects of trade and industry; and with this object individual members send in reports each month and the Council meets under my chairmanship for a general discussion once a quarter. The last meeting was on 28th October. The Council's proceedings are confidential; reports are accordingly circulated only to members and the Government Departments concerned. I am sending the hon. and gallant Member a list of the present members.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman agree it is desirable that the commercial community should be informed of the information before the Board of Trade as a result of these deliberations so that it may know by what considerations it is guided in deciding upon policy?

It is essential if we are to have the fullest possible information on the prospects of individual industries, that that information should be given confidentially.

By what institutions or associations are the representatives of industry appointed, and for what period do they hold office?

Perhaps the hon. and gallant Member will put that question down.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the value of goods purchased in this country by Soviet Russia for the first nine months of the present year, and the corresponding figure for the same period of last year?

During the nine months ended September, 1937, the total declared value of merchandise exported from the United Kingdom and consigned to the Soviet Union was £14,661,000, including re-exports valued at £12,767,000; the corresponding figures for the same period of last year were £10,742,000 and £8,031,000, respectively.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman agree that this very satisfactory increase indicates that Soviet Russia is becoming a very important market for British goods?

I should have been more satisfied if there had been a larger increase in the real exports from this country rather than an increase in re-exports.

Does the right hon. Gentleman not agree that the large figure for re-exports shows that this trade agreement with Russia has given very little benefit to this country?

The hon. and gallant Member must realise that the effect of the recent credit agreement will not yet have shown itself in the trade figures.

In the figures he gave £12,000,000 out of £14,000,000 are re-exports, and do not affect employment in this country.

The actual figure I gave was £12,767,000.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when it is proposed to resume the negotiations with representatives of the Government of India with a view to a new trade agreement to take the place of the Ottawa Agreement?

Owing to the protracted nature of the negotiations, the delegate of the Government of India was instructed to return to India for consultation. As the Government of India then announced, the negotiations will be resumed as soon as possible.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any licences have been issued for the export of arms and munitions to Japan since 1st July, 1937; if so, how many licences have been issued; and what is the total value of the arms and munitions exported?

I would refer to the answer which I gave yesterday on this subject to the hon. and gallant Member for Nuneaton (Lieut.-Commander Fletcher).

asked the President of the Board of Trade how the volume of imports of manufactured goods, other than non-ferrous metals and petroleum products, in the September quarter of this year compared with the same quarter of 1931?

If the effect of price changes is eliminated, the volume of retained imports into the United Kingdom of goods classified in the trade returns as wholly or mainly manufactured, excluding non-ferrous metals and manufactures thereof and refined petroleum, was about 10 per cent. less in the third quarter of this year than in the corresponding quarter of 1931.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to persuade the Finnish Government to increase purchases from Great Britain so as to bring them into proper relationship with the large total of purchases of Finnish produce by Great Britain?

Certain trade matters have recently been the subject of informal discussion with the competent Finnish authorities. The value of exports from this country to Finland in the first nine months of this year have increased by about 40 per cent. as compared with the corresponding period of last year.

Will my right hon. Friend watch the price of wood pulp, since it has a considerable importance for newsprint manufacturers?

I should be obliged if the hon. and gallant Gentleman would put that question on the Paper.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give any explanation as to the exceptional rise in the price of butter; and whether he proposes to take any steps in the matter?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given yesterday to the hon. Member for Whitehaven (Mr. Anderson).

In order to deal with the recognised shortage, which arises from drought and other causes, in the butter supplies from the Dominions, will the right hon. Gentleman consider trying to encourage more supplies from Denmark and other sources to make up the shortage, which is responsible for the exceptional increase in the price of butter?

The hon. Baronet will realise that Denmark has guaranteed a minimum of exports of butter here, which at the present moment she is not reaching, and one of the difficulties has been the diversion of supplies from Denmark to Germany.

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider taking off the duty on imported butter?

The right hon. Gentleman knows that the duty has been on for five years. It could not be held to account for the rise during the last few weeks.

Can the right hon. Gentleman inform the House whether the Government are taking any supplies off the butter market at the present time for the purpose of creating a reserve against a national emergency?

The hon. Member had better put that question on the Paper.

Will the right hon. Gentleman use his influence with the Minister of Labour to increase the allowances to the unemployed, in view of the increased cost of butter:

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any information as to the use by the German Government of the I3rassert process of steel production at Hanover which was originally proposed for Jarrow; and whether any further attempts are being made to have this process for making steel from low-grade ores extended in England?

I have no information as to the use by the German Government of the process to which the hon. Member refers. With regard to the second part of the question, important advances have recently been made in this country in the production of steel from low-grade ores, and the question of the provision of additional basic Bessemer plant is being considered by a committee of the British Iron and Steel Federation.

Does the right hon. Gentleman now agree that very valuable time has been lost by the opposition of this very British Iron and Steel Trades Federation, which opposed this plant, which otherwise would now have been in operation for at least three years, and does he, in those circumstances, consider that the British Iron and Steel Trades Federation is the right body to be in sole control of whether this new process should now be started?

This is such a difficult and technical matter that I am sure the hon. Lady will put the question on the Paper.

While being more than willing to put the question down, I was asking on this matter for the Minister's opinion.

Do we understand from the reply that information about this new process is withheld, when as a matter of fact all the world knows about it?

If the hon. Member will read my answer, he will see that that is not the case.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make representations to the Governments of Germany, Poland, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and the Baltic States with the object of increasing the sales of British herring to these countries?

The importance which His Majesty's Government attach to the United Kingdom export trade in herring has, on several occasions, been brought to the notice of the Governments referred to by my hon. Friend; and I can assure him that no opportunity of improving the position of the industry will be overlooked.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the export of herring from this country, particularly to Russia and Finland, has fallen steadily of late, and will he satisfy himself that Russia and Finland are fulfilling their obligations under the trade agreements?

Yes, Sir. I will certainly watch that very closely.

Is the Minister aware that while it is desirable that these Governments should increase their purchases of herring, it is also desirable that we should get the British Government to give more attention and support to the herring industry?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give the full reply of the Import Duties Advisory Committee to the application made recently on behalf of milk producers for increased duties on butter and cheese.

The circumstances in this case are identical with those in the case of the application for increased duties on eggs in shell and table poultry and I would refer my hon. Friend to the replies which I gave in that connection to my hon. Friend the Member for Tamworth (Sir J. Mellor) on 28th October and 2nd November.

In view of the fact that the Import Duties Advisory Committee has only power to consider a straight tariff with its effects on the community and on trade, can we know whether they are to have any power to consider the Government's policy of a levy subsidy for which the agricultural industry still waits?

I think my hon. Friend will see on reflection that that could not, by any stretch of imagination, be regarded as supplementary to the original question.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the document which has been circulated this morning containing a report of the Import Duties Advisory Committee in respect of other milk products, is part of the document containing reference to the milk products mentioned in this question?

I am afraid I have not seen the document to which the hon. Member refers.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this is the first time that a recommendation of the Import Duties Advisory Committee has been circulated without having attached to it the decision of the Government on the recommendation?

Will the right hon. Gentleman reconsider the whole question of the publication of these decisions of the Import Duties Advisory Committee with a view to giving the reasons for a negative decision just as fully as those for a positive decision?

My hon. Friend will remember that when he put a similar question some time ago I explained to him that the Import Duties Advisory Committee had made no recommendation and their decision to that effect was published.

I was asking the right hon. Gentleman to reconsider the matter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been directed to the recent sharp fall in world commodity prices; and, in view of the adverse effect on trade and industry which a further fall in the commodity price level must have, whether he proposes to take any action designed to check it?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answers which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton (Mr. Craven-Ellis) on 28th October.

Is it not a fact that the price of raw commodities has fallen by 50 per cent. during the last three months; and in view of the adverse effect which this must have on trade and on revenue, will the right hon. Gentleman state explicitly what steps, if any, he proposes to take to prevent a further fall?

I am sure my hon. Friend will agree with me that in this matter it is very necessary to express oneself in terms which do not allow of any exaggerated view being taken of the position. The true position is that there has been, in some classes of commodities, a certain set-back but there is no ground for saying that it will be a permanent setback and it is due to causes which are quite outside this country. The fact is that prices are very greatly higher than they were at the time of the Ottawa declaration.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether there has been any expenditure during the last 12 months upon the fortification of Gibraltar; and, if so, what sum of money has been spent?

The work on the Defences at Gibraltar is proceeding, but I hope the hon. Member will not press me to disclose the character or the cost of this work.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will give separately the amounts that have been expended on accommodation, quarters, rent, etc., for troops stationed at Hongkong, Shanghai, Tientsin, and Wei-Hai-Wai; and whether the buildings occupied by the defence forces at Shanghai have been exempted from municipal taxation?

Charges that may have been incurred locally have not yet been fully reported to the War Office. I understand the answer to the second part of the question is in the affirmative.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say what financial assistance is provided by the inhabitants of the settlements towards these costs?

No, Sir, I could not say that.

asked the Secretary of State for War what fresh steps the Government are now preparing for the purpose of stimulating recruiting; and whether any arrangements are being made by the various Government Departments in order that further preference may be given to time-expired soldiers in the public services after having completed their Army service?

Recruiting, as the hon. Member will be aware, has been steadily improving in recent months. The weekly figures which have come in to-day for London again show a striking increase—the increase being over 100 per cent. compared with the corresponding week last year. I trust the hon. Member will await the Estimates for any further proposals which may be desirable.

Are the Government making any arrangements to provide work for time-expired soldiers?

Yes, Sir. Certain arrangements have been made, and the Home Office and the Scottish Office have again circulated local authorities, asking them wherever possible, to give preference to applications for employment from ex-service men.

Is the improvement in recruiting to which the right hon. Gentleman refers, due in any way to a lowering of the medical standards?

Well, I suppose to some extent that would be the case. I do not know that I should admit that the standard has been lowered, but there have been certain changes which, I think, are in accordance with commonsense. For instance, there was a limitation upon the number of false teeth which a recruit was allowed to have. I have removed that limitation.

Has any good result accrued from the right hon. Gentleman's visit to the Trade Union Club?

Is there any change in the standard of sight or hearing?

Now that the Socialist party have agreed to rearmament, are they doing anything to assist recruiting?

Can my right hon. Friend answer my question, as to whether there are any changes in the standard of sight or hearing?

Yes, Sir; the revisions that have been made, as in the case of teeth, are in accordance with commonsense. The requirements of physique have not in any way been changed, but in regard to teeth, sight, and hearing, there have been revisions.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether adequate headquarter accommodation has been provided for all newly-recruited units of the antiaircraft defences.

The programme, which is considerable and involves some £3,000,000, is in progress. Where permanent accommodation has not yet been erected, temporary accommodation has been provided.