asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether he will move to appoint a Select Committee to inquire into the complaints of Mr. W. Maitland Edwards that the Dead Sea salts concession was granted to Palestine Potash, Limited, under circumstances which effected an injustice to him?

No, Sir.

asked the Financial Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the surplus disclosed in the Ceylon Widows' and Orphans' Pension Fund at the trienniel valuation by the actuaries in 1933, to which the beneficiaries of that fund have an actual statutory right, has not yet been distributed; and whether, in view of the anxiety aroused amongst members of the public service in Ceylon and their dependants owing to the failure to distribute this surplus and to the introduction last year of an ordinance to reduce the rate of interest payable by the Government on the fund under the present law. he will give an assurance that the law will not be altered to their detriment or to that of their dependants after their death?

The report of the actuary on the valuation of the Ceylon Widows' and Orphans' Pension Fund as at 31st December, 1933, was received at the end of 1935 and communicated to the Governor of Ceylon. The actuarial and financial questions which arise are of great complexity, and there has necessarily been considerable correspondence between the actuaries (and the Ceylon Government. The matter is clearly one for the consideration of that Government in the first instance, and until I am in possession of its views I am not able to express an opinion.I am, however, fully aware of the interests of the contributors to the Fund and of the beneficiaries in the matter.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can ascertain the present number of old-age pensioners in Poor Law institutions in Wales who are temporarily disqualified from drawing their pensions on that account?

There are at present 44 old age pensioners in Wales who are recorded as temporarily disqualified from drawing their pensions because they are in Poor Law institutions.

asked the Minister of Health how many babies were vaccinated by the public vaccinator at Queen Charlotte's maternity hospital in the 12 months to the last convenient date; what was the average age of these babies; and whether all the requests sent to the public vaccinator were signed by the mothers themselves?

I am making inquiries and will communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what proportion of permanently employed Government messengers retired in each of the past five years related to men over 60 years of age; and what proportion of such men received a maximum pension upon retirement?

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he has any information of the number of permanently employed Government messengers who are compelled by their low rates of pay to undertake regular employment of a secondary character?

The existing rates of pay for messengers in the Government Service were fixed by agreement with the associations concerned in 1935. I have no information as to the number of members of these grades who undertake regular employment of a secondary character.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury (1) whether, in view of the inadequacy of old age pensions under State schemes to keep wholly a person on retirement, he will take steps to enable permanently employed Government messengers to secure a supplementary pension on retirement;

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the aggregate amount paid by Germany on account of reparations; what share of that amount was received by Great Britain; what amount did Great Britain receive in the aggregate from her Continental Allies on account of inter-allied debts, excluding the Dominions and Colonies; what aggregate amount was received by Great Britain from the Dominions; whether that

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Bristol South (Mr. Walkden) on 17th November, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the yield from Entertainments Duty for each month during the current financial year and the comparative months in 1935, differentiating in the first case between revenue from the duty on living entertainment and that from mechanical entertainment?

The approximate amounts of Entertainments Duty collected during each of the months April to October in the years 1937 and 1935 were as follow:amount was the total owed by them to Great Britain on war debts account; and what is the aggregate amount Great Britain has paid to the United States of America, including token payments?

The aggregate amount paid by or for account of Germany in respect of reparation and costs of occupation as recorded in the accounts of the Reparation Commission and the Bank for International Settlements is 20,598 million gold marks (£I,oro millions at the old par of exchange).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that last week the Clyde area committee of the Herring Industry Board made five alterations in five days in their regulations with regard to the quantities of herring to be landed in that area; and whether, as no industry can be carried on with profit under such vacillating restrictions and in view of the proved incompetence of the committee, he will take steps to have it disbanded and replaced by men who understand the industry and may be relied upon to adopt a consistent policy?

I am obtaining information from the Herring Industry Board on the point mentioned in the first part: of the question. As regards the second part, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply on Tuesday last to a question by the right: hon. Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. J. Brown) in which I explained that the Clyde area committee is appointed by the Herring Industry Board and consists of fishermen and other members of the herring industry.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many foreign-owned tramp steamers were transferred to British registry in order to participate in the tramp-shipping subsidy; and how many of those that did so have since been retransferred to foreign registry?

The British Shipping (Assistance) Act, 1935, provided that vessels transferred from a foreign flag were not eligible for subsidy in respect of the year 1935 unless they had been transferred before 1st January, 1934. Under the British Shipping (Continuance of Subsidy) Act, 1936, vessels which had been transferred to the British flag between 1st January, 1934, and 31st December, 1935, were made eligible for subsidy in respect of 1936, as examination of the information available respecting these vessels led to the conclusion that the general disqualification of these ships could not be justified. Of the 18 transferred vessels, in respect of which subsidy was paid, six have since been transferred to foreign registry, but in only one case to the previous foreign flag.Vessels transferred from a foreign flag since 1st January, 1936, were not eligible for subsidy in respect of that year or the year 1937.