asked the Minister of Agriculture, what are the prices of the principal agricultural commodities in England to-day, including any future prices definitely determined, such as the sugar-beet price for next year, compared with the prices ruling on 14th November, 1935?

The following table shows the average prices of the principal agricultural products in England and Wales on specified dates in November, 1935, and November, 1937.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, what is the value to-day of the output of all the principal branches of the agricultural industry, respectively, compared with that of the output of those same branches of the industry as known on 14th November, 1935?

Estimates of the value of the agricultural output for 1936–37 are not yet completed. I will inform my hon. Friend when they are available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, what was the price paid for the 90,000 acres of land recently purchased from the Duke of Richmond; what is the object of the purchase; and what use is to be made of the land?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave yesterday to the hon. Member for Bridgeton (Mr. Maxton).

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state, in connection with the total cost-of-living figures at the latest convenient date, the average weekly direct expenditure on coal or coke, and give an estimate of the value of coal used in production in the aggregate of all other items of household expenditure or, alternatively, the direct and indirect influence of coal costs on the household budget?

I regret that statistics are not available showing either the present average weekly household expenditure on coal or coke, or the average value of coal used in the production of other items of household expenditure. Inquiries made by the working-classes Cost of Living Committee in June, 1918, showed that the average weekly amount of coal which had been used over a period of some weeks by over 1,300 working-class households from whom information was obtained was about 1.7 cwt. No corresponding figure is available for any later date, but I hope that the family budget inquiry which I have recently instituted will provide information as to the present-day expenditure of working-class households on coal and coke.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is prepared to consider, upon their attaining pensionable age, taking steps to provide increased pensions, or other forms of assistance, for the 20,000 unemployed at present between the ages of 6o and 65 years who have, due to prolonged enforced idleness, had no opportunity of making provision for their old age?

I am afraid that it is not practicable to provide discriminatory treatment for particular groups of pensioners on the lines suggested in the question.

asked the Minister of Labour the total figure of unemployed persons in each of the Special Areas, respectively, the number registered as fully unemployed and temporarily unemployed, and the percentage fall in each case for the years 1935–36 and to date?

The following Table shows the total numbers of persons, aged 14 and over, registered as wholly unemployed (including those normally in casual employment) and as temporarily stopped, at Employment Exchanges which wholly or partly serve any part of the Special Areas, at dates in October of the years 1935, 1936 and 1937, and the percentage changes in each of the two years:

asked the Minister of Labour by what figure the numbers of the unemployed within the age group 55 years and over were reduced in the year September, 1936, to September, 1937; and what part did the attainment of pensionable age play in bringing about this reduction?

Figures on this basis are not available for September of each year. Between 2nd November, 1936, and 1st November, 1937, the number of unemployed persons, aged 55 years and over, on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Great Britain decreased by 13,774. I am unable to say to what extent the attainment of pensionable age contributed to this reduction.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, having regard to the lack of detailed information in the Report of the Commission for Special Areas as to the work of the agencies for establishing new industries in the special areas, such as the Special Areas Reconstruction Association and the Nuffield Trust, it is proposed to issue a report by the industrial commissioner giving detailed information as to the work of these agencies, and also a report of the efforts made, and difficulties encountered, in setting up site companies under the Special Areas (Amendment) Act of 1937?

The report of the Commissioner contains full information regarding the establishment of new industries in the Special Areas so far as the matter falls within his province, and I do not think therefore that any good purpose would be served by asking him to invite his Industrial Adviser to furnish a separate report.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the present retail costs of coal to the average household in the London area and the comparative figures for 12 months and two years earlier?

The following table shows the retail prices now prevailing in the Central London area, and the corresponding prices in November, 1936, and November, 1935, according to the information in the possession of my Department.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the many defects in the present working of the Shops (Sunday Trading) Act, he will set up a departmental committee to consider its revision in the light of actual experience?

No, Sir. I am not aware that there is any sufficient ground for the action suggested by my hon. Friend.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will remove the existing restrictions on foreign lending as a contribution towards the gradual restoration of freedom of movement for goods and capital from one country to another?

The reasons for the present system have frequently been stated to the House, and I can only refer my hon. Friend to my previous answers.

asked the Secretary of State for War what has been the result of the arbitration case in connection with the compulsory purchase of 57 acres of the Shaw Hill Estate, Chorley, for the purposes of the Euxton munition factory; what was the price awarded; and what was previously the rateable value of the land?

The sum awarded by the arbitrator was £7,089. As regards the last part of the question, I have no information.

asked the Secretary of State for War the approximate number of established and unestablished men employed in the Royal Ordnance factories in each of the following years: 1913, 192o, 1930 and 1937?

The approximate numbers of male employés in the Royal Ordnance Factories in the years in question were as follow:

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many tons of bones were imported into England during the last 12 months; were any of them imported from any countries now infected with foot-and-mouth disease; and had they been treated with any chemicals to prevent the spreading of disease before importing them into England?

During the year 1936, imports into the United Kingdom of bones for manure and bones and horns for other manufacturing purposes, except glue-making, amounted to 20,000 tons. The great bulk of these imports came from Argentina, India and Morocco, in which countries, I understand, foot-and-mouth disease at present exists. I have no information as to any treatment which these bones may have undergone prior to importation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the tonnage of manure imported into England last year; how much of this manure comes from countries infected with foot-and-mouth disease; and what percentage of bones is included in this ready prepared manure?

I regret that I am unable to furnish particulars of the imports of manure, as these are not separately recorded in the trade returns of the United Kingdom.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he is aware that Dunraven Estates, Limited, which acquired Ogmore Common from the Duchy for a nominal sum, have failed to provide lavatory accommodation or amenities for the thousands of people from whom, in parking fees, they are receiving a substantial annual income; and, seeing that this negligence is a breach of the conditions upon which these Crown lands were transferred, what steps he proposes to take to make the conservators administer the common in the public interest?

I am not aware that there has been any breach of the conditions upon which the Duchy rights in part of Ogmore Common were transferred to Dunraven Estates, Limited. The company duly fulfilled the only understanding which it had with the Duchy—namely, to apply Section 193 of the Law of Property Act, 1925, to the common and to obtain from the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries an order for regulating and safeguarding the public right of access for air and exercise. I have no control whatever over the policy of the conservators. The provision of lavatory accommodation would appear to be a matter for the local authority.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, as representing the Lord President of the Council, if he can make a statement as to the progress of the inquiry into the problem of silicosis in the anthracite coalfield of South Wales?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to a similar question last Thursday. I may add, however, that the investigation has suffered some delay through the closure of the selected colliery at Pontyberem. As it is considered undesirable to examine the men while they are out of work, arrangements are being made to transfer the investigation to another pit for the time being.