asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the number of unemployed persons in the Special Areas in South Wales and Monmouthshire for each month from September, 1936, to October, 1937; and the number of persons who have migrated both with the assistance of the Employment Exchanges and at their own expense during this period?

The number of unemployed persons, aged 14 years and over, on the registers in the South Wales and Monmouthshire Special Area at 21st September, 1936, is published in Appendix V to the Third Report of the Commission for the Special Areas (England and Wales). Corresponding figures for each month from October, 1936, to September, 1937, are given in Appendix I to the Commissioner's report for the year ended 30th September, 1937. The figure for 18th October, 1937, was 98,641; this figure has been compiled in accordance with the revised procedure for counting the unemployed, introduced in September, 1937, under which persons subsequently found to be in employment at the date of the count are excluded.As regards the second part of the question, during the period from October, 1936, to September, 1937, inclusive, 12,335 persons (5,770 men, 2,082 women, 2,590 boys and 1,893 girls) from the Special Areas in South Wales and Monmouthshire were placed by the Department in their first employment after transfer. During the same period, 3,592 men are known to have transferred to employment which they found for themselves and 8,072 men to have transferred on their own account to look for work. Of the latter 1,515, which are included in the figure of 5,770 referred to above, were placed in their first employment by the Department, and 3,600 found work on their own account.No information is available regarding the number of women, boys and girls who have migrated on their own account.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can state the number of unemployed and short-time workers, respectively, in the woollen textile industry in Dewsbury, Batley and Bradford for the last weeks in November, 1937, 1936, and 1935, respectively?

The available statistics relate to persons wholly unemployed (i.e., out of a situation), or temporarily stopped (i.e., temporarily suspended from work on the understanding that they are shortly to return to their

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will give the total number of unemployed men over 45 years of age who are on the registers of the Employment Exchanges; what is the percentage of the total number of unemployed; and will he give the corresponding figures for Lancashire?

pursuant to his reply (OFFICIAL REPORT, 2nd December, 1937; Vol. 329, col. 2223), supplied the following statement:At 1st November, 1937, there were 452,386 unemployed men, aged 45 and over, on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Great Britain, including 73,921 in Lancashire. These numbers represented, in each case, slightly under former employment). Short-time workers not at work on the day of the count are included in the latter category but are not separately distinguished in the statistics.The table below shows the numbers of insured persons recorded as unemployed in the woollen and worsted industry at the Employment Exchanges at Dewsbury, Batley and Bradford at a date in November of the years 1937, 1936 and 1935, distinguishing those wholly unemployed and those temporarily stopped:40 per cent. of the total number of males registered as unemployed.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can state the number of persons signing the unemployment register, and receiving unemployment assistance, for each month during the current year, at each of the Employment Exchanges, respectively, Monmouth, Abergavenny, Usk, and Chepstow?

The following table shows for the Employment Exchanges in question the numbers of persons on the registers with applications authorised for payment of unemployment assistance allowances at a date in each month since December, 1936:

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the number of persons registered for employment in the hosiery and underwear trades who were, respectively, unemployed wholly or partially, at the latest convenient date, and separate figures for the city of Leicester?

The following table shows the numbers of insured persons in the hosiery (including hosiery under wear) industry, recorded as unemployed (a) in Great Britain, and (b) at Leicester, at 15th November, 1937:

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the number of persons registered for employment in the boot and shoe industry who were unemployed, wholly or partially, at the latest convenient date, with separate figures for the city of Leicester?

The table below shows the numbers of insured persons in the boot and shoe industry recorded as unemployed (a) in Great Britain, and (b) at Leicester, at 15th November, 1937. The figures cover boot, shoe, slipper and clog manufacture and repairing; separate figures are not available for boot and shoe manufacture.

asked the Attorney-General whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the telephone numbers of the various county courts in the Metropolitan area are not included in the telephone directory; and whether, in view of the inconvenience which is thereby caused to all those having business with these courts, he will consider remedying this state of affairs?

I am aware that the telephone numbers of most of the county courts in the Metropolitan area are not included in the telephone directory, but it has been found by experience that inclusion in the directory has led to continuous calls from plaintiffs and defendants and their solicitors about matters before the court that cannot be dealt with over the telephone.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that Mrs. Hilda Mitchell, of 7, Vernon Gardens, Harrow-gate Hill, Darlington, was recently prosecuted for failing to call in a doctor during the fatal illness of her five-year-old boy; why, as the child had previously been treated by a herbalist, the local registrar refused to accept the herbalist's statement as to the cause of death; and whether, in view of the fact that the great majority of the 3,000 children who die in this country every year from diphtheria have been treated with anti-toxin by a registered medical practitioner, he will take steps to stop prosecutions of this kind and to amend the law relating to the certification of death?

I am aware of the facts stated in the question. The Registrar of Births and Deaths reported the death to the coroner in accordance with the regulations which require him to report any death the cause of which is not certified by a registered medical practitioner in attendance during the last illness. In these circumstances the registrar was required by law to enter in the register the cause of death as certified by the coroner. My right hon. Friend does not propose to take any steps to amend the law relating to the certification of death. Any question as to the institution of legal proceedings should be addressed to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will state the area and the price of the land at Chertsey Meads, in respect of which the Chertsey urban district council got power from the Ministry to borrow £3,125 for paying its proportion of the purchase money; and what, previous to purchase, was the rateable value of this land?

The area is 166 acres, and the price £7,500. The land is agricultural and therefore derated.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the damage being done to industry and development in Shropshire generally, and in the Ironbridge district in particular, by the delay in proceeding with the building of the new bridge; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy the serious position?

This is a matter entirely within the discretion of the County Council as the responsible highway authority concerned. I understand that, after obtaining tenders, the Shropshire County Council decided, in view of the high cost, to postpone this work.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will state the total value of goods exported by this country to Palestine for the period of six months ending at the latest convenient date, and the total value of goods imported here from Palestine for the like period?

During the six months ended September, 1937, the declared value of merchandise exported from the United Kingdom to Palestine (including Transjordan) was £955,000, including re-ex ports valued at £21,000, while imports from that country amounted to £637,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what compensatory pension is being given to the widow and children of the late District-Commissioner Andrews who was murdered outside the church at Nazareth?

It has been decided to award Mr. Andrews' widow a special pension of £350 per annum, and to each of his three children a pension of £60 per annum until he or she reaches the age of 18. In addition, under the Palestine Pensions Ordinance a gratuity of £1,400 is pay able to Mr. Andrews' estate and small gratuities to his children.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs with what States it is proposed to hold consultations with reference to the future of Palestine?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for West Fife (Mr. Gallacher) on 29th November, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will explain the purpose of the amendment of the standing rules and orders in Northern Rhodesia to provide for the establishment of a standing finance committee; and, in particular, whether it is intended to have the significance ascribed to it by the elected member who moved it in the Northern Rhodesian legislative council?

The Standing Finance Committee was established in order to afford an opportunity of consultation with the elected members of Legislative Council in the preparation of the draft Estimates of the Protectorate, and in the consideration of any proposals for expenditure not covered by the annual Estimates. The creation of a Standing Finance Committee in Northern Rhodesia similar to those already in existence in certain other Colonial Dependencies marks a further advance in the process of securing fuller co-operation and consultation with representatives of the unofficial community on major questions of financial policy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what sum of money was expended by His Majesty's Government during the last financial year upon scientific research into the causes, prevention, and cure of sleeping sickness?

The amount expended in grants made from the Colonial Development Fund to the Governments of Dependencies was £16,684. In addition, over £1,100 was expended in grant by the Medical Research Council. These figures, of course, do not include expenditure on research met from local revenue by the Governments of the African dependencies, which is considerable, or the substantial expenditure from local revenues on fly control measures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can give any information on the inquiry into the conditions of employment on the Witwaterstrand Mines instituted by the Governments of Northern Rhodesia and Nayasaland in connection with the allowing of recruitment of labour from their territories for work on these mines?

A report by Mr. J. C. Abraham on Nyasaland natives in the Union of South Africa and Southern Rhodesia has just been published, and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House. A report on Northern Rhodesia natives working in the gold mines was furnished early this year but has not yet been published. It made certain recommendations as a partial remedy against the danger of emigrant native labour being lost to Northern Rhodesia; and these will be put forward by the Government of that territory in further negotiations regarding the recruitment of labour for the Rand.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, seeing that the existing term of the Legislative Assembly in Trindad expires this month with a new five-year term beginning in February, he will consider the advisability of extending the present term by one year to afford time for representations regarding constitutional changes to be considered?

I have not received from the colony any representations in favour of an extension of the term of the Legislative Council. The forthcoming elections will themselves afford an opportunity of ventilating the question of constitutional changes, if there is any general desire for this.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether a committee of the Board of Admiralty appointed in 1913 to report to the Board on the question of docking accommodation on the East Coast, with Sir John Jellicoe as president, reported; and whether it made any specific suggestions for the improvement of Chatham Dockyard?

The answer to both parts of the question is in the affirmative. My hon. Friend will appreciate that the proceedings of this committee are confidential.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the amount which has accrued to the Treasury for the first II months of the years 1935, 1936, and 1937, in connection with the issue department of the Bank of England under the provisions of the Currency Act, 1928?

The figures are only available for financial years. The receipts from this source in 1935–36 and 1936–37 were £1,448,000 and £985,000 respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether His Majesty's Government will give favourable consideration to forming a central bank constituted as a public utility corporation, not trading for profit, which will undertake all Government banking business including the complete control of foreign exchange?

No, Sir.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what was the total price paid for the paintings attributed to Giorgione, recently bought by the National Gallery; and how much of this sum was paid from National Gallery funds?

The total price paid for these paintings was £14,000. £10,615 was paid from the Grant-in-Aid Account of the National Gallery; £1,385 from other funds at the disposal of the Trustees; and £2,000 was generously contributed by the National Art Collections Fund.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what communication is being made to the staff of tax collectors as to the conditions which are to operate on the 1st of January, 1938?

I assume that the question relates to the conditions governing compensation for overtime on which the hon. Member addressed a question to me on 1st December. The conditions to which I referred in my answer have been communicated to the Staff Association concerned in a letter dated 6th December and a general circular will be sent to the staff within the next few days.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what is the estimated loss to the revenue through the production of hydrocarbon oils in the United Kingdom in the current year?

The production in the United Kingdom, from indigenous materials, of hydrocarbon oils of kinds which if imported would be subject to a duty of 8d. per gallon is estimated to reach about 130 million gallons in 1937. If a duty of 8d. per gallon were pay able in respect of this quantity the yield would be £4,300,000. Information is not available as to the quantity of heavy hydro-carbon oils produced from indigenous materials which replaces dutiable imported oils subject to duty at 1d. per gallon.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education how many of the 360 State scholarships awarded this year were honorary, awarded to pupils whose parents' income was below £800, and awarded to pupils whose parents' income was between £800 and £1,000, respectively; and whether he will give the number of pupils in grant-aided and non-grant-aided secondary schools under each classification?

Of the 360 scholarships awarded in 1937, 169 scholars have postponed taking up their awards until 1938 or later. The board have as yet received no information regarding the incomes of the parents in these cases.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what is the average cost of a balloon used at Cardington; and whether any compensation has been claimed or paid for damage done by balloons that have broken away?

My hon. Friend will appreciate it would be contrary to precedent and not in the public interest to give the information asked for in the first part of the question; as regards the second part claims amounting to £9 have been paid up to the present time.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what is the increased annual cost of the recent reorganisation of the accidents investigation branch of the Air Ministry consequent upon the appointment of Wing-Commander Browne as chief inspector?

The increased annual cost is £400.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether it is proposed to promote any more Army officers to the command of squadrons; and, if so, whether he will give an assurance that no such officer will be selected unless he has been reported as fit for the command of a squadron by senior officers of the Royal Air Force under whom he has served during his attachment to the Royal Air Force?

It is intended that where Army officers are seconded or

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what would be the estimated loss to the revenue if the total annual consumption of motor spirit at home was met from United Kingdom sources?

If the whole of the annual home consumption of motor spirit were met from United Kingdom sources the loss of revenue would, as the law stands, be the amount which is collected on motor spirit imported or produced in this country from imported oils. I am giving the hon. Member figures of duty so collected during each of the last three financial years in reply to another question.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the total amount of revenue obtained by the Exchequer on imported motor spirit in each of the last three years?

The official accounts do not distinguish between motor spirit imported as such and motor spirit produced by refining imported oils in this country, but the aggregate revenue collected in each of the last three financial years in respect of light hydrocarbon oils declared as motor spirit was as follows:

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he can give the number of passengers carried by Imperial Airways, Limited, between New York and Bermuda since the service was started; and whether he can give comparative figures for the American airline operating this route?

The number of paying passengers carried on this service between 16th June and the end of November by Imperial Airways was 405, and by Pan-American Airways 607.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what progress has been made with reference to the proposed establishment of an air base for Imperial Airways, Limited, in Kent; and whether any, and what, alternative sites are under consideration?

Preliminary surveys of the airport site at Lullingstone have resulted in its being favourably reported on but a detailed scheme of development has not yet been submitted. As regards the possible use of the airport by Imperial Airways I have nothing to add to the information given to my hon. and learned Friend on 24th March last. I am not aware that any alternative site is under consideration.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what progress has been made in connection with the proposed airport at Fairlop, Essex; and what the present position is in relation thereto?

Negotiations between the parties concerned have been more protracted than was expected but it it hoped that a settlement will shortly be reached.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he can make any further statement with reference to the accident at Brindisi, on Sunday, 5th December, to the flying-boat "Cygnus"?

I have no information to give beyond saying that the accident referred to is being investigated. An officer of the Air Ministry Accidents Branch left for Brindisi on Sunday