asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department to what extent and in what manner His Majesty's Government propose to support the forthcoming exhibition to be held in the United States of America?

Substantial progress is being made in the consideration of various proposals and an officer of my Department is at present in New York negotiating with the Exhibition authorities.

Will the Minister see that the prestige of Great Britain is upheld?

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in negotiating a new trade agreement with Switzerland, he will give an assurance that no alteration will be made in the rates or system of application of import duties, particularly in respect of goods now being manufactured in this country for the first time on a large scale with machinery set up since 1931, and in no case without full consultation with the Import Duties Advisory Board and the trade associations concerned?

I can assure my hon. and gallant Friend that the interests of all branches of United Kingdom trade and industry which may be affected by these negotiations will be taken into consideration. The usual practice has been followed of consulting the Import Duties Advisory Committee, and, as was pointed out in the reply given to the hon. Member for South Croydon (Mr. H. G. Williams) on 2nd December, it is open to any trade interests to make representations. I might add that many of these have already done so.

Are we to understand that no trade agreement is concluded without the consent of the Import Duties Advisory Committee?

No, Sir, certainly not.

Are we to understand that no trade agreement is concluded without consulting the Committee?

Yes, I think the hon. Member may take that to be the case.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that importers of goods from the Continent use packing straw over and over again; whether any research has been made as to whether this straw may be a source of foot-and-mouth disease; and whether he proposes to introduce stricter methods of control and supervision?

The reply to the first and second parts of the question is in the affirmative. The Foot-and-Mouth Disease (Packing Materials) Order, of 1926, makes provision to the effect that when hay and straw has been used for packing purposes, it must not be brought into contact with any animal in Great Britain, or removed from the premises except for use as packing, or for destruction, or for return in a crate or box to the sender for further use as packing. When such purposes have been served the material is required by the Order to be destroyed. The Order is enforced by local authorities, and, according to the reports of the Ministry's divisional inspectors, is generally well observed. The experiments of the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Research Committee show that on hay and straw the dried virus of foot-and-mouth disease might remain active for some weeks, but in the absence of evidence against this material, there does not appear to be any case for further action.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what official experiments or investigations have been carried out or are proposed in order to investigate the theory, that the fly of the genus borborus is a carrier of the virus of foot-and-mouth disease?

The habits of the flies of the genus borborus have been considered by the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Research Committee, whose opinion is that there is no evidence indicating that the members of this genus are responsible for the spread of foot-and-mouth disease.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that Professor Muschamp, Entomologist at Leicester Museum, is convinced that this fly is the source of the disease, and has any money been spent on investigating it?

I am not aware of the opinions of the gentleman to whom the hon. Lady refers. Perhaps there may be some misunderstanding, as the genus named in the hon. Lady's question is not known to exist. The question as to flies of the genus borborus has been investigated by the Research Committee, and they have expressed the opinion which I have indicated in the answer.

Is it not a fact that I am not responsible, but that it was the Clerks at the Table who spelled my fly wrongly?

asked the Minister of Health whether, under the Milk (Special Designations) Order, 1936, he is aware that the charge imposed by the county councils for establishments at which milk is produced and bottled is two guineas; and whether, in view of the fact that all that is entailed is simply registration, steps will be taken to reduce this charge?

The fee referred to is the maximum which may be charged for licences for designated milks under the Order of 1936 and it may be reduced or dispensed with at the discretion of the county council. The granting of the licences in question, however, is not simply a matter of registration, but is subject to the council being satisfied that the prescribed conditions as to production and bottling are complied with, and my right hon. Friend sees no ground for modifying the scale of fees set out in the Order.

Does the Minister realise that the producer-retailer wants every possible assistance at the present time?

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether any special milk was supplied to the British Broadcasting Corporation on 8th May?

7th May?

asked the Minister of Agriculture what changes have taken place in the price of butter in the course of the last month; how present prices compare with those prevailing in 1929; and whether supplies are now adequate to meet all requirements?

The average price per cwt. on the London Provision Exchange of New Zealand butter has fallen from 150s. in the first week of November to 110s. last week, and that of Danish butter from 159s. 6d. to 150s. 6d. Prices of these two classes of butter in November were 23 per cent. and 21 per cent. respectively lower than in November, 1929. As regards the last part of the question, prospective arrivals from Australia and New Zealand during the current month are likely to be well in excess of those for last year, and supplies in January should be heavier than they were in January of this year. Considerable stocks of butter are also, of course, held in this country.

Can the Minister say what are the comparative prices for soft soap over the same period?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the fact that there are tens of thousands of people in this country who have not got an adequate income to enable them to purchase butter, and will he use his influence with the Cabinet to see that it is made possible for butter to reach all and sundry in this country?

That is a rather larger question, but my answer has made it clear that the price of butter is now lower than it was in 1929.

When is the new formula as applied to butter and cheese likely to operate?

That is another question.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many county councils employ full-time inspectors to deal exclusively with the problem of noxious weeds; and in how many cases have these inspectors other duties to perform?

I am informed that in eight counties one or more officials are engaged full time, or practically full time, on this work during the appropriate season of the year. In other counties the work is carried out by officers of the council who have other duties to perform.

Does the right hon. Gentleman consider that the very small number of full-time inspectors for this special work is any guarantee that the farmers are doing their duty by the land and by their neighbours?

The hon. Member will realise that the enforcement of weed destruction can be carried out in conjunction with other duties, and the necessity for employing a whole-time officer varies considerably. In some counties the local authority find it sufficient to employ officers who are also engaged in other duties.

In view of the small number of counties employing inspectors for this important duty, is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that the work is done effectively and that farmers in any county are not victims of inefficient neighbours?

Is not the Minister aware that the only thing which will really remedy this and other problems effectively would be to have a special authority in each county area to see that the land was made really good use of, as was suggested in the "Times" newspaper a fortnight ago and by the right hon. Member for Carnarvon Boroughs (Mr. Lloyd George), in detail, 12 years ago?

In answer to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. T. Williams), the local authorities have really been very active in this matter. In the year 1936 nearly 10,000 cases were investigated by agricultural committees. With regard to the second supplementary question, there does exist in every county now an authority charged with a number of agricultural duties, including that of enforcing the destruction of injurious weeds.

Not a special one, though.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many farmers have been prosecuted during the present year for failing to keep their land free from noxious weeds; how many farmers have been given notice to leave the farm for the same reason; and will he state the counties where such action has been taken?

County agricultural committees have been authorised to undertake prosecutions in respect of injurious weeds during the present year in 23 cases. In some instances either the offender subsequently cut the weeds, so that prosecution became unnecessary, or else the case has not yet been heard. I have information, however, of 10 prosecutions in which the hearing has taken place, the counties concerned being Derby, Kent, Norfolk, Stafford, East Sussex, and Denbigh. I have no information as to cases of farmers receiving notice to quit from their landlords on account of the prevalence of injurious weeds on their land.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give the House any idea how many fines have been inflicted in connection with this matter?

Where there have been prosecutions, the penalties imposed have ranged from ordering the defendant to pay the costs of the prosecution to a fine of £10.

asked the Postmaster-General, having regard to the widespread desire throughout the country for closer contact between the public and the British Broadcasting Corporation, whether he will consider introducing legislation to revise the charter in this connection?

No, Sir. Closer contact with listeners is sought by the British Broadcasting Corporation in various ways, and I see no reason to suppose that these would be made easier or more effective by any change in the terms of the Royal Charter, which was granted less than a year ago after full discussion in this House.

Are the Government aware of the increasing ramifications and responsibilities of the British Broadcasting Corporation every day, and are they further aware that there is a real totalitarian dictatorship at Langham Place?

I think my hon. Friend is mistaken. I would suggest to him that the methods by which the British Broadcasting Corporation keep in touch with the different districts include regional conferences, correspondence and other methods.

Is it not a fact that the Governors are virtually figureheads?

No, Sir.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his inquiries are now complete with reference to the daily broadcasts that are taking place from the Alderney radio station, Channel Isles; will he give particulars of the full permission granted to this radio station; and whether the same includes a permit to broadcast music and gramophone records?

I must refer the hon. Member to my reply to his question on 29th November in which I stated that no permission has been granted by me for a broadcasting station to operate in the island of Alderney. My inquiries in me matter are not yet complete.

As the Wireless and Telegraphs Act, 1904, prohibits anybody erecting or working a wireless station, will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman say how this station could be installed without his licence?

I am advised that the Wireless and Telegraphs Act is applicable to Alderney. No station can be installed or worked except under licence from the Postmaster-General.

What is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman doing in the matter seeing that this wireless station is being worked without his permission?

We are inquiring into what they are doing.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the broadcasting by television of a programme from the Alexandra Palace to the Palais de Luxe Cinema, Bromley, on Tuesday, 7th December; whether, in view of the monopoly in television held by the Government and the British Broadcasting Corporation, he can say whether any application for permission was made and granted for the purpose of conducting this television broadcast; and, if not, what action he proposes taking in the matter?

My attention has been drawn to Press reports of the matter mentioned in the first part of the question. Television programmes are broadcast from the Alexandra Palace twice daily by the British Broadcasting Corporation; and it appears that a demonstration was given of the reception of one of these programmes. As this would involve no broadcasting other than by the Corporation, the second and third parts of the question do not arise.

Has any application been made for private television for commercial advertising?

The hon. Member must put that question down.

asked the Postmaster-General whether certain cinemas have been granted permission to give public exhibitions of the British Broadcasting Corporation television programmes from Alexandra Palace?

So far as the reception of the programmes is concerned, possession of an ordinary wireless receiving licence suffices, but such possession is no warrant for any act which would be an infringement of copyright.

Will the Government do something to clarify the uncertainty that exists in this matter?

I have answered my hon. Friend's question. If he has a different point on which he is uncertain, will he kindly put down a question?

asked the Postmaster-General whether the reorganisation of the Birmingham telephone service is intended to extend to the telephone services of Sutton Coldfield, Solihull, Olton, Shirley, and Castle Bromwich; and whether acceleration of the supply of telephones to applicants residing in these districts is one of the purposes of the reorganisation?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, as I have already informed my hon. Friend, measures were put in hand some time ago with a view to providing additional plant in the places in question, and these measures are being continued.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there is serious delay in supplying telephones in the City of Birmingham area itself, and will he look into that?

I can assure my hon. Friend that I am aware of the difficulties in Birmingham. They are owing to the exceptional development there, which we are doing our best to meet.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that in Portobello there is frequently a delay of several months between the application for a telephone and its instalment; and whether he will take steps to accelerate the procedure?

Serious difficulty is being experienced in providing telephone service in Portobello as a result of an abnormal increase in the number of would-be subscribers, which has given rise to a certain shortage of plant. Additional equipment has been on order for some time and is now being installed. It is expected to be ready early in the New Year. The position is also affected by a shortage of equipment at the main Central Exchange at Edinburgh. Work is proceeding at this exchange also and it is anticipated that the difficulty will be entirely removed by April next.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, arising out of the wreck of the flying boat Cygnus, carying a heavy Christmas mail, he can give any information as to the losses consequent upon the dislocation of business by these accidents; whether representations have been made to Imperial Airways, Limited, as to the necessity for providing rubber or other waterproof mail bags in order to preserve the contents; if so, what reply was given by Imperial Airways, Limited; and whether he contemplates any measures to safeguard air mails?

I am advised that the great bulk of the mails has been salvaged and that the damage done to individual letters is on a comparatively small scale. I much regret the consequential delay in delivery. The number of cases in which letters have been lost owing to accidents during the eight years of operation of the Empire air services is not such as to suggest that it is necessary to resort to the costly expedient of providing special containers to meet the risks to which any form of transport is unfortunately liable.

Does not the Postmaster-General consider waterproof bags a very elementary proposal?

It is a very expensive, and not a particularly good one. One of the common risks from which these mails suffer is the risk of fire, in which rubber is not a good protection.

If the Postmaster-General cannot preserve the mails against fire, cannot be protect them from the risk of water just to be going on with?

The facts are these. During 1935, 1936 and 1937 Imperial Airways performed 1,270 air-mail carrying flights on Empire routes, and in only seven instances were any mails partly damaged or lost.

asked the Postmaster-General why letters posted by business firms before 6.30 p.m. on Fridays at Townhead, Rochdale, are not delivered in London until 8 a.m. on the following Monday?

Letters prepaid 1½d. and printed papers prepaid 1d. posted at Townhead before 6.30 p.m. on Friday secure first delivery in London on Saturday. Printed papers prepaid ½d. must be posted by 5 p.m. to secure the same treatment, and the letters to which the hon. Member refers were presumably ½d. matter posted late.

Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman go into this matter as there have been serious losses to these firms because of non-delivery? Surely it does not take two days for a letter to go to London?

If the hon. Member will give me particulars, I shall be happy to go into them.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in the title deeds of the property known as Sidmouth Lodge, recently acquired by him, there is any covenant or restriction the effect of which is to prohibit the erection of a building other than a dwelling-house?

No, Sir.

Is it not a fact that other houses in the Boltons have such covenants?

Other houses may have them, but in this case there are no restrictions.

asked the Postmaster-General how many ex-service men have been employed as temporary postal workers at Rothesay during the last year; how many of these have been taken into the permanent service of the Post Office; what are the corresponding figures for non-ex-service men; and what is his policy generally with regard to the employment of ex-service men in the Post Office service?

Ten ex-service men and nine non-ex-service men have been employed temporarily at Rothesay during the past year. Two ex-service men have been taken into the permanent service, but no non-ex-service men. Fifty per cent. of the vacancies for postmen throughout the country are reserved for ex-service men, and they also receive appointments to a number of other situations in the Post Office. Preference is given to ex-service men for employment as temporary postmen.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether any air-raid precaution schemes have been prepared for the protection of the staff and Members of the House of Commons?

Yes, Sir. A scheme for the protection of Members and staff of both Houses has been worked out in outline. It comprises the allocation of refuge accommodation, together with a plan of gas proofing, and a reserve of sand-bags for additional protective work. The fire-fighting arrangements will also be strengthened. A stock of gas-masks will be kept on the premises, and squads for rescue and clearance and decontamination work will be raised from the industrial staff employed on the site.

Will any steps be taken to organise the Members of the House into fire squads or drill squads with buckets and spades; and will the right hon. Gentleman keep in mind that it is much easier to get a bucket inside this House than a spade?

I will look into it.

asked the hon. Member for Ipswich, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, the retail price of chicken bought in quantity, as priced on the House of Commons menu of 6th December at 10s. 6d. and 11s. per bird.

The price paid by the Kitchen Committee on 6th December for best quality Surrey fowls was 1s. 6d. per lb. of an average weight of about 4¼ lbs. which came to 6s. 6d. each.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that I have a letter from the largest suppliers of poultry in the country which shows that that statement is not in accordance with the facts?

The prevailing price on that day was the price that this Committee paid. If the hon. Lady can supply them at a much lower figure, we shall be only too delighted to deal with her.

asked the hon. Member for Ipswich, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, the retail price of the grapefruit served in the House of Commons dining-rooms on 6th December at 6d. per half portion.

The price paid by the Kitchen Committee on 6th December for Jaffa grape-fruit was 13s. 6d. per case of 80.

If it is not possible for better food to be supplied at more reasonable prices in the House of Commons dining-rooms, could not the catering be put in the hands of a catering firm?

Owing to the heavy overhead expenses there are no catering firms, as far as we know, who will take the job on.

asked the hon. Member for Ipswich, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, which of the charges normally classed as running costs in a public restaurant, such as rent, rates, lighting, equipment, and wages, have to be met by the catering department of the House of Commons?

The cost of the following have to be borne by the Kitchen Committee—wages, salaries, health and pension insurances, china, earthenware, glass, cutlery, plate, table and all other linen, kitchen utensils and certain other items of kitchen equipment.

Is it the case that all the gas and electricity for the cooking and refrigerating plants is supplied free?

And no rates and taxes.

The hon. Lady is correctly informed, but the difficulty of the Kitchen Committee is that they had to find £9,756 last year for salaries and wages, of which £2,222 was paid when the House was not sitting.

asked the hon. Member for Ipswich, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, what percentage of the selling price of food served in the dining rooms of the House of Commons represents the cost price of the raw materials?

The costs of raw materials vary a little each week. The percentage for the week ended 4th December, 1937, was 70.60 per cent. (of the receipts for food).

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the policy laid down by the Ministry of Health that a baby should be breast fed for as long as possible and of the fact that, under the practice of his Department, no woman can receive unemployment benefit while her baby is being so fed, he will say what steps he is taking to amend this practice?

It is not the case that unemployment benefit is never payable in such cases. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of a decision by the Umpire which explains the conditions under which benefit may be drawn.

Does that mean that normally benefit is not payable while the mother is feeding her child in what I understand to be the proper as well as the natural manner, or that benefit is normally payable while she is doing that?

After the right hon. Gentleman has considered the Umpire's decision, which goes back to 1923, perhaps he will consider whether he desires to pursue the matter further.

Does the Minister suggest that it would be better for mothers to give their children the bottle instead of letting them have the best milk that a child can have?

Perhaps the hon. Member also would like to look at the Umpire's decision.

Will the Minister bear in mind that many mothers cannot give breast feeding to their children on account of being badly fed themselves?

asked the Minister of Labour whether the Unemployment Assistance Board make any allowance to claimants who are subject to the waiting-period condition and are in need, or whether such claimants are to apply to the relieving officers of the public assistance authority?

The Board's officers are fully empowered to deal with applications from claimants who are subject to the waiting period condition and to make determinations in the light of all the circumstances of the case. In this connection, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 25th November last to a question on this subject by the hon. Member for Birkenhead, East (Mr. White).

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is a dispute about this question in the London area, and will he make the inquiries as to what is the practice?

I am not aware of that. If the hon. Member will let me have particulars I shall be glad to look into it. The answer to which I have referred shows that during the week ending 12th November there were 2,194 cases in which allowances were granted.

Could the right hon. Gentleman make this matter more public, as there is a dispute between the relieving officers and the officers of the Board on this matter?

I will certainly look into this matter.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of female workers in agriculture 21 years of age and over who were registered as unemployed during the 12 months ended 30th October, 1937, and the number who were in receipt of dependants' allowances?

As the reply includes a table of figures I will, if I may, circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether His Majesty's Government are intending to act on the recommendation of the Scottish National Development Council's economic committee, to the effect that Glasgow and Dundee should be scheduled as Special Areas; and whether they will also consider including the depressed port of Leith and the North-East Scotland fishery towns and take steps to promote an industrial estate for the East of Scotland on the lines of North Hillington?

The reply to the first two parts of the question is in the negative. It was made clear during the passage of the Special Areas Amendment Act last Session that it was not intended to make any alteration in the Areas defined in the Act of 1934. With regard to the last part of the question, I would remind the hon. Member that assistance towards the establishment of factories outside the Special Areas can be given only in the circumstances set out in Sections 5 and 6 of the recent Act, copies of which I am sending to him.

In view of the very serious situation, is it not possible for the Scottish Office to take extra special measures or to get the necessary changes made in the Special Areas Act?

I note the hon. Member's implied tribute to what has been done in the Special Areas.

Is not the Under-Secretary of State aware that since the Scottish Office came to their decision, conditions have become acute, owing to the depression in the jute industry in Dundee, and will he go into the matter to see whether anything can be done to relieve the depression that exists, particularly in Dundee?

Not under the Special Areas Act.