asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is still considering the report on damage by rabbits, dated February, 1937; if he is aware of the rapid development of the rabbit industry and the increasing damage done to agricultural land by this industry, especially in West Wales; and can he now say when legislation will be introduced to deal with this urgent problem?

I am aware of the matters to which the hon. Member refers. I fear, however, that, having regard to the pressure on Parliamentary time, there is no prospect of the introduction of a Government Measure this Session to give effect to the recommendations contained in the report referred to.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether any estimate has been made by his Department on the wastage of perishable produce for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date; and whether he will encourage the development of the canning industry in the United Kingdom in order to obviate this waste?

No information is available to enable me to estimate the wastage of perishable produce. For some years it has been the policy of the Government to encourage the development of the fruit and vegetable canning industry in Great Britain, and there has been a substantial increase in home production, particularly of canned vegetables in recent years.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that there is a serious dearth of coalfish, commonly used for bait by lobster fishers, in the waters around our coasts; can he say what is the cause of this dearth; and, in particular, if it is related to the pollution of the surface of sea water by oil from ships?

The statistics of landings of coalfish in Great Britain do not indicate that there is any general shortage in the supply of this kind of fish. If, however, the hon. Member has in mind any particular areas where there is difficulty in obtaining supplies and will inform me, I will have inquiries made.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has received any report of the bombing of steamship "Stanwell" off Tarragona; and what action he proposes to take?

Yes, Sir. I have received a preliminary report on this incident. According to my present information, an attack was made by several aeroplanes in the early hours of 15th March, and the bridge and forecastle of the vessel were damaged. I deeply regret to state that two members of the crew are reported to have died and several to have been injured; the Danish Observing Officer is also reported to have died. I have asked for more information regarding this incident and if our inquiries show that the ship was the object of a deliberate attack, the authorities found to be responsible will be informed that full compensation will be claimed in respect of injuries suffered by the crew and of material damage to the ship.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the persecution now being carried on against the Jewish race by various European Governments, he will consider instituting inquiries among all the Powers interested in their fair treatment to see whether better provision can be made for the welfare of this people?

While deploring the intolerance with which many elements of the population are treated in certain countries on account of their religious beliefs or their political opinions, I have no reason to think that inter-governmental action such as suggested by the hon. Member would benefit the particular Jewish populations which he has in mind.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the Towcester Rural District Council have declined to erect council houses at Yardley Gobion; and whether, in view of the unsatisfactory housing conditions in this parish, he will call for a special report on the local situation?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. I propose to ask the rural district council for their observations in the matter.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has considered the recent report from the Towcester Rural District Council on the subject of the Yardley Gobion Clearance Order No. 1; and whether, in view of the unsatisfactory state of affairs, he intends to take any immediate steps to secure adequate reconditioning of the properties mentioned in this Order?

I understand that proposals by the owner for reconditioning the properties included in the Order are under consideration by the Rural District Council, but I have not yet received a report from the council on the proposals. A letter was sent to the council on the 8th instant and I shall follow the matter up as may be necessary.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can state the total number of houses which have been reconditioned in Sheffield, Bradford, Leeds, and the other principal towns in the West Riding of Yorkshire, under the Housing Acts?

I regret that no complete information on this subject is in my possession.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can state the proportion of persons who die at their own homes in this country and those in institutions, respectively?

The latest information available is that published in Appendix B of the Registrar-General's Statistical Review, Part I, for the year 1930 which shows the aggregated figures for the years 1926–1930.The figures and percentages are as follow:

asked the Minister of Health whether the water from the Addington well is still under suspicion; and, if so, what is the cause of the suspected contamination of the water?

It is considered that, in view of the situation of this well, the water should, as a precautionary measure, be subjected to an effective method of treatment.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will supply the following particulars for each of the last five years for which complete figures are at present available; the number of public vaccinations and re-vaccinations; the expenditure of local authorities on vaccination; and the expenditure on the Government lymph establishment?

The information desired by the hon. Member is as follows:

asked the Minister of Health how many inoculated children under 15 years of age have contracted diphtheria at Birmingham since inoculation was introduced; and what was the case rate and death rate per 1,000 population of diphtheria in non-inoculated children at Birmingham under 15 years of age for each year from the year 1925?

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

asked the Minister of Health, with reference to the 1933 Rent Act, whether decontrol certificates can still be applied for and granted, although the landlord did not avail himself of the Act when it came into force, and without any notice of the decontrol being given to the sitting tenant?

It is still open to a landlord to apply to the courts for permission to make a late registration on the grounds that there was reasonable excuse for the failure to register within the proper time. In the Bill now before Parliament it is proposed that no further certificates permitting the registration of class C houses should be issued after the expiration of three months from the passing of the Bill.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the fact that every day houses are wearing out and need to be replaced, he can say whether he is satisfied that the rents for controlled premises are adequate to enable the landlord to keep the houses in a full state of repair?

The question of the adequacy of the permitted increase in the rent of controlled houses in respect of repairs was fully investigated by the Marley Committee in 1931 and reported on in paragraphs 59–65 of the majority report. The conclusion in this report was that the permitted increase was "sufficient to enable a conscientious landlord to carry out all necessary repairs on an adequate scale." The question was again considered by the Ridley Committee who mentioned in paragraph 106 of the majority report that no substantial alteration in the position had taken place since the date of the Marley Report. I see no reason to differ from these conclusions.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that, on account of the inadequacy of the telephone and telegraph services, certain outlying areas in North Wales are unable to obtain facilities for outside broadcasts; whether he is aware that some broadcasts contemplated in North Wales have had to be cancelled owing to the difficulty of obtaining satisfactory lines; and whether he proposes to improve these services?

I am aware of only one case in North Wales in which the British Broadcasting Corporation abandoned a projected broadcast on account of the un-suitability of the circuits which were available. The case in point occurred last September and was in the neighbourhood of Connah's Quay and since that date circuits suitable for broadcast transmissions have become available as a result of the installation of a new cable.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can state the number of ex-service men now registered as unemployed at Employment Exchanges in the Liverpool area?

Statistics giving the information desired have not been compiled for date since 5th April, 1937. At that date 16,371 ex-service men were registered as unemployed at Employment Exchanges in the Liverpool area (including Bootle).

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that Mrs. Jewitt, 14, Poplar Street, Chester-le-Street, who had been married for 18 years, recently lost her husband who died whilst he was receiving treatment as a result of war service, and that during the time of his treatment Mrs. Jewitt was receiving an allowance from the Ministry but is now refused a pension and has no other means of income; and whether he will take steps to amend the Royal Warrant to cover this and similar cases?

Mrs. Jewitt was not married until some two years after her husband's discharge from Army service. The Royal Pensions Warrants which have been approved by Parliament do not admit liability for pension in respect of family obligations incurred after the man's discharge from service, and I am not prepared to recommend a departure from this principle. The grant of family allowances during a special course of treatment is governed by different conditions from those applicable to the award of pension.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether his attention has been drawn to the coroner's verdict that the death of David John, of Login Whitland, was due to war service; that John saw active service from February, 1916, to September, 1919, and at the time of his death received 7s. 6d. a week pension, and that this ex-soldier's widow and seven children have applied unsuccessfully for continuance of the pension to them; and will he reconsider this decision with a view to helping this ex-service man's widow?

No application for pension has been made to my Department on behalf of Mr. John's family, presumably because it is understood that any such application is precluded by the fact that the late soldier married two years after his discharge. I am informed, however, that pension of 27s. a week is being issued under the Contributory Pensions Act.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education what sum it is proposed to spend during the coming financial year on the provision of additional playing fields in elementary and secondary schools; and how many of such schools are now without grass playing fields of any kind?

The Board have before them at the present time proposals for the acquisition of 126 sites, either for separate playing fields for the use of public elementary school children or for playing fields attached to individual public elementary schools, at an estimated cost of £500,000. The Board are continually receiving such proposals, and it is impossible to estimate the amount of expenditure likely to be incurred during 1938. I am unable to give the number of schools which have no provision for grass playing fields, as in many districts provision is made by means of central playing fields for groups of schools. As regards secondary schools, it is estimated that the cost of acquiring additional playing fields in the coming financial year will be approximately £300,000. All except eight secondary schools either possess or have the user of grass playing fields.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education what is the total number of schools which now possess film apparatus; and what arrangements exist for the increase of this number during the coming year?

According to information supplied by the British Film Institute, there are at present 871 film projectors in use in schools. The provision of film apparatus is primarily a matter for the school authorities, but the Board are prepared to pay grant of 50 per cent. on expenditure by local education authorities on such provision.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education how the salaries of teachers of physical training in possession of the requisite diplomas compare with those of certified teachers; and what is the reason for the difference in the scales, in view of the increasingly important work carried out by teachers of physical training and the long training which they have to undergo?

I assume that my hon. Friend refers to teachers of physical training who have been trained for three years at one of the physical training colleges for women. So far as secondary schools are concerned the salary scales of full-time teachers are regulated by the agreements drawn up in the Burnham Secondary Report, and there is no difference between the scales paid to teachers of physical training and those paid to certificated teachers who do not possess a university degree or its equivalent.In public elementary schools instruction in physical training is normally given by certificated teachers whose training has included that subject. Very few non-certificated specialists in physical training are employed, and such as are employed are not dealt with by the Burnham Elementary Report, their salaries being a matter to be arranged by the local education authority in consultation with the Board. In practice they are paid on the scale for certificated teachers, and the Board are open to consider proposals from local education authorities who wish, in assessing the salary on that scale, to take account of the length of acceptable training undertaken by the teacher.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can give any information in connection with the explosion at Messrs. Firth-Brown's works, Sheffield, on Thursday last; how many men were injured; and what was the cause of the accident?

I understand that this explosion occurred in some research work and that two men were injured. The cause is at present obscure, but the firm are proceeding with further investigations.

asked the Home Secretary what section houses, if any, have been provided for the women police in the Metropolitan area?

One section house to accommodate 45 women has been provided north of the river. A temporary section house for 27 women will be opened in about a month south of the river. A site for a permanent section house in the southern area has been acquired and plans for the building are in preparation.

asked the Home Secretary what is the total number of Austrians now in Great Britain; and whether, in view of recent developments, leniency will be exercised in the case of those whose permits to stay in this country have expired and who do not wish to return to Austria for the time being?

The number of Austrians over 16 years of age registered with the police is approximately 14,000, of whom about 11,500 are women. The majority of the women have been admitted under Ministry of Labour permits for domestic service. The answer to the last part of the question is in the affirmative.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the increasing difficulties experienced by British-born women married to aliens who thereby lose their British nationality and who are consequently finding it increasingly difficult to visit their native country, especially in the case of women married to non-Aryans resident in Germany; and whether he can take any steps by alteration in the naturalisation regulations to remedy this serious position?

I am not aware of any difficulties experienced at the ports of arrival in the United Kingdom by British born women who have lost their British nationality by reason of their marriage to aliens. If the hon. Member knows of any case where difficulty has been experienced, I shall be glad to have it investigated. If the hon. Member is referring to difficulties which may be experienced in obtaining facilities to leave foreign countries, such difficulties could not be overcome by any alteration of the nationality law of this country since no change in our law could affect the position of a woman resident in a foreign state who by the law of that foreign state has as a result of her marriage become a national of that state.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has now completed the preliminary examination of a scheme for compensation for war risks and will he make a statement on the Government's plan; and, in particular, whether it covers merchandise at home and at sea as well as fixed property?

As regards the question of property in the United Kingdom, I cannot at present add to the answers I gave on 2nd and 9th November to the hon. Member for Dudley (Mr. Joel). As regards merchandise at sea, I would refer to the answer given by my predecessor on the 3rd March, 1936, to the hon. and gallant Member for Barkston Ash (Colonel Ropner), in which he stated that schemes for the insurance of British ships and cargoes against King's Enemy Risks have been prepared and can be put into force immediately should necessity arise.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether the work of tithe redemption under the Tithes Act has been commenced in Cheshire; and when he anticipates that the small tithepayers on subdivided property will be freed by the process of redemption from the present inconvenient system of collecting tithe?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply which I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for East Grinstead (Colonel Clarke) on 1st February, from which it will be seen that the Tithe Redemption Commission hope to be in a position to commence the work of apportionment in the near future. Redemption will follow upon apportionment in all suitable cases, and invariably where the landowner so desires. It is intended, so far as practicable, to deal with the most urgent cases first, but the completion of the work of apportionment must necessarily take some considerable time.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what steps are being taken to ensure uniformity in the local assessments for National Defence Contribution; and whether he proposes to issue instructions to local assessment authorities on lines similar to the recommendations on rating uniformity which are issued by the Central Valuation Committee or whether the basis of assessment will be the same as was adopted for Excess Profits Duty?

I would remind my hon. Friend that assessments to National Defence Contribution are made, not by the various bodies of General Commissioners, but by the Commissioners of Inland Revenue, and no exceptional provisions for securing uniformity of treatment are consequently called for.