asked the Minister of Labour whether he has any information with regard to the general standard of remuneration paid to foreign girls permitted to work in this country as domestic servants, companions, etc.?

No, Sir. I may mention, however, that it is one of the conditions for the grant of a permit to employ a foreign domestic servant that the wages to be paid are not less favourable than those usually paid to British employés for similar work in the district. It is not the Department's practice in any circumstances to grant permits for foreign domestics where the wage offered is less than £36 a year.

Are steps taken to check the payment of wages, and is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that British sub- jects are not being undercut by the foreigners who come in?

Most decidedly.

Are steps taken to check the position?

Certainly.

Is the Minister aware that in a large number of these cases the girls are paid much greater salaries than English girls?

That is so.

Is it not a fact that our own people will not take up domestic service?

asked the Minister of Labour when the Bill for regulating wages and conditions in the road transport goods industry will be introduced?

I hope to be able to introduce this Bill before the House rises for the Easter Recess.

asked the Minister of Labour the terms of the exception certificate granted to the Durham County Water Board in respect to their employés; whether, among the conditions of exception, there is any guarantee that all employés coming within the scope of such a certificate shall have a full six-day working week; and whether he is aware that a section of the employés of the Durham County Water Board have for the past five or six years been working a shorter working week than the 47-hour week agreed upon?

The certificate of exception granted to the Durham County Water Board covers persons in permanent employment in posts which the Board has designated as established under the Local Government Superannuation Act, 1922. In granting the certificate, the Minister requires no guarantee that the employés covered shall always have a full six-day working week, but the certificate contains a note to the effect that it will cease to apply to any person placed upon short time, not being short time which in the opinion of the Minister makes it unnecessary for the persons concerned to be insured under the Act. I am not aware of the circumstances alleged in the last part of the question.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is now in a position to make any further statement concerning the strike at Hawker's aviation works at Weybridge?

I regret to say that this stoppage of work continues and that serious delay in production is being caused. I hope, however, that new efforts now being made to secure a resumption of work will be successful, and that the causes of the dispute will be dealt with in accordance with the agreed constitutional procedure.

Are the strikers in receipt of strike pay?

No, Sir; this is an unofficial strike, and the union concerned is using its best endeavours.

Is the Minister aware that certain of the men are receiving strike pay from their union?

That is not according to my information.

Make another inquiry and you will find out.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what arrangements each of the Metropolitan Police Courts has made for separating the hearing and determination of domestic proceedings from other business, as provided by Section 2 (1) of the Summary Procedure (Domestic Proceedings) Act, 1937;

I am informed by the Chief Magistrate that at only two Metropolitan Police Courts has it been found possible to set aside a whole afternoon each week for the hearing of domestic proceedings, but at every court arrangements have been made for fulfilling the requirements of the Summary Procedure (Domestic Proceedings) Act, 1937. In three courts these cases are heard in a different room from that in which the ordinary business is transacted, and at every Metropolitan Police Court domestic proceedings are heard apart from other cases, either before or after the other business of the court. I am also informed that at all the Metropolitan Police Courts applicants are given direct access to the magistrates, and at nearly all of them it is the magistrate who decides whether or not to suggest conciliation before there is any hearing of the case. At one police court the magistrates leave it to the probation officer to use his discretion in the matter of attempting conciliation before the legal issues are tried.

Is my right hon. Friend satisfied that the Metropolitan police magistrates are fully aware of and are carrying out their obligations in this respect?

Yes, Sir, I think they certainly are, on the whole. If my hon. Friend has any information which he would like to send to me, I will convey it to the Chief Magistrate.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has granted any applications from foreigners desirous of attending the Anti-God Congress, which has been arranged to be held at the Conway Hall on the 9th, 10th, and 11th of September?

The answer is in the negative.

In view of the fact that at least two representative and responsible organisations are prepared to submit definite evidence of the fact that this Congress has been arranged in cooperation with the International Godless Movement at Moscow, will my right hon. Friend receive a deputation with a view to excluding the attendance of any foreigner?

I am quite ready to receive any information that my hon. and gallant Friend may wish to give me, but I have answered the question on the Paper, and have said that I have not had any application of this kind.

When the right hon. Gentleman does receive the information, will the hon. and gallant Member give the authority upon which it is based?

indicated assent.

On a point of Order. Is it in order for hon. Members, in questions, deliberately to misrepresent what is taking place at a particular gathering in London? Time and again such misrepresentations are made.

It is certainly not in order, but I am sorry to say it is very often done.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will state his objection to investigating the complaints made by small shopkeepers against the operation of the Shops (Sunday Trading Restrictions) Act?

My right hon. Friend is fully aware, from representations already made to him, of the circumstances and considerations on which these complaints are based, and he does not think that any useful purpose would be served at the moment by the investigations which my hon. Friend asks him to make. As was indicated in the answer to my hon. Friend's question last Thursday, there are difficulties in the way of any proposal for the differential treatment of shops selling the same commodities; and it is clear, from other representations which have been received, that there would be very strong opposition to any such proposal.

In view of the grievances that are arising from this Act, is my hon. Friend trying to get over the difficulties?

Will the hon. Gentleman bear in mind that there are tens of thousands of shopkeepers and scores of thousands of shop assistants who are eminently satisfied with the Measure?

Can I have an answer to my supplementary question?

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the trade associations representative of these small shopkeepers are whole-heartedly in favour of the Act, and that the agitation comes from wholesalers who pose as friends of the small trader?

May I have an answer to my supplementary question?

One of my right hon. Friend's chief tasks is to endeavour to surmount difficulties, but the hon. Member will see, in view of the difference of opinion that has been indicated, that it is not easy.

asked the Home Secretary why investigation has recently been made by his Department into the affairs of the British Glycerine Manufacturers, Limited?

The investigation was made by the police at the request of the Home Office in connection with the case of an alien concerned in the company, which is under consideration.

Will investigations be made into the political connections of this company as well as into its financial aspects, in order to ascertain whether this company and the group of companies connected with it is not a centre of Nazi propaganda and espionage in this country?

A full investigation is being made into all the circumstances. I could not add to my answer until I have received the result.

asked the Home Secretary when he proposes to introduce legislation dealing with penal reform?

I am not in a position to make any statement as to the date at present.

asked the Home Secretary when he anticipates that the schemes for the provision of storage accommodation for gas-masks by local authorities will be complete; and what length of time he anticipates will elapse between the completion of the schemes and the completion of storage accommodation for which they provide?

My right hon. Friend sent a circular to local authorities on the 4th, explaining the details of the arrangements they should make for storage and distribution of civilian respirators. He cannot forecast when all the local authorities will have completed their schemes and provided the necessary storage accommodation, but he is satisfied that they will do so as soon as possible.

Do I understand that the local authorities may proceed at once to provide accommodation, without having their schemes specifically approved by the Department?

Schemes can be approved in part, and, therefore, storage accommodation schemes can be specifically approved.

Is the hon. Gentleman satisfied that the local authorities are making preparations to carry out this work?

Yes, Sir; my right hon. Friend is pressing them to do so as soon as possible.

asked the Home Secretary whether any local authorities are at present defraying the travelling expenses of air-raid precautions personnel attending for training; and, if so, how many?

Yes, Sir; I understand that a number of local authorities are defraying the reasonable travelling expenses of air-raid precautions personnel attending for training, but my right hon. Friend has not so far thought it right to ask local authorities for a special return on this subject.

Will the Under-Secretary consider, at some time in the near future, asking the local authorities for such information, in order that it may be generally available?

Yes, Sir, but they are so very busy with the Act at the present time that I should not like to ask them for it now.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that in a number of the poorer local authorities there are large numbers of people who are perfectly willing to carry out this work at their own expense?

asked the Home Secretary whether the first progress returns of the enrolment of personnel for air-raid precautions services have yet been received from local authorities; if not, when he anticipates these will be received; and whether meanwhile the figure of 1,987, representing the number of badges issued to air-raid wardens who have completed one month's service and are considered efficient in their duties, may be taken to represent the total number of trained and efficient air-raid wardens in the Kingdom?

My right hon. Friend proposes to arrange in the near future for periodical returns of personnel enrolled, but, in view of the pressure of more urgent air-raid precaution work. with which local authorities have been faced during the last few weeks, he has hesitated to trouble them generally with further requests for information on this subject at this stage. As regards the last part of the question, the figure mentioned by my hon. Friend was based on the latest information furnished to the Home Office, but my right hon. Friend is advised that it is clearly not up to date, and that the total number of trained wardens is very substantially in excess of the number of those who are known from the returns of the local authorities to have received badges.

Will the Under-Secretary encourage local authorities to issue these air-raid wardens' badges as soon as possible, in view of the encouragement to enrol that the wearing of these badges will give?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Home Secretary what arrangements are in course of being made in connection with air-raid precautions for a complete or partial black-out in the Metropolitan area or any part of it?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which my right hon. Friend gave him on 10th February.

Has any progress been made with these arrangements during that period?

Certainly progress has been made, but it is a matter for the local authorities to decide when they are ready to have exercises.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that there was a complete black-out at Fulham last night?

Is it proposed to take any steps to co-ordinate the action of the various local authorities in the Metropolitan area?

A great deal of co-ordination is being maintained between the local authorities.

asked the Home Secretary what arrangements are contemplated for the protection of schoolchildren in London actually in school premises at the time of an air raid?

This is a matter for the local authorities to consider, in the light of the recommendations contained in a circular of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy.

Is it not a fact that school premises are under the control not necessarily of the local authority, but of the local education authority, which is not necessarily the same thing? Where does responsibilty rest, therefore, for damage to school premises and protection of schoolchildren?

The hon. Member, I think, is under a misapprehension. The general authority is the local authority.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will arrange an air-raid wardens' instruction class for Members of Parliament within the precincts of the House or in the immediate vicinity?

Air-raid wardens are enrolled by local authorities, and they are allocated certain sectors by the authorities. For this reason, I do not think it would be appropriate to arrange an instruction class for air-raid wardens for Members of the House. The question, however, of arranging for courses of instruction in air-raid training for Members, on similar lines to the training given in Government Departments, is one to which my right hon. Friend to giving attention.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is in a position to make a statement as to expenditure incurred by statutory undertakings on air-raid precautions, and as to the proportion to be met as a national charge?

As my right hon. Friend indicated in his statement on 23rd December, public utility undertakings are expected, at their own cost, to fulfil the obligations of a good employer by providing training for their personnel and such protection for them and for their plant as is reasonable. Further, having regard to their responsibilities to the communities they serve, they should take such additional measures as are practicable to maintain supply. Towards the cost of these additional measures the Government will contribute, and discussions on the extent and conditions of the Government assistance have already begun.

Is the hon. Gentleman satisfied that, under the provisions of the Statute, these bodies have the necessary statutory authority?

If they have not, there will, of course, have to be legislation.

asked the Home Secretary whether the air-raid precautions circular, of 28th March, implies that the Government expect local authorities to provide air-raid shelters for all those persons whose houses do not provide adequate protection and which it is not practical to strengthen; and, if so, in view of the great cost this will entail, whether he intends to make any additional grants to the local authorities for his purpose?

The circular explains that the Government has reached the conclusion that the wisest policy to aim at is one of dispersal and that, generally speaking, persons who at the time of a raid are in their own homes or in other buildings should remain there. The circular, however, indicates that local authorities should make a survey of their areas with a view to estimating the number of persons who may be in the streets or whose houses cannot give a reasonable degree of protection. Until the results of the surveys arc known, my right hon. Friend is not in a position to estimate the extent to which shelter accommodation may be required.

Is my hon. Friend aware that these surveys are likely to take a great deal of time, and is not the matter one of urgency?

My right hon. Friend has drawn the special attention of local authorities to this matter and has urged them to press on with it as soon as possible.

With regard to the second part of my question, is my hon. Friend aware that the great proportion of the houses in the East End of London fall into this category; and does he think that the local authorities, without additional assistance, will be able to provide shelters for so many people?

We must wait for the results of the survey by local authorities.

Has not the recent experience shown that the provision of shelters is the only alternative to large-scale spontaneous evacuation of the population; and will it not prove cheaper in the end to provide shelters, and will not the Government treat the matter as one of great urgency?

Does not my bon. Friend consider that the large number of questions which are being asked in connection with air-raid precautions are causing an uneasiness in the country which is totally unwarranted?

asked the Home Secretary whether it has yet been finally decided whether to make use of the under- ground railway in London as part of a scheme of air-raid shelters?

This matter is one that continues to have careful examination. The difficulties and risks of the use of the underground railway system as public shelters are formidable, but no final decision has been taken.

Can my hon. Friend say why it has taken so long to reach this decision, which has been under consideration for a year so far as I know?

It is an extremely complicated question, but we are following the technical developments that may take place in other countries.

Has the hon. Gentleman been able to find out——

I would remind the hon. Member that there are 110 questions on the Paper.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether expenditure on air-raid precautions incurred by business firms in making tunnels, trenches, and ramparts for the safety of their employés will be treated for Income Tax purposes as allowable expenses?

How far such expenditure may be allowable in the computation of business profits for Income Tax purposes is a matter primarily for determination by the respective bodies of Income Tax Commissioners by reference to the facts of particular cases. So far as the Board of Inland Revenue are concerned, they would regard expenditure on, for example, elaborate underground galleries as capital expenditure and not allowable, but they would not object to the allowance of expenditure on simply-constructed trenches and on sandbag ramparts.

Will the Chancellor of the Exchequer introduce legislation to prevent public-spirited persons who embark on this expenditure being liable to Income Tax in respect thereof?

I do not think I can do that.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he proposes to introduce legislation to exempt air-raid shelters from liability to assessment to Income Tax under Schedule A?

My hon. Friend will appreciate that I cannot anticipate my Budget statement, but I would refer him to the answers which I gave to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Hertford (Sir M. Sueter) on 25th November and 7th December last.

asked the Home Secretary whether any action has been taken by the Metropolitan Police in connection with Nazi-financed organisations in this country formed to carry on propaganda against Belgian independence in Belgium; and whether the refusal to allow General Count von der Goltz to land at Dover on 12th March was because of his connection with one of these organisations, the European Press Agency?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which the Parliamentary Under-Secretary gave to the hon. Member for North Lambeth (Mr. G. Strauss) on Tuesday last.

Is the Minister not aware that the Germans, in view of the support they are getting from important people in this country, appear to think that they can treat this country with contempt; and is he not prepared to take some steps to stop what is going on?

rose——

We can deal with only one question at a time.

My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary, on Tuesday last, informed the House that a full investigation is being made into this case, and until it is completed I cannot make any further statement.

Is not the Home Secretary aware that there is a far more dangerous organisation—the Communist organisation—carrying on propaganda in this country, financed by Russia?

Is it not true that Europe had never heard of Fascism or Hitlerism until it was threatened by Communism?

You see the hon. Member for West Fire (Mr. Gallacher) laughs at the idea of the Communist organisation being a dangerous organisation.

asked the Home Secretary whether the responsible authorities have now been able to overcome the difficulties of transporting all prisoners by road, either before, during, or after their trial, in order that prisoners shall not be transported by train chained together in view of the public?

Standing orders provide that road transport should be used for the removal of prisoners in preference to rail, whenever possible. When prisoners are sent by rail everything possible is done by the prison authorities, in conjunction with the railway companies, to prevent their exposure to the public.

Can the Minister say how many counties there are without prison vans?

Not without notice.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that a German cruise-ship, "Wilhelm Gustloff," is to come to the Thames to be used as a polling station by those German citizens resident in the United Kingdom participating in the plebiscite on Sunday next; and whether, as such voting is compulsory, he will take steps to ensure that all such German citizens are allowed to exercise their votes without being subject to any interference or restraint?

According to the information in my possession, it is proposed that this ship shall put in at Tilbury on 10th April with a view to taking on board such German subjects resident here as may wish to record their vote in the plebiscite, and that the ship shall then proceed beyond the limits of British territorial waters before these votes are recorded. The voting will, therefore, take place outside British jurisdiction. There can, of course, be no question that German nationals in this country have, under our laws, complete freedom in this matter, and if need should arise, the police would take proper steps to secure to them the freedom to which they are entitled under our laws.

Is it not without precedent for a foreign Government to send a ship into the territorial waters of another country for the purpose of a plebiscite, and does it not constitute a most objectionable form of propaganda, having regard to the circumstances which have led to it?

I believe it is true that there is no precedent for action of this kind.

Is it not the case that in 1918 a quarter of a million soldiers then in Germany voted in our general election?

Has an intimation been conveyed to the German Embassy that the visit of this ship should not be made the occasion for Nazi propaganda here?

Did not the same thing happen in America—[Interruption.]

asked the Home Secretary what action it is proposed to take concerning the German journalists who have recently been found to be abusing their journalistic privileges in this country?

I do not know to what cases the hon. and gallant Member is referring. Perhaps he will send me particulars.

Is it not the case that cases of two German journalists abusing their privileges have recently been reported by the Home Office to the Foreign Office?

No, Sir. As I said, if the hon. and gallant Member has any particulars, I shall be glad to consider them.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware of the resolutions passed by trade unions asking for a revision of the Workmen's Compensation Acts; and will he meet a deputation from them, along with Members of Parliament, to hear their views why this should be done?

I am well aware of the desire of the unions in this matter, and when I received a deputation on the subject from the Trades Union Congress last December I told them that I recognised that there are grounds for revision, and that, while I could not give any undertaking as to when it would be possible to introduce legislation, their representations would be carefully kept in mind. I shall, of course, be glad to consider any personal representations made to me by any hon. Member, but I doubt, in the circumstances, whether any useful purpose would be served by my receiving a further deputation.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Prime Minister is meeting with trade union representatives, in order that they might help in one direction, and can he help us in this direction, so that both can be considered together?

I am not sure whether the hon. Member is aware that I have already received a deputation from the Trades Union Congress on the subject. I am doubtful whether a further deputation would add to the information I have.

Is not the inadequacy of the existing compensation proved by the fact that public assistance authorities all over the country now have to supplement workmen's compensation every week?

Having regard to the recommendations in the Stewart Report, is it the right lion. Gentleman's intention to make a statement with regard to the alterations suggested in the report; and, if so, when?

I have already answered one or two questions on the subject and told the House that I do not think there would be time to deal with the recommendations in the present Session.

Will the right hon. Gentleman take the House into his confidence, and say what are the obstacles in the way, apart from the question of Parliamentary time?

The obstacle, to a great extent, is the difficulty of finding Parliamentary time.

We will sit longer, if necessary.

asked the Home Secretary the estimated number of persons within the scope of the Workmen's Compensation Acts whose employers were not covered by insurance in 1937 as compared with the estimate of 250,000 persons in 1914, as given to the Holman Gregory Committee in 1919?

I regret I am not in a position to furnish the estimate asked for by my hon. Friend. I would point out that the figure given by the Holman Gregory Committee, which was of a conjectural character, referred to the number of uninsured employers and not to the number of persons employed by such employers.

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that it is impossible to promote legislation or discuss it unless these figures are available to the House? Will he take further steps to ascertain the number of uninsured employers, from which a rough calculation of employés can be made?

I agree that this is the kind of information we should need in the event of the introduction of legislation.

asked the Home Secretary whether it is intended to provide all German and Austrian refugees admitted into this country with a card of identity under the refugees scheme of the League of Nations, which will enable them to remain in this country and also to leave for travel and other legitimate purposes?

So far as residence in this country is concerned, no special document is needed, apart from the certificate of registration which is issued to an alien who is required to register with the police in accordance with the provisions of the Aliens Order. If an alien who is resident here desires to travel abroad and is unable to obtain a national passport, he may apply to the Chief Inspector, Immigration Branch, Home Office, for a document of identity, which is similar to the document of identity issued to German and "Nansen" refugees in conformity with the international arrangements to which His Majesty's Government is a party.

Does that include the political refugees who are allowed to come into this country, from Austria, for example, as a result of what has taken place?

My answer was of a general character, and does include them.

Will my right hon. Friend assure the House that there will be no variation of the main rule laid down by his predecessor, that as long as we have a million unemployed in this country there will be no wholesale importation of refugees allowed?

I dealt with the position very fully in the statement I made a fortnight ago, and I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to what I said then.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will consider setting up a joint board to control Metropolitan police expenditure, to include representatives of the Home Office, the Treasury, and of local authorities within the Metropolitan police area?

No, Sir. Responsibility for expenditure cannot be divorced from responsibility for administration, and the hon. Member's suggestion would involve legislation transferring responsibility for the Metropolitan Police Force to a joint board.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware of the very great dissatisfaction among Metropolitan borough councils, and in view of the fact that they have no knowledge whatever of what this money is being spent upon and no control over it, is it not time that this totalitarian form of organisation was abolished?

No, Sir. I am not aware of any such discontent among the great majority of the Metropolitan borough councils.

The right hon. Gentleman cannot have read the Press.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that in Birmingham, or that part of Birmingham which is in the county of Warwick, in order to provide the number of special jurors required, the authorities, to make up the qualification of £100, take the houses, rated at say £50 and over, and add the office premises occupied by them in the city to the value of the residence to make up the £100; and, in view of the fact that those connected with limited companies are not similarly treated and that the £100 qualification was fixed when the Act was passed to ensure the service of men of certain standing and intelligence, will he give instructions to the authorities to discontinue this practice?

I have no authority to give instructions in the matter or to determine a question of law. By Section 1 of the Jurors Act, 1922, it is open to any person proposed to be marked as a special juror who considers that he should not be so marked to apply to the registration officer for the removal of the mark and, in the event of his being dissatisfied with the registration officer's decision, to appeal to a court of summary jurisdiction.

Is the Minister aware that certain jurors are being called upon once in two years, and is it not possible for him to use his influence to reduce the qualifying figure from £100 to £50?

No, Sir, I am bound by Statute, and I have no discretion in the matter whatever.