asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education to what extent firms or associations of employers have agreed not to employ children under the age of 15 when the Education Act, 1936, comes into operation?

My Noble Friend has no information on this matter.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education (1) whether he has consulted with the governing bodies of the universities and of the public and secondary schools, with a view to their contributing towards solving the holiday spread-over problem by taking the initiative in rearranging their vacations; and will he state the nature of the steps proposed thus far by the authorities in question;(2) whether he will suggest to the authorities of the universities and of the provincial public and secondary schools in the south and west of England that they should retain pupils in session in the country during the month of August, so as to allow other scholars and parents from crowded urban districts to take holidays away from home in hot weather with greater comfort that the spread-over would thus allow?

As my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour has stated, consideration of the steps required to secure a spread-over of the summer holidays, if that course should be shown to be desirable, must await the report of the Committee on Holidays with Pay. In these circumstances, my Noble Friend considers that it would be premature to initiate at this juncture discussions on the matter with local education authorities and governing bodies of educational institutions.

asked the Prime Minister whether there has been any cause for complaint during the past months in connection with the broadcasts in Arabic from Italian broadcasting stations; and, if so, of what nature?

I am glad to be able to inform the hon. Member that during recent weeks there has been a very marked improvement in the tone of the Arabic broadcasts from Bari in matters affecting this country. Indeed I have seen nothing in these broadcasts lately to which exception could reasonably be taken.

asked the Prime Minister what were the professional or technical qualifications of Mr. H. E. Allen, Mr. F. Holroyd, Mr. W. Kean, Mr. Warren, Mr. Boy, Mr. Isaacs, and Mr. Todd when appointed members of the Stewart Committee; whether they were appointed in consultation with particular interests and, if so, what interests were consulted?

I have been asked to reply. I cannot undertake to furnish an exhaustive statement of all the professional or technical qualifications of these gentlemen but the following particulars may serve my hon. and gallant Friend's object. Mr. Allen was Chairman of the North Wales Coal Owners' Association and for many years Legal Adviser to the Mining Association of Great Britain. Mr. Holroyd had been President of the Federation of Master Cotton Spinners' Associations. Mr. Kean was General Secretary of the National Union of Gold, Silver and Allied Trades. Mr. Warren was General Manager of the Midland Colliery Owners' Mutual Indemnity Company. Mr. Boy was Vice-President of the Shipbuilding Employers' Federation. Mr. Isaacs was Secretary of the National Society of Operative Printers and Assistants. Mr. Todd was Accident Manager of the Commercial Union Assurance Company. I understand that before appointing the committee my predecessor made numerous inquiries, including inquiries of the National Confederation of Employers' Organisations and of the Trades Union Congress General Council.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will place in the Library of the House a copy of the report of the international conference on the insulin treatment of schizophrenia; in what public and mental hospitals in this country that treatment has been applied and with what results; whether any steps are being taken to train a sufficient number of medical men and mental nurses in the technique of this treatment; and can he say whether the treatment is in vogue in any private mental hospitals and, if so, what are the results in those cases?

I will endeavour to arrange for a copy of the report to be made available. Insulin treatment is being applied in at least 12 public mental hospitals and six private institutions in this country. It is not practicable within the limits of an answer to a question to deal with the questions raised in regard to results of treatment and training in the technique: but on these points I will communicate with the hon. Member.

Qualification.	Age 65 to 70.		Age over 70 (but see footnote).
	Men.	Women	Men.	Women
Pensions under or by virtue of Contributory Pensions Act.	506,638	302,700	561,249	611,761
Pensions under the Old Age Pensions Acts	—	—	174,924*	432,712*
* Included in these figures are 26,039 men and women under 70 years of age in receipt of blind persons pensions, but separate figures are not available for men and women in this category.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the report of the committee on the examination of engineers in the Mercantile Marine has yet been fully considered; and whether a decision has been reached as to the acceptance or otherwise of the recommendations made by the committee?

Yes, Sir. The committee to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers has made a very valuable report on the system of examination of engineers in the Mercantile Marine which will be most useful to the Board of Trade. My right hon. Friend has decided to accept the committee's recommendations and I hope that it will be possible to bring the new examination arrangements into full operation in the autumn.

Countries to which consigned.			1913.	1930.	1932.	1937.
			Tons.	Tons.	Tons.	Tons.
France	…	…	12,775,909	12,969,043	8,885,652	8,865,699
Germany	…	…	8,952,328	4,926,343	2,308,507	3,284,563
Italy	…	…	9,647,161	7,167,334	5,054,189	2,209,106
Spain	…	…	2,534,131	1,711,729	1,078,764	757,296

NOTE.—The 1937 figures are provisional.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will state the number of men and women in receipt of the old age pension under the contributory scheme at the age of 65 and the number in receipt of the non-contributory pension at the age of 70?

The numbers are shown in the following table:

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the quantity of coal exported from this country to countries within the British Empire and to foreign countries during 1937?

During the year 1937, 5,131,529 tons of coal were exported from this country to British countries and 35,220,759 tons to foreign countries. These figures are provisional.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the total quantity of coal exported to France, Germany, Italy and Spain, respectively, during 1937, 1932, 1930 and 1913?

The following table shows the quantity of coal exported from the United Kingdom and consigned to the undermentioned countries during the years specified.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the amount of coal exported to foreign countries and to countries within the British Empire during 1937, 1933 and 1930?

——				1930.	1933.	1937.
				Tons.	Tons.	Tons.
To British Countries	…	…	…	4,848,276	4,175,545	5,131,529
To Foreign Countries	…	…	…	50,025,789	34,892,381	35,220,759

NOTE.—The 1937 figures are provisional.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that during the last war many persons, through no fault of their own, were unable to maintain their payments to building societies and in consequence had their mortgages foreclosed, he will consider, amongst other measures to be put into operation in an emergency, the establishment of a moratorium in such cases and announce his intention so as to relieve the anxiety being felt at present by many persons?

Final decisions as to the appropriate measures could be taken only if and when an emergency arose. But the hon. Member may be assured that careful thought has been given to questions such as those he has in mind.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will state the number and names of the Government Departments in which the staffs have been warned not to volunteer for air-raid precautions work, as their services will be otherwise needed?

I am not aware that any Department has issued a general warning in the sense suggested. The policy of His Majesty's Government is that members of the staffs of Government Departments should be encouraged to volunteer for service during their spare time on air-raid precaution duties. Certain staffs, e.g. the telegraph, telephone and engineering staffs of the Post Office, will be fully occupied in an emergency on the maintenance of essential National services In these and similar cases it is

The following table shows the quantity of coal exported from the United Kingdom to British and foreign countries, respectively, during the years specified.considered that better service will be rendered if the individuals concerned undertake air-raid duties connected specifically with the establishment in which they are employed in preference to offering themselves for the more general work to be undertaken by local authorities.

asked the Minister of Health what procedure is at present in operation in his Department for the promotion of clerical officers to higher clerical officer grade?

The promotions procedure for clerical officers in the Ministry has been agreed with the Staff Side of the Departmental Whitley Council. All such promotions are made upon the recommendations of a Promotions Board and clerical officers are considered in order of seniority, an agreed correlation being maintained between the numbers of men and women so considered. An appeal lies to the Secretary against the board's decisions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state the amount of Income Tax remaining unpaid at the end of the financial years 1931 to 1934 and 1937?

Estimates of the amount of Income Tax in assessment but unpaid at the end of the financial years 1931 to 1934 have already been furnished in replies to Parliamentary questions on the 30th May, 1933, and 7th July, 1936, copies of which I am sending the hon. Member. As regards the amount remaining unpaid at the end of the year just ended I would remind the hon. Member that the review of the outturn for the year 1937 is a matter proper to the forthcoming Budget and my right hon. Friend would prefer not to furnish any information in advance of his Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that the fighting services, the Post Office, the Office of Works, and the Treasury are large purchasers of many articles in the same markets, he will consider the establishment of a central contracts department to control these services for all Government purchases, in order that this closer co-operation will effect an economy?

Effective coordination among the Contracting Departments is already secured through the medium of the Contracts Co-ordinating Committee and by frequent consultation between the departmental staffs. As regards centralised purchase, it is already the practice in the case of articles in use by more than one Department to adopt a system of combined purchase where such purchase is likely to lead to economy. It is not considered that the establishment of a central contracts Department is called for.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can state the total amount of profits so far assessed for the National Defence Contribution?

My right hon. Friend would prefer not to make any review of the progress of the assessment to National Defence Contribution in advance of his Budget statement.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that when the Potato Marketing Board was established it was indicated that it would not interfere with the existing machinery of distribution, but that during recent months the board has caused confusion in the markets by buying and selling potatoes on its own account and by declining to grant licences to reputable mer- chants who have been engaged in the business for many years; and whether steps can be taken, in the public interest, to deal with this disturbance?

I have been asked to reply. The Potato Marketing Board are empowered under their scheme to exercise certain functions in relation to marketing, including the purchase of potatoes deemed to be surplus to the requirements of human consumption and the authorisation of merchants to or through whom registered producers may sell. My right hon. Friend is informed that, in the exercise of these powers, the board have had regard to the desirability of interfering as little as possible with established channels of distribution and he is not aware of any change in this position in recent months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) what is the approximate annual amount of revenue now derived from customs duties imposed on the port of Tel Aviv, in Palestine; and what financial contribution has been made by the Government towards the cost of this port;(2) whether he is aware that the volume of goods imported through the port of Tel Aviv in 1937 totalled approximately 100,000 tons, as compared with 127,000 tons imported through Jaffa; and for what reason, in these circumstances, the Government deny the port of Tel Aviv the rights and facilities which are granted even to such minor ports as Acre, through which the imports for 1937 were only 4,000 tons?

Permission for the loading and unloading of all classes of goods at the port of Tel Aviv was given as recently as last August; consequently no information is available as to the annual amount of revenue derived from customs duties at the new port. The port is a private commercial venture undertaken by Jewish business interests, and approval for its construction was given on the understanding that no expenditure would fall upon the Government of Palestine or upon municipal funds, and that the cost of any additional Government services would be refunded.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that an application for a licence to carry an automatic pistol for self-defence by Mr. W. Aron, B.A., chairman of Eastern Supplies, Limited, Tel Aviv, Palestine, on behalf of his director, Mr. J. W. Goldman, has been refused by the district officer in Tel Aviv; and whether, as Mr. Goldman has resided in Palestine for a years and is well known as a respectable and law-abiding citizen, he will give instructions for the issue of this licence to enable Mr. Goldman to carry means of self-defence when travelling on business in areas where acts of terrorism occur?

I have no information with regard to this application, and I am unwilling to interfere with the discretion of the Palestine authorities in an individual matter of this nature.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will take steps to make it clear that the statement contained in his despatch to the High Commissioner for Palestine of 10th March, 1938, that the declared object of the policy of His Majesty's Government, as set out in the White Paper of July last, was a scheme of partition under which Jewish immigration would be confined to a limited area, should be qualified by reference to the clear intention of that White Paper to promote the establishment of an independent Jewish State in Palestine; and if he will indicate whether the policy of that White Paper still stands?

The answer to the last part of the question is in the affirmative. I do not consider it necessary to qualify in any way the passage in the despatch of the 10th March, 1938, to which the hon. Member refers.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether any representations have yet been received from the Australian Government with regard to an assault which took place on board the visiting Italian cruiser "Raimondo Montecuccoli," on 15th February at Melbourne; and, if so, whether the Italian Government has been approached on the matter?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative; the second part of the question does not therefore arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether, in view of the fact that the definitive documents of the Sydney 4 per cent. Loan floated in London in May, 1937, and fully paid up in September last have not been obtainable until 14th April, 1938, he will inform the Australian authorities that long delay in despatching the final documents from Australia has caused inconvenience to subscribers to this loan; and will he request that final documents for future similar issues should be sent from Australia so that they may be delivered to subscribers here within eight weeks and not nearly eight months after a loan has been fully paid up?

I understand that the delay in making available to subscribers the definitive documents relating to the 4 per cent. loan of the Metropolitan Water Sewerage and Drainage Board, Sydney, issued in May, 1937, has been occasioned by the board having to seek authority to attach to the loan the more convenient title of "Sydney Water Board." I also understand that the London agents of the board have received no complaints of inconvenience having been caused to subscribers and that dealings in the loan have not been hampered in any way.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he is aware of the difficulties in respect to cattle exportation to the Union as between the Union of South Africa and Swaziland and the High Commissioner's territories; and whether the present position is satisfactory to the natives concerned?

I presume that the hon. Member has in mind the weight restrictions imposed on the entry of cattle from Swaziland and the Bechuanaland Protectorate into the Union. The matter has been discussed with the Union authorities on various occasions since the restrictions were first imposed in 1924, but they have not hitherto found it practicable to modify them.

asked the Minister of Labour when the report of the London Juvenile Council will be issued; and will that report be available to Members of this House?

The report was published by His Majesty's Stationery Office on 8th April and is available to Members in the ordinary way.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can state the number of persons registered as unemployed in South Wales and Monmouthshire in the age groups 45 to 55, and 55 to 65 on the last convenient date; and whether they reveal an increase or decrease on the previous year?

, pursuant to his reply (OFFICIAL REPORT, 7th April, 1938; Vol. 334, col. 493), supplied the following statement:At 1st November, 1937, the unemployed persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges in South Wales and Monmouthshire included 22,251 aged 45–54, and 23,022 aged 55–64. At 3rd November, 1936, the corresponding figures were 29,120 and 25,994, respectively. The figures for November, 1937, have 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 from the figures.

asked the Minister of Labour what progress is being made by the Lancashire Sites Company?

My right hon. Friend has received reports from the Advisory Committee appointed by him on applications which have been preferred by the local authorities in the areas covered by the Lancashire Sites Company. These reports are now under consideration and my right hon. Friend will make a statement at an early date.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the number of persons over 50 years of age who are registered as unemployed in Lancashire and the Wigan district on 31st March, 1938, and for the years 1933, 1935, and 1937, stating the number of men and women, separately, and separate figures for Lancashire and the Wigan district?

I am having the available information extracted and will circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT in due course.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that there is a shortage of skilled labour in the West End of London in the high class bespoke hand-made tailoring trade; and will he state what steps are being taken in the Special Areas to train young men, unfitted for heavier occupations, for employment in this particular branch of the tailoring trade?

I have no information as to such a shortage. In any case, I doubt whether it would be practicable for this kind of training to be given at the Department's centres.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the recent improved conditions of service are favourably affecting recruitment for the Army?

The intake of Regular Army recruits during the period since my right hon. Friend made the announcements in his Estimates speech shows an increase of some 55 per cent. over the figure for the corresponding period in 1937.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether any steps have yet been taken to hand over certain equipment of the Regular Forces to the Territorial Army?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence the approximate value of contracts for rearmament material for the Admiralty, War Office and the Air Ministry, respectively, being executed by manufacturers in the county borough of Walsall; whether there are any shadow factories in the area; and, if not, what arrangements have been made for the utilisation of labour and machinery there in case of eventualities?

The information asked for by my hon. Friend in the first part of his question would require an amount of work which I would not willingly impose on the Service Departments in existing conditions of pressure. It would, moreover, not be possible to collect information about Walsall and to refuse to obtain information about other places. The work entailed would be overwhelming. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative. The answer to the third is that the general problem indicated is receiving, full consideration by the appropriate Departments and plans for dealing with it are in course of preparation.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will state the number of widows of ex-service men who have been deprived of pension by decisions of the Special Grants Committee during the last four years?

The numbers of pensions declared forfeited by the Special Grants Committee during the four years from 1st April, 1934, to 31st March, 1938, were respectively 266, 189, 193 and 151.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will state the number of ex-service men who were under treatment in mental hospitals during 1937; and how many of these patients were discharged during the same year?

The total number of officers, nurses and men of other ranks for whose treatment in mental institutions my Department was responsible during the year 1937 was 6,015. During this period 175 cases were admitted, 136 were discharged and there were 152 deaths.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will state the names of the members of the special grants committee during the last four years, also the number of meetings of the committee during the last two years?

The Special Grants Committee and its sub-committees met 56 times in the year ended 31st March, 1937, and 52 times in the year ended 31st March, 1938.The membership of the Committee during the last four years has been as follows:Members on 1st April, 1934:

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will state the number of officers engaged on investigation work for the purposes of the special grants committee?

There are no officers wholly employed on investigations for the Special Grants Committee. Any such investigations necessary are undertaken by the Ministry's Inquiry Officers from Ministry Headquarters or the Area Offices.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will state the number of workmen killed and injured in the mines of South Wales and Monmouth-shire during 1937?

During the year 1937, 182 persons were killed at mines under the Coal Mines Act, 1911, in South Wales and Monmouth. Information as to the number of persons injured is not yet available.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will state the total amount of wages paid and the number of workpeople employed in the mines of South Wales during 1937?

It is estimated that in 1937 the wages paid in the coal-mining industry in South Wales and Monmouth amounted to £19,184,000 and the value of allowances in kind to £413,000. The average number of wage-earners employed was 133,904.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will consider ceasing to publish details of fatal Royal Air Force accidents, in view of the fact that other countries do not publish similar information and also that such publication is likely to give foreigners an erroneous impression in regard to the efficiency of the Royal Air Force?

I appreciate the motives of my hon. Friend's suggestion but I do not think that it would be practicable to adopt it. The particulars of fatal accidents published by the Air Ministry are restricted to the names and ranks of the personnel and to the number and location of the unit concerned. The discontinuance of the publication of these facts would, I fear, inevitably lead to the appearance of inaccurate information and reports. It is, I think, open to doubt whether the practice of non-disclosure in this matter which is followed by the Air Forces of some other countries is successful in maintaining a belief that they are more efficient or more immune from accidents.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will give the number of fatal accidents in the Royal Air Force for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date?

A total of 108 fatal flying accidents occurred during the 12 months ended 8th April, 1938.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether his attention has been called to the discharge of sewage from Hemswell aerodrome into a stream flowing in the area between Spital and Bishop Norton; and whether, in view of the danger to inhabitants and dairy farms, he will say what steps have been taken to stop contamination?

The sewerage at the Royal Air Force Station at Hemswell is a modern installation and recent tests carried out by the Royal Air Force medical authorities of the treated effluent discharged into the stream have shown that the requirements of the Royal Commission on sewage disposal have been fulfilled and that there is no possibility of pollution from this source.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether, in view of the recent transference of control of the Naval Air Arm to the Admiralty, it will be possible to make any reduction in the staff and administration expenses previously incurred in this connection by the Air Ministry?

It is to be expected that reductions under the heads specified in my hon. and gallant Friend's question will be practicable as and when the arrangements of the transference of control of the Fleet Air Arm from the Air Ministry to the Admiralty are further advanced.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the proposed extension of the Naval Air Arm, it will be possible to establish any training or other depot in the vicinity of Chatham?

The establishment of a training or other form of depot at Chatham for the Fleet Air Arm is not at present contemplated. Certain naval officers and ratings will, however, shortly receive their initial flying training at a newly established elementary flying school in the vicinity of Chatham.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what progress has been made during the past six months in transferring the Naval Air Arm entirely to naval control; what has been the increase in the number of naval personnel in the air arm during this period; and what is the total number which it now comprises?

With regard to the first part of the question, I would refer to the statement made by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary when introducing the Navy Estimates on 17th March. Since that date, satisfactory progress has been made but it would be misleading to quote figures in reply to the second and third parts of the question, as the increase of Naval personnel in the Air Arm is in the initial stages of selection and training. I may add that the reports so far received from the selection committee on the types of candidates coming forward for entry into the Naval Air Branch are most encouraging.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in connection with the proposed extension of the Fleet Air Arm, it is proposed that this arm should take over any responsibility for coastal patrol work?

As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister stated in reply to the right hon. Gentleman, the Leader of the Opposition, on the 30th July last, the recent decision concerning the Fleet Air Arm does not affect any shore-based aircraft, including flying boats, which remain under the operational and administrative control of the Air Ministry. Coastal patrol work would normally be carried out by this type of aircraft, and not by ship-borne aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will state the number of candidates in the three branches of executive warrant rank, gunner, gunner (T), and boatswain, required for promotion in the years 1933 to 1938, inclusive; the number of candidates available and promoted and the number of officers in each of these branches who have been re-engaged after the retiring age of 50; the number of lieutenants in each branch who have similarly been re-engaged; and the number required under the recent appeal for lieutenants (ex-warrant officer)?

I regret that in the time at my disposal I have been unable to obtain the information asked for in the first two parts of the hon. Member's question. The numbers promoted to warrant rank are as follow:

Calendar year	Gunner.	Gunner(T).	Boat-swain.
1933	17	24	11
1934	24	7	7
1935	21	14	7
1936	27	16	20
1937	46	16	12
1938 (to date)	23	13	13

The numbers re-engaged after reaching the retiring age of 50 are as follow:

Calendar year.	Cmd.Gunner.	Cmd.Gunner(T).	Cmd.Boat-swain.
1933	13	Nil	8
1934	11	5	4
1935	6	4	4
1936	7	3	Nil.
1937	5	2	2
1938 (to date)	2	2	1

The number of lieutenants (or lieutenant-commanders) who have been re-engaged in these branches and the numbers required are:

Rank.	Engaged.	Required.
Lieutenants (ex Gunner).	Not available.	12
Lieutenants (ex Gunner (T)	11	22
Lieutenants (ex Boatswain).	Nil	Nil.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether naval officers on joining the service are appointed for a definite minimum period; what is the minimum; and what notice they require to give if and when they wish to resign from active service?

Apart from certain officers appointed on a temporary or short-service basis, naval officers are not appointed for a specific period. Provision is made for the voluntary retirement of naval officers after they have attained the age of 40 or the rank of Commander (if earlier) but the retirement of younger officers of the rank of Lieutenant-Commander is allowed when the state of the list permits and more junior officers may be allowed to resign their commissions. While every consideration is given to an officer's personal circumstances, every retirement and

——	Mechanical.		Non-Mechanical.
	Old system. per annum.	New system. per annum.	Old system. per annum.	New system. per annum.
Pay of Commissioned Officer from Warrant rank at nine years' Seniority.	£1 3s. 6d. a day = £428 17s. 6d.	£1 1s. 10d. a day = £398 9s. 2d.	£1 2s. 8d. a day = £413 13s. 4d.	£1 1s. 0d. a day = £383 5s. 0d.
Lodging Allowance	£60	—	£60	—
Provision Allowance	£47	£47	£47	£47
Marriage Allowance at 4s. 6d. a day.	—	£82 2s. 6d.	—	£82 2s. 6d.
	£535 17s. 6d.	£527 11s. 8d.	£520 13s. 4d.	£512 7s. 6d.

Until their next promotion, such officers have the option now, and on each new appointment, of electing to be treated under the old or new systems.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will consider such further modifications in the proposed marriage allowance scheme for naval officers as will ensure that marriage allowance will not be withheld from any officer placed upon half-pay otherwise than at his own request?

The amount of compulsory half-pay time below the rank of captain is negligible. I understand that there are at the present time no officers of those ranks on half-pay. The question of abolishing or diminishing half-pay time resignation is subject to the condition that the officer's services can be spared. Subject to this condition no period of notice is required beyond the time necessary to make arrangements for relief, etc.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the separate emoluments and the total of commissioned officers from warrant rank above nine years' seniority in the mechanical and non-mechanical branches, respectively, under the old system, if receiving lodging and provision and any other shore allowance, and, if married with no children, under the new system with marriage allowance, but with his pay cut and allowances abolished?

Following is the information:for senior officers is one to which the Board of Admiralty are already giving consideration. Pending the report of an Interdepartmental Committee, which is discussing conditions of service of the Fighting Services, I am at the moment unable to make any definite announcement.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what percentage by cost of fire-control-gear mechanisms for the Navy is manufactured at the Crayford works of Messrs. Vickers, Armstrong; whether it is intended to extend these works; if so, what will be the cost of the extension falling on public funds; and if the vulnerability of these works to air attack has been considered?

It would not be in the public interest to give particulars such as those asked for in the question as regards units of productive capacity for Naval defence purposes. It can, however, be stated that such considerations as comparative vulnerability to air attack are given due weight in arriving at decisions as to the extension of such works.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will state the number of engine-room artificers who are qualified educationally, professionally, and recommended for commissioned rank as sub-lieutenant (E); the number who will appear or have appeared before this year's selection boards; where these boards have sat or will sit; and the number of commissions to be awarded to artificers this year?

There are at present 15 artificers who have passed the necessary examination and are within the age limit for selection for commissioned rank. Fleet Selection Boards will sit in time for recommended candidates to arrive in England about the end of May. The boards will be convened by each commander-in-chief in whose command candidates are recommended. Information is not yet available as to the number of candidates recommended to appear before these boards. The number of commissions will depend on the number of candidates recommended by the final selection board.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in connection with the extension of Portsmouth Dockyard, it is also proposed to extend the dockyard at Chatham?

One dock at Chatham is to be enlarged, but no further extension at this port is at present contemplated.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what was the lowest figure to which the number of established employés in the Royal dockyards has fallen since 1910; and in what year this lowest level was reached?

The number of established workpeople employed in His Majesty's dockyards at home remained for the first three years following 1910 at a level to which they have not since fallen. The lowest number of which there is a record since those years is about 7,900, which was reached in the early part of 1937.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will state the number of Germans resident in this country and the number admitted during 1937?

As regards the first part of the question, I would refer to the reply given on the 28th March to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Finchley (Mr. Crowder). As regards the second part the number of Germans who are recorded as having entered the United Kingdom in 1937 from all parts abroad w as 80,236. For the most they comprise business and pleasure visitors who stay in the country only a short time and the number recorded as having left during the same period was 78,261.

asked the Home Secretary what provision is made by the Air-raid Precautions Department for the storage of gas masks and other equipment in South Wales; and will he give the name of the centre or centres from which supplies can be obtained for this industrial area?

It is the responsibility of local authorities to provide storage accommodation for gas masks and other equipment required for their respective areas. Supplies of gas masks, etc., for the civil population of South Wales will be provided from Home Office Regional Stores, one of which is now in course of completion at Avonmouth.