asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether the Board will consider setting up a Departmental Committee to review and consider the entrance tests to secondary schools?

My Noble Friend thinks it advisable to defer consideration of this matter until he has before him the forthcoming report of the Consultative Committee, which will, he understands, refer to it.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he will give for the counties of Cheshire, Durham, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, London, Middlesex, Staffordshire, Surrey and Yorkshire (West Riding), and for the county boroughs of Bradford, Croydon, Leeds, Sheffield, and South Shields, respectively, for the last date for which statistics are available, the number of places in rate-aided secondary schools; the proportion of such places to the population; the percentage of special placers to the total number of pupils; and similar

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he will give for the counties of Cheshire, Durham, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, London, Middlesex, Staffordshire, Surrey

Following is the answer:and Yorkshire (West Riding), and for the country boroughs of Bradford, Croydon, Leeds, Sheffield, and South Shields, respectively, for the last date on which statistics are available, the total number of classes in public elementary schools, the number of such classes with not more than 30 children on the roll, the number with over 30 and not more than 40, over 40 and not more than 45, over 45 and not more than 50, and over 50; the total number of teachers employed and the number and percentage of those teachers

Following is the answer:

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education the total of the grants paid by the Board to local education authorities and voluntary institutions in respect of health services for school children in the last year for which figures are available?

It is assumed that the hon. Member's question relates to grants by the Board in respect of expenditure on the special services for elementary school children. These services include medical inspection and treatment, special schools, organisation of physical training, play centres, nursery schools and provision of meals. On the basis of the provisional figures for 1936–37 forwarded by local education authorities the grant payable to them for that year (being 50 per cent. on their expenditure) is approximately £2,668,000 in respect of these special services. Grants to voluntary bodies are made in respect of special schools, play centres and nursery schools. The total grant paid to these bodies in 1936–37 was £55,136.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education what steps he is prepared to take to ensure that exemption under the age of 15 under the Education Act shall not be granted for insufficient reasons?

My Noble Friend is confident that local education authorities will not exercise improperly the discretion given to them by the Education Act, 1936, with regard to the grant of employment certificates, and he is not prepared to anticipate the steps that he would take if his expectation were disappointed.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education what is the total amount allocated to date of the special Government grant of £12,000,000 intended to assist local authorities to develop technical education; the names of the authorities to whom grants have been made or approved; the particulars of the schemes and the costs; and whether the Liverpool education authority has applied for any assistance?

The figure of £12,000,000 to which the hon. Member refers does not represent a special allocation of Government grant for the development of technical education, but the first estimate made of the total capital expenditure likely to be involved in securing the new or extended provision that appeared to be necessary as a result of the survey of accommodation for technical education carried out in 1935. The Government indicated their readiness to recognise expenditure of this order by local education authorities for the purposes of grant.Up to the 31st March, 1938, proposals arising on this survey for new buildings or extensions, involving an estimated total capital expenditure of £2,729,000, have been approved, covering 58 projects, particulars of which are given in the separate return which for convenience I am sending to the hon. Member.In addition, sites have been approved for a further 74 projects, and in 50 of these cases plans for the buildings are now under consideration at various stages. No proposals have as yet been received from the Liverpool local education authority for the provision of new technical school accommodation.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will cause experiments to be made by officials of his Department on telephone mouthpieces 48 hours after they have been used by persons suffering from tuberculosis who have coughed while speaking into the telephones, in order to determine whether active tubercle may then be found in such mouthpieces at the end of that period; and whether he has any statement to make on the subject?

No, Sir. If the hon. Member would like to pursue the question further I should be pleased to send him a summary of the medical evidence on the subject.

asked the Postmaster-General what progress has been made in the matter of the installation of telephones in secondary, primary, supplementary, and special schools, respectively, in Greenock?

Telephones have now been installed at three Secondary Schools, one Special School and at one Advanced and Primary (combined) School.

asked the Postmaster-General what proportion of the subsidy paid, or payable, to Imperial Airways, Limited, for 1937 and 1938, respectively, is for the operation of the London-Basle-Zurich services; on how many days did Imperial Airways, Limited, operate such services with their own equipment in each of these years; and whether additional payments were made by the British Post Office for the carriage of mail on these services, how much of such payment was made to the Swiss national company as a result of the pooling arrangements made with Imperial Airways, Limited?

I understand from the Air Ministry that the rates of subsidy payable to Imperial Airways in respect of European services generally were £50,000 and £30,000 in the years commencing 1st April, 1937, and 1st April, 1938, respectively, that the route in question forms part of these services but that no special portion of the subsidy is allocated to a particular service.In regard to the second part, I understand that the service operated with their own equipment on 152 days in the calendar year 1937, and, up to the 27th April, on 31 days this year, including one occasion in each year on which the service terminated at Basle.As regards the last part of the question the payment due to Imperial Airways, Limited, for the conveyance of mails for the period from the introduction of the pooling arrangements last August up to the 31st of March, 1938, is approximately £9,500, but the hon. Member was informed in answer to his question of the 14th of April no information is available as to the amount of any payments made by Imperial Airways to Swissair.

asked the Postmaster-General why bands connected with commercial undertakings are allowed to broadcast in this country under the name of the firm with which they are connected, as these broadcasts are a form of advertising?

Under the Licence granted to the British Broadcasting Corporation on the 1st January, 1937, they are permitted to announce the name and description of the performers of any item in a broadcast programme. The Licence was presented to this House in draft form as a Command Paper (5329) in December, 1936, and formed the subject of debate.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he can make any further statement as to his intentions in regard to the establishment of a Post Office relay service in some of the chief cities of the country; and whether he has abandoned the idea of creating one in Southampton?

The question of establishing an experimental service is under consideration, but I am not yet in a position to make any further statement on the subject.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he was consulted by the Potato Marketing Board before the latter commenced to purchase and hold off the market potatoes which they deemed to be surplus to the requirements of human consumption; and what method has been adopted for deciding at any time what proportion of the stocks of potatoes in this country may be properly said to be surplus in this way?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. With regard to the second part, I understand that the Potato Marketing Board are guided by such considerations as the size of the crop, the stocks of potatoes remaining on farms, the prices ruling in the markets, and factors affecting consumer demand.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is now in a position to make a statement of Government policy in relation to the poultry industry?

asked the Minister of Agriculture what action, if any, it is proposed to take upon the report of the Poultry Commission?

I am not yet in a position to make a statement on this matter.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what quantity of lime has been purchased by farmers since the subsidy scheme commenced to operate; what measures were taken to ensure that such lime was not used for building or other purposes; and how many complaints have been received on this account?

Since the Land Fertility Scheme came into operation, applications have been received from occupiers of agricultural land in the United Kingdom for contribution in respect of 944,900 tons of lime purchased by them. To ensure that lime purchased under the scheme was actually applied to agricultural land, the Agriculture Act, 1937, provided for the imposition of severe penalties for misuse of such lime. As a check, visits of inspection are made by officers of the Department of Agriculture. No cases of misuse have been discovered and no complaints have been re-received that lime in respect of which contribution has been made has been used irregularly for building or other purposes.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the numerous prosecutions instituted by the County Council of Middlesex during recent years against retail butchers for describing imported meat as English and for failing to label foreign meat in accordance with the Merchandise Marks Act, 1926, and especially to fines amounting to £160 inflicted by the Ealing Petty Sessional Bench on 22nd April on eight retail butchers for offences of the above nature; is he aware that similar prosecutions are rarely or never instituted in the London boroughs; and will he consider whether local authorities' powers to enforce the Merchandise Marks Act in relation to the marking of imported food should now be made mandatory instead of discretionary?

I am aware of the facts stated, but do not feel that the position is such as to call for the amendment of the Act suggested by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Agriculture (1) whether owners of livestock can obtain the services of their usual veterinary surgeons on the A and B panels when a whole-time veterinary officer of the State services is not delegated to carry out either an examination of a herd under the accredited scheme or a supervised tuberculin test with view to attestation unless he has been allotted to that portion of the country in which they are situated;(2) whether freedom of choice of veterinary surgeons by stock owners is allowed for the purpose of obtaining the attested or accredited herd certificate, or whether stock owners are required to make their choice from those veterinary surgeons allocated by the Ministry to a specific area?

The clinical examination of herds in respect of which applications for a licence to use the special designation "Accredited" have been made or in respect of which licences to use this designation have already been issued under the Milk (Special Designation) Orders, is being carried out, so far as possible, by whole-time veterinary officers of the Ministry. Where a whole-time officer is not available to carry out this duty the examination is undertaken by an inspector on Panel A for the district in which the herd is situated. "Assisted" tests of supervised herds under the attested herds schemes are carried out by private veterinary surgeons on behalf of the owner. There is no restriction in the schemes upon the choice of a veterinary surgeon for this purpose.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has obtained, and can give, statistics concerning the considerable damage done to grain in stock or storage by rats; and whether, in view of the importance of increasing stocks of grain under present circumstances, he will, in consultation with the appropriate authorities, initiate a special campaign to destroy these pests and encourage such measures as may be devised to render corn in stock less vulnerable?

I am not aware of any reliable statistics of the damage done by rats to stored grain, but it is common knowledge that the damage is serious. It is the duty of occupiers of infested premises to take all necessary and reasonably practicable steps to destroy rats and mice. Local authorities are responsible under the Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act, 1919, for the enforcement of its provisions and are also entrusted with the duty of advising on the best methods of rat destruction. My own powers are limited, but I will consider the possibility of action on the lines suggested in the latter part of my hon. and gallant Friend's question.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that fresh herring were sold by a multiple firm of fishmongers in the High Street, Marylebone, on Thursday, 14th April, at 6d. per pound, although 154 tons of herring, which failed to fetch the minimum price of 3s. per cwt., were dumped in the sea at Firth of Forth ports on Tuesday, 12th April; and whether he proposes to take any action to reduce the retail price of this food?

I am aware that on the date referred to, a quantity of herring was dumped in the Firth of Forth because there was no market for them at the low minimum price fixed by the Area Committee. I am also aware that 6d. per lb. is not uncommonly charged for herring sold by retail, though a more usual price is about 4d. or 5d. Having regard, however, to the costs involved in the distribution of herring, and the risk of loss due to the perishable character of this fish, it is a matter of opinion whether a range of prices from 4d. to 6d. per lb. should be regarded as excessive. In any case, I have no power to intervene.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he will indicate the amounts of State aid and /or subsidies paid towards civil aviation by all foreign countries for 1937, or for the year ending at the last convenient date for which figures are available?

The following are the amounts of the air transport subsidies for 1937 and also of the civil aviation votes (including the subsidies) as a whole, since the latter figures may be regarded broadly as representing State aid to civil aviation. In each case the local currency has, for convenience, been converted to sterling at par rates of exchange.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to the undesirable character of the drinking-shops along the Jaffa-Haifa road which are served by girls of the lowest character; and whether steps are being taken to prevent British soldiers from frequenting these shops?

No, Sir; my attention has not been called to the matter. If the hon. Member will put me in possession of any evidence on which his allegations are based, I will consider whether there are grounds for bringing the question to the notice of the Palestine Government.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) whether he can state the average amount paid weekly to married men claiming unemployment allowances at the most recent rate;(2) the average amount paid to single men claiming unemployment allowances at the most recent date;(3) the total monthly amount paid in unemployment allowances at the most recent date;(4) the average weekly payment made to adults claiming unemployment allowances at the most recent date?

In the period of four weeks ended 26th March, 1938, the total amount paid at local offices of the Ministry of Labour in unemployment allowances (excluding sums in supplementation of unemployment benefit) was about £2,770,000, and the average weekly payment to adult men and women in receipt of allowances was 25s. 10d. and 13s. 11d., respectively. Separate figures are not available for married and single men.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) whether any notice was given to the education authorities in the distressed areas of South Wales that the school camp at Pembrey was going to be closed this year; if so, when; and has any provision been made to erect a camp for poor school children to take its place;(2) whether he has consulted the medical officers of health in the distressed areas of South Wales as to the effect upon the health of the 700 children per month who have been deprived of the summer holiday as a result of closing down the holiday camp at Pembrey?

Notice that this site was required by the War Office for Defence purposes was received at the beginning of March last by the occupiers, the National Council of Social Service, who had no option but to abandon the summer camp as from the middle of June next. Formal notice was not given to the local education authorities nor were the medical officers of health consulted, but informal discussions have taken place with the hon. Member, and I think it may be assumed that the local education authorities are aware of the position. In reply to the last part of the question I have nothing to add to the answer given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member on 14th April.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will state the number of domestic workers in each of His Majesty's Dockyards who will now be included in the unemployment insurance scheme as a result of the recent extension of that scheme to certain classes of domestic workers?

The number of employés in His Majesty's Dockyards and associated establishments borne on the dockyard books for pay purposes, who have been brought into unemployment insurance in consequence of the extension of the scheme to certain domestic workers is as follows:

asked the Prime Minister whether arrangements have now been made for the compensation of British oil interests adversely affected by the establishment of a Japanese oil monopoly in Manchukuo?

I understand that this matter is at present under active discussion between the interested parties.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can give the numbers of the staff of the air-raid precautions section of his Department, and how responsibility for organising the national effort is divided up among them?

The need for speeding-up the work of the Air-Raid Precautions Department and its rapidly increasing volume has involved a further reconstruction of the Department, which is now nearly complete. I think that it would be more satisfactory if my hon. and gallant Friend would repeat his question a little later.

asked the Home Secretary whether his Department adopts the policy of calling for periodical statements as to the progress of air-raid precautions work in the different local government areas which are the most certain to be affected or whether it awaits reports submitted to it without prior request; and whether he intervenes in all cases where progress is slow or nonexistent?

Yes, Sir. Reports from the Inspectorate form a normal part of the routine of the Department, but arrangements have been made for reports on a more systematic basis, at regular intervals, on the progress of each part of the scheme in the areas of all scheme-making authorities. If a report were received that progress was unsatisfactory, the matter would be followed up.

asked the Home Secretary how much of the £1,909,000 in his estimates for grants to local authorities, consequent on the passing of the Air-Raid Precautions Act, has actually been distributed; and whether such distribution has any direct relation to the expectancy of need in exposed districts?

Grants to local authorities are based on the amount of approved expenditure incurred by them. Under the Act local authorities are required to submit particulars of such expenditure and when these particulars are received grant will be payable. As regards the last part of the question I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer which I gave to a question which he put last Thursday.

asked the Home Secretary which of the principal horse-breeding societies in the country have received financial assistance from the Racecourse Betting Control Board since its institution, and which have not?

The following horse-breeding societies have received, or are receiving in the current year, financial assistance from the Racecourse Betting Control Board:The Hunters' Improvement and National Light Horse Breeding Society.The National Pony Society in respect of Dales, Dartmoor, Exmoor, Fell, Highland, New Forest and Welsh Mountain ponies.The Shire Horse Society.The Clydesdale Horse Society.The Cleveland Bay Horse Society.In addition proposals for grants to two other societies are at present under consideration.

asked the Home Secretary how many foreign Jews have been admitted to the United Kingdom since 1st August, 1937; how many of these have applied for naturalisation; and how many have been naturalised?

It is not the practice in the United Kingdom to make inquiry as to the religion or race of any foreign person who seeks permission to enter the country or applies for naturalisation and it is not, therefore, possible to give the information asked for in the first part of the question. The statutory period of residence for naturalisation is five years and the second part of the question does not, therefore, arise.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will state the names of those districts for which, owing to special reasons, no appointed day has yet been fixed with regard to the reduction of overcrowding?

Appointed days have now been fixed in all cases.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether civil servants in the provinces have sufficient time to return home for lunch at mid-day; and whether, in this respect, they have equivalent treatment to employés of private firms?

The length of the luncheon interval allowed to civil servants in the provinces is governed by general rules and does not necessarily allow in any individual case time for the officer to return home for a mid-day meal. The interval allowed to members of the general administrative, executive and clerical classes and analogous departmental classes is three-quarters of an hour, which may be extended at the discretion of the head of the Department to one hour in special cases of difficulty. I have no information indicating that outside practice would warrant a longer luncheon interval.