asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he can state the date upon which he first announced a decision to operate the provisions of the Scottish Land Drainage Act for the drainage of the Kelvin Valley; whether operations have now commenced; and whether they will be concluded this year?

The intention to proceed with a drainage scheme in the Kelvin Valley was intimated by my right hon. Friend's predecessor in Office in a reply given to the right hon. Member on 17th June, 1936. As my right hon. Friend stated in his reply to the right hon. Member's question on 2nd November last, arbitration is proceeding and the Department of Agriculture is doing all that lies in its power to secure expedition within the limits of the procedure laid down by Statute. Until that procedure is completed the works cannot be commenced and I am informed that it will not be possible to have them concluded this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will give the numbers of each type of Scottish local authority at the latest available date?

The numbers of local authorities in Scotland in each of the principal classes are at present as follow:

County Councils	…	33
Joint County Councils	…	2
Councils of Counties of Cities	…	4
Councils of Large Burghs	…	20
Councils of Small Burghs	…	171
District Councils	…	199

asked the Home Secretary what new conditions have been made or are in early contemplation as to the admission into this country of refugees from Germany, including the former Austria?

It has been decided that in future holders of Austrian passports who wish to enter the United Kingdom must first obtain a British visa and that a similar requirement is to apply to holders of German passports from 21st May. This step is being taken in order to carry out effectively the policy, which I announced on 22nd March, of offering asylum so far as practicable to persons who for political, racial or religious reasons have had to leave their own country. As I pointed out, it is impossible to admit indiscriminately all persons claiming to be refugees, and if would-be immigrants were to arrive in large numbers, without any preliminary examination, great difficulty would be created at the ports and unnecessary hardship might be inflicted on applicants whom it might be found necessary to reject. The requirement that a visa must first be obtained from a British representative abroad has been recommended by some of the organisations in this country which deal with refugees.

asked the Home Secretary what arrangements are in contemplation in regard to medical and nursing services and orderlies or wardens in such London voluntary hospitals as shall be equipped and prepared for the reception of gas and other civilian casualties in the event of war; and what contribution it is proposed to make out of public funds towards the expenses of such services?

The preliminary examination of the problem of accommodation for casualties in the London hospitals, both those belonging to the local authorities and the voluntary hospitals which has been made by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health, is nearly completed, and I hope shortly to be able to make a statement on the whole matter.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can state the nature of the views expressed by Ulster with regard to the Anglo-Irish Agreement?

I will send my hon. Friend a copy of a statement by the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will give the amount that would come to the Treasury if the Surtax standard of £2,000 was reduced to £1,500, and allowance made for the difference made by the loss of the ordinary Income Tax between £1,500 and £2,000?

The Surtax is graduated by way of charging a higher rate on each slice of income in excess of £2,000, and the yield from lowering the limit to £1,500 would depend upon the graduation that would apply in respect of the slices of income in excess of £1,500. If the graduation were similar to that obtaining at present, the increased yield would be about £8,000,000, of which £7,400,000 would be payable by the existing body of Surtax payers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the amount of the interest charge incurred under the Defence Loans Act, 1937, is included in the estimate for interest and management of the National Debt for the year ending 31st March, 1939, or does any such charge appear only in the Estimates under the heading of Defence expenditure?

Interest is paid from the Fixed Debt Charge in the year in which the borrowing takes place. The charge to the Defence Votes provided for in Sections 1 (4) and 1 (5) of the Defence Loans Act begins in the financial year next after the borrowing and the Estimates are framed accordingly.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the large quantities of spun-viscose rayon imported from Poland which, after being finished and printed here, are offered in the British market at prices as low as those obtaining for Lancashire cotton prints; and, in view of increasing unemployment in Lancashire, what action he proposes to take?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer given to-day to the hon. Member for Blackpool (Mr. R. Robinson).

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can now state what action it is proposed to take with regard to the increased Egyptian tariffs on British cotton goods; and what has been the balance of trade between Great Britain and Egypt for each of the past three years?

This question has been discussed with a deputation from the Manchester Chamber of Commerce and instructions have been sent to His Majesty's Ambassador in Cairo to make strong representations to the Egyptian Government.The following figures show the value of imports into the United Kingdom from Egypt and of exports and re-exports from the United Kingdom to Egypt in each of the years 1935, 1936 and 1937:

—	1935.	1936.	1937.
	£	£	£
Imports	12,725,698	13,542,592	14,360,049
Exports	7,631,373	7,756,411	7,882,654
Re-exports	204,466	182,997	146,778

In connection with the substantial visible balance in favour of Egypt, it may be pointed out that by far the greater part of the imports into the United Kingdom from Egypt consists of raw cotton, which amounted in value to approximately £9,871,000 in 1937.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many aeroplane engines were exported under open general licence in 1937, and to what countries?

All aeroplane engines exported from the United Kingdom are exported under open general licence. For particulars of such exports during 1937, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given on the 23rd March to the hon. Member for Derby (Mr. Noel-Baker).

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the fact that, as a result of the recent rise in the cost of shipbuilding in this country, orders have been placed by British shipowners abroad to the value of approximately £4,000,000; and whether he proposes to take any steps to discourage this increased diversion of orders to the Continent?

I have no information as to the value of orders given by British shipowners for the construction of ships abroad, as a result of the recent rise in the cost of shipbuilding in this country, but I am aware that, during recent years, orders have been placed abroad, chiefly in Germany and Holland. My right hon. Friend, as at present advised, regrets that there is no practicable method of securing that such orders are not placed in foreign shipyards.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he is aware that, despite the fact that over 40 women members of the Inland Revenue staff are employed in Imperial House, South Street, London, E.C.2, no sick room has been provided, although accommodation is available and is normally provided in such cases; and whether he will take steps to see that the continued representations of the staff on this matter are met?

Negotiations are proceeding for the acquisition of accommodation in this building for use as a sick room.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he can give any further information regarding the rehousing of the staff of His Majesty's inspector of taxes, 10, Park Road, Chorley, Lancashire; and whether any negotiations for rehousing the staff are being carried on?

Negotiations for the rehousing of this staff are being carried on: it is, however, not possible at this stage to say when new offices will be provided.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what expenditure has been incurred during the past three years on education in British Somaliland; to what extent it is met from local taxation; and whether any arrangements exist or are in contemplation for closer cooperation in this matter with the colony of Aden?

The following expenditure has been incurred on education in the last three years:

	£
1935	441
1936	402
1937 (revised estimate)	410

In addition, capital expenditure of £1,697 has been incurred on the construction of a school at Berbera. A Superintendent of Education has been appointed and the estimate of recurrent expenditure for 1938 is £2,307. The expenditure on education is met from general revenue, which is derived mainly from indirect taxation and is supplemented by an Imperial grant-in-aid. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative, but I shall bear in mind the possibility of cooperation with Aden.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) whether he can state the outcome of the review undertaken by his predecessor of the judicial arrangements in British Somaliland;(2) whether he will give further consideration to the sentences of death passed, and later commuted, upon certain Somalis in 1936, in circumstances which precluded counsel being heard in their defence and which his predecessor undertook to review?

With regard to the judicial arrangements I would refer to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Camberwell North (Mr. Ammon) on 13th April, showing that I have decided that the existing arrangements are to be modified. In the circumstances I do not see that any further consideration need be given to the commuted sentences of death referred to; it is clear, from the fact that the sentences were commuted, that the Governor must have given full consideration to the circumstances of each individual case at the time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will state the approximate number of traps, with or without teeth, imported from this country and elsewhere during the past three years by British territories on the West Coast of Africa; and can he give particulars of the size of such traps?

I regret that the information is not obtainable.

asked the Prime Minister whether he proposes to ask the insurgent government in Spain to provide reasonable compensation for the eight British lives lost before and the five lost since the Nyon Agreement as the result of their action through aircraft, mines, or submarines?

His Majesty's Government have already presented a claim for compensation in connection with the eight British lives lost before the Nyon Arrangement when His Majesty's Ship "Hunter" struck a mine. As regards the British lives lost since the Nyon Arrangement, His Majesty's Government have reserved their right to claim full compensation in due course.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that a woman who marries a retired police officer is not allowed to continue in National Health Insurance or to be a voluntary contributor under the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act; and, as she is not eligible for any pension under the Police Pensions Act, 1921, does he propose to introduce amending legislation to correct this anomaly?

A woman who marries a retired police officer is in the same position, so far as her title to continue in insurance is concerned, as any other insured woman who marries. Assuming that she does not remain in insurable employment after marriage, she cannot become a voluntary contributor under the National Health Insurance Act, which excludes all married women from voluntary insurance: but she is entitled, subject to the usual conditions, to become a voluntary contributor under the Contributory Pensions Act, and such insurance will qualify her for an old age pension at the age of 65.

asked the Minister of Health how many professing Jews were registered in the last Census?

No information was obtainable from the 1931 Census which would indicate the number of professing Jews.