asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is now in a position to make any statement as to the possibilities of providing assistance to enable the Scottish National Dictionary to be completed, whether on the lines of the subvention given to the English Oxford Dictionary or otherwise?

I regret that I am not aware of any source from which financial assistance might be obtained to enable the dictionary to be completed. I understand that no subvention is given to the English Oxford Dictionary from Government money.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many riparian proprietors have accepted the estimate and the apportionment of cost of the Kelvin Valley drainage scheme; how many proprietors have had their claims adjudicated upon by an arbiter and with what result; how many disputed claims have still to be settled; and when he expects the works to be commenced?

Sixty-six riparian proprietors have acquiesced in the apportionment of the recoverable cost as set forth in the settled scheme. Three proprietors exercised their statutory rights to have the apportionment of recoverable cost on their lands determined by arbitration, and one claim for compensation is being similarly treated. Evidence has been heard in respect of the claim for compensation and one of the cases of apportionment, and the arbiter's award is awaited. In the other two cases the hearing of evidence has been fixed by the arbiters to take place early next month. In the circumstances I regret that I am unable to say when the work will commence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the present total of unemployed workers in the islands of Jamaica, Barbados, and Trinidad, and in British Guiana; and the totals for these Colonies at the corresponding period in 1937 and 1936?

There has not been any system of general unemployment registration in the Colonies named, and I am, therefore, not in a position to give the figures asked for.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he is prepared to consider a change in the financial arrangements between Northern Rhodesia and this country whereby almost 60 per cent. of the total tax yield from the coppermining industry of Northern Rhodesia is paid to the United Kingdom Government and to the British South Africa Company, leaving this colony unable to make reasonable plans for the future development of its essential social services and of its economic resources; and if, in view of the fact that the financial situation of the colony is dependent on the world price of copper, he is prepared to give an assurance that, in accordance with the recommendation of the commission of inquiry into the financial and economic position of Northern Rhodesia, short-falls of revenue in the colony shall not be allowed to hamper necessary expansion, even if this means help from the British Treasury?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 11th May to the hon. Member for Wentworth (Mr. Paling). I cannot at present add anything to that reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will state the approximate number of schools, teachers, and doctors serving the natives of Nigeria, Gold Coast, and Ashanti; the total number of natives in these areas; and the percentage of native children in these areas who are now receiving education?

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will consult with the Secretary of State for War with a view to reducing the military forces in the Colonies to the strength required simply for police purposes; whether he will consider the policy of controlling the profits of companies operating in the Colonies; and whether he will increase the employment of colonial natives in their own civil and public services?

The hon. Member's question raises a number of wide issues which can hardly be dealt with adequately by question and answer. The answer to the first two parts of the question is in the negative. With regard to the last part of the question, I am satisfied that all Colonial Governments do their utmost to utilize the services of local inhabitants for administrative purposes.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will consider the advisability of making proposals to the United States of America for joint action in the raising of the embargo on the export of arms to the Spanish Government?

His Majesty's Government are not prepared to abandon their policy of non-intervention in the Spanish conflict, and they are therefore unable to accept the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Prime Minister whether, as a result of information received from the Non-intervention Board, the steamship "Stancroft" was on Thursday last taken under naval escort to Gibraltar for examination; and, if so, whether the examination has been completed and with what result?

As a result of a report received from the Non-Intervention authorities to the effect that the steamship "Stancroft" had loaded at Barcelona a cargo including cartridge cases, an officer of His Majesty's Ship "Devonshire" was sent to examine the cargo of the vessel after her arrival at Valencia. It was not found possible to carry out an inspection on the spot; but as it was considered that there was sufficient evidence to justify the suspicion that a breach of the Carriage of Munitions to Spain Act, 1936, had been committed, the vessel was sent to Gibraltar for further examination. I am not yet in a position to say what was the result.

asked the Minister of Health when he expects to be able to give a decision upon the subject of the Barrow-in-Furness Hindpool Flats Clearance Order, 1937, which was the subject of public inquiry on 28th September last?

My right hon. Friend has the Order at present under consideration and hopes to be in a position to give his decision very shortly.

asked the Prime Minister what countries have now accepted the invitation of President Roosevelt that an international conference should be held to deal with the problem of the refugees driven from their homes for racial, religious, or political reasons; those countries which have refused; the place and date of the meeting; and what form of co-operation with the League of Nations is contemplated?

I have no complete list of acceptances and refusals, but I understand that more than 30 countries have now agreed to co-operate in setting up the inter-governmental committee proposed by the United States Government. The United States Government have suggested that the first meeting of this committee should be held at Evian on 6th July. The bearing of the committee's work upon the activities of the League in connection with the refugee problem is, no doubt, a matter which will be discussed at this meeting.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has sanctioned an enactment passed in 1937 by the Legislative Council of Kenya, in which it was enacted that no juvenile who appears to be below 10 years shall be allowed to enter into a contract of service; and, if so, will he give his reasons for sanctioning this enactment?

It is the case that the Kenya Employment of Servants Ordinance which has recently been re-enacted, with amendments, contains a provision to the effect mentioned by the hon. Member, but this provision is subject to various other provisions of this Ordinance and of the Employment of Women, Young Persons and Children Ordinance, 1933.Under these provisions no child under the age of 12 may be employed in any industrial undertaking, no child under the age of 14 may be employed in attendance on any machinery, or in any open-cast workings or sub-surface workings which are entered by means of a shaft or adit, and no juvenile under the age of 16 may be employed as a porter, fuel cutter, trolley or rickshaw boy or in any other class of labour for which in the opinion of a Government medical officer he is physically unsuitable. There are also restrictions on the employment of children on ships or at night. It will therefore

Quantity of Coal exported from the Humber Ports during the four months ended April, 1933,1934, 1935, 1936, 1937 and 1938.
					Four months ended April
Port.
					1938.	1937.	1936.	1935.	1934.	1933.
					Tons.	Tons.	Tons.	Tons.	Tons.	Tons.
Goole		…	…	…	262,941	281,211	235,509	261,219	228,314	213,631
Grimsby		…	…	…	21,604	18,869	21,258	27,345	22,722	32,753
Immingham			…	…	537,552	571,560	442,838	524,029	487,608	475,769
Hull	…	…	…	…	281,825	241,813	205,282	257,885	277,172	279,194
		Total	…	…	1,103,922	1,113,453	904,887	1,070,478	1,015,816	1,001,347

asked the Prime Minister whether he will submit the policy of the qualified acceptance and approval of the Italian conquest of Abyssinia, as laid down by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs at Geneva, for the approval of this House?

The policy of His Majesty's Government in regard to the question of recognition of the Italian conquest of Ethiopia has already been described to and approved by the House, in the Debate on 2nd May last.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury which official publications be seen that provision has been made to ensure that children in Kenya are not employed on other than light work which they are fitted to perform. Even for this kind of work, however, under the same Ordinances to which the hon. Member has drawn attention, children cannot be recruited without a certificate from the District Officer who may withhold such a certificate for any reason deemed by him to be sufficient.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he can state the total quantity of coal exported during the four months ended 30th April, 1938, from the Humber ports, respectively, and the comparable figures for each of the past five years?

The information is as follows:of any magnitude within the last 12 months have shown a loss to the taxpayer?

The present system of pricing Government publications is so designed that the total cost of printing the copies for sale to the public (that is to say exclusive of the cost of compiling the material and the cost of official copies) is recovered from the proceeds of sale without any appreciable profit or loss to the taxpayer.Individual publications are not separately costed, and I am afraid that the considerable amount of labour which would be involved in obtaining the information desired by my hon. Friend would be disproportionate to its value, especially as in very many cases sales continue for more than 12 months. I will however gladly have inquiries made about any particular publications in which my hon. Friend is interested.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what is the price payable by the public for a copy of the evidence tendered to the Royal Commission on Safety in Mines up to date; how many copies have hitherto been sold at that price; and how many have been distributed gratuitiously to Government Departments and the Press, respectively?

The evidence given before this Commission is published in daily parts. Up to the present time 50 of these daily parts have been published at prices varying between 1s. 6d. and 4s. each. The price of each part is, as usual, fixed according to the amount of material which it contains, in conformity with the pricing scale for Government publications. About 500 copies of each part have been sold and another 170 copies have been provided for official use. No free copies have been supplied to the Press; the sittings of the Commission at which evidence is given are public and are attended by Press representatives.

asked the Minister of Labour whether his Department has issued any rule precluding the building or provision of an Employment Exchange upon any part of or in immediate proximity to a site occupied by licensed premises?

No, Sir.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will take steps to ensure that all firms wholly employed on Government work are employing the full quota of disabled ex-service men under the King's National Roll scheme, and instruct local committees that enrolments at reduced percentages shall not apply to such firms?

I do not think it would be in the interests of disabled ex-service men to impose such a restriction on the King's Roll Committees who have discretion to allow enrolment on a reduced basis if they are satisfied that this is appropriate in all the circumstances.

asked the Minister of Labour how many disabled ex-service men are employed by Blackburn Aircraft, Limited, Brough, East Yorkshire, under the King's National. Roll scheme; and what quota does this number represent of the total of males employed?

I do not think these particulars should be published. The King's Roll Committee had all the facts before them when deciding to accept enrolment.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will consider amending the conditions of enrolment in the King's National Roll scheme to provide that Government Departments, municipal authorities and firms engaged on Government work shall employ at least one ex-service man who is 50 per cent. or more disabled to every 100 male employés as part of their quota of disabled ex-service men employed under the King's National Roll scheme?

I will consider referring this suggestion to the King's Roll National Council.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the increasing competition of whale oil with vegetable oil produced by British Colonies, by West Africa particularly; and whether, in view of the adverse effect on British textile exports to those Colonies, any remedial steps can be taken?

I am aware that whale oil is being used to an increasing extent as an alternative to vegetable oils in the manufacture of certain products but I have no reason to think that this is having any appreciable effect on the sale of British textiles in the Colonies.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has considered a communication from the Bolton and District Operative Cotton Spinners' Association calling his attention to the increases that have taken place in the customs tariff on cotton yarns and piece goods imported into Egypt, and expressing their opinion that such increases will be inimical to the Lancashire cotton industry and detrimental to Egypt; and what action the Government has taken with a view to influencing the Egyptian Government to change its policy?

Yes, Sir. As I informed the hon. Member for Moss Side (Mr. W. R. Duckworth) on 3rd May, this question has been discussed with a deputation from the Manchester Chamber of Commerce; and His Majesty's Ambassador in Cairo is making representations to the Egyptian Government.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that detailed proposals for enabling legislation for the cotton industry have now been published and criticisms and alternative suggestions from other sources are also available, he will now state when it will be possible to announce the intentions of the Government in this matter?

Country of consignment.					1913	1927	1931	1936	1937
Canada:					£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000
Imports	…	…	…	…	30,488	55,152	32,841	75,128	88,386
Exports	…	…	…	…	23,795	29,250	20,551	23,243	27,562
Re-exports	…	…	…	…	3,512	2,110	1,600	1,085	1,259
Australia:
Imports	…	…	…	…	38,065	52,740	45,679	61,435	71.805
Exports	…	…	…	…	34,471	61,179	14,528	32,256	37,531
Re-exports.	…	…	…	…	3,358	2,563	625	723	755
Union of South Africa (excluding South-West Africa Territory):
Imports	…	…	…	…	12,301	21,324	13,120	13,555	17,956
Exports	…	…	…	…	22,185	30,312	21,857	37.511	41,432
Re-exports	…	…	…	…	1,861	1,531	1,073	703	756
British India (including Burma):
Imports	…	…	…	…	48,420	65,840	36,711	51.913	64,820
Exports	…	…	…	…	70,273	85,045	32,289	34.122	39,104
Re-exports	…	…	…	…	1,397	1,292	801	486	529
NOTES:—(1) The particulars for 1913 relate to the trade of the British Isles as a whole, whereas those for the later years relate to the trade of Great Britain and Northern Ireland only.
(2) The 1937 figures are provisional.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that during 1937 imports into this country from Mexico were valued at £3,847,026, whilst the exports from this country to Mexico were only valued at £1,738,863, he will take steps to reduce the unfavourable balance to this country, at any rate until such time as the Mexican Government shall adopt a more reasonable attitude with regard to the recent confiscation of British property?

I have recently been in touch with the Joint Committee of Cotton Trade Organisations and with representatives of other industries liable to be affected by the proposals. Further consideration is necessary; but I hope to be able to make a statement shortly.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give figures showing the value of imports into the United Kingdom from Canada, Australia, South Africa, and British India, respectively, and of exports from the United Kingdom to those respective countries for the years 1913, 1927, 1931, 1936, and 1937?

The following table shows the total declared value of merchandise imported into and exported from the United Kingdom in trade with the under-mentioned countries during the years specified.

My hon. Friend is no doubt aware that in 1937 oil products accounted for more than half of our imports from Mexico. My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in answer to a question by the hon. and learned Member for Greenock (Mr. R. Gibson) intimated that the marketing of oil from the expropriated properties in Mexico would, in present circumstances, be a matter of embarrassment to His Majesty's Government.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can make any statement on the progress of the Anglo-American trade negotiations; and whether the draft terms will, before signature, be first submitted to the industries affected in Great Britain?

The negotiations are still proceeding and I fear I am not in a position to make any statement at present. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative. I would, however, draw my hon. Friend's attention to the reply I gave on 22nd March to the hon. Member for Bradford, East (Mr. Hepworth).

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the present position of the negotiations with regard to the Anglo-American trade agreement; and whether any further consultations with British industrial interests are to take place?

As regards the first part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to-day to a similar question by the hon. Member for Willesden, East (Mr. D. Somerville). As regards the second part, I would refer to the answer which I gave to a question by the hon. Member for Bradford, East (Mr. Hepworth) on 22nd March, to which I need only add that I am still obtaining information on particular commodities from United Kingdom industrial interests which may be affected.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any supervision is exercised to prevent ships built under the Government scrap-and-build scheme competing with private owners trading between British ports?

I assume that my hon. Friend has in mind the condition in Section 3 (2) of the British Shipping (Assistance) Act, 1935, that vessels in respect of which assistance is given under Part II of the Act may not be employed mainly in voyages between ports within the United Kingdom, Eire, Isle of Man and Channel Islands, or in maintaining regu- lar services between such ports and ports in the Continent of Europe between the River Elbe and Brest inclusive. This condition was incorporated in the Agreements concluded between the Board of Trade and owners to whom advances were made under the Scrap and Build scheme. I have no information which would suggest that the condition is not being fulfilled.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that the statutory allotments committee of the Nottingham Corporation, appointed under Section 14 of the Allotments Act, 1922, as amended by Section 12 of the Allotments Act, 1925, is not allowed to function; and what steps he proposes to take in order to ensure that this Corporation conforms with the provisions of the Acts referred to?

I have been asked to reply. It is true that the sections of the Allotments Acts referred to provide for the setting up by the Nottingham Corporation of a Statutory Allotments Committee to deal with all matters relating to the exercise and performance by the council of their powers and duties under the Allotments Acts as regards the provision of allotment gardens (except the power of raising a rate or borrowing money). Such a Committee has been set up, but my right hon. Friend understands that as the majority of the allotment gardens provided by the Corporation, extending to about 470 acres, are on land acquired under powers other than those contained in the Allotments Acts, they are in practice managed by the Corporation's Estates Committee. My right hon. Friend has suggested to the Corporation that they should arrange for the Statutory Committee to deal with all the allotment gardens provided by the Corporation, but they have presumably not seen fit to do so, and my right hon. Friend has no powers of compulsion.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether any decision has been reached as to the proportion of the further sums to be made available for civil aviation that will be devoted to the extension of air services?

The whole of the increased subsidy which, on the recommendation of the Cadman Committee, is to be allotted to civil aviation, will be expended on the development and extension of air services in a varying manner according to needs to be met, but my right hon. Friend will be making a statement covering the matters referred to in my hon. and learned Friend's question during the course of the Debate to-morrow on the Second Reading of the Air Navigation (Financial Provisions) Bill.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will consider the desirability of requiring that all Bills to which Parliamentary sanction is given and which entail an increase in rates shall have attached a careful financial statement showing what the amount of this increase may be expected to be?

My hon. and learned Friend is probably aware that the financial memoranda now attached to all Government Bills which involve expenditure from the Exchequer contain an estimate of the anticipated charge on local rates involved in the Bill in cases where rates are affected. This practice is, I think, sufficient to ensure that Parliament is made aware of the rate charge included in any Government Bill where that charge is of any magnitude. There are difficulties in the way of extension of this practice to Government Bills involving minor rate charges (which are frequently permissive in character) or to Bills introduced by Private Members.

asked the Secretary of State for War what regulations are in force in the Army with regard to the em- ployment by serving officers of foreign domestic and other servants?

Paragraph 514A, King's Regulations, provides that aliens may not be employed in quarters in the occupation of military personnel without the approval of the Army Council, or, in the case of Commands abroad, of the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will give the amount not claimed each year for the last 10 years by Army officers on the retired list by their failure to comply with the time limit within which they can claim their pensions; and can he show separately the amounts where officers never claim their pensions and the amounts lost by officers owing to failure to claim within the statutory time but who subsequently make claims?

The amounts disallowed in the first instance owing to failure to claim retired pay within the time limit of 12 months are as follows:

Year ended 31st March.	Number of cases.	Amount.£
1937	20	1,240
1936	17	900
1935	8	260
1934	15	440
1933	12	660
1932	23	1,130
1931	15	1,080
1930	16	910
1929	14	640
1928	10	520

The information asked for in the second part of the question could not be ascertained without a disproportionate expenditure of time and labour. It should be observed that retired pay not claimed within the stipulated time is not necessarily forfeited. All applications are considered individually, and claims are allowed when acceptable reasons are given for the failure to claim within the regulated period.