asked the Postmaster-General what number of Post Offices in the rural areas of Glamorgan are provided with telephones; what number have postal orders facilities; what number have the issue of money orders; and what number can grant various licences such as are available in industrial areas or towns?

There are 202 villages with Post Offices in Glamorgan. All are provided with telephone call office facilities either by means of a call office inside the Post Office or a kiosk immediately outside, or within half a mile of, the Post Office. All the offices issue postal orders, 130 issue money orders and 540 conduct licence business.

asked the Postmaster-General what salaries are paid to Post Office officials in rural areas in England; whether the same rates are paid in rural areas in Wales; will he state the basis upon which they are fixed; and whether they are eligible for superannuation?

There is no differentiation between the rates of pay for Post Office staff in rural areas in Wales and the rates in rural areas in England. The rates and basis of pay and the question of eligibility for pension depend upon the particular grade of staff concerned.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make it clear to the German Government, in any discussions about Anglo-Austrian debts, that an Austro-Anglo-German exchange clearing can, if necessary, be put into operation by His Majesty's Government?

I trust that the negotiations on this subject will reach a satisfactory conclusion. It would be premature to consider the situation which would arise in the event of failure to reach an agreement.

asked the Prime Minister whether he can now state the result of the examination of the steamship "Stancroft," which was taken to Gibraltar under naval escort under suspicion that a breach of the Carriage of Munitions to Spain Act, 1936, had been committed?

I regret that I am not yet in a position to make a further statement on this question.

asked the Prime Minister whether he can make any statement upon the fact that 300 wounded men of the International Brigade passed through Cerberes on Thursday, 12th May; whether any of them were British subjects; and whether, as this indicates a large body of foreign combatants in Spain, he will bring this matter to the notice of the French Government and of the Non-Intervention Committee?

The Non-Intervention Committee, upon which His Majesty's Government and the French Government are represented, are well aware that there are considerable numbers of foreign combatants in Spain and are endeavouring to secure their withdrawal. I do not, therefore, think that any useful purpose would he served by the action which my hon. and gallant Friend suggests. I have no information regarding the party of wounded men to which he refers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what steps he is taking to provide alternative allotments for the allotment holders who will be displaced by the erection of a new naval school at Portsmouth?

The provision of alternative land for the displaced allotment holders is primarily the duty of the Corporation of Portsmouth. My Department has urged the corporation to make determined efforts to provide the necessary land and, with a view to affording security of tenure, to appropriate for permanent allotments any land which they are able to provide. I am informed that the matter is receiving the serious consideration of the corporation, but that considerable difficulty is being experienced owing to the great shortage of suitable land in Portsmouth. The corporation has under consideration schemes for the reclamation of low-lying areas and mud-lands by controlled tipping of refuse and other means through which it is hoped that large areas may be made available for allotments.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether the poultry industry will be informed of the Government's marketing proposals for that industry before a Bill thereon is presented to the House?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Devizes (Sir P. Hurd) on 16th May, from which he will see that discussions have already been opened with bodies representative of egg producers and distributors.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the decision of the Hampshire County Council that whenever vacancies of a non-technical character occur they shall be notified to the headquarters of the county regiment and to the National Association for the Employment of Ex-Regular Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen; and whether he can take steps to ensure that action on similar lines is taken by other county councils and large county boroughs throughout the country?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the negative. I am, however, considering whether action in the direction suggested in the second paragraph can usefully be taken.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he can supply particulars with regard to the number of superior appointments in the Indian Posts and Telegraphs made on the 1st October, 1937, and the 1st February, 1938; the number of Muslims, Europeans, Indian Christians, Hindus and Sikhs, respectively, appointed; the proportions ordinarily reserved to such communities under the rules; and the reason for variations from the rules?

The Government of India have been asked to furnish the desired information and it will be communicated to the hon. Member on receipt.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can state the number of persons, and age group, registered as unemployed at Normanton, Castleford, and Pontefract at the latest date available; and the comparable figures for 1936 and 1933?

pursuant to his reply (OFFICIAL REPORT, 16th May, 1938; col. 30, Vol. 335), supplied the following statement:The following table shows, for each age group for which particulars were obtained, the numbers of persons, aged 18 years and over, registered as unemployed at the Castleford, Normanton and Pontefract Employment Exchanges at 28th February, 1938, the latest date for which such figures are available:

Age Group,	Castle-ford.	Norman-ton.	Ponte-fract.
18–20 years	77	34	66
21–24	192	50	80
25–34	524	100	195
35–44	509	106	168
45–54	604	115	161
55–59	354	86	86
60–64	354	85	84
65 years and over	—	—	2
Total aged 18 and over.	2,614	576	842

Corresponding statistics for juveniles under 18 years of age are not available

in respect of 28th February, but at i4th March, 1938, the numbers of unemployed juveniles on the registers of the above Exchanges, in each age group for which particulars were obtained, were as follow:

Age Group	Castle-ford.	Norman-ton.	Ponte-fract.
14 and under 16 years.	52	22	19
16 and under 18 years.	15	6	25
Total, 14 and under 18 years.	67	28	44

Similar analyses by age groups of persons aged 18 and over registered as unemployed were not compiled in February, 1936, or February, 1933, but figures for May, 1936, were given in reply to a question by the hon. Member on 22nd July, 1937.The following table gives the only analysis by age compiled for 20th February, 1933:

Age Group	Castle-ford.	Norman-ton.	Ponte-fract.
14 and under 16 years.	234	88	159
18–20 years	467	167	189
21 years and over	5,239	1,518	2,509
Total aged 14 years and over.	5,940	1,773	2,857

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what stage the negotiations for the revision of the London Naval Treaty have now reached?

I have been asked to reply. The escalation discussions are taking place in accordance with the procedure laid down in the London Naval Treaty of 1936, and pending their conclusion it is not possible for me to make any statement in the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the substantial grants promised by the Governments of Uganda and Tanganyika, and by His Majesty's Government, for the establishment in East Africa of a higher college for Africans, he can state, what contribution for this purpose the Kenya Government propose to make?

The question of a grant by the Government of Kenya towards the establishment of the Higher College in East Africa is still under consideration.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he will give the number of persons engaged at the Bridgend munitions works and the percentage of local labour recruited for the purpose?

The number of persons engaged upon the construction of the Royal Ordnance Factory at Bridgend at the end of last week was 886. Of this number about 70 per cent. have been engaged from Bridgend and the surrounding district.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he will recommend that the 1940 Empire Exhibition in London be allowed to be held in Hyde Park?

I am not aware of any proposal for an Empire Exhibition in London in 1940, and my hon. and gallant Friend would no doubt agree that if any such proposal were made, the choice of a site would necessarily involve very careful consideration.