asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will state the total number of cases tried, the number of convictions, and the total amount of fines in each of the police divisions of Glasgow for the years ending March, 1936, 1937, and 1938, respectively?

The following statement gives the desired particulars:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will give, for the year ended 31st July, 1937, the figures with regard to school meals shown for earlier years on page 25 of the 1936 Report of the Committee of Council on Education in Scotland?

During the year ended 31st July, 1937, 6,979,400 meals were supplied to 32,600 children at centres primarily organised for the service of necessitous children, and 3,566,200 meals to 33,300 children at centres primarily organised for the supply of meals as a matter of convenience.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will state the terms of prison rule No. 330, governing work for civil and other prisoners; and the extent to which this rule is complied with in Barlinnie Prison?

The terms of Prison Rule No. 330, which relates to civil and certain other special classes of prisoners, reads as follows:

" So far as prison arrangements may admit, facilities shall be given to such prisoners to work and follow their own proper respective trades and employments, and all earnings of such prisoners after payment thereout of such sum as the Governor may determine on account of the cost of their maintenance in the prison, and on account of the use of implements lent to them, shall belong to such prisoners."

The number of these prisoners admitted to Barlinnie Prison is very small and in recent years there have been none to whom the Rule could be applied.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will state the terms of Prison Rule No. 345, governing the reception of prisoners; and the extent to which this Rule is complied with in Barlinnie Prison?

The terms of the Prison Rule referred to are as follow:

" After prisoners are received at the prison, an abstract of the rules relating to the conduct and treatment of prisoners shall be read over to them."

At Barlinnie Prison the substance of the rules relating to their conduct and treatment is conveyed orally to prisoners after they are admitted, and in addition a printed copy of an abstract of the rules is placed in the cell of each prisoner for reference.

If a prisoner is illiterate the printed copy of the abstract is read over to him in extenso when he is admitted.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will give particulars of the results of the endeavours made by the League of Nations to convene an international conference of the maritime nations to deal with the draft convention prepared by the Committee of Experts to consider the question of the pollution of the sea by oil?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on the 17th February to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Howdenshire (Major Carver), to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has received any report regarding the danger of silting on the Whangpoo and at the mouth of the Yangtze, owing to the suspension of the work of the Whangpoo Conservancy Board during the past 10 months caused by the seizure of their vessels and equipment by the Japanese; and whether he will cause immediate inquiry to be made as to the danger to British shipping if the suspension of this service is continued?

Our latest information is that the interference with the work of the Whangpoo Conservancy Board by the Japanese naval and military authorities and the seizure by them of the conservancy vessels and equipment have resulted in considerable silting of parts of the Whangpoo river. With one exception, however, it is reported that no difficulty has yet been experienced in bringing ships-of deep draught to the Shanghai wharves, and the mouth- of the Yangtze is unaffected. Beyond a narrowing of the channel in certain places there has so far been no vital deterioration in the condition of the main fairway.

The conservancy of the Whangpoo river is the subject of an international agreement to which Japan is a party. and negotiations are now proceeding between a committee of the Consular Body, supported by His Majesty's Ambassador, and the Japanese authorities for the resumption of dredging by the Conservancy Board and for the return of their vessels and other property. The question has also been taken up with the Japanese Government by His Majesty's Ambassador at Tokyo.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will state which airports are regularly used by K.L.M. in this country?

Croydon Airport is regularly used by K.L.M., and Don-caster, Liverpool and Manchester have been scheduled as regular ports of call for the prospective service Amsterdam-Doncaster-Manchester-Liverpool due to start on 27th June, 1938.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that an Empire flying-boat belonging to Imperial Airways, Limited, recently collided with an Italian submarine in the Bay of Naples; and whether any damage was done to the submarine or to the flying-boat?

I am informed that an Empire flying-boat belonging to Imperial Airways came into collision recently with an Italian submarine in the Bay of Naples when it was being moved by the harbour authorities to its moorings, and that the flying-boat sustained damage to one of its wings and floats. I have no information as to whether the submarine was damaged.

asked the Secretary of State for Air who is the new full-time chairman of Imperial Airways, Limited?

My right hon. Friend has been in consultation with the chair-man of Imperial Airways on this matter but he is not in a position to make any announcement.

asked the Secretary of State for Air when the Royal Air Force aerodrome near East Bridgford, in Nottinghamshire, will be completed?

It is hoped that the aerodrome at Newton, near East Bridgford, will be ready for use this year.

asked the Home Secretary whether the regulations to be issued by the Home Office under the new Factory Act will apply directly to Scotland, or whether a revised issue will be made from the Scottish Office applicable to Scotland; when the regulations will be available for Scotland; and if he has any statement to make on the subject?

Regulations under the Factory Acts are made by the Home Secretary for all parts of Great Britain, and are not separately issued from the Scottish Office. As regards the latter part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for the Clayton Division (Mr. Jagger) on Thursday last. I have since approved the issue of further draft Regulations in addition to those previously mentioned.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will give the number of pedestrians killed or injured during the previous 12 months in the Metropolitan area by motor vehicles mounting footways or verges?

I regret that the information for which the hon. Member asks is not available.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he can state the amount of each class of hydrocarbon oils retained for Home consumption during the year ended 31st March, 1938, and the net amount received in respect of duty thereon?

The quantities of each category of hydrocarbon oils retained for Home consumption, and the respective net receipts of duty derived therefrom, during

Light Oils.			Approximate Quantity retained for Home Consumption.	Approximate Net Receipts.
Petroleum Spirit:			Gallons.	£
Motor Spirit	…	…	1,319,124,000	43,971,000
Other Spirit	…	…	22,922,000	764,000
Coal Tar Products:
Benzol	…	…	2,774,000	93,000
Other Sorts	…	…	8,000	—
Turpentine	…	…	5,138,000	171,000
Heavy Oils for mixing with Light Oils	…	…	7,000	—
Other Hydrocarbon Oils	…	…	27,000	1,000
Oils in Composite Articles	…	…	182,000	6,000
Total	…	…	1,350,182,000	45,006,000
Deduct Net Amount paid to Isle of Man (a)	…	…	—	57,000
Net Receipts	…	…	—	44,949,000
(a) Estimated difference between amounts collected in, and allocated to, the Isle of Man.

Heavy Oils.					Approximate Quantity retained for Home Consumption.	Approximate Net Receipts.
Petroleum Oil:					Gallons.	£
Road Fuel Oil	…	…	…	…	69,315,000	2,310,000
Other Fuel Oil	…	…	…	…	298,042,000	1,242,000
Crude Oil	…	…	…	…	3,005,000	13,000
Kerosene	…	…	…	…	212,380,000	885,000
Lubricating Oil	…	…	…	…	117,492,000	490,000
Gas Oil	…	…	…	…	66,890,000	279,000
Other Sorts	…	…	…	…	4,597,000	19,000
Coal Tar Products	…	…	…	…	32,000	—
Other Oils	…	…	…	…	336,000	1,000
Oil in Composite Articles	…	…	…	…	360,000	1,000
Total	…	…	…	…	772,449,000	5,240,000
Grand Total	…	…	…	…	—	50,189,000

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury when the inquiry into the possibility of introducing some form of contributory pension scheme for civilian employés in the Ordnance Department was commenced; and when it is hoped that the inquiry will be completed?

This inquiry was begun rather more than a year ago. It affects, however, not only the employés referred to in the question but industrial workers in the Government Service generally, and I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. and gallant Member for Chatham (Captain Plugge) on the subject on 17th May.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the retired pay of a captain who was promoted to permanent combatant commission from the ranks in the Regular Army during the Great War?

A captain so promoted, if eligible for retired pay, would now be drawing a minimum rate of £136 a year. Higher rates were earned in some cases by captains so promoted, by reason of length of service.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can state the total mounted cavalry strength in units and in numbers of horses at present in the Russian, German, Polish, French, Italian, United States and British Armies, respectively?

Following is the information, so far as it is available. The

—			Mounted Cavalry Units.	Approximate number of horses.
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics	…	…	No information published.
Germany	…	…	No information published.
Poland (a)	…	…	No information published.
France (Metropolitan army)	…	…	3 divisions	9,900
			4 regiments b	3,320
Italy (Metropolitan army)	…	…	12 regiments	7,200
United States of America	…	…	13 regiments	7,750(c)
United Kingdom	…	…	5 regiments d	1,340
(a) The Armaments Year Book, 1937, published by the League of Nations, shows 40 regiments strength not given.
(b) North African.
(c)1936.
(d) In addition, there are three regiments in India with 1,854 horses.

asked the hon. Member for Dulwich, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, whether he can give some assurance that the asparagus supplied in the dining-room of the House of Commons is British-grown?

I can give the hon. Member definite assurance that, in season, the asparagus served in our dining rooms is entirely British-grown.

asked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence whether he will state the intentions of His Majesty's Government with regard to the establishment and financing of a store of pig-iron in this country?

The Government have decided after full consideration from every point of view that they ought not to undertake the establishment of such a reserve at the present time, but they propose to keep the question under review.

asked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence whether he proposes to take steps to utilise in work for national Defence the numerous skilled engineers now being dismissed from the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company's carriage works at Derby?

The question of making use of the capacity in the railway workshops has recently been fully discussed with representatives of the railways and is being further explored. In the meantime I may say that I understand a number of men were discharged in April from the Chief Mechanical Engineer's Department of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, but only 20 of these are now on the register at the Derby Employment Exchange and all these are under submission for vacancies.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the value at which a German Opel cadet car is retailed in Germany; and what is the value at which the same car is retailed in this country?

I understand that the retail price of the Cadet Standard car is 1,795 marks in Germany and £135 in this country.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is prepared to ask the Import Duties Advisory Committee to undertake a special inquiry into the effect of the importation of German motor cars into this country, taking into consideration all factors including that of subsidy, and to make a recommendation?

On the information at present available I do not think that there are sufficient grounds for adopting my hon. Friend's suggestion.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state, if necessary only by reference to page, paragraph, and line, which recommendations of the Import Duties Advisory Committee's Report on the Iron and Steel Industry have resulted in some action being taken?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave him on 16th November last.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether an investigation into the relation between the cost of iron and steel products re-rolled from billets and the cost of billets has been completed; and, if so, with what results?

I am informed that this investigation has not yet been completed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of the sugar imported into Great Britain during each of the years 1935, 1936, and 1937 was from Colonial and foreign sources, respectively?

The following table shows the quantity of sugar, refined and unrefined, imported into the United Kingdom during the years 1935, 1936, and 1937, distinguishing the proportions consigned from British and foreign countries, respectively:

			Proportion consigned from
Year.		Total imports.	British countries	Foreign countries.
		Cwts.	Per cent.	Per cent.
1935	…	39,334,561	41	59
1936	…	44,895,561	47	53
1937	…	45,218,287	59	41

Note.—The 1937 figures are provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs what representations have been received from the New Zealand Government with regard to the policy of the British Government in relation to the recognition of the Italian conquest of Ethiopia; and to what extent the New Zealand Government will be affected by any such recognition on the part of the British Government?

It would not be in accordance with practice to publish the terms of communications which pass between the Governments of the several parts of the British Commonwealth of Nations regarding foreign policy, but I would remind the hon. Member that the attitude of His Majesty's Government in New Zealand towards recognition of the Italian position in Abyssinia was stated publicly by the New Zealand representative at the recent meeting of the Council of the League of Nations. The second part of the question relates to a situation which has not so far arisen, but in general it would, of course, be for the New Zealand Government to determine its policy in a matter of this kind.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the number of unemployed registered in the borough of West Ham for the three months ended 31st March, 1937 and 1938; the number of persons who received unemployed allowances in transitional payments during 1936 and 1937; and the amount paid each year?

The following table shows the number of unemployed persons aged 14 and over on the registers of Employment Exchanges in West Ham at a date in each of the first three months of 1937 and 1938:

Date.		Number
1937	…
25th January	…	11,263
22nd February	…	11,218
15th March	…	11,097
1938.	…
17th January	…	12,637
14th February	…	12,644
14th March	…	12,776

The average weekly numbers of payments of unemployment assistance (exclusive of payments in supplementation of insurance benefit) made through Exchanges in West Ham in the years 1936 and 1937 were 2,404 and 2,070 respectively. The total amounts paid were £149,755 and £130,481, respectively.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the number of acres of land that have been purchased in Durham for land settlement schemes; the amount paid per acre; the number of families placed in full-time holdings; and the total cost of each placing up to the most recent date?

I presume the hon. Member is referring to land settlement schemes assisted by the Commissioner for the Special Areas. In County Durham these are undertaken by the county council with assistance from the Special Areas Fund. Under the arrangements made with the Commissioner the area of land purchased by the county council for residential land settlement schemes for unemployed men is 1,415 acres; the average price per acre is £28 10s.; the number of families to be settled on this area is 211, and the number actually placed to date is 124. The total initial cost per holding is about £1,100, of which part is recoverable from the settlers by way of rents and repayments over a period of years of a proportion of the working capital provided.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the total number of men and boys, between the ages of 18 and 64, that are unemployed in the Administrative County of Durham, and the duration of their unemployment?

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

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can state the highest percentage of unemployment in Gateshead and Jarrow in 1934 and the percentage at the present time?

Among persons aged 16–64 insured under the general scheme, the highest percentages of unemployment in these towns during 1934 were 48.5 at Gateshead and 59.3 at Jarrow and Heb-burn, on 19th February, 1934. The percentages on 4th April, 1938, were respectively 27.4 and 23.3

asked the Minister of Pensions why his recently published report contains no particulars as to the termination, suspension, or reinstatement of the pensions of widows accused of unworthy conduct; and whether he will give such particulars for the three years prior to the last convenient date?

With regard to the first part of the hon. Member's question, I find that these particulars appear to have been dropped from the annual report of the Ministry several years ago, at the time that an endeavour was made to reduce the size of the report by the omission of minor statistical detail. I will, however, see that the figures are restored for the future.With regard to the second part of the question, as the answer contains a tabular statement, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT. The number of cases in which pension was terminated by the Special Grants Committee or directed to be administered in trust and the number of pensions restored during the last three years were as follows:

	1935–6.	1936–7.	1937–8.
Pensions forfeited by the Special Grants Committee	189	193	151
Pensions directed to to be administered in trust	15	23	8
Pensions restored	12	16	11

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he has now completed his consideration of the procedure of the Special Grants Committee in regard to charges of alleged unworthy conduct against War widows and with what re suit; and whether the constitution, personnel, or practice of the committee has been changed in any respect since December, 1937?

I have, in discussion with the Special Grants Committee, made some suggestions as to certain amendments of procedure with regard, for example, to the presentment of evidence, the taking of statements from the persons concerned and other matters. I am glad to say that the committee are in general agreement with my suggestions. The constitution and personnel of the committee remain unchanged since December, 1937, except that Sir Edward Troup has asked, on grounds of health, that he should not be re-appointed chairman, and that the hon. Member for Tottenham, North (Mr. R. C. Morrison) has been appointed to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of the hon. Member for Pontypool (Mr. A. Jenkins).

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will state the reason for the delay in publication of his 1936–37 report which has just been published, but was ordered by the House to be printed as long ago as December, 1937; what was the date of publication of the last preceding report; and when publication of the 1937–38 report may be expected?

The Annual Report of my Department for 1935–36 was published in two parts which were issued in print in April and July, 1937. It has been the practice in recent years to await the final out-turn of the figures of expenditure in place of quoting estimates and this has necessarily involved delay in issue. I have, however, decided to revert to the earlier practice. The report just issued has been enlarged in order to give the House greater information as to the Ministry's activities. Now that the form has been settled I hope to issue the report for 1937–38 at an early date.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he will consider cutting a carriageway between the Devonshire House gates of the Green Park in Piccadilly and the Victoria Memorial, in order to provide an additional north to south route to Victoria and to relieve congestion at Hyde Park Corner?

I should be reluctant to contemplate this proposition which in any case, as my hon. Friend will have seen, is not one that figures among the projects outlined in the recently published Highway Development Survey.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what representations he has received in recent months from Sir Edward Denham, the governor of Jamaica, as to the need for improving the nutrition of children in Jamaica; and what reply was made to these?

I would invite the hon. Member's attention to the reply which I gave to a question asked by the hon. Member for Shipley (Mr. A. C. Jones) on 16th May, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has taken any action regarding the frequency of the administration of corporal punishment on prisoners in Northern Rhodesia; and whether the recent records show a decline in the number of such punishments?

The question of restricting the offences for which corporal punishment may be awarded by the Courts is under consideration. The returns for the year 1937, which are the latest available, show a very considerable decline over those for earlier years.