asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether his attention has been called to the decision of the National Union of Teachers to ban any attempt to give lectures on the Defence Forces in the elementary or secondary schools of this country; and whether he can take any steps to ensure that a broader view is taken of this matter so that the necessary permission is given?

The question whether such lectures shall be given in the schools is not, as the National Union of Teachers themselves recognise, a matter for decision by the union, but is one in which the local education authorities or school governors have an absolute discretion.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he is aware of the inadequate progress being made by the National Fitness Council working through the organisation which has been set up to carry on its administrative work; whether he will now consider an alternative method by handing over to the local education authority in each area the powers now committed to the county committees, as with their local knowledge the local education authorities would be able to deal more effectively and promptly with local requirements than the present administrators?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and my Noble Friend accordingly sees no occasion for introducing the legislation that would be necessary to carry into effect the suggestion made in the second part. The existing powers of local education authorities are already such as to enable them to make a very substantial contribution to the national fitness movement.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what quantity of potatoes have been exported from Great Britain for each of the last five years and for the four months ending 31st May; and the price per ton for the last period?

Particulars of exports from Great Britain are not separately compiled, but the quantity of potatoes exported from the United Kingdom in the undermentioned periods was as follows:

Year.	Cwts.
1933	847,672
1934	955,976
1935	791,676
1936	640,593
1937	1,114,276
February to May,
1938	214,089

The figures for 1937 and 1938 are provisional.The average declared value of the exports during the four months ended May, 1938, was £3.66 per ton.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what action has been taken to deal with the grievances submitted to him at Malta on 18th October last; and, in view of the low wage levels, will he consider increasing the wages of Admiralty employés at Malta?

The representations made by certain organisations of the dockyard workpeople at Malta concerning their rates of pay and conditions of service on the occasion my visit there last autumn were fully and carefully considered by the Board of Admiralty, and replies have been sent to the organisations through the Admiral Superintendent of the Dockyard. The rates of pay of locally entered industrial employés at Malta were subject to a detailed and comprehensive review, and a new scheme of wages was put into effect at the end of last year. The rates of pay in force in the dockyard compare not unfavourably with the general wage levels in Malta, and, in the absence of evidence of new factors the Board is not prepared again to review those rates.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many men employed at Malta are on the list of established workers; and what percentage this is of the total number employed in the dockyard?

It is assumed that the hon. Member's question relates to locally-entered industrial employés. The total number of such employés in the dockyard and other Naval establishments at Malta at a recent date was 7,977, of whom 28o, representing about 3.5 per cent. were borne on the established list.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, when asking the British Broadcasting Corporation to broadcast travelling facilities for Navy week, or any other occasion, he will include facilities offered by alternative methods of transport as well as rail?

I will certainly endeavour to secure the widest publicity for any special travelling facilities offered by railway or transport companies in connection with Navy Week or similar occasions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the number of Government employés in Malta, any provision is made for a scheme of old age pensions and widows' pensions or health or unemployment; and, if not, will he consider instituting these social services?

employés of the Malta Government serving in pensionable offices are eligible for pensions in accordance with the provisions of the Malta Pensions Ordinance. The same Ordinance also authorises annual allowances and gratuities for persons not holding pensionable offices. There is a compulsory contributory scheme for pensions for the widows and orphans of Government employés. I regret that it is not practicable, for financial reasons, for the Malta Government to institute at the present time old age or other pension schemes for persons other than Government employés.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has received any further report of the condition of the Abyssinian refugees in Kenya?

The Governor of Kenya has recently reported that the general health of the Abyssinian refugees continues to improve, and that, as a result of a regular milk ration provided from donations from the Abyssinian Refugees Relief Fund, the progress made by the children has been particularly marked. There was an epidemic of malaria in the early part of this year, mainly attributable to a recurrence of previous infections. But a complete anti-malarial scheme has been undertaken and the incidence of the disease has now declined.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the arrangements for creating a frontier barrier between Palestine, Syria and Transjordan, respectively, have yet been concluded; and whether it is proposed, on the completion of this work, to take more drastic steps for the suppression of the secret traffic in arms in Palestine?

Steady progress is being made in the erection of the barbed- wire fence with police posts which is being constructed along the northern and northeastern frontiers of Palestine, and with the protective works in progress at certain fords in the Jordan Valley. It is antici- pated that these will be completed in about two months' time. It is hoped by these measures to deal more effectively with the movement of terrorist gangs and the smuggling of arms into Palestine.