asked the Minister of Health whether a compulsory purchase order has been approved for the acquisition by the Perranzabuloe Parish Council of 51½ acres of land from the Perranporth Estates Company for the purposes of a recreation ground, the council having been unable to purchase by agreement; and whether the land has since been acquired; and, if so, what was the price and the previous rateable value?

Yes, Sir; a compulsory purchase order has been confirmed, but the land has not yet been acquired. The rateable value of the land is £234.

asked the Minister of Health whether compulsory powers have been sought or obtained by the Cardiff City Council for the purchase from Mountjoy, Limited, of about 80 acres of land at Leckwith Moors for purposes of open spaces and permanent allotments, in view of a price of £2,000 per acre asked by the owners being considered excessive; what is the present rateable value of the land; and whether it is the case that if the land were acquired extensive tipping would he required to raise its level?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. I have no information to enable me to answer the latter parts.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the Portsmouth City Council propose to sell to the Admiralty 40.56 acres of land on the western side of Northern Parade at a price of £72,000; what is the position with regard to this transaction; when and for what consideration this land came into the possession of the Portsmouth Corporation; for what purpose did the corporation acquire it; at the sacrifice of what municipal intention or user it is now being transferred to the Admiralty; and what cost the corporation will have to bear in compensating allotment holders or other occupiers of the land or in removing present structures?

I am having inquiries made and will communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health whether the National Trust has yet acquired the 747 acres of Long-shore Moor, near Sheffield, for the purchase of which an appeal for subscriptions was made in 1930; and what price was paid for it to the previous owners?

As the right hon. Gentleman will appreciate, the National Trust does not come under my jurisdiction, but I am assured that if he communicates with them the trust will give him every assistance in its power.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that in 1934 an appeal was made at Hebden Bridge for £6,000 to acquire 5,600 square yards of land in the town to be used as a public park; whether this land has since been acquired; and what was the price paid for it and its previous rateable value when last occupied?

I am informed that £5,000 square yards of land was acquired for this purpose for £5,000, and conveyed to the Hebden Royd Urban District Council in November, 1936. The previous rateable value was slightly under £184.

asked the Secretary of State for War in what way local authorities encourage their officers and employés to enlist in the Territorial Forces; whether he has approached local authorities who may have failed to provide such encouragement; and whether he knows of any special reason for any reluctance on the part of such officers and men so to enlist?

In most counties there is a Territorial Army Recruiting Committe on which employers are represented. By this means employers generally, including local authorities, are encouraged to facilitate the enlistment of their employés in the Territorial Army by such measures as they may see fit to adopt. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Minister of Transport who are the present members of the Standing Joint Committee on Mineral Transport; how often this committee has met during the past two years; whether the committee has reported annually to His Majesty's Government as required by its terms of reference; and whether the Government has acted on such reports?

The present members of the Standing Committee on Mineral Transport are as follow:

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the growing number of accidents arising on the King-standing Road, Birmingham, a contributory cause of which is the fact that the road only partially provides for a dual carriageway; and, in view of the great apprehension felt by the residents in the area, together with the fact that the road is used by numerous cyclists travelling to their work in the city, and also carries a very heavy omnibus service, will he take steps, in conjunction with the Birmingham City Council, with a view to the speedy completion of a dual carriageway throughout the whole of this road?

I am making inquiries into the matters referred to and will communicate with the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the First Commissioner of Works how many drivers of motor vehicles have been proceeded against by park-keepers, in contradistinction to police officers, in the Royal parks for motoring offences in the past 12 months?

The number of cases was 617.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can give an indication of the effect of the disturbed conditions in the Mediterranean on the normal peace activities of His Majesty's ships, and their crews, as regards sea-time distance steamed and the cost, taking as one instance the recently completed commission of a destroyer flotilla?

Although a very considerable amount of additional steaming and consequent expenditure on fuel and wear and tear have been involved by the disturbed conditions in the Mediterranean, it would not be possible to calculate with any precision the extent of the additional commitment involved without an undue expenditure of time and labour which, in the circumstances, I think my hon. and gallant Friend will agree would not be justified.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the number of cases in which increased allowances were made to unemployed persons under the Unemployment Assistance Board for the winter months; from what date these increases operated; what was the average or the range of increase in the area of the Outer Hebrides last winter; and in how many cases there were reductions during that period?

In Great Britain the total number of winter additions to assessments current on 17th January last (which is the latest date in respect of which comparative information is available) was 263,388. The earliest date for which any of these additions became effective was 11th November, 1937. In the circumstances arising out of the special economic conditions of the Outer Hebrides no winter additions as such were made, but due regard was had throughout the winter to any special circumstances arising in individual cases. The action taken was in accordance with the advice of the Outer Hebrides Advisory Committee. I regret that the information asked for in the last part of the question is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the number of unemployed, at the most convenient date, in the knitwear trade at Leicester, Nottingham, and Glasgow?

The numbers of insured persons, aged 14–64 in the hosiery industry classification recorded as unemployed at 16th May, 1938, at Employment Exchanges in Leicester, Nottingham and Glasgow, were 3,932, 1,045 and 460 respectively.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the number of cases in which the Unemployment Assistance Board has within the last year made special grants to meet recognised clothing needs of an exceptional character arising out of prolonged unemployment?

During the 12 months ended 31st May last, there were approximately 14,700 cases in which, owing to exceptional circumstances, special payments were made to enable applicants to make immediate purchases of clothing. As my hon. Friend is no doubt aware, normal replacements of clothing are among the needs which the Board's ordinary allowances are intended to cover and some of the special payments referred to were made not primarily on account of prolonged unemployment but on account of some domestic misfortune such as fire.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the number of persons in the borough of Port Talbot who are applicants for assistance to the Unemployment Assistance Board, and the number of those who are in receipt of less than the full amount of unemployment assistance on account of other resources?

Information relating to boroughs is not available but in the Board's administrative area of Port Talbot which includes Aberavon and Skewen the number of applicants for unemployment assistance with assessments current on the 24th June was 1,872. As regards cases in which there are resources it is estimated that in December last, which is the latest date for which information is available, in about one-third of the assessments then current the applicant or a member of his household possessed resources which were partly taken into account to meet the applicant's needs. This does not include applicants whose allowances were adjusted solely by reason of casual earnings declared at the time of payment nor does it include applicants who, on the basis of household resources available, were adjudged not to be in need.

asked the Secretary for Mines when his Department's report on the Dunbreck Colliery disaster, Stirling-shire, will be available for Members of this House?

I hope to receive this report in the course of the next week or two, and thereafter it will be available for Members as soon as the printing can be completed.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will state the cost involved by the appointment of an air-raid precautions publicity officer and the functions of this official?

The services of this officer have been lent to the Home Office and he will receive remuneration on a fee basis at the maximum rate of £1,000 for six months. There will be in addition expenditure on publicity the precise amount of which cannot be stated, but it will be subject to the approval of the Treasury. The duties of the officer are to advise and assist my right hon. Friend in spreading information about matters relating to air-raid precautions and to co-ordinate the various forms of publicity which experience shows to be necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the complaint made to his department by the Milngavie Town Council, Dumbartonshire, relative to the general air-raid precautions scheme framed by the Dumbarton County Council, of date February, 1938, on the ground that the scheme does not safeguard the inhabitants and property in Milngavie and particularly that it does not adequately protect the reservoirs of the Glasgow Corporation, which are situated in Milngavie; and if he is prepared to allow Milngavie Town Council to submit a separate scheme for their own area for general air-raid precautions?

I am aware of the Milngavie Town Council's complaint regarding the preliminary proposals of Dumbarton County Council for the apportionment of responsibility within the county for different aspects of air-raid precautions. The application of the town council to submit a separate scheme was carefully considered, but the conclusion was reached that the application was not one which could be granted. The county council is now preparing a detailed scheme making provision for protective measures throughout the whole county area.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will give the number of constables, provincial and metropolitan, of all ranks, who are entitled to their pensions but who still retain their position, thus preventing promotion and employment?

In the Metropolitan Police Force, 368 members at present serving are entitled to retire on pension, but of these only 61 (including 45 constables and sergeants) are entitled to retire on maximum pension. Corresponding figures for the County and Borough Forces are not available. I am not prepared to accept without qualification the suggestion at the end of the question.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can state the average retail price of English mutton and lamb during the periods May and June, 1938, and the corresponding wholesale price?

Figures are not available from which to compute average retail prices of English lamb, or average retail prices for the months of May and June of English mutton. The following statement shows, however, the average retail prices of certain cuts of home-killed mutton in Great Britain and Northern Ireland on 30th April and on 1st June, together with the estimated average wholesale prices of English mutton and lamb during the weeks immediately preceding those dates.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his Department is prepared to accept the test of the Poultry Pathological Research Laboratory at Goring for the purpose of the accredited poultry-breeding station scheme?

No, Sir. As I explained in reply to a question by my hon. Friend on 20th June, the free blood

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether the Government will consider giving a long-term arable policy to farmers, with a fixed price for wheat, for, say, 10 years?

As I stated in reply to a somewhat similar question by my hon. Friend on 27th June, the whole agricultural policy of the Government is designed, inter alia, to stimulate arable cultivation. I would refer my hon. Friend in particular to the provisions of the Wheat Act, 1932, and the Agriculture Act of last Session.

asked the Prime Minister to what shipping companies the British vessels belonged which have been bombed in Spanish ports; and can he state the dates upon which such ships were registered under the British flag?

asked the President of the Board of Trade the date of registration or of transference to the British flag of the ships which have been bombed in Spanish territorial waters?

The following statement shows the British ships which, according to my information, have been damaged since the outbreak of the Spanish civil war by air bombardment whilst in, or lying near, Spanish ports. All these attacks have taken place at ports under the control of the Spanish Government.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider the desirability of imposing a tax upon freight carried by foreign ships between ports in the British Isles?

I have been asked to reply. The general question of foreign competition in the coasting trade is under investigation by a committee set up by the Chamber of Shipping of the United Kingdom; and I think it preferable to await the formulation of the shipping industry's views before the question is considered further.