asked the Prime Minister whether he has any statement to make concerning the pledges given by Germany and Italy to Switzerland to respect her neutrality?

The Swiss Federal Government, in order to obtain recognition of the complete neutrality of Switzerland, addressed on the 19th and 20th May notes to the Italian and German Governments, informing them of the action taken by the Swiss Government in this matter during the recent meeting of the Council of the League and of the resolution adopted by that body on the 14th May. In replying to these notes the Italian and German Governments affirmed their determination to respect Switzerland's neutrality.

asked the Prime Minister whether any reply has been received from the German Government to the British Note concerning the property of British Jews in Germany?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Gentleman to the reply given on 29th June to the hon. Member for the Don Valley (Mr. T. Williams), to which I have at present nothing to add.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the number of persons who find themselves, on making claims for an old age pension, disqualified through alleged non-fulfilment of the conditions for insurance, he will call the attention of approved societies to the need for greater care in accepting cases of the kind?

The attention of all approved societies has been specially drawn to their duty to satisfy themselves that a prospective member has the necessary qualifications for insurance before admitting him to membership as an employed contributor, and specific directions, a copy of which I will send to my hon. Friend, designed to provide safeguards against erroneous admission to insurance have been given to them. My right hon. Friend has no reason to think that there is any lack of care in this matter on the part of approved societies.

asked the Minister of Health how many local authorities have established clinics according to the permission given to them under Circular 1622; and whether any steps are being taken or contemplated to increase the number?

Of the 365 Welfare Authorities in England to whom this Circular was addressed, 347 have ante-natal clinics and 12 others have arrangements for ante-natal supervision by means of a domiciliary general practitioner service; 236 authorities have post-natal clinics or special arrangements for post-natal cases to attend at ante-natal clinics; 133 authorities have special ante-natal consultative clinics and 159 have special gynaecological clinics. As regards the second part of the question, my Department has followed up the Circular by correspondence with the local authorities of areas in which, according to my information, the existing provision needs to be supplemented.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can give the names of the countries with a lower maternity mortality rate than that of Great Britain?

The figures in the following table (which, except where otherwise shown, are for the year 1935) are taken from the League of Nations Annual Epidemiological Report for 1935.I would add, however, that the comparability of the published rates of maternal mortality is affected by many factors (for example, differences in methods of classification and in completeness of national arrangements for the collection of vital statistics), and that the impression produced by international comparisons is not necessarily an accurate one.

asked the Minister of Health how many old age pensioners in the borough of Tottenham are in receipt of assistance from the public assistance committee?

I regret that the desired figure is not available.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has considered the further representations from the Association of Municipal Corporations in regard to the abolition of compulsory vaccination; and, if so, what action he proposes to take in the matter?

The representations have been considered, but I am unable at the present time to give any undertaking regarding the introduction of legislation on the subject of vaccination.

asked the Minister of Health what has been the result of the litigation between Sir Humphrey de Trafford and the Stretford Corporation in respect to the compulsory acquisition of 119.4 acres the price of which had been fixed at £10,750 by the arbitrator, the award having been remitted by the King's Bench Division to the arbitrator for him to state a case; if the award has been modified; and what price is the owner now to receive?

I am informed that the award of L10,750 was upheld by the court.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he will supply a Return showing by counties and county boroughs the number of new senior schools to be erected by local education authorities and the managers of non-provided schools, respectively, under the provisions of the 1936 Act, and the total estimated cost of the schools of each group?

It is not yet possible for the Board to state the number and cost of voluntary senior schools to be provided with aid from the local education authorities under the Education Act, 1936. Many proposals for such schools are still in an inchoate state and may never be realised. Similarly as regards council senior schools, schemes of reorganisation are in many cases still undetermined.

asked the right hon. and gallant Member for Rye, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, whether an inquiry has been held as to the cause of the recent disastrous fire on Cannock Chase in which many acres of woodland were destroyed; if so, with what result; whether the fire-watchers were at their posts at the time of the outbreak; and what steps are to be taken to prevent or subdue at its early stages a similar outbreak in future?

An inquiry was held with regard to two fires on the 20th March last which started on open common land adjoining Forestry Commission plantations at Cannock Chase. The inquiry failed to reveal the precise cause but no doubt the fires were started by members of the public dropping lighted matches or tobacco. Twelve men were on fire patrol and the fire look-out tower was manned at the time of the outbreaks. The inquiry revealed no defects in the Commission's Standing Fire Plan, but arrangements have now been made with the owner of the common to permit the Commission to cut herbage on land adjoining the plantations and the number of fire warning notices has been increased.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many vessels have been wrecked since 1920 on the coast between Girdleness and Buchanness lighthouses; and how many of the wrecked vessels were on passage to Aberdeen?

Between the years 1920 and 1927, six vessels were totally lost as the result of stranding on the coast between Girdleness and Buchanness lighthouses. The records now available do not indicate how many of these vessels were on passage to Aberdeen. Since 1927, nine vessels have been totally lost as the result of stranding in this area; of these, five vessels are known to have been on passage to Aberdeen.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the issue of a prospectus to the public in January, 1937, asking for subscriptions to a debenture stock issued by Richard Thomas and Company, of Ebbw Vale; that an announcement has now been made that the estimates of working capital were fallacious and that an additional sum of £4,000,000 will be required; and that the original debenture stock holders are now to rank in security after the new subscribers and are thereby prejudiced in the security and cover for their investments; and whether, in any legislation to amend the Companies Acts, he will take steps to ensure that persons who issue such prospectuses to the detriment of subscribers will be made personally liable for any losses sustained?

As regards the first part of the question, I am aware that an offer for sale of debenture stock of Richard Thomas and Company, Limited, was made in January, 1937; as regards the second part, I understand that the costs of construction and the requirements for working capital were underestimated, for reasons which are explained in a statement now before the debenture stock holders; as regards the third part, I understand that before the proposal to issue prior lien debenture stock can be carried into effect, the consent of the holders of the existing debenture stock must be obtained and that a meeting has been convened for the 14th July, 1938, for the purpose of passing an extraordinary resolution approving the proposed new issue; as regards the last part, it does not appear, on the information before me, that there is anything in this case which calls for amendment of the Companies Act, 1929.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he has observed that in their annual report the Commission of Government of Newfoundland give the value to the fishermen of fisheries other than cod-fishing, but only give the gross value of the catch in the case of the cod-fishery, which is far more important; and whether he is in a position to give any estimate of the net return which the average fisherman engaged in cod-fishing receives in a year?

I have ascertained that the figures of value given in respect of the cod-fishery on pages 14 and 15 of the annual report of the Commission of Government for 1937 represent the estimated value to the fishermen, based on the average prices actually paid to them, and not the gross value of the catch.As regards the second part of the question, the net average value to the individual fisherman necessarily varies from year to year and depends also on the branch of the cod-fishery in which he is engaged. I understand that in the year 1937 the estimated net average value to each fisherman ranged from $65 in the case of the in-shore fishery to $128 in the case of the Labrador fishery and $182 in the case of the Bank fishery. It will be appreciated that in a number of cases fishermen engage in both the inshore and the Labrador fishery.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he is satisfied that the Commission of Government of Newfoundland has found and is prosecuting a policy which will result in the economic rehabilitation of the island; and also whether he receives reports upon the ordinary administrative acts of the Commission?

The progress achieved in Newfoundland since 1934, in spite of disturbed trading conditions and continued difficulties in foreign markets, is itself evidence that the general policy of the Commission of Government has been on sound lines, and I have every confidence in the successful outcome of their work. As regards the second part of the question, the Governor is in constant correspondence with me on matters arising in the day-to-day conduct of the administration, and keeps me informed of all questions of importance concerning the work of the Commission.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he can state the estimated total annual tonnage displacement of coal due to the use of oil fuel by the Defence services and for other purposes?

I regret that it is not possible in view of the number and speculative nature of the factors involved to make any reliable estimate.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will state the circumstances under which special campaign pensions are awarded and the service necessary before such a pension can be granted; and whether any allowance for a wife can be attached to the pension, or whether it is a purely personal grant?

Special campaign pensions may be granted to discharged European soldiers who enlisted into the Regular Forces for the ordinary term of service, under the following conditions:

(a) The applicant must have received a war medal for service on a normal Regular Army attestation.

(b) He must have attained the age of 65 years according to the age declared on his first Regular Army attestation.

(c) If already in receipt of a pension in respect of his service, he must surrender such pension.

(d) His weekly income, apart from Army pension, must not exceed 193. (The income of a married man living with his wife is estimated at one-half of the total combined income of the couple.)

There is no minimum service requirement, but if the "qualifying" (normally Colour) service exceeds 14 years higher rates are admissible. The pensions are personal to the ex-soldier concerned and do not include any direct allowance for a wife. As will be seen, however, from paragraph (