asked the Minister of Labour what is the total number of agricultural workers registered as unemployed in each county in Scotland in December, 1937, and at the last available date?

The following table shows the numbers of persons, aged 14–64, insured under the agricultural scheme in the farming, forestry, etc., industry classification recorded as unemployed at Employment Exchanges in each county in Scotland at 13th December, 1937, and 13th June, 1938:

County.	13th December, 1937.	13th June, 1938.
Aberdeen	524	391
Angus	645	406
Argyll	166	193
Ayr	545	325
Banff	150	133
Berwick	100	66
Bute	20	15
Caithness and Sutherland	123	150
Clackmannan	23	24
Dunbarton	122	97
Dumfries	315	239
East Lothian	139	123
Fife	438	295
Inverness	336	175
Kincardine	120	98
Kinross	19	17
Kirkcudbright	106	48
Lanark	731	668
Midlothian	382	312
Moray	313	97
Nairn	16	8
Orkney	22	23
Peebles	17	15
Perth	488	335
Renfrew	155	111
Ross and Cromarty	129	118
Roxburgh	81	83
Selkirk	56	44
Stirling	159	120
West Lothian	146	111
Wigtown	232	186
Zetland	29	21
Total, Scotland	6,847	5,047

asked the Minister of Labour what is the total amount of money which has been contributed in Scotland to the agricultural insurance scheme and the total amount that has been paid in benefits in Scotland at the last available date and also in the counties of Aberdeen and Kincardine, respectively?

Up to 30th June, 1938, the net amount received by the agricultural account of the unemployment fund in respect of the contributions of employers and workers in Scotland, including the related Exchequer contribution, was about £485,000. The total amount of agricultural benefit which had been paid in Scotland at that date was approximately £140,000, of which £10,400 and £2,200 had been paid in the counties of Aberdeen and Kincardine, respectively.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the number of days lost for each year due to unemployment since the inception of the Unemployment Insurance Fund, and the number of days lost for each year because of strikes and lock-outs during the same period?

pursuant to his reply (OFFICIAL REPORT, 7th July, 1938; col. 618, Vol. 338) supplied the following statement:The following table shows the estimated total number of working days lost owing to unemployment in each year since 1923 (the earliest year for which comparable figures can be given) by persons aged 16 to 64 insured against unemployment in Great Britain, exclusive of those insured under the agricultural scheme. As unemployment insurance was not extended to juveniles under 16 years of age until 1934, or to agricultural workers until 1936, corresponding statistics are not available for these classes of workers. The table also shows the estimated aggregate number of working days lost in each year by workpeople involved in strikes and lock-outs in progress in Great Britain, so far as reported to the Department; these figures relate to all classes of workpeople, separate particulars for insured workers not being available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can make a statement on the trade discussions which have been taking place with representatives of the American Government?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given yesterday to a similar question by the hon. and gallant Member for Nuneaton (Lieut.-Commander Fletcher).

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give the imports from and exports to, for the years 1936 and 1937 and for the first six months of 1938, the following countries and Dominions: Soviet Union, Finland, Sweden. Germany, France, Denmark, Czechoslovakia, Egypt, Iran, British India, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Newfoundland?

The particulars for the years 1936 and 1937 are given on pages 184 to 191 of the issue of the "Accounts relating to Trade and Navigation of the United Kingdom" for January last. The corresponding figures for the six months ended June, 1938, are not yet available, but they will be published on 15th August in the issue of these accounts for July.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the rate of wages

Time rates of wages agreed upon by Sectional or District Councils of the National Joint Industrial Council for the Quarrying Industry.
Sectional or District Council.	Class of Worker.	Rate of Wages.
		Per hour. Grade A districts.*
		s.	d.
Yorkshire Area Industrial Council for the Sandstone and Freestone Quarrying Industry.	Delvers and hewers	1	7
	Bottom delvers and hewers	1	5½
	Saw frame feeders	1	4
	Labourers	1	2¼
Leicestershire Area District Joint Industrial Council for the Granite Quarrying Industry.	Labourers	1	1
Clitheroe and District Joint Industrial Council for the Quarrying and Road Materials Industry.	Firemen	1	5⅜
	Getters and borers	1	3⅜
	Labourers	1	1
Derbyshire and District Limestone and Roadstone Aggregates Industrial Council.	Getters	1	7¼
	Getters' assistants arid Poppers	1	3⅞
	General labourers	1	2
District Joint Industrial Council for the Roadstone Quarrying Industry (No. 7 Area) (Counties of Gloucester, Devon, Wiltshire, Hampshire, Somerset, Cornwall, Dorset and Isle of Wight).	Drillers and men engaged on barring-down whist so engaged and responsible mixer men.	1	2¾
	Skilled quarrymen and men actually feeding into crusher jaws.	1	1¾
	Unskilled adult workers	1	0¾
		Per hour. Counties of Glamorgan, Monmouth, Radnor and Brecon.
		s.	d.
South Wales and Monmouthshire District Joint Industrial Council for the Quarrying Industry.	Drillers and men engaged on barring-down, and mixer men.	1	3
	Quarrymen (including all men working on floor of quarry) and crusher feeders.	1	2
	Adult unskilled labourers	1	1
South Wales Joint Industrial Council for the Pennant Stone Industry.	Drillers and barrers-down	1	3
	Breakers-up and crusher men	1	2
	Labourers	1	1
National Sectional Council for the Chalk Quarrying Industry.	Day workers	1	2¼
*Huddersfield, Crosland Moor, Bradford District (including Thornton, Shipley, Idle and Queensbury), Keighley district (including Haworth), Halifax and Brighouse districts and Horsforth. In Grade B districts (Pateley Bridge and district) the rates are 1½d. per hour less than those quoted above, and in Grade C districts 3d. per hour less.
NOTE.—The hours of labour in a normal working week are 48 except at Clitheroe where no hours are specified.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the rate of wages paid to men employed in the quarries of the Cornwall County Council?

My right hon. Friend has no definite information as to

The rates of wages vary in different districts and for different classes of workpeople. Following is a statement summarising the information in the possession of the Department.the rates paid in the quarries referred to. As the hon. Member is aware, however, my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health is in communication with the county council on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that considerable concern exists among civil servants as to their rights under the Official Secrets Act; and whether he is prepared to receive a deputation from the staff side of the National Whitley Council which wishes to place fresh evidence before him on the Major Vernon case?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answers given on Monday to questions on this subject by the hon. Members for West Fife (Mr. Gallacher) and Ogmore (Mr. E. J. Williams).

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether in view of the great popularity of the new Territorial army badge, he will consider the desirability of issuing a similar badge to the Auxiliary Air Force?

Yes, Sir. It is proposed to issue such a badge.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what are the educational qualifications required from candidates who desire to obtain a commission in the Auxiliary Air Force?

No specific educational qualifications are laid down for applicants for commissions in the Auxiliary Air Force, but before a candidate can be nominated to such a commission by the appropriate Territorial Army and Air Force Association he is required to furnish evidence from his college or school as to the standard of education attained.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will give the number of applications to join the Air Force, the number of airmen, boys, pilots, and observers for each month in 1938, and what number has been rejected and the grounds upon which they were rejected in each category?

The number of applications for entry during the period 1st January, 1938, to 16th July, 1938, in the various classes was as follows:

—	Airmen.	Boys.	Pilots.	Observers.
January	3,306	—	327	—
February	2,312	—	332	—
March	3,073	—	372	—
April	2,456	—	459	—
May	3,086	—	433	—
June	4,907	—	584	119
July (to 16th)	2,736	—	296	69
	21,876	3,092*	2,803	188
* Boys are entered on specified dates and no monthly record of applications is kept or relevant.

During the same period the number of rejections on medical grounds was:

Airmen	…	…	4,476
Boys	…	…	320
Pilots	…	…	100
Observers	…	…	4

Details of causes of rejection on other than medical grounds are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what price has been agreed upon or paid for acquisition of land at Bishop's Cleeve, Gloucestershire, for the purposes of an equipment depot; what is the area of the land in question, and what was its rateable value when last occupied?

As was stated in the House on 29th November last it was decided not to proceed with the establishment of an equipment depot at Bishop's Cleeve but to negotiate for an alternative site at Quedgeley. Following notice to treat possession was obtained on 1st April of approximately 460 acres of land and negotiations in regard to the price to be paid are proceeding. The land was agricultural land and therefore derated.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what are the regulations under which compensation is granted to workmen in the pay of the Air Ministry in respect of injuries arising out of and in the course of their employment?

Compensation is granted to workmen employed by the Air Ministry in respect of injuries sustained by accident arising out of and in the course of their employment either under the provisions of the Workmen's Compensation Acts (or Government Schemes of Compensation framed thereunder) or in accordance with the Treasury Warrants framed under the Superannuation Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will give particulars of the work of the byproducts factory at Kenya, for disposal of surplus native-owned cattle for which a free capital grant of £23,590 was sanctioned by His Majesty's Government in August, 1935, showing hte nature and the value of the products of the factory, the price paid to natives for their cattle, and the profit or loss resulting?

The proposal to erect a by-products factory in Kenya for the disposal of surplus native cattle has not been proceeded with in view of the erection of a meat extract factory by Messrs. Liebigs. The latter parts of the question do not therefore arise.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether minimum-wage legislation or regulations cover labourers on surface work in Kenya gold-mining; and whether such legislation permits the wage rates actually paid of between 3d. and 4d. per day in this work?

Under the Kenya Minimum Wage Ordinance the Governor in Council is empowered, after due inquiry, to fix minimum wages for any occupation in any district in which he is satisfied that wages are unduly low, but according to my latest information no minimum wage rates have been prescribed under this Ordinance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Native co-operative societies existed in Tanganyika territory before July, 1935, and how many, with what membership and value of output, are now conducting business; and does the information in his possession show that these societies will be successful in repaying, according to the conditions, the direct loan of £5,000 sanctioned for the purpose of their establishment by His Majesty's Government in August, 1935?

The answer to the first part of the question is one: four native co-operative societies are now conducting business. As I have no recent information concerning their membership and value of output, I am asking the Governor for a report. As regards the last part of the question, my information is that the Songea Co-operative Society is expected to be in a position to repay the sum of £2,000 lent to it. The proposed loan of £3,000 for the establishment of a society in another district was declined by the Tanganyika Government as there was no inclination among the local tobacco growers to form a society.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that in British Guiana only 10,000 persons out of a population of 340,000 are qualified to vote for the legislature notwithstanding the qualification of a £60 income; and what steps he proposes to take not only to render the constitution more democratic but to deal with the prevailing poverty disclosed?

Yes, Sir, the position is approximately as stated by the hon. Member in the first part of the question. As regards the second part, I am taking such steps as are immediately practicable (for instance in connection with the sugar quota) to improve social and economic conditions, pending investigations into the whole situation in the Colony by the Royal Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that Mr. C. B. Mathura, of 29, Rosalino Street, Woodbrook, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, made an application to the Governor of British Guiana to give evidence before the Commission, and leave was refused; that application was made with a view to his visiting British Guiana for the purpose of taking part in the Indian centenary celebrations, and that the inspector-general of police informed Mr. Mathura that the Governor in Council considered him to be a person within the meaning of the Undesirable Ordinance; and if he will take steps to allow the free movement of citizens engaged in cultural and trade union work?

I have asked the Governor of British Guiana for information on the matters raised in the hon. Member's question and I will communicate with him on receipt of the Governor's reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in which British Colonies minimum wage legislation for certain classes of workers has been introduced during the past year; and whether he is aware that in about 30 British possessions there is wage-fixing legislation which has been largely ignored in 15 or 16 of them?

During the past year legislation dealing with minimum wage-fixing machinery has been passed in the Leeward Islands and in St. Lucia and St. Vincent. As regards the second part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to answers which I gave to questions by the hon. Member for Wentworth (Mr. Paling) on 29th June, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies by what date the Government is likely to put into force in British Colonial Dependencies the draft convention on the standardisation of statistics of hours and wages, adopted by the International Labour Conference, so that this House may be better informed as to conditions throughout the Empire?

The draft convention was only adopted last month by the International Labour Conference and the question of the practicability of applying its provisions in the Colonial Dependencies will be considered when the action to be taken in the United Kingdom in regard to the convention has been decided upon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the Oilworkers Trade Union, No. 6, put in a claim for increased wages to the Petroleum Association of Trinidad, on 29th July, 1937, and that after long delays between communications they refused to meet the oilworkers' representatives on the allegation that the late Colonial Secretary cabled to the late Governor and instructed him that the Petroleum Association should not meet the workers until the commission's findings were published; what progress has now been made with the negotiations and if any increased wages have been awarded; and, if so, the amount per week for each section?

I am not aware that the position was as stated by the hon. Member in the first part of the question, and can assure him that my predecessor sent no instruction to the former Governor that the Petroleum Association should not meet the workers until the commission's findings were published. The parties in the oil dispute have agreed to submit the matter to arbitration. In the meantime an increase of two cents an hour in the pay of oilworkers has taken place, and many workers have also received merit advances.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the world price of sugar for the year preceding the international conference, for the year following the conference, and at the present time, respectively, and what price is regarded as necessary to ensure reasonable wages and prosperity for the sugar industry in the West Indian Colonies?

The answers to the first three parts of the question are 5s. 2d., 6s. and 5s. 6d. per cwt. respectively. With regard to the fourth part, it is not possible to give any precise figure, for this must vary from place to place according to differing conditions.

asked the Secretary for Mines how many pit inspections have been carried out in Scotland during 1937 and up to June, 1938, and how many of these were carried out in Fife?

During 1937 the numbers of inspections made by His Majesty's inspectors were: Scotland, underground 2,403, surface 793; and Fife, underground 462, surface 59. The corresponding figures during the first half of 1938 are: Scotland, 1,382 and 347; and for Fife, 260 and 31.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he can give details of the United Kingdom consumption in 1935, 1936, and 1937, respectively, of motor spirit, other spirit, and heavy oils?

The quantities of motor spirit, other spirit, and heavy oils estimated to be available for consumption in 1935, 1936 and 1937 based on imports and home production less exports and re-exports were as follows:

—		1935.	1936.	1927.
		Million gallons.
Motor Spirit	…	1,306	1,378	1,456
Other Spirit	…	36	41	43
Heavy Oils	…	1,204*	1,259*	1,355*
* Including fuel oil shipped for the use of steamers, etc., engaged in the foreign trade (including fishing vessels) which amounted to 311, 302 and 343 million gallons respectively in 1935. 1936 and 1937.

asked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence whether producer-gas vehicles are included amongst the schemes proceeding for providing alternative methods of propulsion referred to in Command Paper 5682; and with what industries and firms is he in touch?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The Government are at present promoting experimental work including trials of different types of plant, vehicles and fuels.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in order to expedite preparations for carrying out the more urgent schemes of road construction in London suggested in the report of Sir Charles Bressey, he will summon a conference of the local authorities concerned, as was done in connection with the London arterial road programme under which the principal road improvements in Greater London have been carried out since the Great War?

I have already communicated with the local authorities concerned and expressed the hope that they will be able to come to an early decision as to those schemes which could be put in hand in the near future and as to the safeguarding of the lines of other projects on which actual constructional work may have to be postponed for the time being. While I will keep my hon. Friend's suggestion in mind, he will realise that future procedure is necessarily dependent on the nature of the replies I receive.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) whether he will state the length of the south circular road suggested in the report of Sir Charles Bressey on the highway survey of Greater London; what length, if any, of the road has already been completed; and what progress is being made towards carrying out the remainder of the scheme;(2) whether he will state the names of the local authorities which are being asked to contribute towards the construction of the south circular road suggested in the report on London highway development recently made by Sir Charles Bressey; and whether agreement has been reached with any of those local authorities as to the proportion of the contribution by the Road Fund and the proportion to be contributed by local authorities?

The south circular road as recommended by Sir Charles Bressey is approximately 15 miles long. A length of about two miles between Rochester Way and Burnt Ash Hill has been completed. The London County Council are seeking powers in the present Session to construct the length of approximately half a mile between Wandsworth Bridge and Trinity Road as part of the Wandsworth Bridge scheme, which, if Parliament give the necessary powers, will receive a grant of 60 per cent. The remaining sections will consist for the most part of the realignment and widening of existing roads, and these are now the subject of discussion between my Department and the London County Council.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been called to a case heard in the court at Chatham in which the charge against a motorist, who pulled out of a line of traffic and crossed the white line in the road centre, thus becoming involved in an accident, was dismissed on the ground that the Highway Code is not law; and, in view of this and similar cases, will he take steps to give the provisions of the Highway Code the force of law?

I have seen Press reports of this case. Section 45 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, provides that a failure to observe any provision of the Highway Code may be relied upon by any party to civil or criminal proceedings, including proceedings for an offence under that Act, in order to establish or to negative any liability which is in question in those proceedings. These provisions seem to me to define adequately the legal status of the provisions of the Code.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will suggest to the London Passenger Transport Board the desirability of improving both the train and omnibus services between the City and the Eastern Enfield and Waltham Cross districts?

I will convey my hon. Friend's suggestions to the notice of the London Passenger Transport Board.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will consider the desirability of setting up a joint committee to examine the present state of the laws relating to the right of suppliers of water, gas, and electricity to lay their mains under public highways and report whether, and, if so, in what ways, these laws require amending to meet modern conditions?

I will bear my hon. Friend's suggestion in mind in connec- tion with the consultation now taking place with the other Deparments concerned.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he intends to take any further steps to solve the impasse which has arisen over the widening of High Street, Romford?

Discussions are proceeding between my Department and the local authorities concerned as to the contributions to be made by the latter. The amount has not yet been agreed, but no impasse has been reached.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether masons employed under the superintendent, civil engineers, in His Majesty's dockyards are eligible to participate in the recent classification awards of wages?

The answer is in the affirmative.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty for what reason the present pensions of men in the dockyards are based on the average pay received by them during the last three years of their service instead of upon the actual rate which they are receiving previous to retirement; and whether any arrangement exists under which the men can exercise any option in this matter?

The pensions awarded to the great majority of established workmen in Admiralty employment are calculated on the actual pay and allowances received by them at the date of discharge. It is only when the emoluments of a workman have varied during the last three years of his service that the provisions of the Superannuation Acts require that his pension should be calculated on his average pay and allowances during the period. There are no arrangements under which a man can exercise an option in the matter.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what is the present number of chargemen of skilled labourers in Admiralty establishments at home who have served as chargemen for more than 15 years and are still unestablished?

The number is five.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will consider the award of good-conduct badge pay to ratings in the Supplementary Fleet Reserve who are paid on the 1935 rates of pay and who serve a grade lower if chief petty officers and wear good conduct badges, observing that honorary good conduct badges were abolished in 1912?

I think that my hon. and gallant Friend may be under a misapprehension. Except when a man has reentered after a break in service of more than five years and for that reason is not able to count his former service, men serving in the Reserve Fleet Supplementary Party do receive pay for their good conduct badges.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what is the percentage of recruits in the Navy for 1938 that was rejected through being physically unfit?

The total number of applicants for entry into the Royal Navy and Royal Marines for the year ending 31st March, 1938, was 58,547, and the number rejected on medical and dental grounds was 22,039, i.e., 37.64 per cent.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will reconsider the Admiralty Fleet Order refusing permission for certain serving pensioner ratings to re-engage for further service in the Royal Navy, in view of the fact that the number involved is very few and that these ratings volunteered for service as soon as their services were required in 1935?

The Admiralty Fleet Order to which my hon. and gallant Friend has referred relates only to men who are now re-engaging after completion of time for pension. Pensioners who reengaged for three years in 1935 will be allowed to re-engage for a further two years' service, provided that they are recommended.

asked the Prime Minister upon what date, according to their latest assurance, the Japanese have undertaken to restore the districts of Hongkew and Yangtzepoo to the Shanghai Municipal Council?

No date has yet been fixed for the restoration of Hongkew and Yangtzepoo districts to the control of the Shanghai Municipal Council. Further representations, however, were made by His Majesty's Ambassador in Tokyo to the Japanese authorities on the 13th July.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is kept informed of the progress of the Hodza-Henlein conversations; and can he make a statement?

His Majesty's Government have been kept generally informed of the progress of these conversations through His Majesty's Minister in Prague and the Czechoslovak Minister in London. As regards the. second part of the question I have nothing at present to add to the replies which I gave to my hon. Friend, the Member for Hitchin (Sir A. Wilson) on Monday last.

asked the Prime Minister what were the terms of the recent communication from the German Government regarding the strategic aims in the Iberian Peninsula attributed to them?

The German Ambassador called at the Foreign Office on 13th July and stated that he had been authorised by his Government categorically to deny the truth of articles in the British Press on 12th July containing what purported to be an account of a lecture delivered by a German General on German aims in the Iberian Peninsula. The Ambassador stated that no such lecture had ever been delivered and added that his Government were issuing a formal denial of these reports.