asked the Secretary for Mines the number of miners employed in Great Britain, and also in the county of Durham, for the year 1934, and each succeeding year up to the latest available date in 1938?

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he can give a list of the coal pits that have been closed since 1922 in the county of Durham; and the number of miners thrown out of work at such pits?

Since the 1st June, 1924, 91 pits in Durham, each employing 10 or more persons and in the aggregate 16,455 persons, have been closed and not re-opened. As the hon. Member has already been informed in reply to his questions on the 16th June, 1931, and 27th May, 1935, the 1st June, 1924, is the earliest date from which the information asked for is available. I am sending the hon. Member a detailed list of the mines in question.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that despite recent decreases in the total horse population of this country the number of horses imported from abroad has continued to increase, and that in 1937 17,559 horses were imported as against an estimated production for the year by British horse breeders of about 100,000 horses; and whether he will review the whole matter with a view to curtailing or prohibiting these imports?

I am aware that the number of horses imported into the United Kingdom annually has increased in the last four years, but the figures for the first ten months of this year show a substantial decrease compared with the corresponding period in 1937. Moreover, the average declared value per head of the horses imported has increased sharply in the past two years and for the current year to date was £152. I have no reason to believe that the volume of imports is depressing the market for home-bred horses. In the circumstances I do not consider it necessary to take the step suggested by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Agriulture whether he will state the number of outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease originating in tubercle-tested herds in the years 1932 to 1937, respectively; and the percentage of the number of such outbreaks to the total for each year?

No outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease has occurred in England, Wales or Scotland in any herd appearing in the Register of Herds officially attested under the Tuberculosis (Attested Herds) Schemes which were inaugurated on 1st February, 1935. I regret that no records exist indicating the number of outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease during the years 1932 to 1937, originating in herds (other than attested herds) which had been tested with tuberculin.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will give details of the plan for setting up a central and local organisation for the acceleration and increase of the home production of food in the circumstances that prevailed during the last week of September, with a view to informing rural authorities and farmers, whose co-operation is essential to the success of any scheme of the Ministry, and relieving their apprehension?

It is contemplated that, in the event of war, my Department would be responsible for the carrying out of a campaign for increased home food production. To assist the Department in the exercise of such powers as may be entrusted to the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries by Parliament in such circumstances, it is proposed to set up County Agricultural Executive Committees in England and Wales. For the reasons I stated during the course of the Debate on 15th November, no good purpose would in my opinion be served by a publication of details of the Government's plans.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is contemplating any further legislation as regards land drainage?

I am at the present time awaiting the views of the associations representing the Catchment Boards and other drainage authorities as to the amendment of the Land Drainage Act, 1930, and at a later stage I shall have to consult the other local authorities concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he can state the quantity of foreign barley that has been imported to the north of Scotland whisky distilleries through the ports of Lossiemouth, Inverness, Invergordon, and other Scottish harbours this season; and at what price the grain was purchased?

The total quantity of barley imported through the port of Inverness (including Invergordon, Lossiemouth

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can supply particulars as to the number of men employed on the land in Monmouthshire for each of the past 10 years?

The following statement gives particulars of the male agricultural workers, returned by occupiers as employed on agricultural holdings over one acre in extent, in Monmouthshire on 4th June in each of the years mentioned.and certain smaller ports) during the months of September and October, 1938, was 51,760 cwts., and the declared value was 6s. 9d. per cwt. I have no information regarding the ultimate destination of the imported barley.

asked the, Minister of Labour the number of unemployed persons in the various trades which are concerned in the house building industry at present in the city of Glasgow; and similar figures for Scotland?

:The total number of insured persons, aged 14 to 64 years, in the building industry classification, recorded as unemployed at Employment Exchanges in the large burgh of Glasgow at 17th October, 1938, was 4,598, of whom 4,337 were men aged 21–64, 228 were youths and boys under 21 years, and 33 were women and girls. The corresponding figures for Scotland were 14,441, 13,612, 722 and 107 respectively. The numbers of unemployed men, aged 21–64 years, in the various occupation were as follows:

asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of unemployed men and women registered at the Ringwood Labour Exchange at the latest convenient date, and the corresponding figure a year ago; and what other parishes besides Ringwood are included in the area served by this Exchange?

At 17th October, 1938, 197 men and 13 women, aged 18 and over, were registered as unemployed at the Ringwood Employment Exchange; the corresponding figures for 18th October, 1937, were 101 men and seven women. The area served by an Employment Exchange is not necessarily co-terminous with local authority areas, but the area covered by the Ringwood Exchange includes approximately the parishes of Ringwood, Verwood, West Moors, Burley, Ellingham, Harbridge, Ibsley and Broomy.

asked the Minister of Labour the numbers of persons employed, on the registers of the Chatham and Gravesend Employment Exchanges, at the latest convenient date; and give corresponding figures for the years 1935, 1936 and 1937?

The available figures relate to the total numbers of insured persons whose unemployment books were exchanged at the Chatham and Gravesend Employment Exchanges (including the Juvenile Employment Bureaux) at the exchange of books beginning in July of each year, and the numbers of insured persons recorded as unemployed at those offices. The table below shows, for the Chatham and Gravesend Exchanges, the approximate numbers of books exchanged by insured persons aged 16–64 (exclusive of persons under the agricultural scheme) at the exchange of books in each of the years 1938, 1937, 1936 and 1935, and the numbers of insured persons recorded as unemployed at a date in October of the same years.

asked the Minister of Health whether the five cases of post-vaccinal encephalitis referred to in the annual report of the Chief Medical Officer for 1937 had been vaccinated with Government lymph; what arrangements exist for the notification to his medical department of cases of post-vaccinal encephalitis; and whether he is satisfied that all cases of this description are so notified?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second and third parts, medical practitioners have been requested from time to time by notice in the medical Press and otherwise, to report to my Department any case of acute nervous disease following within four weeks of vaccination; information regarding such cases is also obtained from the returns rendered by public vaccinators to the Government Lymph Establishment regarding the use of Government lymph. I am advised that there is no reason to suppose that any sensible number of such cases escape the notice of the Department.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has considered communications submitted by local authorities expressing the need for amendment of the National Health Insurance Acts in respect of old age pensions to alleviate the hardship of aged persons; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter?

I am aware that such communications have been submitted, but I am afraid the Government cannot see their way to introduce legislation for the purpose suggested.

asked the Minister of Pensions how many ex-service men in receipt of disability pension are contributing voluntarily, by means of deductions from the weekly war pensions, to National Health Insurance and widows', orphans', and old age pensions, and widows 'and orphans' pensions only; and are tabulations being made of the information gained from the replies to his circular letter of August, 1938, to all disability pensioners with regard to the health and contributory pensions insurance system; and will the tabulations be made available to give some idea of the extent to which the men concerned are not in insurable employment?

The total number of officers, nurses and men contributing voluntarily by means of weekly deduction from pension is, at the moment, about 1,500. Applications continue to come in daily. The replies as they come in are being investigated in the first instance by the Ministry of Health, and the results are tabulated as the cases are completed. When the final results are available, I shall be prepared to give the principal figures.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he is aware that in the recent Anglo-Turkish Agreement no provision has been made for the remuneration of the British consulting engineers who are being employed as a result of that agreement; and whether steps are being taken to remedy the matter?

I assume that the hon. Member refers to consulting engineers employed by the Turkish Government in connection with contracts under the Anglo-Turkish Guarantee Agreement. In such cases it would fall to that Government to make due provision for their remuneration. With regard to including such expenditure in the amounts to be covered by the guarantees, I do not think that any insuperable difficulty is likely to arise.

asked the Lord Privy Seal, how many children, under the original scheme of evacuation, it was proposed to remove from London and billet in the country; how many adults it was similarly proposed to remove; whether these removals were from the administrative county of London only or from Greater London, or from the Metropolitan police district; and what was the estimated weekly cost of all the necessary billeting thereby entailed?

The emergency arrangements were based on an estimate that from the county of London and some of the more congested areas adjacent to the county the number of school children sent out with their school teachers might amount to about half a million and the number of other persons wishing to leave and unable to make their own arrangements might amount to about a million and a-half. If these figures had been realised the gross amount of the billeting payments would have been in the neighbourhood of £600,000 a week but the net amount would have depended on the amount recovered from those in a position to contribute to the cost.

asked the Attorney-General the ages of the members of the juvenile Court of Kingston-on-Thames?

I have been asked to reply. Of the two juvenile court panels at Kingston-on-Thames, the borough panel complied with the request made in September, 1936, for a statement of the ages of the members, while the county panel did not. I do not think that any useful public purpose would be served by giving the desired information in respect of a particular panel.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he can state the number of cases which have been placed before the Tithe Redemption Commission appealing for reduction or total remission; how many such cases have been heard; and the number of recommendations for remission, if any, which have been made, and the sums involved?

The number of notices served upon the Tithe Redemption Commission requiring reference to the Arrears Investigation Committee is 4,082, relating to arrears of tithe rentcharge totalling £128,281. Directions have been given by the committee in 3,097 cases, involving arrears amounting to £99,261. Remission has been directed in 1,294 of these cases, the amounts remitted being in all £21,010, in respect of a total of £59,865. In 610 of these cases, the committee further directed that the arrears should be recovered by instalments: they gave similar directions in 356 cases, relating to £11,582, where there has been no remission.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of sub-post offices in England, Wales and Scotland, respectively, stating the number of sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses in each country, respectively?

On the 31st of March, 1938 the number of scale payment sub-post offices in England and Wales was 20,020 and in Scotland 2,378.On the same date there were, in England and Wales, 12,725 sub-postmasters and 7,190 sub-postmistresses; and in Scotland 1,269 sub-postmasters and 1,106 sub-postmistresses.The difference between the number of offices and the number of sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses is accounted for by the fact that, in a few cases, sub-postmasters are responsible for more than one sub-office.As the post office district boundaries and the county administrative boundaries are not co-terminous it is not possible, without a disproportionate amount of labour, to furnish separate figures for Wales.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of hours sub-post offices are open for business each day in Great Britain; and whether the hours are uniform in England, Scotland and Wales?

Scale payment sub-post offices in England, Scotland and Wales are normally open for public business each week-day from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., except on the early closing day, when they are open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; but in some cases the hours of opening are shorter. Scale payment sub-postmasters are under no obligation to give personal attendance.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses who are in receipt of salaries of £1 per week or less, stating each separately?

The number of sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses whose emoluments do not exceed £1 a week is approximately 6,650. Separate figures for sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses are not available: the scale of pay is the same for both sexes. Scale payment sub-offices are usually run in conjunction with a private business and the post office emoluments are not of course intended to constitute the sole means of subsistence. The post office business transacted at the smaller sub-offices would in many cases occupy in the aggregate only a few hours a week.

asked the Postmaster-General how many instances there have been where, as the result of inaugurating automatic telephone exchanges in rural areas, the rates charged to subscribers for calls made has been increased; whether he is satisfied that members of local advisory committees are truly representative of the whole area affected by such charges; and whether he will reconsider the whole question, in view of the fact that subscribers who entered into agreements with the Post Office on certain terms strongly object to finding such terms modified to their detriment without having been consulted in any way?

I assume that the hon. Member refers to changes in call charges when a number of exchanges within a certain area are given a common name upon the introduction of automatic working. These changes usually involve a few increases in call charges in some directions with reductions in others. Such changes are comparatively rare and no record of the number of them is available. Full weight is given to the views of the subscribers affected and, in addition, consultation takes place with the local Post Office Advisory Committee representing any part of the area concerned. I am satisfied with the steps taken to implement the wishes of the public when changes of this nature are under consideration.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will cause an inquiry to be held in regard to the complaints made to the Dukinfield Municipal Council concerning the postal services, so that better facilities may be given to the town in regard to these services?

I understand that the complaints relate to delays in the post and the latest time of acceptance of parcels at the Dukinfield Post Office. Parcels are now accepted at the Dukinfield Post Office up to 7.30 p.m. instead of 7.0 p.m. as formerly. I am making further inquiry regarding delays in the post and will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the recent criticisms, he will arrange for translations of the last six broadcasts by the British Broadcasting Corporation in German to be placed upon the Table of the House of Commons?

I have ascertained that the British Broadcasting Corporation will be prepared to arrange for translations of the six broadcasts in question to be supplied to any hon. Member, on request. It seems to me that this arrangement should meet the needs of the case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to the recent resolution passed at the Sixth Congress of the Associated West Indian Chambers of Commerce urging that in view of the continued critical position of the West Indian sugar industry, and the difficulty of paying higher wages and improving conditions at the existing price level, there should be an immediate increase in the number or value of the special imperial preference certificates; and whether, in view of the fact that the world price of sugar has been so little affected by the decisions reached at the International Sugar Conference, he will now examine the desirability of overcoming the immediate difficulty of the West Indian sugar industry by the method suggested?

I am aware of the resolution to which my hon. Friend refers but, while I have every desire to assist Colonial producers, I think it is premature to conclude that the International Sugar Agreement will fail to improve the sugar market. I would point out that the existing preference on Colonial sugar already costs the United Kingdom taxpayer a sum of the order of £44,000,000 a year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will consider an increase in the number or value of special Imperial preference certificates to the sugar-producing Colonies in most urgent need of relief?

While I have every desire to assist Colonial producers. I think it is premature to conclude that the International Sugar Agreement will fail to improve the sugar market. I would point out that the existing preference on Colonial sugar already costs the United Kingdom taxpayer a sum of the order of £4,000,000 a year.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can give the number of warrants for distress on account of arrears of rent issued in England and Wales in each of the years 1919 to 1937; how many in each year were executed; the total amount of arrears involved in each year in the warrants issued and executed, respectively; the number of homes the whole or part of which was sold under such warrants; and the amount of the proceeds of such sales in each year?

As the hon. Gentleman is aware, distress on account of arrears of rent can be levied in England and Wales through a certificated bailiff without recourse to the courts. No statistics, therefore, are available which would enable me to give the hon. Gentleman the information for which he asks.

asked the Minister of Transport how it is that formalities have not yet been concluded for freeing the Sutton-Courtenay toll bridge in spite of the fact that all arrangements between the two county councils affected (Berkshire and Oxfordshire) have been completed and that repairs have actually been commenced on the bridge, although the private company are still in possession and charging tolls; and whether he will take steps to expedite the formal handing over and freeing of the bridge, thus removing a cause of annoyance to inhabitants on both sides of the river?

I understand that the completion of the conveyance has been unavoidably protracted because of the time required to obtain the signatures of all the trustees of the bridge. It is now expected that all formalities will be completed and the bridge freed from tolls within three weeks.

asked the Minister of Transport what representations have been made to him by official or unofficial bodies for the utilisation of London square gardens for purposes of car parking in subterranean garages; whether he is aware that a number of these squares are governed by Act of Parliament, and that those persons appointed under the Act are responsible to the residents in the squares who pay rates for the amenities; and if, before deciding that such underground excavations are to be made, he will give an assurance that these excavations will be of sufficient depth to protect the roots of the trees which are one of the chief features of these London open spaces?

Motoring organisations and private persons have suggested that parking places should be constructed beneath some of the London square gardens but no representations in the matter have been made to me by any statutory body. As I have no power to construct such parking places or to make grants in respect thereof, the last part of my hon. Friend's question does not arise.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the disappointment of the agricultural population at the decision that no legislation is to be introduced this Session to improve electricity distribution in rural areas; and whether, in these circumstances, he will consider taking alternative measures to deal with this urgent problem?

If my hon. and gallant Friend has in mind any particular area where there are specific difficulties or lack of supplies and will communicate with me I will gladly have inquiries made.