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

Every decree for debt given in the Ordinary Court and Small Debt Court contains warrant to arrest, poind and sell. Statistics of the total numbers of poindings are not available, and the records in the Court Books of decrees for debt and of poindings (so far as available) and sales resulting from poindings cover all cases—not only those in which the debt consisted of arrears of rent. I regret, therefore, that it is not practicable to extract from the records particulars of the nature asked for in the question.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that the Milk (Special Designations) Amendment Order, No. 2 (Scotland), 1938, has reduced from a minimum of 3·5 per cent. to 3 per cent. the butterfat contents of milk for which licences are granted by local authorities for the sale of certified tuberculin-tested and standard milks; that Scottish health authorities are viewing with great apprehension this decision to reduce the food value of graded milks; why this reduction in standard is sought to be imposed upon local authorities; and will he consider representations with a view to the foregoing Order being revoked?

I am aware that the Order, which was made with my approval, has been criticised by certain Scottish local authorities.The primary public health aim of the Government's milk policy is to stimulate the supply of clean and safe milk by offering premiums to producers who take out licences for the production of graded milk. The retention in the conditions for these licences of a butterfat standard higher in Scotland than in England would have discriminated against Scottish producers and would have deterred many of them from attempting to qualify for licences and thus detracted from the success of the drive for increased production of clean milk.There is still an incentive to Scottish producers to maintain a high butterfat standard, for the Scottish Milk Marketing Board have included in their contracts with producers a condition that the butterfat content of all milk supplied to the Board should reach 3.5 per cent. in autumn and winter and 3.4 per cent. in spring and summer; where these standards are not reached a deduction is made from the contract price.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many arrests were made by the Glasgow police, during the period of the Empire Exhibition, of persons charged with being drunk and disorderly; or drunk and incapable, with a breach of the peace; and with other offences in which the accused were under the influence of liquor; how many arrests in

Total number of arrests of persons for offences committed with in the City of Glasgow while under the influence of drink.			Number of arrests of persons made within the grounds of the Empire Exhibition included in Column 3.
Nature of offence.	May October, 1937.	May October, 1938.
1.	2.	3.	4.
Drunk and incapable	4,233	3,912	153
Drunk and entering public house	35	27	—
Drunk incharge of child, etc.	35	39	1
Driving or attempting to drive or being in Charge of a motor vehicle in contravention of Section 15 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930.	73	97	—
Breach of peace	2,145	2,285	48
Miscellaneous	772	719	—
Totals	7,293	7,079	202
NOTE.—Information is not available as to the number of persons included in Column 3 who had been with in the grounds of the Empire Exhibition prior to their arrest.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the many anomalies in the law and regulations governing the special constabulary service in Scotland; and whether, in order to encourage recruiting and efficiency, he will arrange a conference of chief constables and other interested parties to examine the present position; and make recommendations?

I am aware that the Statutes governing the special constabulary service in Scotland are not in all respects suitable to present-day conditions, and I am considering the question of introducing legislation to amend them. I shall consult the interested parties as soon as I are in a position to put definite proposals before them.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of old age pensioners in Scotland, giving separate figures for Glasgow, who

The following statement gives particulars of such information as is available:received relief in money or kind for the years ended March, 1937 and 1938?

The number of old age pensioners receiving relief in Scotland at 15th May, 1937, was 39,088 and at 15th May, 1938, 41,727. The Glasgow figures were 14,054 and 15,246 respectively. I regret that the figures for March are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will give the total number and the average age of persons buried as paupers in Scotland for the years ended March, 1937 and 1938?

I regret that the information for which the hon. Member asks is not available in my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total number of Scottish local authorities who have made representations to him on the question of increased expenditure on local relief during the past two years?

A conference of representatives of 36 public assistance authorities in Scotland was held in October, 1937, to consider the burden on local authorities of the cost of public assistance. I have received a letter on behalf of the local authorities conveying the resolutions adopted by the conference and I am meeting a deputation from them on Saturday next in Glasgow.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost to public funds of each of the nine polls taken since 1930 under the provisions of the Scottish Temperance Act?

The approximate cost to local authorities of polls held under the Temperance (Scotland) Act, 1913, during the years 1930 to 1935 was as follows:—

Voting areas in Scotland in which Polls under the Temperance (Scotland) Act, 1913, were taken during the years 1930–35.
Area	Approximate cost to Local Authority.
	£	s.	d.
Burgh of Wick	53	0	0
Burgh of St. Monance	11	9	10
County of Inverness (Parish of Harris)	35	0	0
County of Caithness (Parish of Watten)	24	6	10
County of Renfrew (Parish of Mearns)	67	7	4

The figures are based on returns furnished triennially by local authorities. Similar returns for the period 1935 to 1938 are not yet available.

asked the right hon. and gallant Member for Rye, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, how many trees were destroyed by fire in Norfolk during the past summer; and how many trees are included in this season's planting programme and the acreage involved?

I have been asked to reply. The Forestry Commission lost approximately 217,000 small planted trees by fire in Norfolk during the five months March to July. There were no losses in August or September. This season 696 acres will be planted in Norfolk with approximately 1,300,000 tree plants.

asked the right hon. and gallant Member for Rye, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, whether he can give information showing the difference in the prices between the sale of British pit-props this year compared with a year ago?

Statistical information is not available for making a close comparison between the prices of British pit-props this year and last, but general information shows a substantial fall from the exceptional prices of last year amounting to approximately 25 per cent.

asked the right hon. and gallant Member for Rye, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, whether the Commissioners have considered an application from the Transport and General Workers' Union for a week's holiday with pay for employés of the Forestry Commission and payment for all statutory holidays; and what was the nature of their reply?

The Forestry Commissioners received from the Transport and General Workers' Union an application on behalf of their members employed by the Forestry Commissioners for one week's annual holiday with pay and payment for all statutory holidays.Their reply was that the Agricultural Wages Committees were not taking action under the Holidays with Pay Act, 1938, pending the issue of Regulations on the subject by the Minister and that it might be a little time, therefore, before the Commissioners decided what action they would take. The Regulations have since been issued but none of the committees has yet issued any Order under the Act.Meanwhile the Department's forest workers receive the holidays with pay provided for in effect in the Orders of the respective Agricultural Wages Committees or four days annually where there is no such provision or where the provision is for less than four days.

saked the right hon. and gallant Member for Rye, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, what objects the Commissioners had in view in summoning the informal conference which took place at Lyndhurst on 4th November; what proposals were laid before it and what decisions were arrived at; if there was any reason why the New Forest Association, which comprises in its membership a large number of commoners and other people interested in the preservation of the amenities of the New Forest, was not invited to send representatives although representatives were invited from the county borough of Bournemouth, the boundaries of which ate nowhere contiguous with those of the New Forest; and whether it was an oversight that no invitation to attend was sent to the hon. and gallant Member for the New Forest and Christchurch Division?

The object of the informal conference at Lyndhurst on the 4th November was to discuss the coordination of town planning in the vicinity of the New Forest with the maintenance of the unique character of the Forest itself. No definite proposals were laid before the conference.It was decided that the Ministry of Health should invite the planning officers of the local authorities concerned to consider and report on the various planning proposals from the point of view of maintaining the character of the Forest. The conference was restricted to official bodies and the New Forest Advisory Committee on which the New Forest Association is represented.It was not considered necessary to occupy the time of Members of Parliament with an informal conference of this kind, and the Forestry Commissioners trust that neither the hon. and gallant Member for the New Forest and Christchurch Division (Major Mills) nor other Members for the areas concerned will feel that they have been overlooked in any way.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can make any statement as to the progress of negotiations for a trade agreement with India?

asked the President of the Board of Trade when the Indian trade agreement will be completed?

The negotiations for a new trade agreement with India have reached an advanced stage. The whole matter is at the moment under the consideration of the Government of India as a result of their recent discussions with their unofficial advisers, and I hope that active negotiations will be resumed shortly.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has considered representations from organisations of traders suggesting the need for the immediate institution of a scheme of insurance against war risk damage to stocks of merchandise and cargoes at sea; and whether, in view of the importance of enabling the movement of essential commodities to be maintained under all possible contingencies, this matter will be considered apart from the general question of damage to fixed property?

Yes, Sir. These questions are under consideration.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the Department of Overseas Trade Report shows United Kingdom purchases from Argentina last year in the ratio of 670 to 286 of Argentine purchases from the United Kingdom; that this creates a credit balance by which Argentina can continue to meet all her obligations to Britain and provide income on £140,000,000 of railway investments now allowed to earn no income; and will he set off this credit balance in any revision of the Anglo-Argentine Meat Agreement?

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that conditions imposed by the public authorities have prevented £143,000,000 of British capital, which provided the Anglo-Argentine railways, from paying any dividend for several years past; and whether he will decline to extend the trade agreement with Argentina while the Argentine authorities compel the railways to work under freight schedules, staffing conditions, and rates of exchange which deny them an operating profit while providing indirect subsidies to the pastoral interests?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne North (Sir N. Grattan-Doyle) yesterday. All questions relating to the continuance of the present Trade Agreement with Argentina will fall for consideration in the light of circumstances when the time comes; in this connection the observations of my hon. Friends will be borne in mind.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the annual revenue in England and Wales from Road Fund licences of all cars; what is the amount received from fines from all courts for motor offences; and will he give figures for England, Wales and the county of Glamorgan separately?

The net revenue from duties on mechanically-propelled vehicles collected during the year ended 3oth November, 1937, was:

	£
England	27,927,200
Wales and Monmouth	1,241,572
of which collections in Glamorganshire (including the county boroughs therein) amounted to	538,654

Fines received during the same period in England and Wales amounted to £391,439. I hope the hon. Member will not press for separate figures for England, Wales and Glamorgan, the extraction of which would entail a disproportionate amount of labour.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider making a substantial grant to local authorities towards health services, particularly water and sewerage schemes, where such authorities are unable to develop and maintain these services, from Road Fund revenues; and will he consider special additional grants to distressed areas?

The purposes for which Road Fund revenues may be used are laid down by statute and do not include such services as those mentioned. Local authorities already receive very substantial assistance from the Exchequer towards the cost of their health services by means of the block grant and in the Special Areas the Commissioners have offered additional assistance. The Government are asking Parliament to continue the operation of the Special Areas Acts but cannot see their way to introduce the further legislation which would be required to enable special additional grants to be made.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he will state the net receipts of Customs and Excise in the United Kingdom for the year ended 31st March, 1938, in respect of beer, home and imported, home-made spirits, imported spirits, wine, including British wine, liquor licences, and monopoly value;(2) the quantities of British spirits distilled in England and Northern Ireland, and Scotland, respectively, during the year ended 31st March, 1938; also the quantities of rum, brandy, Geneva, and other spirits imported during the same year; and the quantities of home-made spirits exported?

The particulars asked for are as follow:

(1)Receipts:
Beer:	£
Home-made	61,241,404
Imported	4,498,817
Total	65,740,221
Spirits:
Home-made	31,092,200
Imported	4,757,236
Total	35,849,436
Wine, imported	4,988,729
Sweets, including British wines	498,521
Liquor licences	4,305,194
Monopoly value	316,060
(2) Quantities:
	Proof gallons.
British spirits distilled in England and Northern Ireland	45,878,148
British spirits distilled in Scotland	32,502,799
Spirits imported:
Brandy	492,094
Rum	1,916,372
Geneva	72,037
Unenumerated spirits (including imitation rum)	392,065
	Liquid gallons.
Liqueurs, cordials, mixtures and other preparations containing spirits in bottle, entered in such a manner as to indicate that the strength is not to be tested	3,070
	Proof gallons.
Home-made spirits, exported:
Whisky, Scotch or Irish	8,270,136
Other sorts	1,319,267
Note.—The above quantities represent ethyl alcohol only.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state the profits of breweries for the year ended 31st March, 1938, as computed for Income Tax purposes, less the amounts allowed for wear and tear of machinery, and including profits arising from the carrying on of any trade auxiliary to the main business?

The profits of brewing concerns for accounting years ended in the Income Tax year 1937–38 are estimated at £31,500,000 after allowance for wear and tear of plant and machinery, but before making any allowance for National Defence Contribution. This figure includes profits arising from trade ancillary to the main business.

asked the Prime Minister whether there is to be an additional Defence programme to that already announced;(2) whether he is considering the possibilitiy of increasing the productive capacity of the country to accelerate the rearmament programme;(3) whether he is now in a position to give the House the full details of the Defence proposals foreshadowed in his answer on 1st November?

The programmes of the Defence Services are kept under constant review. They have recently been reviewed and such adaptation or expansion as is required by changing circumstances has been decided upon.In regard to the Air programme and to capacity for manufacture of aircraft, I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Air on l0th November.As regards the Navy and Army I would refer my hon. Friend to the statements made by myself and by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence on 17th November. As then stated, steps are being taken to correct certain deficiencies in the Navy programme, and to increase not only the programme of anti-aircraft production but the capacity of gun manufacture. The increase of the productive capacity of the country in connection with the armament programme is constantly under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider placing the whole of the anti-aircraft sphere of activity under a single and separate department of the War Office; and whether there are any objections and, if so, of what nature, to such a policy?

Anti-aircraft defence, within the sphere of War Office responsibility, has since 1st November been centralised under a single and separate department. The second part of the question, therefore, does not arise.

asked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence whether he is aware that there is a large amount of unemployment among skilled shipbuilding workers in Aberdeen; that owing to non-employment of the large facilities in that port for the building of small vessels, potential resources which were invaluable during the last War are depreciating; and whether he will take steps to counteract this situation?

I am aware of the facilities in Aberdeen for building small vessels and of the fact that there is unemployment among shipbuilding workers in Aberdeen. I understand the hon. Member has been informed of orders placed in Aberdeen during the last two years and of the circumstances generally. I can assure the hon. Member that the facilities in Aberdeen will not be forgotten.

asked the Prime Minister whether His Majesty's Government will now enter into negotiations with the Government of the United States with a view to reaching a final settlement of the debt question?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the terms of the latest exchange of notes on this subject between His Majesty's Ambassador at Washington and the United States Secretary of State, contained in Cmd. Paper No. 5763, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has caused a protest to be made to the Japanese Government at the entry of Japanese soldiers of the premises of Messrs. Andrew Harper and Company at Canton; and the seizure of motor cars and accessories on the premises in spite of the British consular seals having been placed on the building?

My Noble Friend has called for a report on this case.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will inquire into the action of the vaccination officer for Harrow, Middlesex, who sent to Mr. J. Smith, of Minehead Road, South Harrow, Form Q, dated 3rd November, 1936, when the child to whom it related was four months old on 25th October, 1938?

I am informed by the county council that the case cannot be traced from the particulars given. If the hon. Member will give me the full address, I will cause further inquiries to be made and will communicate with him.

asked the Minister of Health why no information is now furnished in the annual reports of the Chief Medical Officer of Health of his Department in regard to the vaccinal condition of the smallpox cases and deaths occurring in this country; and whether he will arrange for the information in question to be supplied in future?

The collection of information regarding the vaccinal condition of smallpox cases was abandoned some years ago as it was then considered unnecessary to obtain further statistical information on this subject. I am prepared, however, to look further into the matter and will communicate with the hon. Member in due course.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that in Birmingham, Sheffield, and other large cities large surpluses are accumulating from rents of the housing schemes; and will he, therefore, consider the advisability of suggesting that these surpluses be used as a nucleus for providing funds for building small bungalows or cottages for the aged at 5s. per week rent, in view of his own forecast that the older population will increase in number while the younger generation will decrease?

Under the Housing Act, 1936, the extent to which any balances in the Housing Revenue Accounts can be regarded as surplus to requirements falls to be determined in 1940. A local authority requiring houses for aged persons may provide them under their normal housing powers. In fixing the rents of the houses they are required to have due regard to the rents ordinarily payable by the working classes in the locality, but they can apply the resources of the Housing Revenue Account for granting rebates to tenants.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has any record of the approximate mileage of the coast of Great Britain now owned by private individuals or companies; how much of such mileage is not available to the public; and whether he proposes to take any action to preserve the existing amenities of the coast and to prevent further coast from being despoiled or passing into private possession for building purposes?

My right hon. Friend has no such record. He is hoping very shortly to issue to local authorities who are preparing schemes for coastal areas under the Town and Country Planning Act, 1932, some suggestions for the control of development on the sea-coast and the protection of existing amenities.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the difficulties that have arisen in connection with the Matrimonial Causes Act through the failure or refusal of a mental hospital visiting committee to safeguard a medical superintendent by giving him instructions respecting the answering of reasonable inquiries respecting divorce proceedings; and whether he will take steps to avoid any such difficulties in future?

The Board of Control have suggested to the Mental Hospitals Association that the position of the Medical Superintendent might be safeguarded if the Visiting Committee give him definite instructions to answer reasonable inquiries. My right hon. Friend is not, however, empowered to give Visiting Committees any direction in this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether the 15 Atlantic flights promised by the Air Ministry for 1938 have been carried out?

The programme of trans-Atlantic flights which I gave in July last in reply to the hon. Member for West Islington, was, as I then explained, provisional, and it has in fact been modified. The Mayo Composite aircraft made two successful trans-Atlantic flights in July, and it was then decided to carry out no further Atlantic trials but to subject it to the more severe test of a non-stop flight from England to South Africa: this was successfully performed in September.Certain modifications were found necessary in the Albatross landplane, and the completion of the new Empire Flying Boat was delayed owing to urgent Service requirements arising out of the international crisis. Consequently the extensive flying trials which are essential before flights of this kind can be undertaken were still in progress in October. It would have been unwise to embark on experimental flights across the Atlantic so late in the year, and it was accordingly decided to postpone the programme until the spring. Further flight and refuelling tests are now being carried out in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will state the type of air-liner used by the Prime Minister during his last flight to Munich; the country in which the liner was manufactured; and the country in which the engines were manufactured?

The Prime Minister was flown to Munich on 29th September in a Lockheed 14 landplane belonging to British Airways. This type of aircraft and its engines are manufactured in the United States.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that when the British Ambassador to Germany flew to Berlin, on or about 31st August, he travelled by a Dutch air-liner; and whether there is any British passenger air service to Berlin?

Yes, Sir. The British Ambassador to Germany flew to Berlin from Croydon on 30th August in a Dutch air liner. The only British air service to Berlin at present is the night mail service of British Airways, but a passenger service is one of the services planned for as part of the extension of European routes.

asked the Home Secretary whether the dust respirator produced by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research has received his approval?

The dust respirator known as Mark IV represents a considerable advance, and I am advised that it is likely to be of value over a wide field. The question of adopting it for use in particular industrial processes will, however, depend on the conditions in the industry and other circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he is aware that under the convention of 1880 with the rulers of Swaziland it was provided that the consent of the Swazis must be obtained to any temporary or permanent administration by another government; whether on the termination of this administration the convention still survived; whether he is aware that the Swazis still contend that the provision of this convention is operative; and whether due regard will be paid to this fact in any discussions which may take place with regard to the future of the High Commission Territories of South Africa?

I am not aware of any such convention, and the last part of the question does not therefore arise.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he has considered a communication from the Warwickshire County Council concerning the plan contained in Appendix C of the Report of the Evacuation Committee involving the evacuation of a portion of the refugees from Birmingham into Warwickshire; and whether, in view of the high density of population in that part of the county lying to the north of a line running through Henley-in-Arden, Kenilworth and Rugby, he will consider revision of the plan so as to exclude such northern part of the county from the billeting area?

This communication reached me on Friday of last week, and I have arranged for the proposals put forward to be considered by the Minister of Health who, as I have already explained to the House, has undertaken the responsibility for working out, in consultation with me, the detailed plans for the evacuation of the civilian population in time of war.

asked the Secretary for Mines what action is being taken to protect the export of coal from this country against the organised subsidisation of coal exports from other countries?

I cannot at present add anything to the reply which I gave on 15th November to the hon. Member for Blaydon (Mr. Whiteley). The problem is still being actively explored,

Length of last spell of unemployment.			Administrative County of Durham.	County Borough of Sunderland.	County Borough of South Shields.
Less than 3 months	…	…	23,149	6,997	5,546
3 months but less than 6 months	…	…	5,603	1,469	699
6 months but less than 9 months	…	…	3,053	802	396
9 months but less than 12 months	…	…	2,526	610	336
12 months or more	…	…	14,196	5,051	1,809
Total	…	…	48,527	14,929	8,786
Corresponding figures are not available in respect of persons registered as unemployed but not applying for benefit or allowances.

asked the Postmaster-General how many temporary postmen it

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the total number of persons between the ages of 18 to 64 who are unemployed in the administrative county of Durham and in the county boroughs of Sunderland and South Shields, and the duration of their unemployment?

At 17th October, 1938, there were 50,040 unemployed persons aged 18 years and over on the registers of Employment Exchanges in the administrative county of Durham; the corresponding figures for Employment Exchanges in the county boroughs of Sunderland and South Shields were 15,448 and 9,138 respectively. The numbers of applicants for unemployment benefit or allowances included in these totals were 48,527 for the administrative county of Durham, 14,929 for the county borough of Sunderland and 8,786 for the county borough of South Shields. The table below gives an analysis of these cases according to the length of the last spell of registered unemployment. Among the persons who had been on the register for extended periods, a proportion, which will increase as the period on the register increases, will have had one or more short spells of employment lasting not more than three days each during those periods.is anticipated will be engaged in Liverpool to cope with the Christmas traffic; and how applicants for such employment may register their applications?

About 2,000 men will be required in the Liverpool area. Applicants should register at the local Employment Exchanges.

asked the Postmaster-General how many transmissions of the Reuters news agency service are sent each day through the Rugby wireless station; whether these messages receive preferential rates; whether the news agency receives any subsidy or financial contribution from His Majesty's Government; whether fees are charged for messages used in newspapers in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, or South Africa; and whether these messages are given preference in time of transmission over His Majesty's Government's own service, British official wireless, whose messages are widely published throughout Australia and New Zealand?

About twenty news messages are transmitted each week day from the Rugby wireless station on behalf of Reuters for simultaneous reception in a number of distant countries. The charges for their transmission are computed on a commercial basis having regard to the volume of the traffic and the conditions of service; and the same principle would be applied in fixing the charges for news messages sent on behalf of any other agency.At the time of the recent international crisis Reuters were requested by His Majesty's Government to increase their normal service of news to foreign countries by two thousand words a day on the understanding that the additional costs involved would be reimbursed by His Majesty's Government; and Parliament will be asked to vote the necessary funds in due course.I have no information as to the fees charged by Reuters for the right to use their messages in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, or South Africa, nor regarding any wireless reception charges which may be made by the telegraph administrations of those countries. The messages from Rugby are transmitted in accordance with a pre-arranged schedule and are not given any preference in time of transmission over British official wireless messages.