asked the Home Secretary in what number of provincial police forces the practice of allowing constables on duty to carry keys of private premises is followed; whether this practice operates in the Metropolitan Police area; and whether such practice meets with his approval?

No recent information on this point is available, but in only two cases have any representations on the matter been received recently and these have been referred to His Majesty's Inspectors of Constabulary for inquiry when they next inspect the forces concerned. The matter was carefully considered some years ago on representations by the Police Federation, and Chief Officers of Police in whose forces the practice existed were asked to review the practice and confine it to cases where is was clearly in the public interest, and could not be avoided by owners or occupiers of property taking effective measures to make this property secure. The practice does not operate in the Metropolitan Police.

asked the Home Secretary what is the number of ex-servicemen who joined the Metropolitan and other police forces, respectively, for the three years before May, 1937; and what percentage these are of both the short-term and long-term recruits in that period?

During the period 1st May, 1934, to 30th April, 1937, 238 ex-service men or 9.48 per cent. of the total entry joined the Metropolitan Police Force as recruits. Of this number 203 or 13.87 per cent. joined on long-service engagements and 35 or 3.34 per cent. joined on short-service engagements. Precise information for other police forces for this particular period is not available, but the average annual number of ex-service recruits for such forces over a period of years up to April, 1937, was approximately 45o or 22 per cent., all on long-service engagements.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the recognised need for an improvement in the physique of the nation, he will take steps to increase the proportion of doctors by permission for a greater number of refugee doctors from Germany and Austria to reside and practise in this country?

My right hon. Friend knows of no grounds for the suggestion that efforts to improve the physique of the nation are hampered by a shortage of doctors or that the admission of a further number of refugee doctors from Germany and Austria to practise in this country without regard to the special part they might be expected to play in the work of the national fitness movement would achieve the object the hon. Member has in mind.

asked the Home Secretary whether the Central Advisory Council for Fire Services has yet been appointed; and, if so, whether it includes representation from fire-fighting technicians, nominated by such bodies as the Institution of Fire Engineers and the Greater London Professional Fire Officers' Board?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, but my right hon. Friend is proposing to take an early opportunity of consulting the associations concerned regarding the constitution and proceedings of the Central Advisory Council. As regards the second part of the question, it is my right hon. Friend's intention to provide for the nomination of technical Fire Service representatives on the council.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the conflicting decisions of magistrates in motor car offences, particularly where alcoholic influence has been involved; and if he will consider issuing instructions for the guidance of magisterial benches in such cases?

The question what constitutes the offence of driving under the influence of drink is for the courts to decide and it is not within my right hon. Friend's province to issue any advice for the guidance of summary courts on this subject. If the hon. Member is referring to the different penalties awarded by courts of summary jurisdiction for this offence, it is for the courts to decide what is the appropriate penalty having regard to the particular circumstances of each individual case.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in spite of the postponement of the Milk Industry Bill, it is still his intention to grant assistance to the industry on the lines laid down in the White Paper of July, 1937?

I am unable at the moment to add to the statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, on Thursday last.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the present distress in many branches of the farming industry and the divergence of opinion that exists as to the appropriate remedies, he will consider setting up an immediate inquiry, to formulate practical proposals for restoring and maintaining agricultural prosperity?

Inquiries have been made by a number of commissions and committees into agricultural problems in recent years and effective action has been taken, or is about to be taken, by the Government in respect of many important agricultural products. The Government are in possession of full information in relation to outstanding problems, and I do not think that any useful purpose would be served by a further inquiry of the nature suggested by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what quantities of beet molasses were manufactured by the British Sugar Corporation and exported, respectively, in the last financial year; and what were the corresponding figures for the previous year?

The following are the particulars desired:

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, in connection with the increase in Civil Service staffs, mainly due to the Defence programme, it has been possible to establish a larger number of ex-service men civil servants?

The number of ex-service men employed in an established capacity in the Civil Service has increased from 117,800 on 1st April, 1935, to 128,500 on 1st April, 1938, the latest date for which figures are available.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will state in detail by Departments the additions to the Civil Service since 1st January this year in connection with the Defence programme and taxation; and in particular the number of vacancies for executive posts?

Comprehensive statistics with regard to Civil Service staffs are obtained annually and are related to the 1st April in each year, and accordingly no general figures are available as regards total increases since 1st January. It is, I regret, impossible to hypothecate increases in staff to particular objects such as those instanced by my hon. Friend. Ninety-nine vacancies for executive officers have, however, been filled in the Defence Departments since the 1st January and 160 in the Inland Revenue Department and Customs and Excise Department.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is now in a position to state the views of the Government in respect to a national scheme of insurance in respect to war risks?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on Tuesday by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to my hon. Friend the Member for Barrow-in-Furness (Sir J. Walker-Smith).

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what is the approximate proportion of the estimated total yield of £88,000,000 from taxation on road transport in this country during the financial year ending March next which will be paid in respect of commercial road vehicles and the fuel which they use?

Of the estimated total yield of £88,000,000 during the current financial year, £52,000,000 represents the customs duty on imported oil used as fuel in road vehicles and £36,000,000 represents motor vehicle licence duties.Of the licence duties it is estimated that £17,000,000 will be paid in respect of commercial vehicles, but there is no information available on which a reliable estimate can be formed of the oil duty payable in respect of fuel used by commercial vehicles as distinct from that used by other vehicles.

asked the Secretary of State for War why notice to quit has been served upon the families of serving soldiers living in the married quarters at Warley barracks?

The married quarters at Warley Barracks, like many others elsewhere, are being modernised, and it is necessary that they should be vacated while the improvements are effected. The families on the married establishment who are thus temporarily displaced receive, of course, the scale of allowance appropriate to those who have to find their own accommodation.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can state the names of those firms which did not reinstate the reservists who were called up in this country on the occasion of the recent international crisis?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Everton (Mr. Kirby) on Tuesday last.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the fact that owing to the damp a large number of names on the Menin Gate at Ypres are totally illegible; and what steps he is taking to renew them?

There are 54,889 names commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial. Of these, 37,582 are carved on panels which are under cover and these names are clearly legible. 17,307 names are carved on panels on the stairs leading from the main hall to the ramparts. These stairs are open to the weather and trouble has been experienced in preserving the names in a legible condition. These panels have had to be rubbed down, the names re-cut, and the whole surface of the stone treated with preservative.The panels in the North staircase were treated in this way in 1937 and those in the South staircase are now being dealt with. The work is nearing completion, but it is inevitable that, while the work is in progress, the names on the panels concerned must be difficult to read. When the work has been completed, however, all the names on the Memorial should be clearly legible.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many members of the Civil Air Guard are in training or have been trained in Wales?

Forty-four members of the Civil Air Guard, all of whom hold "A" licences, are now under training at the Cardiff Aeroplane Club: three of these have obtained "A" licences since joining the Civil Air Guard.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether his attention has been drawn to the serious delays in the arrival of the air mails in India; and what steps are being taken to prevent the loss and inconvenience which these delays and interruptions cause?

The increase in mail traffic due to the approach of Christmas has made it necessary temporarily to depart from the normal arrangements. The peak period of traffic for Australia and New Zealand is reached before that for India, so that recently all available accommodation on the three weekly flying boat services between England and Australia has been taken up by mails for Australia and New Zealand. During this period the Indian mails have been concentrated into two air dispatches weekly instead of five, and have been sent by the two weekly landplane services which terminate at Calcutta; but all mail for India has been cleared from the United Kingdom each week. As the volume of traffic for Australia and New Zealand decreases, the frequency of the weekly services to India will be increased as required.

asked the Minister of Health how many mental institutions were, during the crisis, cleared of patients; what number of patients were so dealt with; what became of them; and how many of them have now been re-admitted to the institutions they formerly occupied?

No mental institutions were cleared of patients during the crisis. The remaining parts of the question do not, therefore, arise.

asked the Minister of Health whether the Government have now considered the propriety of including the provision of funeral benefit in National Health Insurance?

The addition of funeral benefit to the benefits available to insured persons under the scheme of National Health Insurance is not at present in contemplation.

asked the Minister of Health how many children born in the year 1937 were vaccinated; how many children were, through the action of the father signing a declaration of objection, exempted from vaccination; arid if he has statistics showing whether the children who were exempted suffered any evil consequences through exemption?

I regret that statistical information regarding vaccination in the year 1937 is not yet available.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the high bacteria content frequently found in pasteurised milk; whether he is satisfied with the methods of counting bacteria; and what steps he is taking in view of the large numbers of bacteria found in the milk?

The Milk (Special Designations) Order, 1936, prescribes a maximum bacterial content for pasteurised milk before delivery to the consumer, and I am advised that the method of counting laid down by the Order is reasonably suitable. It is for the licensing authority under the Order to take steps to secure compliance with the prescribed standard.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can state the number of cottages for agricultural workers which have been built or are building in each of the Welsh counties during the last three years; and how far these figures meet the existing demand?

I am sending my hon. and learned Friend a statement showing the number of houses built by local authorities and by private enterprise in the three years ended 30th September last, and in course of construction by local authorities at that date, in the rural districts of the several Welsh counties. No records are available to show how many of these houses were for agricultural workers, but my information is that the demand for the housing of such workers is far from satisfied.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he can state the number of children attending elementary schools in the United Kingdom; the number receiving cheap milk, and the number receiving free milk?

The latest figures available relate to 31st March, 1938. At that date there were 5,035,506 children on the registers of the public elementary schools in England and Wales; of these 2,235,278 were receiving milk on payment at the reduced rate under the milk-in-schools scheme and 457,062 were receiving free milk.I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland that the corresponding figures for Scotland are:—

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he will state the number of local education authorities that are not providing free milk in schools, giving separate figures for Lancashire; the reason for such a decision; and what action his Department is taking to deal with the same?

In 48 areas in England and Wales, for the most part small, the local education authorities, of which four are in Lancashire, do not exercise their power of providing free milk. In eight of these areas free solid meals are provided. All areas are being surveyed by the Board with a view to ascertaining the reasons for the absence, or inadequacy, of arrangements for the provision of free milk.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he will state the number of children who began their education in elementary schools who have passed on to each of the universities in England and Wales in 1936–37, and the percentage this figure represents of the total number of graduates?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Shipley (Mr. Creech Jones) on 30th June last, a copy of which I am sending him.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty, in view of the decrease in the number of men regularly employed in sea-fishing in Great Britain, whether any steps are being taken to make good this decrease in a vital reserve for naval and auxiliary services?

The value of this potential reserve is fully appreciated. I am glad to say that at present the numbers are sufficient to enable naval requirements to be met.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what progress has now been made in providing guns in small ships in the Merchant Navy to defend themselves against attacks from submarines or airplanes in the event of an emergency; whether supplies of guns are available at any British ports in various parts of the world, and whether the majority of vessels in the mercantile marine could now be fitted with such guns at short notice in any emergency?

In reply to the first part I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the late First Lord on 4th May last, in which he stated that adequate stocks of anti-submarine guns have already been accumulated. Good progress has also been made in the provision of anti-aircraft equipments.The answer to the second part of the question is in the affirmative, and as regards the last part there should be no appreciable delay in fitting the majority of British merchant vessels with guns in an emergency.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will state the number of seamen boys and ordinary seamen, long service and special service, entered in the years 1935 and 1938; the number of commisisons as sub-lieutenant awarded in those two years; and the ratio of commissions per thousand entries of seamen ratings for each year?

The numbers are as follow:

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that there is a voluntary agreement between the railway companies and coastwise line companies on the subject of rate control, and that an extension of this agreement to road-haulage and canal companies was recommended in the report of the Transport Advisory Council presented in July this year; and whether he will take steps to accelerate the co-ordination of transport services and charges in order to provide the best solution to the railway problem?

I am aware of the circumstances stated in the first part of the question. As regards the latter part, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to a somewhat similar question by him yesterday.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has a list of firms who have established, or intend to establish, factories at the Hillington Trading Estate; and, if so, will the list be available to Members of this House?

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will state the number of A-licence holders, the number of A-contract licence holders, and the number of vehicles authorised under each class of licence at the 30th June, 1938, and at the corresponding period in the previous year?

The figures are:

I am sending the hon. Member a list supplied by the Industrial Estates Company giving the particulars requested.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the nearest Unemployment Assistance Board office to Romford and North Hornchurch is at Stratford, and to Barking, Dagenham, and South Hornchurch at Canning Town; that much inconvenience is thus caused to many unemployed persons; and whether he will consider opening a new Unemployment Assistance Board office in Heathway, Dagenham, to serve the Romford Parliamentary Division and surrounding districts?

I am in communication with the Board on this matter.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that many of the unemployed persons attending the Dagenham Employment Exchange from a distance use bicycles to save omnibus fares; and whether he will provide a bicycle-shed for their convenience?

I cannot provide cycle sheds for applicants but I will consider the possibility of providing cycle racks in certain places where space is available. The problem is not confined to Dagenham.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the total insured industrial population in the administrative county of Durham, and the county boroughs of Sunderland and South Shields for the years 1931 and 1938, respectively?

pursuant to his reply (OFFICIAL REPORT, 1st December, 1938; col. 566, Vol. 342), supplied the following statement:The table below shows the estimated numbers of persons, aged 16–64, insured under the general scheme of unemployment insurance at July, 1931, and July, 1938, in the areas in question, as indicated by the numbers of unemployment books exchanged at Employment Exchanges in those areas.

asked the Postmaster-General what staff is employed by the Post Office for the detection of unlicensed radio sets; and what number of prosecutions have been instituted during the last six months?

The inquiries are made by local postal and engineering staff of the Post Office as the need arises. No staff is employed exclusively on this work. The number of prosecutions undertaken during the last six months was approximately 3,500.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the great hardship caused to old age pensioners who enter an institution or hospital in consequence of the cost of maintenance and treatment being assessed as income; and whether he now proposes introducing legislation to prevent the continuation of this hardship?

After an initial period the fact that a non-contributory pensioner is being maintained at the expense of an institution or hospital is taken into account in assessing his means. Otherwise, the pensioner would be receiving both free maintenance and pension, and as in most cases the bulk of his pension is appropriated by the local authority any change as suggested would operate in the main as a grant-in-aid of local expenditure rather than to the advantage of the pensioner. The Government are not prepared to introduce legislation to effect this change.

asked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence whether he will state the composition, functions, and powers of the new Supply Advisory Committee?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave to the hon. Member for Fife, East (Mr. Henderson Stewart) on 28th November, 1938.

asked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence whether he can state the number of Government factories in connection with the rearmament programme within the Special Areas; the number of such factories established outside those areas; and whether he can give the number of workmen employed in the construction of, and the number that will be employed in the operation of, those factories within and outside the Special Areas, respectively?

The information asked for by the hon. Member as to the Government Factories which have been set up in connection with the rearmament programme can best be given in the form of the following table. The figures for the number of men employed in the construction relate to the numbers so employed at the present time and do not cover the numbers employed in the construction of factories which are now complete. I regret that it is not in the public interest to give the information as to the number of men who are, or will be, employed in the operation of these factories when completed.