asked the Secretary for Mines if he will state the number of clerical and salaried persons employed in each district of the mining industry of Great Britain for the years 1920 to 1928, inclusive?

Following is the information so far as available:

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will state the total amount paid for full, partial, and fatal accident compensation, respectively, and

Number of Cases of Accident in respect of which Compensation was Paid under the Workmen's Compensation Acts, and the Amount of Compensation Paid in the Mining Industry during the years 1931 to 1937.
Year.			Number of Cases.		Amount of Compensation Paid.
			Fatal Cases.	Disablement Cases.*	Fatal Cases.	Disablement Cases.*
					£	£
1931	…	…	996	170,887	308,512	2,092,452
1932	…	…	907	154 355	272 232	2,007,389
1933	…	…	901	147,441	278,972	1,868,117
1934	…	…	906	158,852	276,034	1,937,489
1935	…	…	1,235	161,509	376,141	2,070,726
1936	…	…	888	164,905	273,221	2,205,679
1937	…	…	914	169 250	74,313	2,188,109
* Particulars of the cases involving "partial disablement" and those involving "total disablement" cannot be separately distinguished.

NOTES.—The figures relate to all mines and include metalliferous mines which cannot be separated.The source of the information is the Home Office compensation statistics.

asked the Secretary for Mines what is the number of fatal accidents and the number of non-fatal accidents that have occurred in the coal mines to the last convenient date of this year; and what are the comparative figures for 1936 and 1937?

Following is the information:

Number of persons killed and seriously injured by accidents in and about mines under the Coal Mines Act during the periods from 1st January to 3rd December, 1936, 1937 and 1938.
Year.		Number killed	Number seriously injured.*
1936	…	718	2,818
1937	…	782	3,081
1938	…	774	2,889
* Injuries which, because of their nature or severity are, under the terms of Section 80 of the Coal Mines Act, 1911, required to be reported to His Majesty's Divisional Inspectors at the time of their occurrence.

NOTE.—Minor injuries for the complete years 1936 and 1937 were 135,968 and 140,645 respectively. Comparable figures for 1938 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will state the

Following is the information so far as available:number of persons in the South Wales and Monmouthshire coalfields classified as officials in their respective posts for 1920, and each year to date?

Particulars of the number of persons employed according to classes of workers are not collected periodically by my Department. A special inquiry relating to the years 1913 and 1924 was made by the Royal Commission on the Coal Industry (1925) and district figures are given in Appendix No. 18 of Volume III of their report. No later information is available.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will state the output of the South Wales and Monmouthshire coalfield, the number employed on the coalface and as datal labour, respectively, for the years 1913 and each year to date?

Particulars of the output of saleable coal in South Wales and Monmouthshire for each of the years 1913 to 1937 are contained in Table 6 of the Statistical Appendix to my Department's Seventeenth Annual Report. The answer to the second part of the question is covered by the answer I have just given to the hon. Member's previous question.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will state the number of persons employed on the coalface, also the number employed in and about the mines other than face-workers, for the year 1920, and each year to date?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Ogmore (Mr. E. J. Williams) to-day.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will state the output of the Northumberland coalfield per person on the coalface per shift; and the output per person employed per shift for the year 1920 and each year to date?

Following is the information:

NORTHUMBERLAND.
Year.	Output of saleable coal per man-shift worked.
	At the coal face.	All workpeople below and above ground.
	cwts.	cwts.
1920	not available	14.69
1922	57.45	17.36
1923	48.45	17.08
1924	47.84	17.30
1925	49.43	18.19
1927	58.50	21.66
1928	59.51	22.13
1929	60.32	22.54
1930	61.64	22.60
1931	62.96	22.77
1932	63.69	22.76
1933	64.21	23.19
1934	65.37	23.74
1935	64.89	23.71
1936	63.25	23.58
1937	62.88	23.28

Figures are not given for the years 1921 and 1926 when there were protracted disputes in the coal industry.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will state the number of coal-cutting machines and the number of conveyors in the Northumberland coalfield for each of the years 1913 to 1937?

The following is the information:

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will give the number of persons in receipt of allowances under the Unemployment Assistance Board in each area in South Wales and Monmouth-shire, with the number who are receiving winter allowances, and the total weekly cost?

The following table shows in respect of each administrative area of the Unemployment Assistance Board in South Wales and Monmouthshire: in column (a), the number of assessments current on the 21st November, 1938, for payment of unemployment allowances; in column (b), the number of such assessments which included an additional allowance under the Unemployment Assistance (Winter Adjustments) Regulations, 1938; and in column (c) the average weekly value of those additions. I am writing to the hon. Member about the weekly cost.

asked the Minister of Labour in what places in the County of Durham have industries been established, outside of the trading estates, as the result of overtures made to industrialists by the Commissioner for the Special Areas; the nature of these industries; and the number of workers employed?

The following are the particulars:

Situation of Industrial Nature Undertaking	Nature of Undertaking.	Numbers Employed.
St. Helen's, Auckland.	Leather Bags	Out of action owing to recent fire.
St. Helen's, Auckland	Buttons
St. Helen's, Auckland.	Moulding and Engraving.	14
Pallion	Clothing	149
Pallion	Oxygen	19
Hartlepool	Dolls and Toys	15
Hartlepool	Magnesite	51
Gateshead	Pneumatic Tools	80
Crook	Woodwork	31
Jarrow	Steel Forgings	280
Jarrow	Steel Tubes	200

Final arrangements have been made which will lead to the establishment of another five undertakings outside the Trading Estate.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has considered the further representations made to his Department from the Central Glasgow Advisory Committee for Juvenile Employment pressing for a comprehensive guide to all occupations in Glasgow for issue to school leavers; and whether he will make a statement?

I have thought it advisable to obtain the views of the other Juvenile Advisory Committees in the Glasgow area and as soon as these are available the matter will receive further consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the amount and value of bacon and ham imported into Great Britain from Denmark during each of the past 10 years?

The following table shows the total quantity and declared value of the imports into the United Kingdom of bacon and hams consigned from Denmark during each of the years specified.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that in commercial relations Finland has shown that she is not prepared to meet the reasonable requirements of this country with regard to the treatment of United Kingdom goods, he will take the earliest opportunity of abolishing the most-favoured-nation clause in relation to Finland?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave on 3rd November to the hon. Member for Bradford, East (Mr. Hepworth), to which I have nothing to add at present.

Ship.	Laid up at		Date chartered.		Reported date of arrival at port of loading.
"Taxiarchis"	Piraeus	…	22nd October	…	Galatz, 9th November.
"Mount Cynthos"	Piraeus	…	22nd October	…	Constanza, 5th November.
"Nitsa"	Syra	…	22nd October	…	Galatz, 4th November.
"Agia Marina"	Syra	…	22nd October	…	Constanza, 13th November.
"Chelatros"	Syra	…	22nd October	…	Braila, 4th November.
"Nellie"	Piraeus	…	22nd October	…	Braila, 21st November.
"Ia"	Syra	…	22nd October	…	Braila, 12th November.
"Penelope"	Piraeus	…	22nd October	…	Braila, 23rd November.
"Thrasyvoulos"	Syra	…	21st October	…	Galatz, 26th November.
"Perrakis L. Cambanis"	Chalkis	…	24th October	…	Braila, 15th November.
"Epaminondas c. Embericos"	Piraeus	…	24th October	…	Braila, 20th November.

With regard to the last part of the question by my hon. Friend the Member question, I would refer to the last part of for Dudley (Mr. Joel). the reply I gave on 6th December to a

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether it is the intention of the Government to make available facilities of the Export Credit Guarantee Department to China; and if, and when, he expects to make a detailed statement to the House upon the same?

Exports to China are eligible for guarantees under the Export Guarantees Act, 1937, and certain applications for guarantees in connection with such exports are under consideration. It is not the practice of the Export Credits Guarantee Department to publish information as to business done with individual countries.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many of the non-British vessels, chartered for the carrying of the Rumanian grain purchased by the Government, were, at the time of charter, laid up at the Piraeus; what was the date on which each of the vessels was chartered, and the corresponding date of arrival at the port of embarkation, with name of said port; and if he is now in a position to state the rates of freights in each case?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the following statement:Eleven non-British vessels were laid up when chartered. Details as under:

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many herring-fishing drifters are not fitted with complete wireless equipment; and if he will make a statement?

At the end of last year, there were 730 drifters in the United Kingdom. Of these, 147 were equipped with wireless apparatus for transmitting and receiving, and 545 with receiving apparatus only. The separate figures for Scotland were 459, 8 and 413, respectively. There is no statutory requirement that these vessels shall carry wireless apparatus.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that every month persons are killed and maimed for life by uninsured motorists without hope of compensation; and whether, in view of the fact that nearly three years have elapsed since the Cassel Committee was appointed and 18 months since it reported, he will consider the possibility of making retrospective provision for compensation from a central fund in such cases?

I do not think that this proposal would be practicable. There would be great difficulty in establishing or defending claims after a considerable lapse of time. The evidence given to the Cassel Committee was that cases of this kind were not numerous, and the committee did not recommend retrospective legislation.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has considered the desirability, when negotiating with the dictator countries, of urging upon them that they should effect an early return of their respective Governments to membership of the League of Nations; and will he consider making such a return to the League a necessary condition of further peaceful efforts for the pacification of Europe?

His Majesty's Government regard general co-operation in an international system of mutual consultation and collaboration as an essential element in the pacification of Europe. While, as has been stated in the past, His Majesty's Government are anxious that all great nations should co-operate in the attempt to establish a better order in the world, they do not consider that it would be useful to make the course suggested by the hon. Member a condition precedent to further efforts to this end.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will state the names of the members of the Livestock Commission appointed under the Livestock Industry Act, 1937, together with the remuneration of each member?

The names of members of the Livestock Commission are as follow:

• Lieut.-Colonel Sir John Robert Chancellor, G.C.M.G., G.C.V.O., D.S.O. (Chairman)
• Sir Francis Theodore Boys, K.B.E. (Vice-Chairman).
• George Dallas, Esq., J.P.
• Sir Robert Greig, M.C., LL.D., D.Sc.
• Sir Harold Gibson Howitt, D.S.O., M.C., F.C.A.
• R. N. Jones, Esq.
• J. M. Newnham, Esq., O.B.E., D.L., J.P., LL.D.
• Sir John Boyd Orr, D.S.O., M.C., M.A., M.D., D.Sc., F.R.S.
• The Hon. Jasper Nicholas Ridley, J.P., M.A.

The present position in regard to remuneration is as follows:

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that the Australian Meat Board's Report, 1937–38, estimates that the Australian exports of all classes of beef and veal to the United Kingdom in 1938 will show an increase of 281,000 cwts., as compared with 1937; and what steps he is taking to control these increasing imports?

I have been asked to reply. The level of imported supplies is fixed from time to time in accordance with the recommendations of the International Beef Conference, on which home producers are represented, in the light of the general supply situation. My right hon. Friend understands, however, that the estimate to which my hon. Friend refers w as made some time ago. It is not now anticipated that imports of beef and veal from Australia during 1938 will be substantially in excess of supplies during 1937, and for the first To months the increase was only 59,000 cwts.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether it is the intention of His Majesty's Government that those proposals in the Milk Bill which affect the supply of milk to children in schools, and also those which affect the supply to children under school age, will be proceeded with by legislation and by interim arrangements pending legislation?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave yesterday to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. T. Williams).

asked the Minister of Health whether he will consider introducing legislation to amend the Housing Act so as to compel local authorities to afford opportunities for reconditioning by the owners of premises scheduled for inclusion under slum-clearance orders before any actual demolition takes place?

The Central Housing Advisory Committee recently considered this question. They did not recommend any change in the law, in view of the necessity for finality, but they have made various suggestions for changes in administrative procedure to ensure that the possibilities of reconditioning are fully explored before an order for demolition becomes operative. I will send to my hon. Friend a copy of a circular on the subject which I hope shortly to issue to local authorities.

asked the Minister of Health what are the duties of the public vaccinator in connection with the vaccination of babies born in Queen Charlotte's Maternity Hospital; and whether those duties are prescribed in his contract with the St. Marylebone Borough Council?

The duties of this public vaccinator are set out in his contract with the metropolitan borough council, and I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the relevant part of the contract.

asked the Minister of Health whether the Board of Control has given any guidance to mental hospital committees respecting a desirable standard of air-raid precautions; whether it is compiling and co-ordinating information respecting air-raid precautions plans, and the expenditure involved by various mental hospital committees; what Government grants are available for this purpose; and whether he has secured an estimate of the approximate total expenditure involved if all public mental hospitals are to reach a good level of air-raid precautions efficiency?

My right hon. Friend hopes to issue very shortly a memorandum on the air-raid precautions which should be carried out at hospitals, including mental hospitals, in the more vulnerable areas. Information regarding precautions actually being carried out has been utilised in the preparation of the memorandum. As regards the cost the Government are prepared to assist in approved cases towards expenditure on precautions at hospitals, including mental hospitals, which are included in the emergency hospital schemes.No estimate of the total expenditure involved in protecting mental hospitals can be given at present as the appropriate measures vary widely according to local conditions.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will supply in the OFFICIAL REPORT a copy of an entry written in the visitors' book at the Park Prewett Mental Hospital by two Commissioners of the Board of Control in July, 1937, and of the entry as altered or amended by the Board some five months later, following an interview with a delegation from the committee of visitors of the hospital, there having been no inspection of the institution by the Board or any of its Commissioners in the interval?

It is competent for the Board of Control to direct such amendments in, or omissions from, a Commissioner's entry as they may think proper, and the entry, as amended, is the official entry. This entry will shortly be published in the second part of the Twenty-Fourth Annual Report of the Board of Control. In this particular case, the amendments were limited to the omission of certain phrases which were open to misconstruction and did not convey the impression which the Commissioners intended to convey. The omissions were not alterations of substance and did not alter the general character of the entry.

asked the Minister of Health why no reply has been sent to a letter of 27th August from the mental specialist about whom he made a statement in his answer to a written question by the hon. Member for London University on 28th July last?

Replies were sent by my Department on the 3rd August and the 5th September to letters received from this gentleman bearing the dates of 27th July and 20th August, respectively. Further letters received from him bearing the dates 6th September and the 20th September did not appear to call for reply. There is no record in my Department of the receipt of any letter from this gentleman bearing the date mentioned in the question.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in relation to replies he gave in this House to the hon. Member for Everton on 18th November, 1936, and the 21st June, 1937, he can now give the House any information as to the result of the conference in Liverpool on 16th November, 1938; is he aware that the Liverpool University, the Royal Infirmary, and other users of large amounts of coal in Liverpool have taken steps to reduce the smoke nuisance, whereas the railway companies appear to have taken none; that a gauge in the thickly-populated Everton district has, over a period of many years, registered the highest soot deposit for the whole of the country; and what steps lie proposes to take to abate the nuisance to the inhabitants?

I am informed that as a result of the recent conference in Liverpool the London Midland and Scottish Railway Company have decided to initiate a series of experiments in methods of firing locomotives with the object of mitigating smoke nuisance.I am informed that this gauge has been placed intentionally in the midst of one of the most densely populated parts of Liverpool. The Everton district is not an industrial area and the gauge there is registering for the most part deposits resulting from the burning of domestic coal. The Liverpool Corporation have been active in mitigating the nuisance from manufacturing smoke.

asked the Minister of Pensions how many appeals for the granting of pensions have been referred to him by Members of Parliament on behalf of their ex-service constituents; and how many have been granted by him since he entered office as Minister of Pensions?

The letters I receive from Members of Parliament regarding cases of all kinds have amounted to about 3,000 a year; but an individual case may often, and, necessarily, involve several letters, and I am afraid that I have no precise record of the number of separate cases in which complaint is made to me. It is estimated, however, that the pro portion in which, on further review of the case, pension is found to be admissible, is about 7 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give the quantities of malt, unmalted corn, rice, maize, etc., sugar, glucose, and hops used in brewing in Great Britain and Northern Ireland during the year ended 30th September, 1938; and also the quantities of malt, unmalted corn, rice, sugar, and molasses used for distilling during the distilling year ended 30th September, 1938; together with the number of bulk barrels of beer brewed, and the number of gallons of spirits distilled, during the same period?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answers given yesterday to the hon. Member for the Attercliffe division of Sheffield (Mr. C. Wilson) of which I am sending him copies.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware of the inconvenience to the public and the unfair position of licensed victuallers in the county of Monmouth on Christmas Day, when public licensed premises will not be allowed to open whilst clubs can trade; and is he prepared to suggest or consider any reasonable proposal to meet the convenience of the public in this respect?

The position in this matter appears to be determined by Section 2 of the Licensing Act, 1921, which my right hon. Friend has no power to modify. No change could therefore be made without amending legislation.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the sufferings of the German Jewish refugees and the increased work in his Department in granting permits to those for whom guarantees are forthcoming and for whom homes can be found, he will appoint more temporary clerks to cope with the work?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to similar questions on 8th December, 1938.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the fact that His Majesty's Government have promised land for refugee settlement in British Guiana, they will work out a definite scheme for the development and settlement of that country, without waiting for the elaboration of an international scheme?

A committee was appointed some months ago in British Guiana to consider and advise what steps are practicable to expedite the development of the economic resources of the interior of the Colony, and its report is expected shortly. Any proposals that may be put forward would, of course, have to take into account the proposals made regarding refugee settlement.With regard to the settlement of refugees, as has already been announced, His Majesty's Government are prepared to give facilities to any committee of investigation which is authorised to go to British Guiana, and to assist such a committee with the services of one of their own experienced officials. His Majesty's Government are ready to play their part in this work as soon as the necessary plans can be made.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can give any indication of the numbers of slot-machines for the sale of contraceptives in existence and of the parts of the country in which these machines are to be found; and whether there are any parts of the country and, if so, which parts, in which his Department regard the numbers of these machines in existence as a source of danger to health or to morals?

My right hon. Friend's attention has only been drawn to the existence of such machines in three large centres and he has no information that in any part of the country there is an appreciable number.

asked the Home Secretary whether each bleeding of each horse in the preparation of the new preventive treatment for tetanus in the Army is recorded as a separate experiment in the Annual Return of Experiments on Living Animals?

I am informed that the new preventive treatment for tetanus now adopted in the Army does not involve the bleeding of horses.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he will state the circumstances under which tenders invited from this country by the Government of Siam in respect of two cruisers were not accepted?

No, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he has any information from the Government of New Zealand as to the restrictions on imports into that country recently imposed and as to the effect this will have on New Zealand purchases from this country?

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he is aware that, as a result of the new import regulations of the Government of New Zealand, no goods can enter that Dominion shipped from this country after the 7th December without an import licence even though these goods may have been contracted for months ago; and whether he will make representations to the New Zealand Government to modify these regulations which will cause serious losses both to British shippers and manufacturers and bring about further unemployment in many districts especially in Lancashire?

On 6th December, His Majesty's Government in New Zealand introduced measures of exchange control which include the licensing of imports of goods into New Zealand. I have not yet sufficient information in regard to the conditions under which import licences will be made available to judge the probable effect of these measures on imports of United Kingdom goods, but a public statement has been made on behalf of the New Zealand Government to the effect that they fully recognise their obligation to buy as much as possible in this country. I understand that the New Zealand Government are making special arrangements regarding the importation of goods ordered before the 5th December and I am in communication with the New Zealand Government on the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he is aware that revenue in Southern Rhodesia derived purely from native sources, both in 1937 and in former years, is substantially greater than the expenditure of the native development and native affairs votes; and whether he will take steps to secure that the expenditure is increased and made at least equal to the revenue?

I have no power to take the action suggested by the hon. Member in the last part of his question. I would observe, however, that the Votes for Native Affairs and Native Development do not cover the total expenditure for the benefit of the natives in Southern Rhodesia, and that the figures to which he refers cannot be regarded as affording a basis of comparison between the revenue derived from natives and the expenditure on their behalf.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs if he will state the number of Natives in Southern Rhodesia brought before and charged in the courts; the number of convictions and of committals to prison; the number of Natives who failed to pay their but tax in 1937; the amount credited to prisoners for road-making in comparison with the wages paid for this purpose to Native labourers who are not prisoners; and whether he is aware of the disproportionate fines as compared with the wages of the offenders?

I have not particulars as to various of the points raised in the question. I am accordingly making inquiries of the Government of Southern Rhodesia and will communicate with the hon. Member as soon as a reply is received.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he is aware that no differentiation is made with regard to persons landing in Great Britain from the Dominion of Eire who have been naturalised in Eire under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1935, and have not become British subjects and other citizens of the Dominion of Eire landing in Great Britain who are British subjects; and, under these circumstances, how undesirable aliens who have acquired Irish citizenship under the above-mentioned Act which does not confer British citizenship are prevented from entering Great Britain?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I am not aware of the ground for the implication in the second part. The general system for the control of aliens in Eire is exercised on similar lines to that in this country, and the statutory requirements for naturalisation in Eire as to residence, good character, etc., are substantially the same as in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will make a statement about the housing position in Stornoway?

The Town Council of Stornoway have built 214 houses since 1919 and 72 are at present under construction. It is estimated that about 120 additional houses will be required to end overcrowding and replace unfit houses. The town council have obtained an option on nine acres of land for further housing development.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will make a statement on the water supply arrangements of the Isle of Eriskay?

Water in Eriskay is obtained from wells and springs, and I am informed that the local authority have taken the view that a gravitation supply for the island cannot be provided at a reasonable cost. The results of a survey carried out by the county council's consulting engineers have not yet, however, been considered by the council.

asked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence what is the total value of the contracts in connection with the rearmament programme placed with firms operating within the Special Areas, and firms operating outside the Special Areas, respectively?

The total value of Government orders by or on behalf of the Defence Departments placed direct with firms located or operating in the Special Areas during the period 1st April, 1936, to 30th September, 1938, is estimated at about £112,000,000. The corresponding figure for orders placed during the same period with firms outside these areas is about £405,000,000. It is impracticable without excessive labour to disentangle the part of the above orders which are in connection with the rearmament programme, but it may safely be assumed that this is the case for the bulk of them. It should be added that the above figures take no account of sub-contracting.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will state the present position with regard to the request of the Territorial Army Association of the County of Essex for the construction of new headquarters for the four units at Colchester?

Since the Association made its request, the reorganisation which I recently announced of the Territorial Field Army will involve a redistribution of some units. As soon as a final decision regarding the location of the four units now at Colchester has been reached, the question of new headquarters will be pursued.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the success of the film "Territorial Cavalcade," he is proposing to commission further films illustrative of other aspects of Army activity; and whether, in that case, he will make a statement as to when the next film will be commenced?

The film "Territorial Cavalcade" was not commissioned by my Department, but was produced and shown by a private individual in order to assist recruiting for the Territorial Army. I cannot positively answer the second part of the question, but every encouragement will be given to suitable proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider the greater use of films in popularising all branches of Army work?

It is intended to use films as extensively as possible for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the recent new rates of retired pay for serving officers of the Army, he is now prepared to review those of retired officers who were promoted to permanent commissions from the ranks during the Great War?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Chatham (Captain Plugge) on 1st December last.

asked the Secretary of State for War what are the numbers now employed at the Nottingham and Chilwell Royal Ordnance factories; and whether any increase in these numbers is to be expected in the near future?

The total number of civilians employed is as follows:

Royal Ordnance Factory, Nottingham	3,300
Central Ordnance Stores Depot and Royal Army Ordnance Corps Workshop, Chilwell	1,590

The above figures exclude personnel employed on construction works. Certain increases are in view dependent upon the supply of skilled and semi-skilled labour.