asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any information in regard to the excessive profits made by British shipping companies trading with Government Spain; and whether seamen receive increased rates of pay, in view of the additional risks incurred

pursuant to his reply (OFFICIAL REPORT, 20th December, 1938, col. 2660, Vol. 342) supplied the following information:THE NATIONAL MARITIME BOARD.Bevis Marks House,Bevis Marks,London, E.C.3.20th October, 1938.The Joint Secretaries,All District Maritime Boards.DEAR SIRS,VESSELS TRADING TO SPAIN AGREEMENT.I beg to inform you that at a Joint Meeting of the Navigating Officers', Engineer Officers', Sailors' and Firemen's, and Catering Department Panels of this Board, held on 19th October, 1938, it was agreed that on and from 1st November, 1938, Section 1 of the Trading to Spain Agreement of the 21st January, 1937, as amended on 18th February, 1938, shall be replaced by the following:1.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give the imports and exports in general merchandise traffic in the River Tyne for the year 1938, compared with the corresponding period of 1937?

The following table shows the total declared value of merchandise imported into and exported from the United Kingdom at the ports of New- castle and North and South Shields during the years 1937 and 1938, so far as the particulars are at present available.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that his Department have offered traffic to road hauliers of live cartridges between London and Gloucestershire, a distance of 140 miles, at 12s. per ton; and, as this action is encouraging uneconomic rate cutting in the transport industry, he will, in the general interests of the country, take steps to prevent such an offer being made in future?

I am not aware of any such traffic between London and Gloucestershire. Perhaps my hon. Friend is referring to traffic of safety ammunition from Woolwich to Staffordshire. In this case, however, a rate higher than the figure mentioned in the question was quoted by a contractor and accepted.

asked the Secretary for Mines (1) whether he will state the numbers employed, the number of miners injured and the percentage of injured to the numbers employed in the North Staffordshire area during the years 1922, 1925, 1928, 1932, 1934, 1935, 3936, 1937 and 1938, respectively, and specify the causes of the accidents;(2) the number of miners injured in the North Staffordshire area in 1925, 1932, 1935, 1936, 1937 and 1038, and specify the causes of the accidents?

The following is the available information:

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he can give the number of accidents in the North Staffordshire area per 100,000 man-shifts worked underground for the years 1922, 1925, 1932,

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he can give the output of coal in the North Staffordshire area per man-shift for 1925, 1935, 1937, and 1938, respectively?

The information is as follows:

The following is the information:

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he can state the number of accidents in the North Staffordshire area for the years 1925, 1935, 1937, and 1938, respectively, giving the number injured per 100 employed in the following age groups: under 16 years, 16 years and under 18, 18 years and under 25, 25 years and under 45, 45 years and under 55, 55 years and under 65?

The number of persons injured and disabled for more than three days and the injury rate per 100 persons employed at mines under the Coal Mines Act in North Staffordshire, shown by age groups, during the years 1925, 1935 and 1937 are as follow. Particulars for 1938 are not yet available.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will state the number of typewriters purchased in 1938 by the Stationery Office for all Departments of State; and the number of British manufacture so purchased?

The total number of typewriters purchased by His Majesty's Stationery Office for all departments of State during the year 1938 was 6,667, of which 6,641 were of British manufacture.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the urgent importance of having available trained officers for new units to be formed, he will initiate before the consideration of the next Army Estimates courses for Territorial Reserve officers?

Over and above the existing facilities, there is no provision in current estimates for such a proposal. But, as I have informed my hon. Friend, I will consider the matter in connection with the forthcoming Army Estimates.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will state the number of new houses built and let in the city of Leicester during the year 1938 up to the latest convenient date?

The number of houses built to let in the city of Leicester in the year ending 30th September, 1938, was 892.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will state the number of new houses built for sale in the city of Leicester during 1938 up to the latest convenient date?

The number of houses built for sale in the city of Leicester in the year ending 30th September, 1938, was 1,349.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the amount standing to the credit of the Unemployment Insurance Fund at 1st January, 1939, or the latest convenient date?

At 28th January, 1939, the total balance of the Unemployment Fund was about £46,395,000, including investments at cost.

asked the right hon. and gallant Member for Rye, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, why the Forestry Commission is endeavouring to purchase Balhaldie Hill, near Braco, land which is suitable for sheep grazing, in view of the fact that this land, if purchased by his Department, would be lost to agricultural production, and that there is so much rough ground, particularly in Scotland, unsuitable for grazing but quite suitable for afforestation?

The Forestry Commission considered the question of purchasing Balhaldie Hill, but decided not to do so.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will give the names of any commons in respect of which application was made to his Department during 1938, or was outstanding on 31st December, 1937, under Section 194 of the Law of Property Act, 1925, to make an enclosure, specifying in each case whether a public inquiry has been held; the area of land sought to be enclosed; the purpose for which it was proposed to enclose the land; the area, if any, thrown into the common in lieu of the land enclosed; the result of the application; and the reason, in any case where consent has been given without an area being thrown into the common at least equal to the land enclosed, for not requiring that course to be followed?

The particulars which the hon. Member requires as to applications under Section 194 of the Law of Property Act, 1925, are as follow:

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will give, by counties, a list showing the acreage of common lands and manorial waste in rural parishes outside the Metropolitan area over which the owner of the soil of the common or waste has by deed given the public rights of air and exercise since the passing of the Law of Property Act, 1925; distinguishing between the acreage dealt with before 1938 and during that year and a list of those counties in which no action has been taken?

The particulars which the hon. Member requires are as follow:

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will state the number of depositors in the Post Office Savings Bank, and the aggregate amount of their deposits on 1st January, 1939?

The number of depositors in the Post Office Savings Bank on the 1st of January, 1939, was approximately 11,200,000, and the aggregate amount of their deposits was £509,300,000.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will state, for the year 1938, the number of parcels carried on the cash-on-delivery service; and the number returned as undeliverable during that period?

The number of Cash-on-Delivery parcels carried during 1938 was 2,833,000. The number returned as undeliverable, including those refused, was 75,000.