asked the Secretary of State for War whether, during the coming spring and summer, he will endeavour to popularise and arrange for Territorial route marches, with the object of stimulating recruiting?

Demonstrations by mobile groups have elicited interest in the past, and will be considered again this year.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will have some inquiry made regarding the difficulties experienced by ex-service officers wishing to join the Officers Emergency Reserve?

The difficulties are due solely to the large number of applications which have been coming in with increasing velocity for months past. It is not generally realised what care is expended on each individual application, some of the steps necessary in each case being as follow:

(a) Draw personal papers (if any).

(b) Take up the two references.

(c) Pass to branch or branches for acceptance in order to register his name in the correct category.

(d) Very often write to applicant as he has completed the form incorrectly or failed to give necessary information, or has given particulars about himself at variance with those contained in his personal papers.

(e) Register his particulars.

(f) Send him letter of acceptance or otherwise.

It will be appreciated that all these steps take time if proper discrimination is to be shown.My hon. Friend will be aware that the list is now closed.

asked the Secretary of State for War when allowances due to officers of anti-aircraft units of the Territorial Army who were called up in September will be paid?

Officers in many cases incurred expenditure above the authorised rates of allowances, and in a great number of cases the expenditure incurred varied. A special rate has now been decided on, and outstanding claims are in course of being met.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will state the number of claims received for compensation for loss of trade, due to the presence of the anti-aircraft artillery camp at Stiffkey, Norfolk; the number of claims paid, the amount of money involved and the amount paid out to date?

Forty-four claims have now been received and the total sum claimed amounts to £1,131. No payments have yet been made, as the investigations of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries are not complete.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will state the number of claims received for compensation for loss of trade during the past firing season, due to the presence of the antiaircraft artillery camp at Weybourne, Norfolk; the number of claims paid, the amount of money involved and the amount paid out to date?

The number of claims received to date is 29 and the total amount claimed £2,154. No payments have yet been made, as the claims are still under investigation by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is in a position to say when the report of the Committee on Courts Martial Appeals will be published?

The report has reactions on the Indian Government and on other Government Departments whose consideration is not yet completed.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the Committee on Court Martial Proceedings has completed its report; and, if so, when it will be published?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer I have to-day given to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Armagh (Sir W. Allen).

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can state the number of recruits to the Army during 1938 who were industrially unemployed at the date of their enlistment?

Of the 61,552 applicants for enlistment in the Regular Army during 1938, 16,960 were unemployed at the time of their application. The records of the Department are not kept in such a way as to show the number of recruits finally approved who were unemployed at the date of enlistment, nor do they differentiate between industrial and other employments.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many offers his Department has received of buildings for emergency hospitals in time of war; how many of such premises have been inspected by his Department; and what percentage of the offers, as a whole, have been definitely accepted and refused, respectively?

131 offers of buildings for use as emergency hospitals in war have been received by the War Office, several of which seem likely to be suitable for Army purposes. To date, two of these buildings have been inspected. None has been definitely accepted or refused, pending consultation with other interested Departments. It will be borne in mind that we already have both Regular and Territorial military hospitals.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether adequate defence against air attack has now been provided for the city and port of Liverpool; and whether, in particular, modern anti-aircraft guns have been provided for the 70th (3rd West Lancashire) Anti-Aircraft Brigade, Royal Artillery, and a full complement of searchlights and sound detectors provided for the 38th (The King's Regiment) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for the Scotland Division of Liverpool (Mr. Logan) by the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence on 14th November last. I hope I shall not be pressed to make public details of unit equipment.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he intends to change the pattern of service dress or other uniform at present issued to the Regular and Territorial Armies; when it is proposed to carry out such changes, if any; and whether Members of this House will be afforded an opportunity of inspecting any proposed new patterns before they are finally adopted?

I may be able to refer to these matters in my Estimates speech.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether Members of Parliament could be given an opportunity of seeing examples of the latest weapons and equipment issued to the Army?

In response to my hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion, I will arrange to hold a demonstration of the latest Army types of weapons, vehicles and other equipment at Aldershot on Wednesday, 22nd February. A note of the proposed arrangements will be circulated to hon. Members to-morrow, and I hope that all those who may be interested will avail themselves of this opportunity.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will be in a position to announce any proposals for the improvement of the conditions of service of officers in the Army Educational Corps before the Army Estimates are considered by this House?

I may be able to refer to this matter in my Army Estimates speech.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that his contracts department have, during the last year, made a practice of inviting firms to tender for the supply of ammunition boxes, mines, and other equipment in such small and uneven quantities that it is impossible for such firms to quote a competitive price, as in many instances the cost of providing the tools for the job is prohibitive; what is the object of issuing such invitations as the quotations cannot either provide a check on prices or result in the placing of orders which would afford the firms an opportunity of making themselves ready for a national emergency; and will he consider altering this system?

There is ample capacity for manufacturing ammunition boxes and kindred stores, and competition in quoting for the orders is very keen. It has not been found that the cost of providing tools has prevented firms from quoting successfully. At times the date by which the stores are required makes it necessary to divide the orders among several firms in order to secure the necessary delivery.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will state the number of occasions during the past two years on which the British Board of Film Censors has communicated with the War Office for information or advice; and whether he will give the names of the films concerned?

So far as can be traced, the answer to the first part of the question is "none," and the second part, therefore, does not arise.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his Department will consider employing more civilians to perform all kinds of non-military work in barracks, in order to avoid depriving units of soldiers for training purposes?

An appreciable number of ex-soldiers is already employed on such work, and I will consider increasing these.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he will state the number of registered listening schools at the most recent date in 1939?

I am informed by the Central Council for School Broadcasting that 9,130 schools in England and Wales were registered as listening to the school broadcasting programmes on 27th January last.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he will give the number of school children medically examined in the city of Leicester at the latest convenient date; the number of medical examiners then employed; and the number of children then found to need medical treatment?

During the year ended 31st December, 1938, 12,331 public elementary school children in the city of Leicester were examined at routine medical inspections, and 19,076 at special inspections. There were also 25,402 re-inspections.The number of children found at routine medical inspections to require treatment for defects other than defects of nutrition, uncleanliness and dental diseases was 1,886. Information is not available to show the number of children found to require treatment at special inspections, but 11,987 defects requiring treatment were found.On 31st December, 1938, nine medical officers (giving the equivalent of six whole-time officers) were employed by the local education authority in the work of medical inspection and treatment.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that a deadlock has been reached between the Fife County Council and the Lochgelly District Council as to which authority shall accept responsibility for the maintenance of that portion of Cartmore Road which falls outside the boundaries of the burgh of Lochgelly, and that in consequence the road has fallen into a serious state of disrepair; and whether he will intervene to settle with the two authorities as to where responsibility lies?

Cartmore Road, Lochgelly, is not at present a county road repairable by the county council. It is a parish road which the district council, as successor to the parish council, have power to repair, but they are under no obligation to do so. The question is one for local settlement and I have no authority to intervene.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether, in view of the fact that the cost of steel in Britain is still well above the world price, he has made or proposes to make any special arrangements with the iron and steel firms by which the British Government has not to pay a price for the steel air-raid shelters on a high profit-bearing basis?

Yes, Sir, Special arrangements have been made with a view to meeting the point which the hon. Member has in mind.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether it is intended that boroughs, other than county boroughs, shall be responsible for the setting up of air-raid precautions committees to administer their own area, or are such boroughs to continue to be controlled by the county council committee in whose area they are?

Under the Air-Raid Precautions Act the duty of preparing general precautions schemes within an administrative county rests in the first instance with the county council.In the circular of 26th January last I have indicated that no substantial amendment of the Act affecting the duties of local authorities is proposed. At the same time I have emphasised the important part which local authorities within a county have to play and I have stressed the need for taking them fully into consultation and for assigning to them specific responsibilities and functions. When boroughs or urban districts apply under the terms of the Act for power to make a separate scheme, their applications will be fully considered; but I have indicated in the circular that I propose to continue the practice of requiring a special case to be made by reference to the distinctive characteristics of the area.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that by the use of vocational films boys and girls on the threshold of industry can be given valuable knowledge of the processes and methods employed in the industries which they desire to enter; and will he take such steps as may be necessary to enable his Department to approve for grant purposes expenditure by local authorities on the production of such films?

No, Sir. I regret that I cannot do this. I am, however, prepared to recognise for grant expenditure by local education authorities on the display of such films.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will indicate the approximate upswing of wages for the year ended 31st December, 1938?

In those industries for which statistics are regularly compiled, the changes in rates of wages reported to the Department during the year ended 31st December, 1938, are estimated to have resulted in a net increase of about £260,000 in the weekly full-time rates of wages of over 2,300,000 workpeople and in a net decrease of about £19,000 in the weekly full-time rates of about 320,000 workpeople. These statistics are exclusive of changes in the rates of wages of agricultural labourers, domestic servants, shop assistants, clerks and Government employés, and they relate in the main to changes collectively arranged between organised groups of employers and workpeople. It is estimated that, in the industries for which information is available, the average level of full-time weekly rates of wages rose by between 1 and 1½ per cent. during this period. Statistics, in further detail, of the changes which occurred during 1938 are given in a special article on pages 3 to 5 of the "Ministry of Labour Gazette" for January, 1939.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the hardship caused to building trade workers during the winter months through loss of time in wet weather, he will consider introducing amended regulations enabling unemployment benefit to be paid to building workers in respect of all whole days lost owing to weather conditions?

I have at present under consideration a scheme submitted to me by the National Joint Council for the Building Industry in England and Wales for making wet-time payments to workers in that industry.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether any steps are being taken to speed up the re-housing of the staff of His Majesty's Inspector of Taxes at 37, High Street, Huntingdon, where working conditions for the staff are very unsatisfactory; and is he aware that suitable sites for such re-housing are available, but may be lost by unnecessary delay?

The question of providing improved accommodation for the Inland Revenue and certain other official staffs in Huntingdon has been under consideration for some time past but up to the present it has not been possible to devise a satisfactory scheme. The possibility of obtaining a suitable site on which to erect a Crown building is being investigated.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will state the number and locations of the wireless transmitting and receiving stations Cable and Wireless, Limited, are about to close down; how many stations will remain; and whether he is, on strategic grounds, satisfied that there is an adequate number of wireless stations still remaining at the disposal of this country in times of emergency?

I am informed by the company that the only wireless station which they propose to close down in the near future is the transmitting station at Carnarvon. This will leave eight stations operated by the company; and as my right hon. Friend the Postmaster-General stated in reply to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Bodmin (Mr. Rathbone) on 12th December last, the company contemplate the eventual transfer of the installations at three of these stations to other existing stations. The Government is assured that the proposed concentration will not endanger strategic requirements.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will state the number of men who will be compulsorily retired as a result of the closing down of the wireless station at Carnarvon; what is the average age of these employés; what is the average number of years they have teen employed by Cable and Wireless, Limited, and its predecessor; what compensation, if any, is to be paid to those who are not entitled to pensions; and whether he is satisfied that this is in accordance with the undertaking given in this House at the time of the merger?

The wireless station at Carvarvon was taken over by Cable and Wireless, Limited from Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Company as a result of the merger in 1928, and no undertaking has been given in this House regarding the staff employed there.I am informed that the number of men who will be compulsorily retired is 16; their average age is 54; and the average number of their years of service is 17. Of the 16 men, 15 are unestablished workmen: they are not entitled to pensions, but they will be given 4½ months' notice and will receive gratuities of half a month's pay for each year of service.

asked the Attorney-General whether, in view of the confusion and public loss arising out of the number of cases overdue for trial by judges on circuit and in the King's Bench Division, he will consider moving for a Select Committee of this House to investigate the causes of the delay and to suggest improvements in the organisation for hearing cases?

I am not of opinion that any useful purpose would be served by setting up such a committee as my hon. Friend suggests. As the House is aware a Resolution authorising the appointment of two additional judges of the King's Bench Division has passed this House and is to-day on the Order Paper of the House of Lords. Special measures have been taken to place at the disposal of the King's Bench Division the time of three Lords Justices. Furthermore, by recent legislation an extension has been made of the jurisdiction both of the County Court and of Quarter Sessions. If these measures should fail to bring about the desired result, it will be necessary to make further proposals for the purpose.

asked the Attorney-General whether he is aware that the Bill which the Law Society, in July, 1938, decided to promote is designed to enable the society to take further action when defaults by solicitors are reported; and will he consult with the Law Society, while the draft of the Bill is under consideration, so as to ensure that the primary aim of the Bill should be to prevent solicitors defrauding their clients rather than to deal with defaults by solicitors after they have been reported?

I understand that the draft of the Bill which is under consideration and to which the hon. Member refers, is designed to strengthen the hands of the Law Society with a view to the prevention of defalcations by solicitors. I will, however, bring to the attention of the Law Society the observations of my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can make any statement with regard to the proposed provision of school holiday camps in time of peace and of war?

I must refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. and gallant Friend, the Member for Epsom, on 2nd February.

asked the Minister of Health which rural district councils in England and Wales have made arrangements with private builders under the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1933; and what was the total number of houses involved in such arrangements by 31st December, 1938?

By the 31st December, 1938, the following rural district councils had given guarantees in respect of a total of 2,911 houses:

Barrow-upon-Soar.	Keighley.
	Northwich.
Cheadle.	Rotherham.
Chesterfield.	Wakefield.
Congleton.	Wallingford.
Doncaster.	Whiston.
Easthampstead.	Winchester.
Flaxton.	Worksop.

In addition, at the same date, guarantees had been promised by, or were the subject of active negotiations with, the following rural district councils in respect of 310 houses:

Chesterfield.	Wakefield.
Eastry.	Whiston.
Rotherham.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that there is considerable disquiet in Dagenham and neighbourhood at the classification of that area as a neutral zone in time of war; and whether he will reconsider his decision not to make it an evacuation area in view of its exposed position in time of war?

I am aware of the representations which have been made by the local authority. Priority must be given in an evacuation plan to the claims of children in the crowded cities where the effects of air attack would be most serious, and the list of evacuable areas has been based on that view. When the survey of accommodation in the reception areas is completed the Government will be in a position to consider whether any extension of the present list is feasible and the town council have been informed that their claim will be considered in this connection together with those of other districts.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can make any further statement as to the action contemplated on the report of the Royal Commission on Local Government in the Tyneside Area, Cmd. 5402, 1937?

I understand that discussions between the Northumberland County Council and the Newcastle and Tynemouth County Borough Councils-with regard to the co-ordination of hospital services are taking place. I do not think that any action can at present be usefully taken by my Department.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will state the number of occasions during the past two years on which the British Board of Film Censors has communicated with the Admiralty for information and advice; and if he will give the names-of the films concerned?

I have not been able to trace any communication of this nature from the British Board of Film Censors-during the past two years.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that many local authorities are concerned about the-serious burden to be thrown upon the ratepayers, particularly in rural districts, as the result of the passing of the Fire Brigades Act, 1938; that hitherto volunteer fire brigades have been largely maintained by contributions received from owners of properties involved in fires, usually through insurance companies, but under this Act no claims against an owner can be made, so that in the absence of any voluntary offer from insurance companies the whole of the maintenance costs, etc., will fall upon the local rates; and will he inquire into the matter with a view to preventing any additional burden falling upon areas where the local rates are already too high?

The point to which the hon. Member calls attention was not overlooked when the Bill was before Parliament. The considerations for and against this provision were fully debated, and Parliament decided in favour of the principle that the Fire Service should be a public service available to all ratepayers and should not be dependent on the willingness of property owners or insurance companies to contribute. I know of no reason for thinking that the conclusion reached by Parliament last year requires reconsideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made in provision of communal water supply in the Isle of South Uist since 1931; and what new proposals he has for further improvement this year?

I am informed that Inverness County Council have been unable to proceed with a scheme for the provision of a piped water supply for the Isle of

Local Authority.				Number of timber houses approved.		Number of timber houses completed.
				1937.	1938.	1937.	1938.
County Councils of—
Angus	…	…	…	—	4	—	4
Ayr	…	…	…	2	82	2	30
Dunbarton	…	…	…	—	90	—	—
Fife	…	…	…	—	40	—	—
Lanark	…	…	…	—	512	—	—
Perth	…	…	…	—	10	—	—
West Lothian	…	…	…	—	70	—	—
Town Councils of—
Aberdeen	…	…	…	—	6	—	—
Ayr	…	…	…	—	36	—	—
Dundee	…	…	…	—	540	—	—
Forres	…	…	…	—	2	—	—
Fraserburgh	…	…	…	—	37	—	—
Greenock	…	…	…	—	100	—	—
Kirkintilloch	…	…	…	—	50	—	—
Totals	…	…	…	2	1,579	2	34

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether any decision has been arrived at regarding the applications made by the Greenock Council for community service and the Greenock Town Council, respectively, for grants under the Act in respect of the provision of community centres; and whether he has any statement to make in connection therewith?

The application by the Greenock Community Service Council is for a grant towards the maintenance costs of a centre already provided by the council with the aid of a grant of £10,400 from the Special Areas Commissioner. I

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what local authorities applied for authority to build timber houses during 1938; how many timber houses were authorised in each case, and, of these, how many were built in 1938; and what were the corresponding facts and figures for 1937;(2) what local authorities in Scotland obtained approval during the year 1938 for the building of timber houses; how many of such houses were approved in each case; and how many were completed by 31st December, 1938?

The following table gives the particulars required:understand that the regional committee who are responsible for investigating such applications have discussed it with the council and have pointed out that maintenance grants cannot normally be given under the Act. Further information has been submitted by the council and the position is at present under consideration by the regional committee. As regards the application by the Town Council of Greenock for a grant towards the capital cost of providing a centre at Hillend, I am informed that the regional committee are considering the town council's proposals in consultation with the Scottish Advisory Officer of the Community Centres Committee of the National Council of Social Service.

asked the Home Secretary (1) when the Delevigne Committee on Rehabilitation of Persons Injured by Accidents last met; and when its final report will be available;(2) whether the evidence tendered to the Delevigne Committee will be published simultaneously with the report?

I understand that the last meeting of the full committee was in July, that there have been sectional meetings since then, and that another full meeting has been fixed for this month to consider a draft report. It is not possible to say at present when the report will be settled or how much of the information obtained by the committee will be published with it.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he is now in a position to make any further statement about the granting of additional credits to facilitate trade with China; and whether the steps to be taken will be within the scope of the Export Credits Bill or in addition to the new powers sought therein?

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he intends to make available any further credits for trade with China?

I regret that I am not in a position to make a further statement upon the matters referred to. The question whether a proposal would fall within the scope of the Export Guarantees Bill would depend upon the circumstances of the particular case.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has made it plain to the Argentine authorities that they must be prepared for opposition to the renewal of the expiring Anglo-Argentine Trade Agreement unless there is a complete change in the present treatment of £277,000,000 of British savings in the Anglo-Argentine railways, as detailed on page 113 in the 1938 Argentine Report by the Department of Overseas Trade; and will he remind the Argentine Govern- ment that without the help of those railways the natural resources of Argentina could not have been developed?

As I stated in reply to my hon. Friend the member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, North (Sir N. Grattan-Doyle) on 21st November, His Majesty's Government are naturally interested in the welfare of the railway companies concerned and my hon. Friend may rest assured that His Majesty's Government will continue to watch the situation in full consciousness of the importance of the British interests involved.As I stated in reply to my hon. Friend the member for Lincoln (Mr. Liddall) on 22nd November, 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. Friend will be borne in mind.

asked the Prime Minister what steps he is taking with regard to the ratification of the Anglo-Argentine Trade Agreement?

His Majesty's Government are prepared to ratify the Anglo-Argentine Trade Agreement of 1936 at any time. The attention of the Argentine Government has been drawn to the matter on various occasions and they included it on the agenda of the recent special session of the National Congress, which, however, terminated on 30th January, without this item having been reached. Formal ratification is not required for the application of the agreement, the provisions of which have been in force since the 20th November, 1936, under the Protocol of Signature.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what explanation he can give for the fact that only 464,000 hundredweights of molasses and invert sugar were landed at Greenock during the year 1936 as against 1,114,000 hundredweights in 1935 and 991,000 in 1937?

I understand that in 1936 the use in distilling of high test molasses, i.e., molasses which contains a high proportion of sweetening matter and is therefore not required in such large quantities as ordinary molasses, was introduced at Greenock and that in 1937 the manufacture of power alcohol was commenced at a distillery near Greenock. These changes probably contributed respectively to a decline in the quantity of molasses imported at Greenock in 1936 as compared with 1935 and to an increase in the quantity imported there in 1937.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) what percentage of the total number of telegraph poles imported in 1938 were shipped in British vessels;(2) whether he can give a list of the ships which carried telegraph poles, showing the quantities carried in each and the ports of loading and discharge, respectively, with approximate dates of arrival in this country?

I have no information concerning the shipment of telegraph poles additional to that given to my hon. and gallant Friend yesterday by the Postmaster-General.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the amount and value of the trade in coffee between Western Abyssinia and the Sudan for the years 1927 and 1937, respectively; and whether he has any statement to make on -the subject?

During the year 1937 imports of coffee into Anglo-Egyptian Sudan from Abyssinia amounted to 78,244 cwts., valued at £142,000. Corresponding imports during the year 1927 were 57,615 cwts., valued at £169,000. I have no statement to make with regard to this trade.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Swedish Government have formally ratified the Hours of Work and Manning (Sea) Convention, 1936; that the coming into operation of the Convention in Sweden is made conditional on its simultaneous adoption in Great Britain and five other countries; and whether it is the intention of His Majesty's Government to take any action in the matter?

The answer to the first two parts of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the third part, His Majesty's Government do not propose to ratify this Convention for the reasons stated in a White Paper (Cmd. 5745) published in May, 1938, of which a copy was sent to the hon. Member in November last.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give any estimate as to the difference between German, Dutch, Belgian, and British ship-breaking tenders for British-owned ships during the year 1938; and of how far that price difference compares with the financial loss sustained by this country in unemployment, and in local and national revenue when British ships are sent to Continental yards for break-up purposes?

asked for, but I understand that Continental shipbreakers have recently offered substantially higher prices than British shipbreakers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give any information in connection with the lifeboat disaster at St. Ives, Cornwall, on Monday, 23rd January; how many lives were lost; and what compensation will be paid to the widows and children?

The St. Ives lifeboat capsized with the loss of seven of her crew on the night of the 22nd-23rd January when proceeding to a vessel in distress off the Cornish coast. She subsequently drove ashore near Godrevy Lighthouse with only one survivor on board. I am informed that the Royal National Lifeboat Institution will grant pensions on its usual scale to the dependants of the members of the crew who lost their lives. I should like to take this opportunity of expressing my deep sympathy with the relatives of the victims of this disaster.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the very low rates of surrender values granted by some assurance companies to policy holders who cannot afford to continue; and whether he will institute an inquiry into the methods of computation and distribution of such surrender values with the object of ensuring the fairest possible treatment of those concerned?

If my hon. Friend will be good enough to give me particulars of the class of assurance policies he has in mind, I will communicate with him on the subject.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his policy of not encouraging housewives to keep more than one week's supply of non-perishable foodstuffs, means that the Government have not merely assured themselves that no useful purpose would be served by further increasing the stock of such foodstuffs in this country, but that they are satisfied that prolonged and intensive bombing by hostile aeroplanes could not interrupt under any circumstances, the distribution of existing supplies for more than a few days at a time?

The Government are making plans for the maintenance of adequate supplies of foodstuffs for the country in time of war. I stated in the reply which I gave on the 2nd February that household reserves would be regarded as a source of additional security and I informed my hon. Friend, in reply to his supplementary question, that one of the considerations in my mind in suggesting the limit to the scale of these reserves was the desirability of avoiding a rise in the prices of the commodities. I see no reason to modify the terms of my previous reply.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can state the approximate net revenue from duties on home-made and imported beer and homemade and imported spirits, respectively, and imported wine, British wine, sweets, and hops for the year 1938?

The approximate net revenue derived from the specified articles during the calendar year ended 31st December, 1938, was as follows:

	£
Beer:
Home-made	62,266,000
Imported	3,304,000
Total	65,570,000
Spirits:
Home-made	30,536,000
Imported	4,581,000
Total	35,117,000
Wine, Imported	4,818,000
Sweets, including British wines	516,000
Hops and Hop Extracts	177,000

asked the Prime Minister whether he can give any indication when the Royal Commission on the Geographical Distribution of Industry will issue its report?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Houghton-le-Spring (Mr. W. Joseph Stewart) on Thursday last.

asked the Prime Minister what reply has been received by His Majesty's Government through the British agents from General Franco concerning compensation to be paid for British ships sunk and damaged by General Franco's forces in Spanish waters; and whether the full text has been communicated to all shipping interests directly or indirectly concerned?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given yesterday to the hon. Members for Derby (Mr. Noel-Baker), and Romford (Mr. Parker), to which I have for the moment nothing to add. The British interests concerned are kept fully informed of the text of the communications received from the Burgos authorities.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that there are at present 3,000,000 refugees in Spain in danger of starvation, he will make a statement as to the result of the consultations between His Majesty's Government and the United States and French Governments on the proposals to despatch supplies of food to the civilian population of Spain?

I would refer the hon. Member to the statements on the subject of the relief of the Spanish civil population made by the Prime Minister and by myself in the course of the Debate on 31st January.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has considered the resolution of the Greenock branch of the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers regarding, inter alia, the transport of food supplies to Spain; and whether he has any statement to make on the matter?

Yes, Sir. I would refer the hon. and learned Member to the statements made on behalf of the Government in the Debate on 31st January, to which I do not think there is anything to be added.

asked the Prime Minister whether he can give the name of the chairman of the British Council that receives £100,000 a year from the Government for propaganda purposes; and whether the Government have any representatives on the Council?

The chairman of the British Council is Lord Lloyd. The following Government Departments are represented on the executive committee of the British Council: Foreign Office, Board of Trade, Board of Education, Department of Overseas Trade and Dominions Office. The Colonial Office and the Scottish Office are represented on the Students Committee of the British Council.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the serious under-consumption of milk by working-class families in this country, he will take immediate steps to discourage, or prevent by legislation if necessary, the waste of milk needed by workers' children by its being manufactured into such articles as umbrella handles?

I am not aware that any milk is being wasted through being manufactured into umbrella handles. My information is that a comparatively small amount of machine-separated milk, a by-product of cream manufacture, is manufactured into casein, and that casein can be used in the manufacture of plastics, including umbrella handles. The hon. Member will therefore appreciate that his question does not arise.