asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the new proposals for increasing imports of cheap German motor cars into this country; and whether he is satisfied that the provisions in the Finance Act are sufficient to enable the British industry to obtain additional protection against such competition without delay if the need arises?

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department what action he proposes to take, under the Export Guarantees Bill, in the direction of giving grants to China?

My right hon. Friend's attention has been drawn to a newspaper report of proposals for the export of cheap German motor cars to this country in 1941. The answer to the second part of the question is in the affirmative.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether the reciprocal trade between this country and other British countries has remained more stable than with foreign countries during the last 10 years; and whether he can state the relative sums involved?

The following table shows, in respect of imports into and exports from the United Kingdom, the declared value and proportion of merchandise consigned from and to British countries and foreign countries, respectively, during each of the years 1929 to 1938.

I regret that there is nothing I can add to the reply given on the 13th instant to the hon. Member for West Willesden (Mr. Viant).

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether, in view of the undoubted fact that British trade with China must be developed through the West, he will consider the early grant of such credits to China as will improve existing transport facilities?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on the 21st December to the hon. Member for Southampton (Mr. Craven-Ellis).

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the volume of traffic crowding the Thames and the Mersey, he will, as a matter of precaution for war-time, begin now to make it part of the national policy to encourage mercantile shipping gradually to spread itself out among other and smaller ports?

My right hon. Friend does not consider it necessary or desirable to take action in peace to divert merchant shipping from its normal channels.

asked the Prime Minister whether he now has information from the Far East of the injury to British shipping interests occasioned by the confiscation of all lighter transport by the Japanese in the Chinese ports occupied by them, and the exorbitant charges and delays arising from the monopoly thus created; and what action he has taken in the matter?

Reports received do not indicate that any confiscation of lighter transport at Japanese-occupied ports has occurred. British shipping has met with delays and other difficulties in connection with lighterage at Tsingtao and at Chefoo and representations have been made to the Japanese authorities both locally and at Tokyo.

asked the Prime Minister whether Great Britain, as one of the signatories of the 1921 International Convention, has given approval to the fortification of the Aaland Islands in the Baltic; and what has been the decision of the other signatories?

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to-day to the hon. Member for Cumberland, North (Mr. W. Roberts).

asked the Prime Minister whether the French Government have informed him as to what action they propose to take in regard to the war material belonging to the Spanish Government which is now in France; and whether, in view of the circumstances in Spain, he will consult with them as to the steps to be taken with regard to the gold belonging to the Spanish Government at present held by British and French banks?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. Such problems as may in certain eventualities be expected to arise regarding the ownership of gold deposited in banks in France or the United Kingdom by the Spanish Government or the Bank of Spain would probably be a matter for the Courts of Law.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether the Government have now decided to admit women into the diplomatic service; and whether he has any statement to make on the subject?

I have been asked to reply. The answer to both parts of the question is in the negative. The position remains as stated in the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Central Southwark (Mr. Day) on 23rd November last.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the total number of unemployed persons in Glasgow for the years ended December, 1937 and 1938, respectively?

The average numbers of unemployed persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Glasgow for the years ended December, 1937, and December, 1938, were 79,078 and 77,536, respectively.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the present position with regard to the proposed new premises for the Employment Exchange at New Ferry, Birkenhead; and whether any temporary arrangements are contemplated, in view of the inadequate nature of the present building?

A site is in view for a new building. In the meantime proposals for relieving the existing pressure on the men's department by temporary outhousing are under consideration.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether it is proposed that during the World's Fair, to be held at New York this summer, a courtesy visit should be paid by British naval vessels; and, if so, whether he can give any particulars?

An invitation to the World's Fair at New York has been received, and I hope that it will be possible to arrange for visits to be paid by several of His Majesty's ships. I am afraid that I cannot give 'my hon. Friend any further particulars at present.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, without anticipating his Budget statement, he has further considered the question of granting to widowed and unmarried women the same Income Tax abatement in respect of dependent relatives and/or housekeeper, as a married man receives in respect of his wife; and whether he will make a statement on the subject?

The suggestion of the hon. and learned Member is a matter proper for discussion during the Debates on the Finance Bill and my right hon. Friend is not prepared to make any statement in regard to it in advance.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any estimates have been formed as to amounts lost to the State through avoidance of Death Duties; and whether he proposes to take steps to ensure that, in future, evasion or avoidance of Death Duties shall be made more difficult, and that thus, the burden of rearmament shall be more evenly spread?

I am not in a position to put forward an estimate of the loss of Death Duties through avoidance. Avoidance of taxation is constantly under review and I may remind the hon. Member that there has been much legislation on the subject in recent years and that the Finance Acts of 1930, 1936 and 1938 contained provisions relating to the Death Duties.The question whether further provisions are necessary is a matter for the Budget and the hon. Member will not expect me to anticipate my Budget statement.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether the Government have under consideration the introduction of the principle of equal pay for equal work in the Civil Service; and whether he has any statement to make on the subject?

No change is contemplated in the present practice of differentiating in pay between men and women civil servants in the same grade. The policy of His Majesty's Government in this matter was explained by the Prime Minister in the House of Commons on 6th April, 1936, and I have no further statement to make.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the Scottish Office is satisfied that the town clerk of Dalbeattie has done everything possible to eliminate the position of the defalcations in the burgh accounts by a cashier engaged for the purpose; and whether the Scottish Office have indicated that they are of the opinion that no blame is attributable to the town clerk in regard to these matters?

As regards the first part of the question the defalcations referred to were the subject of full investigation by the criminal authorities. As regards the second part the town council are responsible for the conduct of the business of the burgh and I am informed that they have the whole position under consideration.

asked the Home Secretary how many local authorities in England and Wales employ women police and how many do not; how many male police are employed by these authorities and how many female police; and whether he has any statement to make regarding the further provision of women police?

Of 179 county and borough police forces in England and Wales 46 have police women: the authorised establishment of the 46 forces concerned is 18,598 and the number of women police employed is 116. In addition the Metropolitan Police Force has 108 police women. The question whether police women should be employed in any force has always been a matter for the decision of the individual police authority in the light of local conditions and requirements, and my right hen. Friend does not contemplate any modification of that principle.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will indicate when he proposes to implement the promise made by successive Ministers of Health, to include the dependants of insured workers under the National Health Insurance Acts?

I am not aware of any promise to the effect referred to by the hon. Member having been given by any Minister of Health.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what trade unions are operating in British Guiana, Trinidad, and Jamaica and which are registered with the Government?

The latest information available as to the number and names of registered trade unions in the three Colonies mentioned is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Air what is the maximum difference of time of transit on the London—Paris service as between Air France and Imperial Airways passenger aircraft; whether any Imperial Airways service is faster than an Air France service; and whether Imperial Airways traffic increased or decreased during 1938, as compared with Air France?

The scheduled transit time of those services of Imperial Airways between London and Paris which are operated with "Heracles" type aircraft exceeds that of the services of Air France by one hour. The services operated by Imperial Airways with "Frobisher" type aircraft are five minutes faster than the Air France services.Passenger traffic by Imperial Airways decreased in 1938 as compared with that of Air France, but was greater than that of the French company.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many of the 160 colonial civil servants who attended the refresher courses at the summer schools at Oxford in 1937 and 1938, came from Kenya, Tanganyika and Uganda, respectively?

Of the 111 officers who attended the course in 1937 and the 113 who attended in 1938, the following came from the territories referred to:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps the Government is proposing to take to help the Seychelles cinnamon-leaf oil industry, in view of the heavy undercutting by the American synthetic product?

The marketing of cinnamon-leaf oil from the Seychelles is already closely controlled by Government, and in order to ensure that the oil is marketed in the most satisfactory manner a sole selling agency has been appointed. While the present price of cinnamon-leaf oil is low, there has so far been no difficulty in disposing of all supplies offered from Seychelles.I might add that steps have already been taken in the Seychelles to encourage the development of other kinds of essential oils for the production of which the islands are suitable. A Government distillery for the production of these new oils has recently been approved and financial assistance from the Colonial Development Fund obtained for its erection.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether trade unions in Hong Kong are freely permitted to function; how many industrial disputes have taken place during the last 12 months; and whether any trade unions have been suppressed by the local government?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. There have been about eight industrial disputes in Hong Kong in the last 12 months. These were of a minor nature, and in each case an amicable settlement was reached through the Secretariat of Chinese Affairs.No bona fide trade union has been suppressed, but certain guilds and associations which professed to be trade unions have from time to time been declared unlawful under the Societies Ordinance of 1920, mainly on account of terrorist and political activities. The last of such suppressions took place more than 12 months ago.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how the conference between Arabs and Jews is proceeding?

The formal discussions on Palestine between His Majesty's Government and the Arab and Jewish Delegations respectively were opened by the Prime Minister on 7th February. At subsequent meetings general statements of the Arab and Jewish cases were made by their representatives, and detailed discussions on these statements are now proceeding.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can state in terms of sterling the average weekly wages, inclusive of food allowance, at the last convenient date for which figures are available, earned by unskilled adult male labourers engaged in the cultivation of sugar, in Jamaica, Mauritius and Trinidad, as compared with the corresponding figures for Belgian Congo, Java, Madagascar and Mozambique?

It is difficult to give accurate statements of weekly wages in the sugar industry in the territories mentioned, since payment is more often by the day, or by the task; the number of tasks or days' work done in a week depends principally on the inclination of the individual, and is seldom the maximum.The table set out below is constructed on the assumption that a six-day week is worked in every case, and therefore probably overstates actual weekly wages.

asked the Minister of Transport when the road work under the Crofter Counties Scheme is to begin in the Isle of South Uist?

There is nothing which I can usefully add at the present time to the information I gave to the hon. Member on 22nd December last on this subject.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has considered representations from the Inverness County Council regarding the completion of the Strond, South Harris, road scheme; and whether he will make a statement?

I have received no representations from the county council on this subject, and am unable to add anything to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member's question on 7th December last

asked the Minister of Transport when the road work at Drinnishader, Isle of Harris, is to begin; how long it is likely to give employment; and to how many local men?

The Inverness County Council are considering a scheme which may be put in hand in the financial year 1939–40, but I have no details

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been drawn to the failure of electric lighting in East Anglia during the recent storms as a result of broken overhead cables; whether he has considered the possibility of placing these cables underground to render them safer from storms and general vulnerability; and could he give any indication of the number of men who could be employed on this work?

I am informed that owing to the recent exceptional weather there were certain interruptions in the supply of electricity in parts of East Anglia lasting from 10 minutes up to a maximum of just over 24 hours; with regard to the second part of the question, this matter has been carefully examined from time to time but I am satisfied that, apart from technical considerations, the cost would be out of all proportion to any advantage. The answer to the third part of the question is in the negative

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the inability of the Abingdon telephone exchange to take any further subscribers; what reasons there are for this delay; whether any similar cases of telephone installation delays now exist or have occurred in Oxfordshire during the last 12 months; and whether he will take steps to avoid this public inconvenience by greater foresight and planning?

I cannot agree that there has been any lack of foresight or planning. As regards Abingdon, it will be possible to give service to all applicants within the next few weeks. There are about a dozen other cases in Oxfordshire where delay has occurred, but in all of them the necessary relief-measures have been completed or are nearing completion. The requirements of over 80 per cent. of the applicants for telephone service within the district are met within a fortnight of application—a figure which compares favourably with the average for the country generally

asked the Attorney-General whether he will cause to be appointed six additional Commissioners of Assize to help the judges to reduce 2,000 cases overdue for trial in London and the provinces, some having been in the list for nine months; and is he aware that assistance by three lords justices and two extra judges of the King's Bench cannot prevent recurrent congestion in the courts while ineffectual arrangements for hearing cases promptly are continued?

I cannot agree to the suggestion made by the hon. Member. He is no doubt aware that two new judges have been appointed to the King's Bench Division, and, in addition to this, as I stated to the House in an answer which was given on 7th February, the recent legislation which extended the jurisdiction of the county court and of Quarter Sessions, together with the assistance of the Lords Justices during the present term, should relieve the situation. If this hope should fail, my Noble Friend the Lord Chancellor will certainly consider the question of further additions to the High Court Bench

asked the Attorney-General whether his attention has been called to a recent case at the Old Bailey when the real name of a youth, described at Kit Davidge, pleading guilty to breaking and entering premises was not disclosed at the request of prosecuting counsel, who stated that the young man was decently born and bred and had passed through a public school; and whether it was with his approval or upon instructions from the Public Prosecutor, that this request was made by prosecuting counsel?

No, Sir. This case was not one in which the Director of Public Prosecutions was concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has seen the full account of the manufacture and drawings of the 3.7 gun, together with photographs of the tools used which appeared in the 12th January and 19th January issues of "Machinery"; and whether these articles were published with his permission?

The answer to both parts of the question is "Yes." Nothing of a secret nature is disclosed in the articles or photographs in question

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what is the present position regarding the transfer of the engineering college at Keyham from its present site?

A site has been acquired by the Admiralty upon which to erect a new college, but I am at present unable to say when it will be possible for building to commence.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what are the reasons which have led to the decision to christen one of the battleships now building "Duke of York," instead of "Anson"; what was the last ship of the Navy to be called "Duke of York"; and whether the name has ever previously been borne by a capital ship?

It was felt inappropriate that the fifth ship of the class should be named after a distinguished Admiral who lived in the eighteenth century. The ship is therefore to be named "Duke of York" in commemoration of the fact that our present King who served in the fleet bore that title. I may also remind the hon. and gallant Member that a former Sovereign was, as Duke of York, Lord High Admiral. The last ship of the Navy to receive this name was a cutter purchased in 1763.The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.