asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will state the tonnage and value of watercress grown in Great Britain for the years 1936 and 1937?

I regret that information is not available for a year later than 1932, when a special investigation was made as a result of which it was estimated that the annual production of watercress in England and Wales amounted to about 5,000 tons, valued in the wholesale market at approximately £180,000.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the general dissatisfaction regarding the interpretation of the readings of the double intradermal test for bovine tuberculosis which exists not only in the veterinary profession but also amongst the owners of cattle in this country, and the danger and financial loss incurred in using any but reliable tests in the eradication of disease from the herds and in the production of milk, he will set up a commission to investigate and report on the matter?

The adoption of the double intradermal test in this country was the outcome of recommendations contained in the report on "Tuberculin Tests in Cattle: Medical Research Council, Special Report Series, No. 94," published in 1925.

Although it is inevitable that difficulty must occasionally be experienced in the interpretation of any test of this nature, I am not aware that there is general dissatisfaction with the technique of the double intradermal test, either in the veterinary profession or among farmers. I fully appreciate the importance of ensuring that any test employed for the diagnosis of tuberculosis should be as reliable as possible, and whilst 1 am not satisfied that there is any need for the appointment of a commission, as suggested by my hon. Friend, I can

Particulars of the various detachments located in the Greenock area.
Unit.	Establishment.		Strength, 1stFebruary, 1939.		Recruits joined during January-December, 1938.
	Officers.	Other Ranks.	Officers.	Other Ranks.
Regular Army.
Clyde Fire Command	2	15	2	15	—
Territorial Army.
77th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery (part).	17	224	11	234	74
Renfrew Fortress Companies,Royal Engineers.	9	108	9	130	22
5/6th Battalion, The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (part).	9	203	9	245	—*
* The number of recruits allocated to this detachment in the Greenock area is not available.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he can give the House any information as to the cause of the recent riots in Cawnpore, and the present position?

I would remind the hon. Member that responsibility for law and order under the new constitution rests with the Provincial Government. I have, however, obtained a telegraphic report from the Governor, of which the following is the substance:

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in accordance with the provisions of Sub-section (8) of Section 1 of the Agricultural Marketing Act, 1931, he has yet consulted with the Board of Trade, with regard to the modifications of the amendments to the Potato Marketing Scheme which was recently put forward by the Potato Marketing Board?

Yes, Sir. I am at present in consultation with the Board of Trade on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the position as regards strength and recruitment of the various units in the Greenock area.?

Following is the answer:Report on the Recent Riots in Cawnpore;For considerable time past relations between Hindus and Moslems in the United Provinces and in Cawnpore particularly have been strained. On 7th February, a disturbance arose in connection with a Hindu marriage procession passing a mosque with music about the time of evening prayer. The procession was attacked and broken up and great excitement prevailed. The District Magistrate in agreement with views expressed by both sides passed an order prohibiting music before this mosque for two days, pending inquiry into custom and without prejudice to any right that might thereafter be proved.2. On 8th February, a large number of Hindus shut their shops as a protest against what they considered an interference with their rights. Moslems reiterated their claim that music had never been played in front of this mosque. Hindu shops remained closed on 9th February. On 10th February, District Magistrate passed orders that claim that music had never been allowed in front of this mosque had not been substantiated. Police reinforcements had been brought into Cawnpore and troops warned to stand by.3. On the night of 11th February about eight, a riot between Hindus and Moslems broke out in a different area some distance from that in which the mosque is situated. The cause is still the subject of inquiry. The police and the District Magistrate were quickly on the spot but fighting between the two communities spread rapidly to many parts of the city. On 12th February disorders continued. Police had to open fire several times on the mobs during this day. Stray assaults and murders were also committed and incendiarism and looting occurred in various quarters. Six platoons of the South Staffordshire Regiment which had been mobilised as a precautionary measure on 11th February were posted on 12th February to certain strategic points in the city, each accompanied by at least one magistrate. They gave most valuable assistance and relieved the strain on the police. They were not called upon to fire. The general work of patrol, arrest, picketing, etc., was done by police in the usual course.4. The evening of 12th February was fairly quiet. On the morning of 13th February there was another serious clash at one place but thereafter the situation has been growing steadily quieter, and on 15th February it was reported that it was rapidly returning to normal. The latest figures give the number of killed as 40 and of injured as about 200.5. The outbreak was entirely communal but the hooligan element sought to take ad vantage of the situation. From the beginning a number of arrests were made, and in all 800 persons have been arrested. In addition to normal orders of prohibition of carrying of weapons and assembling of groups, which had been in force since 7th February, a number of orders were issued imposing curfew and other prohibitions which have had a very salutary effect. At the request of the Premier, the Press have co-operated in refraining from giving currency to provocative and alarmist reports and this has helped to allay panic in the city. It is reported that there is at present a rapid return to sanity and everywhere signs of restoration of normal conditions. Most of the mills are working and shops are opening.6. Government were constantly in touch with local authorities since the disturbances started and the situation was brought under control speedily. The Commissioner of the Division and the Inspector-General of Police accompanied by a Deputy Inspector-General, proceeded to Cawnpore on 12th February. Already by nth February before the riot started, over 300 additional police had been drafted into Cawnpore in addition to the full sanctioned strength and by 13th February about 750 extra police in all had been drafted in. Medicine and stores were sent immediately from Lucknow.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will state the names and qualifications of the Selection Board at the Admiralty who interview applicants for short-service commissions in the air branch of the Royal Navy?

The board consists of a flag officer, an officer of the instructor branch of the Navy and an officer of the Fleet Air Arm together with a secretary. It would be contrary to long recognised practice to divulge the names of individuals sitting on a Selection Board of this nature.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what are the essential qualifications for a candidate to possess in order to secure a short-service commission in the Royal Naval Air Force?

The regulations concerning short-service commissions in the air branch of the Royal Navy may be summarised as requiring candidates to be unmarried British subjects between 17½ and 23, physically fit and having attained a standard of education, including mathematics, at least equivalent to that of the school certificate issued by the examination board of a British University. Candidates fulfilling these requirements come before a selection board who recommend for commissions those candidates who appear to be most likely to make good and competent officers.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he proposes to supply air-raid shelters for use in Barking and neighbouring boroughs; and whether he can send the necessary explanatory circulars and questionnaires to the proper borough authorities?

Yes, Sir. The instructions and circulars will be issued to these authorities in the near future.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the number of men and women, respectively, registered as unemployed at Tottenham Employment Exchange during the first weeks in February, 1937, 1938, and 1939?

Statistics for February, 1939, will not be available until the evening of 6th March. If the hon. Member will repeat his question on 7th March, I shall be able to give him the particulars he desires.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in how many cases the complete trade statistics for 1938 show that the import of British cotton textiles into any British colony or mandated territory has declined in that period; and whether in each such case he will make special investigation to ascertain, and if possible remove, the cause or causes?

I am afraid it is a good deal too early in the year for complete trade statistics of imports of cotton textiles into the colonial dependencies to be available for 1938. Such figures as are available indicate that there has been a decline. Commodity prices were high in the first part of 1937 and imports increased in response. In the latter part of 1937 commodity prices dropped, and the consequent decline of purchasing power in the dependencies concerned, together with an excess of imports during the preceding period, inevitably had an adverse effect on imports in 1938. In these circumstances I do not feel that a special investigation would serve any useful purpose.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the difficulties apparently experienced in connecting would-be subscribers with the telephone system, he can state whether there is any shortage of machinery or equipment and, if so, of what nature; and whether, to increase employment and also to meet further requirements, he will stimulate the manufacture of installation equipment in this country?

There is no avoidable shortage of either machinery or equipment. It is true that the special requirements of Defence, and the fact that the ordinary increase of subscribers has more than doubled, have put a heavy strain on the Post Office and its contractors, but both have greatly enlarged their capacity; the number of applicants waiting for telephone service is steadily decreasing. My hon. Friend may rest assured that the manufacture of equipment has already been stimulated to the utmost extent practicable.

asked the Home Secretary how many medical referees in Scotland, under the Workmen's Compensation Act, have been dismissed from office or have not had their appointments renewed, respectively, during the last few years?

During the past five years four appointments which have expired have not been renewed. No referee has been dismissed.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will state the percentage of persons to whom compensation was paid in consequence of accident, or industrial disease, in shipping, factories, docks, mines, and quarries during the latest year for which figures are available?

The returns collected by the Home Office of workmen's compensation paid in these industries in 1937 show that the numbers of cases in which compensation was paid bore the following percentages to the numbers employed: shipping 5 ·93; factories 3 ·97; docks 11.27; mines 23.23; quarries 10.45. The cases include cases continued from previous years.

asked the Minister of Pensions how many great war disability pensioners, other ranks, died during each of the periods of 12 months ending 31st March, 1935, 1936, 1937, and 1938, the mortality rate for each period, and the comparative rate for the general male

Year ended.		Deaths of disability pensioners (other ranks).*	Rate per 1,000.	Rate for general male population in England and Wales of the same age constitution.†
31st March, 1935	…	6,495	15·3	10·5
31st March, 1936	…	7,173	17·2	11·2
31st March, 1937	…	7,475	18·2	12
31st March, 1938	…	7,249	18	12
* Overseas cases have for comparative purposes been excluded.
† In the absence of any readily available basis of comparison for the United Kingdom, comparison is based on the population of England and Wales only.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will give particulars for the following authorities in England and Wales, showing the number who have and have not submitted five-year programmes in accordance with Circular No. 1687, their populations and the total amount of the capital sums which such programmes would require: corporation of the City of London, London County Council; London

Number and Class of Authority.		Estimated Population.	Total amount of capital expenditure provisionally included in the programmes.
Returns submitted by 11th February, 1939.			£
16 Metropolitan Borough Councils	…	2,351, 700	19,836,786
47 County Councils	…	17,332,900	137,975,247
52 County Borough Councils	…	8,502,900	217,917,143
176 Non County Borough Councils	…	5,936,100	80,813,823
311 Urban District Councils	…	4,608,500	47,276,906
240 Rural District Councils	…	3,803,900	29,438,786
34 Catchment Boards	…	*	3,437,853
150 Drainage Boards	…	*	228,523
247 Other Bodies	…	*	20,833,488
Returns not submitted by nth February, 1939.
London County Council	…	4,094,500	—
Corporation of the City of London	…	9,400	—
12 Metropolitan Borough Councils	…	1,733,400	—
14 County Councils	…	6,179,200	—
31 County Borough Councils	…	4,921,600	—
130 Non County Borough Councils	…	2,788,900	—
264 Urban District Councils	…	2,998,200	—
236 Rural District Councils	…	3,376,500	—
15 Catchment Boards	…	*	—
243 Drainage Boards	…	*	—
178 Other Bodies	…	*	—
* Figures not available.

Note.—In the above table the population in each Administrative County, including London, is accounted for twice, as the area of administration of each County Council is coterminous with the aggregate of the areas administered by the Rating Authorities in that county.

The figures required are as follow:boroughs, county councils, county boroughs, boroughs, urban and rural district councils, catchment boards, drainage boards, and other bodies?

The following table gives the particulars asked for by my hon. Friend as to the authorities in England and Wales which have or have not submitted to the Ministry of Health returns showing provisional programmes of capital expenditure covering the five years commencing 1st April, 1938:

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that certain person associated with Dr. Frank Buchman, an American citizen, have applied for a licence to form a company with the name Oxford Group; and whether he will refuse to grant a licence for such a company under that name on the ground that it is likely to mislead, since the natural inference that Dr. Buchman, his doctrines and followers have, or have had, some special connection with the University of Oxford is not justified by the facts?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative; as regards the second part, my right hon. Friend has received representations against the registration of a company by the name Oxford Group and these are under consideration.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he will consider the question of establishing, in conjunction with the local education authorities, a scale of salaries in which the principle of equal pay for men and women teachers of the same professional status is embodied?

The salary scales of teachers are regulated by the Burnham Committees consisting of the employing authorities and the teachers acting through members appointed by their respective associations. Any question of modifying the scales at present prescribed for men and women teachers is a matter in the first instance for the consideration of the Burnham Committees.