asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the necessity for merchants to hold large stocks of canned foods in this country, he will now take steps to provide adequate insurance facilities in the event of the outbreak of war?

I cannot at present add to the statement on this matter made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 31st January, except to say that the details of the scheme for the insurance against war risks of stocks of essential commodities are under active consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give an assurance that during the negotiations for the Anglo-American Trade Agreement there was no understanding, tacit or otherwise, that there should be no amendment to the Cinematograph Films Act, 1938, or that any amendment of that Act would be limited?

I can assure my hon. and gallant Friend that no undertaking in regard to the Cinematograph Films Act was given in connection with the trade negotiations with the United States of America.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the number of track-laying tractors imported from July, 1936, to December, 1938; the total amount of revenue received from duties paid on these imported machines; and the number of British track-laying tractors manufactured and sold in this country during the same period?

During the period July, 1936, to December, 1938, 1,164 track-laying agricultural tractors were imported into the United Kingdom and the approximate amount of duty collected was £171,000. Information is not available as to the number of track-laying agricultural tractors manufactured and sold in the United Kingdom during this period.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will state the value of food supplies imported into this country from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India and South Africa, respectively, for the years 1937 and 1938?

The following statement shows the declared value of imports into the United Kingdom of food and drink (including living animals for food and feeding-stuffs for animals) during each of the years 1937 and 1938, consigned from the countries specified, the figures for 1938 being provisional.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what quantity of Belgian carpets was imported into Australia last year; and what the trade balance between the two countries is?

During the 12 months ended 30th June, 1937, the latest year for which details are available, the quantity of carpets of Belgian origin recorded as imported into the Commonwealth of Australia amounted to 398,000 square yards. In that year Australia's trade with Belgium showed an excess of exports over imports to the value of £6¾ million, which declined to about £3¾million in the year ended 30th June, 1938. The trade returns of Belgium show that the weight of carpets exported to Australia was 12,195 cwts. in 1938, as compared with 12,260 cwts. in 1937.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the total volume of shipbuilding being built in shipyards abroad for British ship owners and the names of the countries where construction is taking place?

I have no official figures of the vessels at present under construction abroad for British owners, but according to information in the Press and elsewhere the amount of such building appears to be about 120,000 gross tons, including vessels building in Germany, Holland, Denmark and Sweden.

asked the Prime Minister how many ships flying the British flag have reported their being attacked in the ports or territorial waters of Republican Spain during the civil war, to the last available date; how many of these ships had been transferred to the British flag since the outbreak of hostilities; how many had been in the possession of the owners or companies making the complaint, prior to July, 1936; how many belonged to persons or companies that traded in those waters prior to the civil war; and how many were on charter to the Republican Government at the time of the attack?

I have been asked to reply. Ninety-nine vessels have, according to my information, been damaged, more or less seriously, by hostile action when in the ports and territorial waters referred to. Of these, 20 came on to the British register after the outbreak of the civil war, and of the remainder 27 belonged to the same British owners before that date. I cannot say how many belonged to persons or companies that traded in those waters prior to the civil war, but 72 were owned at the time of damage by British persons or companies operating as ship owners or managers before the beginning of the civil war. I am not in possession of information which would enable me to answer the last part of the question.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is aware that notice to terminate contracts has been given to the workmen at the No. 1 pit, Cambrian, Clydach Vale; will he state the number of men thrown idle; has he any information as to the cause; and whether there is any likelihood of a speedy resumption?

I am informed that 334 of the workmen engaged at this colliery have been given notice primarily on account of slackness in the export trade on which the pit largely depends but also because the particular seam on which they were employed can be more advantageously worked from another pit. About 50 of the men will be re-engaged at once and the remainder as and when the state of trade permits.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, what proportion of civil servants live to the age of 60 years?

I regret that there are no figures available on which a reliable estimate could be based.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what approximate proportion of the industrial and non-industrial civil servants qualify for pensions at the present time; and whether any progress has been made with regard to the introduction of some form of contributory pension scheme to cover as many as possible of those who do not at present qualify for any superannuation?

The proportion of civil servants, industrial and non-industrial, who are eligible for pension is approximately 50 per cent., the respective proportions being 15 per cent. and 67 per cent. With regard to the second part of the question, I am afraid I have nothing to add to the information I gave my hon. Friend in reply to his question of the 25th November, 1938.

asked the Minister of Health whether any cases of diphtheria and, if so, how many, occurred in immunised children in Liverpool during the year 1938; and whether any of these were fatal?

I am making inquiries from the local authority, and will communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the reluctance of local authorities and private hospital boards to equip their hospitals and institutions with air-raid precautions equipment; and in view of the anticipation that in the event of war they will be taken over by the Government, will he make arrangements to have the necessary equipment supplied?

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the protection of hospital buildings against the effects of air raids. I am happy to say that agreement has now been reached with the representatives both of local authorities and of voluntary hospitals regarding the extent of the contribution which they will make towards the cost of the protection of their hospitals. Under this agreement the Government will bear by far the greater share. My right hon. Friend is confident, therefore, that hospital authorities will now proceed with the submission of their proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for War what number of men applied to enlist in the Army for the 12 months to the latest available date; what percentage were rejected on medical grounds; and what was the percentage of the applicants for enlistment rejected on the ground of defective vision?

Of the 61,552 applicants to enlist into the Regular Army during the year ended 31st December, 1938, 12·25 Per cent. were rejected by examining medical officers. The percent- age of the total number of applicants who were rejected on the ground of defective vision was 1·96 during the 12 months ended 30th September, 1938, which is the latest date to which figures relating to the causes of medical rejection are available.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether, as a stimulus to the recruitment of women for whole-time service in war as air-raid precautions volunteers and in auxiliary firemen's work, he will consider the granting of equal pay, particularly, as the sum in question paid to men is by no means large and the amount to women 33⅓ per cent. less?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given yesterday to a similar question by my hon. Friend the Member for Stourbridge (Mr. R. Morgan).

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will consider the organisation of a travelling exhibition of air-raid precautions products, with a view to stimulating public interest and diffusing general knowledge?

Exhibitions generally, including the particular question of a travelling unit, are under consideration in connection with A.R.P. publicity. A display of air-raid shelters is on view at the present time at Charing Cross Underground station.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether, in consultation with the President of the Board of Education regarding the provision of protective measures in schools, he is also taking into account the advantage of providing shelters for grammar schools and universities to which scholars are sent by State and local government-aided scholarships?

No special arrangements are contemplated in respect of scholarship holders, since they would share in the general protective measures taken for the institution as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many bomb and other outrages have taken place in Palestine; and what have been the military, police, and civilian casualties from 22nd December, 1938, to date?

During the period from the 20th December to the 20th February there were 348 cases of sniping, 140 cases of sabotage, 19 kidnappings and 23 robberies. In addition, nine land mines and 32 bombs exploded.The total casualties during this period were as follows:

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been drawn to the number of "halt, major road ahead" traffic signs that are being set up within the boundaries of boroughs; and whether he will direct the attention of the local authorities concerned to the desirability of confining traffic signals in towns to the three-colour light type, or the flashing prohibition light signal, in view of the difficulty experienced by motor drivers in distinguishing these unlit signal halt signs, when set up on a footway with shop lights and signs often obstructing a clear view even in daylight?

"Halt" signs may not now be erected without my authority and I am not aware that excessive numbers of them are being set up in towns. I should not be prepared as a general rule to substitute light signals of any kind for these signs. The signs are required to be either fitted with reflectors or directly illuminated at night, and I should be glad to have inquiries made into any case where a sign is alleged to be insufficiently conspicuous.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what has been the yearly number of accidents involving injury to, or loss of limb, which have occurred to men employed on clip-making presses in His Majesty's naval dockyards since the machines were fitted with the safety appliance designed by Mr. Clark in the year 1923–24; and what was the average yearly number of such accidents during the five years prior to such appliances being fitted to the machines?

Certainclip-making presses in His Majesty's dockyards are equipped with safety devices, but these devices are not known as designed by a Mr. Clark. In the five years prior to and including 1924 the total number of accidents with these presses was two; since 1924 the total number is five.

asked the First Commissioner of Works for what reason it is proposed under the new regulations for Richmond Park that henceforward the park authorities disclaim all liability for any accident which may be incurred by riders using that park; what are the liabilities at the present time of the park authorities with regard to such accidents caused by the dangerous nature of the ground, whether or not the latter is due to the negligence of the park staff?

Those who ride in Richmond Park do so at their own risk. The proposed new regulations, to which my hon. Friend refers, do not seek to make any change in the legal position in this connection. Portions of this large area of natural open country become, at times, owing to weather conditions, unsuitable for riding, but this is in no way due to negligence on the part of the park staff.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether any steps are being taken to preserve parts of the old Whitehall Palace now uncovered by excavations; and what steps are being taken to schedule and photograph all discoveries on this site of archaeological interest?

It is hoped that it will be possible to preserve the more important features. The wine cellar will be preserved by incorporating it in the new building that is to be erected on the site, and the possibility is under consideration of preserving also the steps and river wall of Queen Mary's terrace. The site has been carefully surveyed and full record drawings are being made. All the remains have been photographed.