asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he will now state the export credits which it is proposed to grant to the Chinese Government out of the extra sum approved by Parliament; and whether these grants give effect to the requests of the Chinese Government?

I have been asked to reply. As my right hon. Friend has explained more than once guarantees under the Export Guarantees Act are given not to foreign Governments but to or for the benefit of United Kingdom exporters. Transactions relating to exports to China are under consideration but I am afraid no particulars can be given.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the reduction of between 50 per cent. and 75 per cent. in the quantity of paints which, under the new restrictions, it is now allowable to import into New Zealand from the United Kingdom; and whether our total exports to New Zealand will be diminished by any such figure?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. Such information as my right hon. Friend has does not bear out the suggestion that imports into New Zealand of paints of United Kingdom origin are being reduced to the extent mentioned by my hon. Friend.

asked the Prime Minister how many of the 20 cases submitted to the Permanent Court of International Justice for settlement since 1st January, 1931, have been disposed of; what were the mode and terms of disposal in each case; and what is the position of the cases, if any, still undisposed of?

All the cases in question have been disposed of, with the exception of the following which are still before the Court:

No. 74. The railway-line Panevezys-Saldutiskis. Estonia v. Lithuania.

No. 75. Electricity Company of Sofia. Belgium v. Bulgaria.

No. 77. Société Commerciale Belgique. Belgium v. Greece.

Details of the mode and terms of disposal of the remaining cases will be found on pages 90 to 98 of the Fourteenth Annual Report of the Court.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has any statement to make on the threatened strike against the Milk Marketing Board of producer-retailers of milk?

I am informed that at the annual general meeting of the National Federation of Milk Producer-Retailers a resolution was passed refusing to complete the returns which producer-retailers are required to render to the board or to pay contributions under the scheme until the case of one of their members, on whom a penalty was imposed by the board, had been settled to the satisfaction of the federation. I can only express my regret that the federation have not seen fit to consider the adoption of the constitutional means which have been provided by Parliament for the investigation of grievances which producers may have against the board.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can state the total number of questions a retailer-producer of milk is required to answer weekly in connection with the requirements of the Milk Board?

Producer-retailers are required to furnish each month to the Milk Marketing Board a return relating to their production and sales of milk. Information is required under nine heads, but the extent to which answers (other than the word "None") must be given depends upon the nature of the producer's business. Producer-retailers are also required to keep a daily record of their production and sales of milk, from which the monthly return is made up. These daily returns are retained by the producers, but they must be available for inspection by the board's officers if required. I am sending my hon. and gallant Friend a copy of the form of returns in question.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many men were invalided out of the Navy in 1937 and 1938; and in how many of these cases was the disability attributed as due to the service?

During the years 1937 and 1938 the numbers of ratings (including Royal Marines) invalided out of the Navy were 1,200 and 1,299 respectively, and in each year 160 of these cases were held to be "Attributable to the Service."

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what was the total number of fishermen enrolled in the Navy during the Great War; and how many drifters were employed on Naval service in October, 1918?

Approximately 80,000 lower deck enrolments into the Naval Reserves were made by the Registrar-General of Shipping and Seamen during the Great War. A record of the proportion of fishermen included in this number is not available. About 1,040; drifters were employed on naval service in October, 1918.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether any records are kept in his Department of all officers who served in the Royal Air Force during the Great War; what proportion of such officers are considered as available; and what arrangements are made to maintain contact with such of these officers as might be required by the Air Ministry in an emergency?

Records are kept in my Department of all officers who served in the Royal Air Force during the Great War. It is not possible to indicate what proportion of such officers could be considered as available now. An Officers' Emergency Reserve has, however, been set up to enable officers with War or post-War service with the Royal Flying Corps, the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Air Force to maintain contact with the Air Ministry, with a view to their employment with the Royal Air Force in the event of an emergency.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he can now make any statement as to whether it is intended to introduce legislation dealing with broadcasting and electrical interference during the current Session?

Inquiries regarding the possible scope and operation of a new Wireless Telegraphy Bill to deal, inter alia, with the question of electrical interference with wireless reception are being actively pursued. The problem is, however, one of great complexity, involving consultation with many commercial and other interests which would be affected; and I regret that I cannot give any assurance that it will be possible to introduce a Bill during the current Session.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will give consideration to the granting of free wireless licences to persons in receipt of non-contributory old age pensions?

The concession of free wireless licences is at present restricted to blind persons, under the Wireless Telegraphy (Blind Persons Facilities) Act, 1926. The question of extending the concession to other classes deserving of sympathy was considered by the Broadcasting Committee of 1935, who reported against any extension.

asked the Minister of Health whether National Health Insurance Funds are credited with the cost of salaries of members of his staff who are normally employed upon National Health Insurance business but are now engaged upon other work of national importance; and how many persons have been thus temporarily transferred?

Expenses incurred by Government Departments in the administration of the National Health Insurance Acts are defrayed from moneys provided by Parliament, except in the case of certain specific services the cost of which is chargeable to the National Health Insurance Funds. The amount so charged is limited to the cost of the salaries and expenses of the officers actually engaged on those services.

asked the Minister of Health how many people in the borough of Darwen were in receipt of old age pensions on the latest convenient date; how many of these were also in receipt of assistance from the Public Assistance Committee; and what was the total amount paid by the Public Assistance Committee to such pensioners during the last 12 months?

I regret that the information desired is not available. The records of old age pensioners are not kept on a territorial basis, and the returns made to my Department by public assistance authorities of the number of persons in receipt of poor relief do not contain separate particulars for parts of an administrative county.

asked the Secretary of State for War how much money has been spent on land, buildings, and equipment of Government-owned armament factories; and how many such factories exist?

The expenditure in the financial years 1936 and 1937, together with the estimated expenditure in the financial year 1938, on land, buildings and equipment of Government-owned armament factories, for which the War Office is responsible, amounts to £24,882,000. This expenditure relates to 24 factories, either existing or in course of construction.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether in view of the desire of the public to see for themselves the great progress made in the mechanisation of the modern Army, he will arrange for displays to be given at suitable centres in the United Kingdom on the lines of the demonstration given at Alders hot on the 22nd February?

It is proposed that a mechanised demonstration column should make a tour in June and July, and that displays illustrating progress in mechanisation should be on view at various exhibitions throughout the country.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can give any information as to the amount spent on subsidising or otherwise assisting manufacturers of materials required for rearmament, in respect of land, building or manufacturing equipment?

The expenditure during the financial years 1936 and 1937, together with the estimated expenditure in the financial year 1938, in respect of land, building and manufacturing equipment, in connection with assistance provided by the War Office for manufacturers of materials required for rearmament, amounts to£4,546,000.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will ask the Milk Publicity Board to give a definite reply in the case of Miss Hulton, of Chelmsford, in connection with the Auxiliary Territorial Service, bearing in mind that the Milk Publicity Council themselves advised her to offer her services during the crisis, but have not yet given her facilities for a course of training although she is now a deputy-company commander?

The War Office is already in communication with the National Milk Publicity Council in regard to this case.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether his attention has been drawn to the destruction of excavations made at Glastonbury; and whether he will hold an official investigation into all the circumstances to ensure that the truth about the origins of these historic national monuments shall not be concealed?

I am satisfied that there has been no destruction of excavations at Glastonbury Abbey and, also, that there is no occasion for the holding of any official investigation. I have no power to require the owners of scheduled ancient monuments to undertake excavations.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education what number of children in infants', junior, and senior schools, ages 5 to 14 years, are suffering from defective eyesight, and what number suffering from deafness in England and Wales, giving separate figures for Wales in percentages of the total number in each category, for the years 1924, 1930, 1936, and to the latest available date; what is the percentage of children being provided by the education authorities with free spectacles; and will he give the percentage for distressed areas, separately?

No information is available as to the total number of children in attendance at public elementary schools who have defects of vision or hearing; the figures in the Board's possession relate only to children who have been submitted to routine medical inspection or special inspection during the course of the year. I am sending the hon. Member tables showing for England and Wales, for Wales separately, and for the Special Areas the number of children found to have defects of vision or hearing during the years 1924, 1930, 1936 and 1937, and the number of spectacles obtained under local education authorities' schemes during those years. No information is available to show in how many cases the spectacles were provided free of charge.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he can arrange for the physical training and recreation interests to participate in the next radio exhibition, with a view to stimulating public interest in the potentialities of broadcasts dealing with the keep fit movement?

My hon. Friend's suggestion will be carefully considered with other proposals for publicity.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he will state the percentage of

(1) Number of pupils aged 10 and under 11 in public elementary schools in Leeds, 31st March, 1937		6,545
(2) Total number of ex-public elementary school pupils admitted to grant-aided secondary schools in Leeds, 1937–38		948
(3) Percentage of (2) to (1)		14.5

Pupils in grant-aided secondary schools in Leeds on 1st October, 1938.
—		Total number of pupils.	Number of pupils paying no fees or partial fees
			No fees.	Percentage.	Partial fees.	Percentage.	Total.	Percentage.
All schools	…	6,855	2,251	32.8	364	5.3	2,615	38.1
Leeds Grammar School	…	737	38	5.1	109	14.8	147	19.9

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he will state, in respect of the year 1937–38, the percentage of ex-public elementary school students to the total entrants in each university and university college in England and Wales, excluding overseas students; and the figure for the London medical schools separately?

I understand that the information required by the hon. Member will be included in the forthcoming statistical returns from universities and University colleges in receipt of Treasury grant compiled by the University Grants Committee, and I would ask the hon. Member to await the issue of that publication.

asked the Minister of Labour what proportion of industrial undertakings operating in the Special Areas under grants received under the Special Areas (Amendment) Act, 1937, elementary schoolchildren, aged 10 and under 11 years, in March, 1937, who were admitted to secondary schools in Leeds during the year ended July, 1938; the percentage of free or special places in the maintained and grant-aided secondary schools in Leeds; and the percentage of free or special places in the Leeds Grammar School?

Following is the answer: are paying trade union rates of wages or operating under trade union agreements; and will he consider making it a condition of receiving such grants that the wages paid in all undertakings so subsidised shall be at trade union rates and that freedom of access shall be allowed to trade union organisers to approach the persons employed in these undertakings?

Industrial undertakings receiving these grants are bound to comply with all legal requirements as regards wages and otherwise. As regards the matters referred to in the question, so far as they go beyond legal requirements, it is the policy of the Commissioner that these undertakings should not be treated differently from other employers. He has no information on the specific points raised, but the good offers of the Ministry are available if any complaints are made.

asked the Minister of Labour whether a person under the Unemployment Assistance Board and in receipt of unemployment assistance benefit will have the amount received for billeting children in an emergency reckoned as part of household income, and thereby have his benefit reduced?

I would refer the hon. Member to the question on this subject which was asked by the hon. Member for Aberdare (Mr. G. Hall) on 9th February, and the reply which was then given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the continuing congestion of traffic at Victoria Gate, Hyde Park; will he inform the House of the reasons as to why the necessary improvements, which have been agreed to by all the bodies concerned for many months past, have not yet been commenced; who is responsible for the delay; what representations have been made to the London County Council in the matter; and when it is proposed that a start will be made?

I regret that general agreement has not yet been reached as to the works to be undertaken at Victoria Gate, Hyde Park. The London County Council were unfortunately unable to agree the scheme prepared by my Department. An alternative proposal has been submitted by them and negotiations are still proceeding between my officers and those of the council for the purpose of evolving a scheme which will be acceptable to all parties concerned.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what is the estimated immediate cost to the State of increasing old age pensions to £1 per week, provided that employers' contributions to the insurance fund remain unchanged?

The additional cost involved in increasing old age pensions to £1 per week, including 65–70 pensions and widows' pensions where the widow is aged over 65, would be about £76,000,000 a year at the outset. The cost would rise steadily for many years and would be about £92,000,000 a year in 10 years' time.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he will suggest to the Viceroy the publication of a statement describing the position, powers and general attitude of the residents in the native States with regard to democratic progress in those States?

The position and powers of residents in the Indian States and consequently their attitude towards democratic progress there are those of agents of the Viceroy as "His Majesty's Representative for the exercise of the functions of the Crown in its relations with Indian States." The attitude of the Paramount Power towards constitutional advance in the States was indicated in the reply on 16th December to my hon. Friend the Member for Kidderminster (Sir J. Wardlaw-Milne).

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will state, on whom will fall the liability for compensation in case of accident to any person now enrolled, or at any future time enrolled, for national service, and who is injured in practice or during an emergency, before such liability is finally decided by Parliament?

As regards compensation in case of accident to civil defence volunteers in course of peace-time training I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given on Thursday, 2nd March, to the hon. Member for Rothwell (Mr. Lunn). In so far as concerns injury sustained during an emergency I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made in the House by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Tuesday, 31st January.