asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether the Committee of Imperial Defence has considered and arrived at a decision on the minimum tanker tonnage and general mercantile ship tonnage it is advisable to keep in a state of efficiency in this country to meet any possible emergency that may arise through the increase of certain nations' submarine flotillas?

The Committee of Imperial Defence keep under constant review the country's requirements in tankers and merchant ships. In assessing these requirements, due regard is given to the scale of attack which may be developed against our shipping in time of war.

asked the Minister of Transport whether in connection with the working out of plans for transport in an emergency any steps and, if so, of what nature, are being taken to establish a reserve of horse-drawn transport to carry out essential work in the event of a shortage of petrol in any part of the country?

The major problem of road transport in time of war which has been engaging the attention of my Department is necessarily that of motor transport, but discussions have also taken place as to the possibility of taking special steps in regard to horse transport.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps are actually being taken to secure complete reserve supplies of motor vehicles, spare parts and tyres; and whether these are being drawn from stock, a policy which would be preferred by the industry, or are they being specially manufactured?

The National Service Committee of the retail motor industry, with whom I have been in touch, indicate in a valuable report just issued that the total stock of spare parts held by the retail industry alone throughout the country amounts in value to some £3,000,000, and it has not so far been considered necessary to take special steps to accumulate reserves of motor vehicles, spare parts and tyres.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the increasing danger to public health caused by the flocking of gulls to reservoir waters belonging to water undertakers; whether he will take steps to amend the law so as to enable water undertakers to prevent the pollution of their water supplies by the destruction of gulls, wild duck and other fowl whose recourse to garbage heaps and sewage works and subsequent settlement on reservoirs constitute a serious danger to public health; and whether he will receive a deputation from the British Waterworks Association to discuss the matter?

I have not received any general representations on this subject, nor, I understand, has my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health. Any proposal to amend the law so as to permit the killing of gulls or other wild birds during the close season would need to be carefully examined, but I should be glad to consider any representations which the British Waterworks Association desires to make.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that a certain company has been endeavouring for three years, by application to the Home Office, to secure the exemption from the First Schedule to the Poisons and Pharmacy Act of a well-known and widely-used toothpaste manufactured in this country, that their appeal has been endorsed by over 500 practising dentists and licentiates in dental surgery; and will he take steps to ensure that the company's petition for exemption receives early attention?

The manufacturers of a toothpaste which contains an organic compound of arsenic, applied to the Home Office in January, 1936, to have it excluded from the First Schedule to the Poisons Rules, 1935, and so exempted from certain requirements of the Pharmacy and Poisons Act, 1933. It would not be practicable or desirable to exempt particular proprietary products, but very careful consideration was given to the question whether there should be a general exemption for dentifrices containing organic compounds of arsenic. Full inquiries were made and I was advised that the application of the restriction did not adversely affect the interests of the public and that exemption should not be granted.In July, 1938, the manufacturers again applied for exemption and submitted a list of dentists who are said to support the application. Further inquiries were made and I have referred the matter to the Poisons Board for consideration at their next meeting, which is likely, I understand, to be held in the near "future.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state, in the recent sales of merchant ships to foreign countries, how many tanker ships have been sold and which nation has made the purchase?

Since the 1st January, 1939, two tankers registered at ports in the United Kingdom have been reported to the Registrar-General of Shipping and Seamen as having been sold to foreign buyers. Both of these vessels were transferred to the Argentine flag.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that owing to the collapse of the market price due to excessive importation from foreign and Dominion sources the manufacture in this country of full-cream milk powder selling in competition with imports of that product involves manufacturing at a loss of over £20 a ton; and what action he intends to take to remedy this matter?

I am aware that manufacturers state that, owing to an over-supplied market, they are at present selling fall-cream powder at a loss. With regard to the second part of the question, His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom are in communication with the Governments of the countries concerned with a view to ensuring that arrangements are made within the next few weeks for sharing supplies to the United Kingdom market on an equitable basis.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is now in a position to make a definite statement with regard to the proposed amendments to the Potato Marketing Scheme; and whether, in view of the anxiety of the potato trade with regard to this matter, he will expedite a decision?

I regret that I am not yet in a position to make any definite statement on this matter.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, when setting up a commission to investigate milk distributive costs, he will also set up a separate ad hoc commission to investigate milk-production costs, since it may well be that inefficient production is more the cause of high milk prices than any redundancy or overlapping in the distributive field?

There has been no decision to take special steps to ascertain further facts about the costs of milk distribution. As regards the costs of milk production, I would remind my hon. and gallant Friend that an expert investigation into the financial conditions of milk production was started in November, 1934, and is still in progress. Three interim reports covering the period November, 1934, to September, 1937, have been published.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he can give figures to show which sections of the community are the beneficial owners of the National Debt?

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has considered the copy sent to him of the presidential address delivered on 20th April at the annual meeting of the Association of British Chambers of Commerce, drawing attention to the statistical misapprehension created by the method in which the unemployment figures are presented, and showing that certain of the unemployed are voluntarily unemployed owing to their refusal to take suitable gainful work available, or to accept transfer; and will he move to set up an investigating committee of all parties in this House with power to co-opt three trade union leaders to consider the matter?

The Association of British Chambers of Commerce were good enough to send me a copy of this address, and I propose to send them some comments upon it in due course. I ought to say at once, however, that the main point of criticism of the unemployment statistics was that they give the impression that the total number recorded as unemployed are permanently unemployed. This is a gratuitous misapprehension to which the published figures give no countenance, and which I endeavoured to correct in a recent Debate in this House. The address also seems to suggest that unemployed persons who, it is alleged, could obtain work if they chose, ought not to be counted as unemployed. Without agreeing that there are any considerable number of such persons, I would only remark that the suggested course does not seem to me to be sound as a piece of statistical procedure. On the matter generally I would say that I am always ready to consider suggestions for improving the method of presentation of the statistics, but I do not think the appointment of a committee is necessary desirable.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the number of persons engaged on the north and south sites, respectively, of the Bridgend Royal Arsenal, and the number recruited through the local exchanges as normally resident in the district?

I am informed that the number of persons engaged on the north and south sites of the Bridgend Royal Ordnance Factory on 27th April was 808 and 4,794, respectively. I am making inquiries regarding the latter part of the question and I will let the hon. Member know the result as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has considered a communication from the hon. Member for Ogmore as regards the employment of labour by contractors at the Bridgend Royal Arsenal; and whether he will authorise the employment of no person in future but through the office of the Employment Exchange?

The inquiries which I have instituted into the matter raised in the communication from the hon. Member are not quite complete but I will let him have a reply as soon as possible. With regard to the second part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Widnes (Mr. Pilkington) by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 20th March.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether his attention has been called to the condition of the road surfacing in the Mall; and whether, in view of the fact that this road is the route of many public processions, he will arrange for it to be given a modern non-skid surface suitable for horse as well as motor traffic?

I have had the condition of the road surface of the Mall under consideration, and experiments have been made to determine a suitable treatment. Renovation will be undertaken as soon as the necessary funds can be made available.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether, in view of the urgent need for pressing ahead with air-raid precautions work, he will arrange for local authorities to give priority to such work in preference to road construction and house-building, at any rate for the next three or six months?

I issued a circular on 18th April asking local authorities so to arrange their business that during the next three months priority is given to Civil Defence matters. I will send my hon. Friend a copy.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will give the names of any local authorities in Kent who have not yet appointed air-raid precautions controllers?

Both the local authorities in Kent responsible for the preparation of general air-raid precautions schemes have appointed A.R.P. Controllers.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he is aware that the Hampshire County Council has refused to supply to the Aldershot Borough Council, which is a Part 3 education authority, particulars of the means scale which determines exemption from fees in the county secondary schools; that this refusal and consequent lack of information to teachers and parents is unfair to both and tends to decrease the number of children who might apply for secondary school places; whether he will instruct the county council to supply the necessary information to the borough council and to make it publicly available otherwise; and if he will give full details of the means scale?

The Board have recently received representations from a correspondent at Aldershot, upon which the observations of the Hampshire local education authority have been invited but have not yet been received. The Hampshire authority, like many others, do not publish their income scale for special places at secondary schools. The Board give an absolute discretion to local education authorities in this matter; and I could not, therefore, put any pressure upon the authority to communicate or publish their scale.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to the judgment of the King's Bench Divisional Court on 26th April as to the validity of a certificate under the Mental Deficiency Act, 1913, signed by two doctors, one of whom had not even seen the person to whose mental condition he testified; what steps he proposes to take by amending the regulations or other-vise to prevent injustices consequent upon such unprofessional conduct; and whether he will call upon the Board of Control for a special report on the subject?

Under the provisions of Section 31 of the Mental Deficiency Act, 1913, it is the duty of the local education authority to make arrangements, subject to the approval of the Board of Education, for ascertaining what children are incapable by reason of mental defect of receiving benefit from instruction in special schools or classes, and for that purpose to obtain in each case a certificate, in a form prescribed by the Board of Education, from a duly qualified medical practitioner approved by the Board of Education.The Section further provides that in cases of doubt the matter shall be determined by the Board of Education. The approved arrangements require the child to be examined by the approved medical practitioner who is to give the certificate. In the case referred to in the question the court appears to have criticised the proceedings of the local education authority on the ground, first that the certificate was signed not only by the approved medical practitioner who had examined the child but also by a second medical practitioner who had not examined the child, and secondly on the ground that the case (being one of doubt) was not referred to the Board of Education for determination.There is nothing in the approved arrangements to countenance the signing of the certificate by a second practitioner who has not examined the child, but my Noble Friend is making further inquiries in the result of which he will consider whether any change in the prescribed forms of certificate is desirable.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will state the total number of recruits, and the number between the ages of 20 and 21, who applied to join the Navy during the year ending the 31st March; the numbers who were accepted and in what branches; and at what ages was there a shortage of recruits?

The total number of applications received to join the Royal Navy and Royal Marines during the year ended 31st March, 1939, was 69,968. The number of applicants who were between the ages of 20 and 21 years cannot be stated as no record of the ages of rejected candidates is kept.The total number entered in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines during the same period was 15,668. Of these 722 were between the ages of 20 and 21 years.There was no shortage of recruits except in some of the skilled branches, namely, artificers and some artisans.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether, in view of the denunciation by Germany of the Anglo-German Naval Agreement, he can state whether our naval construction plans are to be altered in any way; and whether there is any intention of negotiating for a new agreement?

With reference to the first part of the question, this is a matter which will receive consideration with others arising out of the denunciation of the Anglo-German Naval Agreement of 1935. With regard to the second part of the question, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer given by the Prime Minister to the hon. and gallant Member for Nuneaton (Lieut.-Commander Fletcher) yesterday.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will state the number of stoker and seaman ratings, respectively, excluding leading ratings and petty officers, on board His Majesty's Ship "Endeavour"; the number of each branch who have, respectively, deserted, broken out of the ship, or broken their leave, since arriving on the New Zealand station in June, 1937; the number who have been awarded major punishments by warrant; and the nature and period of the punishments?

The present complement of His Majesty's Ship "Endeavour" includes 49 able seamen and 31 stokers. With regard to the second part of the

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will state the date on which His Majesty's ship "Endeavour" commenced her present surveying cruise, the port of departure, how long the cruise was intended to last, what ports with recreational and leave facilities were to be visited, how often leave has, in fact, been given, and how often the ship has had to be coaled and cleaned; and why one of the later oil-fired surveying ships was not used for the New Zealand survey, observing that the "Endeavour" is a coal-fired ship and nearly 30 years old?

His Majesty's ship "Endeavour" sailed for her surveying duties from Auckland on the 3rd October, 1938, and it is expected that the survey will be completed by the 1st June, 1939. Since she sailed the ship has visited Auckland five times, during which visits ordinary short leave was granted on 29 days, and in addition five days Christmas leave was given. The ship has also visited Russell, Bay of Islands, three times, during which visits short leave was granted on 15 days. The recreational facilities at Auckland are excellent but I have no information regarding those at Russell. The ship coaled five times at Auckland and three times at Russell; the reason for choosing a coal-burning ship

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he has further considered the possibility of establishing a division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve at Plymouth?

Proposals to form Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve units at the home ports are under consideration, but it is not possible to make an announcement on this subject at present.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will arrange increased facilities whereby efficient serving officers of the Territorial Army may transfer to Regular Army units, if they so desire?

A scheme has already been promulgated for granting a number of Regular commissions in the Royal Army Service Corps to selected officers of the Supplementary Reserve and the Territorial Army, without requiring them to pass the usual examination. The extension of the scheme to other arms of the Service is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will issue instructions to permit officers of the Regular Army Reserve, who attain the age limit of liability to recall during the next six months, to remain on the reserve for one more year, providing that they have served at least six months with the Army in the last three years; that they are passed medically fit for active service; and that they apply for such extension of service?

It is already the practice that officers whose services it is specially desirable to retain should be invited to remain in the Reserve.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many British troops are now in Egypt; and whether it is intended to take advantage of the provisions of Article 7 of the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty and expand our forces in the light of the present emergency?

The hon. Member will, I hope, appreciate that it would not be advisable at the present time to disclose information of this nature.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Egyptian Government is satisfied with the arrangements that have been made for ensuring the security of Egypt against aggression?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement made in the Egyptian Chamber of Deputies by the Prime Minister on 24th April. As I stated on the 1st May, this declaration had been noted with much appreciation by His Majesty's Government.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the desire of retired and war-experienced officers of all ranks, to assist in the work of Army reconstruction and the training of new recruits; and whether, in view of their experience, he will consider some way of utilising their services?

Schemes for utilizing the services of retired officers are constantly under review, and a considerable number of such officers have already been engaged.

asked the Secretary of State for War what arrangements are to be made for the adequate entertainment of the troops in the event of war; and whether this matter will be placed, as in the last War, under the auspices of the Navy, Army, and Air Force Institute?

The entertainment of the troops in the event of war will be in the hands of the Navy, Army, and Air Force Institutes, and I am advised that adequate arrangements have been planned.

asked the Secretary of State for War at what dates the establishments of the various Territorial units at Greenock were up to strength; how many young men of the 20 to 21 group were on the waiting lists for enrolment in these units as at 26th April, 1939; and how the Government propose to deal with them so as to enable them to avoid being conscripted?

The Renfrew Fortress Companies, Royal Engineers, at Greenock have been up to establishment for some months. This establishment was not affected by the recent expansion. No separate figures for the Greenock detachments of other Territorial Army units are available, but the units as a whole, though up to their former establishments before 31st March, had not reached their expanded establishments on 29th April last.The information asked for in the second part of the question is not readily available. As regards the last part, I would refer the hon. Member to Clause 2 of the Military Training Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for War for what reason members of the Red Cross and St. John Ambulance Brigade, who give their time voluntarily to work which has been stated to be of national importance, are compelled to bear the cost of their uniforms, amounting, in. the case of a Red Cross commandant, to £15, while members of the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service obtain their outfit free?

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that a large number of young women are deterred from joining the voluntary aid detachments owing to the cost of providing themselves with uniforms; and whether, in order to encourage recruiting, he will consider the provision of free uniforms in future or an appropriate allowance?

The conditions relating to Voluntary Aid Detachments have been under review, and it is hoped to make an announcement on the subject very shortly.

asked the Prime Minister whether the terms of the proposals made by the German to the Polish Government relating to the Polish Corridor and Danzig and the Polish Government's intended reply thereto were known to the British Government before the recent guarantee was offered to Poland?

His Majesty's Government were of course aware of the general subjects on which exchange of views had been taking place between the two Governments, and of the attitude that each Government was disposed to adopt. My hon. and gallant Friend will have noted that an official account of the German proposal and the Polish counterproposals has so far been made public by one side only. I understand that the Polish Foreign Minister is likely to make some further public pronouncement on these matters in the course of a speech he is making to-morrow.

asked the Prime Minister whether President Roosevelt consulted His Majesty's Government before including Palestine in the list of independent nations which he invited, on 15th April, the heads of the Governments of Germany and Italy to guarantee against invasion?

No, Sir.

asked the Prime Minister whether any negotiations are in progress or contemplated with the Latvian Government with regard to guaranteeing that country against the eventuality of the occupation or utilisation of the port of Riga by Russia or Germany in the event of war?

No, Sir.

asked the Prime Minister what news he can give the House respecting the conversations proceeding with Russia?

As I informed the House yesterday, I am not yet in a position to add anything to recent statements.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has received any official information concerning economic demands presented to Lithuania by Germany?

My Noble Friend has received certain general information and is awaiting further details.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will state the circumstances under which the British steamer "Sagres" has been seized by a Japanese destroyer; and what action is being taken?

On 8th April the British steamer "Sagres," which had been loading salt at Chao-an Bay near Swatow, was boarded by Japanese naval units and taken to Bako in the Pescadores. Representations for the release of the vessel have been made both by the British naval authorities in China to the Japanese naval authorities there, and by His Majesty's Ambassador at Tokyo to the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will state the reason for restricting the issue of passports to seamen to cases in which a definite journey abroad as a fare-paying passenger has been arranged; and whether instructions. will be given that seamen shall be entitled to passports under the same conditions as other British subjects?

It has been found by experience that, owing no doubt to the conditions and hazards of their calling, it is difficult for seamen to ensure the safe custody of passports issued to them, and that there is in consequence an appreciable danger of their falling into the hands of undesirable persons. Seamen do not require passports for the exercise of their calling and it is therefore the practice to issue passports to seamen only when passports are necessary, that is when they are travelling as fare-paying passengers. This practice would not appear to inflict any hardship upon seamen.

asked the Prime Minister whether he can now give any further information with regard to the German Consul at Liverpool; whether any connection has been established between that gentleman and the German secret service; and whether any proceedings are contemplated?

As this matter is still before the courts, I am unable to make any statement at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether there is any organised system of affiliation of air squadrons to specific towns; and whether, in that case, he can state the number of towns thus affiliated?

Yes, Sir. An organised system of affiliation of air squadrons to particular towns has been in operation since the 1st April this year, and I am sending to my hon. Friend a copy of a communiqué on the subject which was issued by my Department. At the present date 54 towns have taken part in the scheme and further affiliations will be arranged from time to time.