asked the Minister of Health why proceedings are not taken against the persons owning furnaces and factories or buildings used for trade which fail to consume the smoke emitted from their chimneys; and, in view of the chimneys that can be seen from every bridge across the Thames pouring out black and unconsumed smoke, will he say how many prosecutions for this offence were instituted by the sanitary authority last year?

I understand that in London there was one prosecution last year, and five, so far, this year. I would refer my hon. Friend to the Report of the Smoke Abatement Committee as to the difficulty of administering the existing law. The Government hope shortly to introduce a Bill on the subject.

Have the police instructions to report these cases when they see people obviously breaking the law?

Is it not a fact that the greater part of the smoke complained of comes from domestic grates and not from factories?

I could not answer a controversial question of that kind.