asked the Postmaster-General whether he can see his way to allow communications from insured persons to the insurance committees to be delivered without payment of postage; and, if not, whether, seeing that inconvenience and delay has been caused by the non-acceptance of important letters by the insurance committees, he will take some further steps to remove the impression still prevalent that such communications do not require payment of postage?

With regard to the first part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answers given by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to questions on the subject asked by the hon. Member for Tewkesbury on the 31st October last, and by the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon on the 6th December last. With regard to the second part of the question, I am not aware that there is any widespread impression that letters addressed to insurance committees are exempt from postage.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has yet come to any decision on the subject of the remuneration to sub-postmasters and postmistresses for work in connection with the National Insurance Act, as represented to him by the deputation from the Sub-postmasters' Federation?

Fresh Returns are being taken in accordance with my promise to the Sub-postmasters' Federation, and a decision cannot be reached till they have been received.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether a woman by-taking in sewing or by doing a little washing for a neighbour for one week can thereby become an employed person under the National Insurance Act, get a card from the Post Office, affix one stamp, and so become entitled to free medical attendance for the rest of the year?

The answer is in the negative. A person whose normal occupation is not employment within the meaning of the National Insurance Act ceases to be insured and to be entitled to benefits on ceasing to be employed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that there is no panel doctor in the village of West Hougham, Kent, and that no doctor on the panel in Dover, some four miles distant, is willing to attend insured persons in West Hougham; and whether he will say how, under these circumstances, residents in West Hougham can obtain medical benefit to which they are entitled under the National Insurance Act?

I am informed that arrangements have been made whereby every insured person can be allocated to a doctor on the panel, but I am making inquiries as to this particular case.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state what is the position of servants insured in England and working a portion of the year in England and a portion in Ireland; and how are they to secure medical benefits if they are taken ill in Ireland, where none exist?

While in Ireland an insured person is not entitled to medical benefit and is only required to pay contributions at the reduced Irish rate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the Lancashire Insurance Committee have declined to allow insured persons to make their own arrangements for obtaining medical attendance and treatment; whether he is aware that this has deprived many insured persons of the services of doctors who have treated them all their lives; and whether this has received the assent of the National Health Insurance Commissioners?

As I have previously stated, every insurance committee, in allowing or refusing to allow an insured person to make his own arrangements for treatment by a doctor who is not on the panel, must exercise its discretion in accordance with the Act and the Regulations, and I have no reason to suppose that the Lancashire Insurance Committee is not doing so.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that Mrs. Brun, of Kilmanagh, county Kilkenny, who paid insurance in her husband's name, was deprived of maternity benefit on the birth recently of her eighteenth child on the ground that her husband was over sixty-five years of age; and whether, under the circumstances of her case and seeing that all insurance premiums were paid, she will be given the maternity allowance?

I am informed by the Irish Commissioners that Daniel Breen, the husband referred to in the question, is insured under Section 49 of the National Insurance Act, which provides that employed persons over sixty-five on 15th July, 1912, shall receive, instead of the ordinary benefits of the Act, such special benefits as their societies decide, and are able with the available money, to give them. His wife is not insured and any benefits payable are in respect of the husband's insurance and from the funds of his society. His society, acting under the discretion given to it by Section 49 of the Act, decided, like other societies, not to provide maternity benefit as one of the special benefits most suitable to persons who were over sixty-five years of age on 15th July, 1912, but to devote the money available to other benefits, such as sick pay. No maternity benefit is therefore payable. I understand that a Grant of £3 has been made from the King's Privy Purse.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will state the number of persons who had voluntarily insured on the last date for which he has particulars?

Between 13,000 and 14,000 first quarter's voluntary contributors' cards have been received, but others are due from some of the big centralised societies. Voluntary contributors (as distinct from employed contributors) are able to choose their own time for entering insurance; and under Section 5 of the Act they could join (if under forty-five) at any time within six months of the commencement of the Act without increase of contributions or reduction of benefits. No close estimate of the actual number of voluntary contributors can therefore be formed until the second quarter's cards are returned.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been directed to the facts that the sum allocated to the approved societies under the National Insurance Act for the purpose of meeting the expenses of administration, etc., is being expended by certain approved societies on the provision of additional benefits in stead of in providing adequate salaries for their agents; and whether the Insurance Commissioners can take steps to put an end to this practice, which involves injustice to the insurance agents?

With regard to the remuneration of agents for work done in connection with the National Insurance Act I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh (East). I may add that no society can provide additional benefits out of funds accruing under the Act, except after a surplus has been disclosed on valuation.

asked the Secretary for Foreign Affairs what was the reason alleged for the withdrawal of America from the six-Power financial group dealing with Chinese loans; and whether the same reason applies to the action of this country?

The only explanation I have of the reasons for the decision of the Government of the United States are those which have appeared in the Press. The hon. Member is, therefore, in as good a position as I am to answer the question.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that agreements to purchase their holdings were signed by the tenants on the estate of Colonel Woodmartin, situate at Esker, near Castleblakeny, county Galway, so long ago as 1908; is he aware that the estate is in a congested state, comprising sixteen tenants, who are looking forward anxiously to the allocation of the grazing farm included in the estate amongst them; and whether, having regard to the urgency of doing something to relieve these poor tenants, he will communicate with the Estates Commissioners and request them to deal with the estate at once?

This estate is the subject of proceedings for sale direct by the owner to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903. The purchase agreements were lodged with the Estates Commissioners in October, 1908. The estate is on the principal register of direct sales (all cash) and will be dealt with in order of priority, but having regard to the claims of other estates the Commissioners are not at present in a position to say when it will be reached.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland what is the total strength of the Royal Irish Constabulary at present in Ireland; what proportion of the total number comes under the definitition of free quota; on what basis is that free quota allocated; and what is the present allocation to the several districts in Ireland of the free quota and constabulary, if any, other than those coming under the head of free quota, respectively?

The total strength of the Royal Irish Constabulary (sergeants, acting sergeants, and constables) on 28th February, 1913, the latest date for which information is available, was 10,175. Of this number 8,911 belong to the free quota of 9,303 assigned by Order in Council of 26th May, 1909. It has not been found necessary to maintain the free force at its maximum in several counties owing to their peaceful condition. The free quota is allocated by the Lord Lieutenant in Council under the powers conferred by the Constabulary (Ireland) Redistribution Act, 1885. The Inspector-General, in submitting schemes for the distribution of the force to his Excellency, has regard to the area, population, and requirements of each district. The following table shows the present distribution of the force:—

asked the Chief Secretary why the annual statement of the amount of the constabulary force employed in each county and county of a city in Ireland, required by 6 Will. 4, c. 13, s. 57, is not submitted to Parliament?

Section 57 of the Statute quoted has become obsolete owing to later legislation.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) what is the estimated number of store cattle now available for export from Ireland; and how this number compares with the estimated figures at a corresponding period in 1912?

The number of cattle (other than fat cattle) exported from Ireland between the 1st January last and the 15th instant was 160,839, as against 55,630 in the corresponding period of 1912. This increase is due to the removal of the restrictions imposed on the admission of cattle into Great Britain in consequence of foot-and-mouth disease. It is not possible to make a close estimate of the number of store cattle now available for exportation, but it may be safely stated that the number is larger than that available at this time last year. The number of cattle under two years old in the country when the last enumeration was taken (June, 1912) was 2,222,139, as compared with 2,131,175 in June, 1911, and the total number of cattle in the country was 4,848,498 in June, 1912, as compared with 4,711,720 in June, 1911.

asked the Prime Minister if he was aware, on the date when the appointment of the Select Committee to investigate the Marconi contract was first under the consideration of the House, that the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Attorney-General were shareholders in the American Marconi Company?

I answered this question yesterday in reply to a question by the hon. and gallant Member for Central Finsbury.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of labourers, skilled and unskilled, employed in the various dockyards under Admiralty authority, stating their different grades and rates of pay?

Numbers of skilled labourers and labourers in the home dockyards at the several rates of wages, according to latest Returns (December, 1912):—

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that H. Ganderton, employed at the Weedon depôt as a leading hand, has not participated in an increase of wages given to other leading hands as from April last; and whether he will state the reason for this discrimination?

I am fully aware of the circumstances of this case. It lays in the discretion of the officer in charge to give or not to give an increase from 1st April, 1911, according to the value of the services rendered. Ganderton was not the only man so treated, and I am not prepared to interfere with the exercise of the officer's discretion.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the proposed new scale of increased pay for officers will apply fully to quartermasters in their respective ranks?

No, Sir. Quartermasters have a scale of their own, with a minimum of 9s. a day pay already.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to a statement made at the annual meeting of the Secret Commissions and Bribery Prevention League (Incorporated) to the effect that a question arising out of Army contracts was at the present time under consideration; whether any such allegations have been brought to the notice of the Army Council; and, if so, whether it is proposed to take any action?

My attention has been called to this statement. It is believed that the contracts mentioned are not Government contracts. The matter which appears to be the subject of the question is now under inquiry.

asked the President of the Board of Education (1) if there has been an increase or decrease in the total number of scholars in secondary schools in which boys and girls are taught together, and whether he can assign any reasons for any change since the last Annual Report for 1909–10 in which the numbers were stated; and (2) in what number of secondary schools recognised as efficient boys and girls are taught together; and whether in the next Annual Report the figures of mixed classes will be given as in the Annual Report for 1909–10?

There were 232 among the 1,037 secondary schools in England and Wales recognised as efficient during the school year 1909–10, in which boys and girls were taught together either in all or in some of the forms of the school. There were, in these 232 schools, 32,764 pupils. Of these 232 schools, two have been closed, three have become schools for boys or girls only, one has been split up into two separate schools (boys and girls respectively), and in one other boys and girls are now taught separately throughout. There are 262 schools among the 1,110 recognised as efficient for the current school year in which boys and girls are taught together in all or some of the forms, and there are 39,891 pupils in these schools. Thirty-three schools, in which boys and girls are taught together either in all or in some of the forms of the school, have been placed on the Grant list since the year 1909–10. The increase is mainly attributable to the establishment of new schools in districts in which the small number of the inhabitants, the demands of proper school organisation and financial necessities render it difficult to establish efficient secondary schools for boys and girls separately. The figures showing the numbers of mixed classes have not been given in the Report of 1911–12, which will be published next week.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he will complete Cd. 5951 by enlarging the statistics in Part I. by including all Grant-earning schools in the same way as in Part II. of the same Paper?

I am inquiring into the matter, and will let the hon. Member know in a day or two whether I am able to meet his suggestion.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India if he is aware that discontent, on account of their salaries and prospects, exists among the military officers of the Military Accounts Department in India; that in reply to a number of memorials the Government of India have acknowledged that, the salary and prospects of the junior officers of the department require amelioration, and that they are prepared to assist them, provided that any advancement given now shall be counterbalanced by retardation of promotion later on; and, if so, will he state on what grounds such retardation is justifiable, seeing that discontent exists among the senior as well as the junior grades; and will he cause full inquiry to be made as to the causes of this discontent?

I have no information on the subject, but will inquire.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether Irish stock-owners forwarded him a sample of the non-eatable fodder supplied to animals at Wallasey and Birkenhead; and what steps he proposes to take to rectify the hardships inflicted on the animals and the injustice imposed on their owners?

I have received no sample of the fodder supplied at Wallasey and Birkenhead, nor have I received any complaint about its quality. If the hon. Member Will supply me with exact information about any specific case on which the general allegation of hardship and injustice is based, I will inquire into it at once.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether experience has shown him that it is unnecessary to feed animals immediately before their being slaughtered, and if he will dispense with the enforcement of the Order as regards such animals; whether he will state what is the nature of the food supplied or intended to be given to young lambs during the hours of detention; and whether, if it is found to be impracticable to forcibly feed them, he will allow them to proceed to their destination without detention?

I am well aware that it is unnecessary for animals to be fed immediately before slaughter, and the Order to which I understand the hon. Member to refer does not require any animal to be fed unnecessarily. The nature of the food to be supplied when necessary depends upon the circumstances of each case. With regard to lambs in particular, I have nothing to add at present to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member on the 17th March.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture what steps have been taken, if any, with a view to having the embargo removed on British potatoes entering the United States of America, as being unreasonable and unwarranted; and, if nothing has been done, may this important matter be taken up at once?

I have been in communication with the Foreign Office on this subject, and from inquiries they have made I have come to the conclusion that it would be inexpedient to make representations to the United States Government at the present time. The potato crop of 1912 in America was a large one, and no demand for European potatoes exists. The position is being carefully watched, and at the first favourable opportunity an effort will be made to secure a modification of the existing regulations.

asked the precise nature of the financial arrangements made with regard to the allocation of Grants from the Development Fund to farm institute work in relation to the expenditure hitherto made from county rates by the various counties in England?

The maximum Grant towards approved capital expenditure will be the same in all cases, namely, 75 per cent. of the cost. With regard to the cost of maintenance, Grants varying between 50 and 75 per cent. will be made in respect of new work approved by the Board. In fixing the percentage the Board will have regard to the financial burden hitherto undertaken by each local authority for the purpose of agricultural education, and it is proposed to arrange the counties in classes for the receipt of Grants within the limits mentioned above. Each county making application for a Grant will be informed of the class in which it is placed, so that the Grant may be approximately estimated before new work is undertaken.

asked the Postmaster-General what was the average wage of Post Office employés, other than postmasters, in the years 1902 and 1912, respectively; and whether, assuming that there has been an increase in the cost of living and a decrease in the purchasing power of money of 12 per cent. during the last ten years, the increase in such average wage during this period has been in the same or any less proportion?

I regret that the information desired by the hon. Member could not be ascertained without considerable trouble and expense. As he is doubtless aware the question of the pay and other conditions of Post Office servants is now being inquired into by a Select Committee of this House, whose attention has already been directed to the cost of living and the purchasing power of money.

asked the Postmaster-General whether telephones cannot now be erected, under the scheme as brought out by himself for rural telephones by party-lines, on account of the funds being exhausted; and if he can say if this fund will be renewed and how many rural party-lines have been erected?

The amount already authorised by the Treasury for the experimental provision of rural party-line telephones has been expended or allocated to lines under construction, but I have requested and hope shortly to receive authority for further expenditure which will meet all public requirements until the scheme can be put on a settled basis after adequate experience of its working. About 900 subscribers are being served by lines of this class or are about to be served by lines now being constructed, and the proposals now under consideration will provide for about 500 more subscribers.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the placing of a postage stamp on a newspaper, half on the wrapper and half on the newspaper, is an infraction of the rule against sealing; and, if so, will he have the rule altered to prevent so trivial an infraction causing a claim for extra postage?

Newspapers are allowed to be transmitted by post at an exceptionally low rate of postage under certain conditions, and in order to ensure that those conditions are complied with it is necessary to require that every newspaper or packet of newspapers shall be posted either without a cover or in a cover open at both ends, which can easily be removed for the purpose of examination. If a newspaper is fastened to the wrapper by means of the postage stamp, thus rendering it impossible to withdraw the newspaper without tearing the postage stamp or the wrapper, the regulation is contravened, and the packet is liable to postage according to weight. I see no sufficient reason for relaxing the regulation; the practice to which the hon. Member refers is obviously not one which should be encouraged.

asked the hon. Member for St. George's-in-the-East, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether, when inviting tenders for contracts, the Office of Works invites a firm to tender if it is known that the firm in its treatment of its employés does not come up to the standard required by the Fair-Wages Clause?

Before issuing invitations to tender, the Office of Works always obtains from contractors a written undertaking that they will abide by the terms of the Fair-Wages Resolution.

asked the hon. Member for St. George's-in-the-East, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether he is aware that the men employed in collecting the fees for the use of chairs in the Royal parks are employed seven days a week for the greater part of the year at a wage of 4s. a day, and that their working hours are seventy-three and a half per week, exclusive of meal times; and whether, when entering into new contracts, consideration will be given to the case of these men and an endeavour made to secure more reasonable hours and an increase of pay?

The First, Commissioner is much obliged to my hon. Friend for calling his attention to the conditions of employment among the men engaged by the licence holder. The First Commissioner is making inquiries into the whole question.