asked the hon. Member for St. George's-in-the-East, as representing the Insurance Commissioners, whether an employed contributor who is recommended for sanatorium benefit and makes his own arrangements to go to the King Edward VII. Sanatorium at Midhurst is entitled to recover any part of the fees payable at that sanatorium?

Insurance Committees are under no obligation to defray the, cost of treatment for tuberculosis obtained otherwise than under the general arrangements made by them. Further, where, as is usually the case, the whole of the committee's income available for the purpose is already earmarked towards the cost of the accommodation reserved by them under those arrangements, the committee will not be in a position to contribute to the cost of other accommodation privately obtained. If, however, the hon. and gallant Member has any particular case in mind I will make inquiry on receipt of the particulars.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Board of Works have received complaints regarding the charges in respect of boxes and personal effects made to girls recently engaged in fish-curing at English and Scotch ports on their return to Ireland by the Lough Swilly Railway Company; whether he is aware that similar charges were not made in previous years; and whether, under the agreement by which the Burtonport extension line is leased to this company by the Board of Works, the Board can take any steps to regulate excessive charges by the company?

The Board of Works report that they have no information as to these charges. The Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway Company is responsible for the fares and rates charged on the line within maxima determined by Statute. I am informed that my hon. Friend has forwarded various invoices for consignments, and inquiries will be made. It is observed that in some instances the amount charged includes transport from Belfast to Londonderry over another company's line.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the National Board of Education (Ireland) are proposing to withdraw all Grants from the Faughanvale (2) national school, the only Presbyterian school in the neighbourhood; whether, in view of the reasons assigned by the manager and by the Presbytery of Glendermott, and the practice of the Commissioners in similar instances, the National Board are justified by paragraph 179 (c) of the rules and regulations of the Commissioners in so doing; and, in view of all the circumstances of the case, will he ask that the proposal of the Board may be reconsidered and the Grants continued?

The answer to the first two paragraphs of the question is in the affirmative. The Commissioners of National Education do not consider it necessary to continue their Grants to this school as the average attendance is small, and there is within a mile of it another school under Protestant management, with ample accommodation for the attendance of these pupils. At the time the Commissioners first had under consideration the question of the continuance of Grants to the school it was found on reference to a map of the district that the pupils would have, on the whole, a shorter journey to the neighbouring school than to their own school.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he has received papers with respect to the trial of Walter Henry Stanford by naval court martial, in July, at Durban, alleging various irregularities occurring at and previous to the trial; whether any decision has been arrived at in connection with the matter; and whether he can see his way to remit or reduce the sentence, seeing that the prisoner was kept so long in close custody previous to his trial?

The question is now receiving attention, and all the circumstances of the case, including the long period of close custody to which the man was subjected, will be duly weighed when coming to a decision.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware of complaints of illegal trawling off the coast of Fife, to the prejudice of local industry; and whether he will take effective steps to prevent further depredations?

No such complaints have reached me. If information as to cases of illegal trawling, together with the evidence in support of the charge, is furnished to the Fishery Board for Scotland, steps will be taken to secure the clue enforcement of the law.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the importance of conserving the food supply of the country during the War, he will take steps, by Bill or otherwise, to prohibit the use of grain and potatoes for the manufacture of intoxicating liquors?

I do not think I can undertake to propose legislation for this purpose.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been directed to the sentence of fourteen days' imprisonment passed upon Mrs. Liette Herz by the Dawlish bench of magistrates on 21st August for the alleged offence of stealing a shillingsworth's of potatoes from a field; whether Mr. Herz is a prisoner of war in London; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?

My attention had not been previously called to this case. I am informed that Mrs. Herz was convicted as stated, the offence having been committed while she was on remand on a more serious charge of larceny on which she was committed to Quarter Sessions. Mr. Herz is detained as a prisoner of war, having been found in possession of concealed arms and ammunition after declaring on registration that he had none. I find no grounds for taking any action in the matter.

asked the Lord Advocate whether doubts exist as to the right of advocates of the Scottish Bar and law agents in Scotland practising before Prize Courts; and, if so, whether it is proposed to take any steps to rectify the position, looking to the public inconvenience which would otherwise result?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to-day to a similar question put by the hon. Member for East Edinburgh.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether, before instructing the Secretary of the Department to publish the recent protest of the Cabinet against the alleged inflation of prices by Irish creameries, he took any steps to ascertain whether the Cabinet were justified in making the charges they did; if so, whether any of the creameries, or bodies representing them, were consulted or asked for an explanation; and if he is prepared to produce the evidence on which the statements was made?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to-day by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the question of the hon. Member for the Blackfriars Division of Glasgow on the same subject.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether an inquiry has been held as to the circumstances under which the steamship "Start-forth" was fired at by a Territorial detachment at Sunderland on the 9th August, when, in addition to damage to the ship, a seaman was seriously wounded; what was the result of such inquiry, if held; and, if not, whether an inquiry will be ordered?

An inquiry is being held into this case.

asked the Under Secretary of State for War whether arrangements can be made for the payment of separation allowances by weekly instead of monthly instalments, payable in advance?

Arrangements for weekly payment have already been made in cases where the recipient consents. The question of making the rule universal is now being considered.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether any aeroplanes of a class which has been condemned as unsafe are now being used in Great Britain by the Royal Army Flying Corps; and, if so, whether any of such aeroplanes have been already sent to the front or whether it is proposed to send any; and whether it is proposed to put such condemned aeroplanes to any and, if so, what use during the progress of the War?

The answer to the first and second points is No, and the third does not therefore arise.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will publish a list of those registrars who are in a position to issue advances to the wives of those Naval Reservists whose remittances are not received?

The arrangement indicated was a purely temporary one for meeting really urgent cases, and was only intended to assist the wives to tide over the period between the date of mobilisation and the end of the present month, when the first instalment of allotments declared becomes payable. It is hoped that it will be found that the number of cases in which men of the Royal Naval Reserve have hot made provision for their wives, either by means of a regular allotment of a part of their pay or by direct remittance, are very few.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether, in view of the effect upon health resorts owing to the shortage of visitors and the entire absence of excursionists at the busiest period of the year, the Local Government Board will be prepared to sanction the postponement of sums due for principal money during the coming financial year in cases where health resorts are able to agree with the lenders for such a postponement?

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether, in view of the difficulty which will be experienced this year in the payment of rates at places where trade is injured by the War, he will consider the question of permitting local authorities in those places to defer for twelve months the annual repayment of loans and interest so that the rates may be relieved?

I will answer these two questions together. I have no power to give the suggested permission. In any case the position must be considered of the lenders, among whom are many friendly societies, trade unions, and investors of small means, and also the effect which such a measure would have upon the credit of local authorities.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has received any complaints from the master builders regarding the increased price of building materials; whether they have requested him to fix the maximum price that builders' merchants and timber merchants shall charge for timber, etc.; and, if so, whether he will comply with their request?

I have received some complaints of increase in price of building materials, and attention is being given to the questions raised by them. I may, however, point out to my hon. Friend that the interruption of trade with the Baltic has very seriously affected the supply of timber to this country, and while that condition of affairs continues it is not possible to avoid an increase in prices of most descriptions of timber.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether in view of the fact that many factories and industrial establishments are now working short time and are not in consequence opening for business until a later hour than usual, many thousands of people who use workmen's trains have to wait several hours at railway termini each morning; and if he can see his way, seeing that the railways are now virtually under State control, to extend the provisions of the Cheap Trains Act in order that workpeople can obtain cheap tickets for trains arriving at termini up to at least 8.30 a.m.?

In the only case of this kind which has been brought to the notice of the Board of Trade arrangements have been made to meet the difficulty that had arisen. If my hon. Friend will furnish me with particulars of any other cases in which an extension of the hours during which workmen's tickets are available is desired. I will see what can be done.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider the advisability, in view of the distress which the present crisis will occasion in the homes of the workers, of making illegal the seizure of the furniture of any home for debt of a smaller value than £20, or for non-payment of instalments?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Courts (Emergency Powers) Bill which was introduced yesterday.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has received a petition desiring him to permit the allocation of a proportion of the State insurance funds in aid of the 25,000 women workers in Belfast who are affected by the present crisis; whether he has given this matter his consideration; and, if so, with what result?

The contributions paid under Part I. of the National Insurance Act are required to provide the sickness, disablement, maternity, and other benefits of that part of the Act, and could not be used for any other purpose without placing approved societies generally in a position of inability to meet their obligations. If, therefore, effect were to be given to the desire expressed in the petition to which the hon. Member refers the immediate result would be to alleviate distress in one form at the risk of creating distress of another and more acute kind. I am unable to agree that it would be in the interest of the industrial classes to supplement the funds available for the prevention and relief of distress through unemployment at the expense of the National Health Insurance Fund, upon the maintenance of which the payment of sickness, disablement, and maternity benefits necessarily depends.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that hardship has arisen in cases of persons having to pay the full statutory fees for birth certificates required in respect of Reservists and Territorials before their families can receive allowances; that where there are several children the charge of 3s. 7d. for each child amounts to a heavy burden; and that, as the Registrar-General has no power to require superintendent registrars, who are not salaried officers but are paid by fees, to charge less than the statutory amount for certificates, will he consider whether any provision can be made to compensate registration officers who voluntarily forego their statutory fees, or accept a nominal fee, in cases of the families of Reservists and Territorials, and to encourage others to do likewise?

Although superintendent registrars are entitled to charge a fee of 3s. 7d., I am informed that in very many cases they have accepted a nominal or reduced fee, and I should wish to take this opportunity of expressing what I feel sure will be a general feeling of appreciation of the public spirit shown by these gentlemen in this connection. In cases where superintendent registrars feel unable to accept less than the full fee it has now been made possible for the families of Reservists and others joining His Majesty's forces to apply to the Registrar-General, Somerset House, who, on being furnished with particulars of the precise date and place of marriage or birth, as the case may be, will if possible verify these particulars without expense to the applicant. Such verification, though not having the legal value of a formal certificate, will for the present purpose be accepted by the authorities concerned. In the circumstances I have stated I do not see my way to accept the proposal contained in the hon. Member's question.

asked the hon. Member for St. George's-in-the-East, as representing the Insurance Commissioners, whether Reservists and Territorials who were employed contributors before the War and are disabled in the War will be entitled to disablement benefit in addition to any pension or other allowance?

Any Reservist or Territorial who was insured under the National Insurance Acts immediately before being called up will, after discharge, be entitled to sickness and disablement benefit subject to the ordinary conditions applicable to insured persons generally, and will not be disqualified for such benefit by reason of the fact that his incapacity arose out of his military service or that he may have been granted a pension or other allowance from some other source.