asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of lower-grade Civil servants in receipt of pensions of less than £ 100 per annum who through age, infirmity, or other valid reason are unable to supplement their allowance, with the view of granting them a temporary increase during the period of the War owing to the increased cost of living, which is now 106 per cent. above pre-war rate?

I have nothing to add to my previous answers on this subject.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, considering the danger that might accrue owing to any interruption to the sea-borne traffic with the Port of London, if he will say what steps are being taken to develop the canal traffic between the Ports of Bristol and Liverpool on the West Coast and London on the East?

The points raised by the hon. and gallant Gentleman have for some time been before the Canal Control Committee, and have recently been specially considered. I am advised that the particular routes to which he refers are not under present conditions, and in view of the great shortage of labour on canals, capable of any great development of through traffic to London, but some traffic has been conveyed.

:Considering the congestion on the railways and the impossibility of feeding London by railways alone, if seaborne traffic should be cut off, should not everything possible be done to make these canals available at an early date?

Everything possible is being done.

:Will the hon. Gentleman consider the advisability of calling the attention of the Minister of National Service to this matter, in order to let him have some of the 100,000 Russians here to help him to clear the canals?

I do not know whether that kind of labour would be of any service.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, during the War, prior to September, 1915, any Tungsten ore was exported from the United Kingdom to Germany viâ neutral markets; and, if so, what was the name of the firm or firms who exported such ore?

:So far as I am aware, no Tungsten ore has been exported from this country to Germany viâ neutral markets since the outbreak of war. I should be very glad to receive any information which may be in the possession of the hon. and gallant Gentleman tending to show that such exportation has taken place.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that a number of seamen engaged in the coasting service are unable to claim the privileges as regards railway passes which are granted to seamen who are discharged before a mercantile marine officer; and if he will consider means of enabling the crews of coasting vessels who are not so discharged to obtain a railway warrant to their usual port of discharge without payment or authority to travel to their homes at the old fare without the 50 per cent. increase, especially in view of the condition that voyages to the North of France are counted as coasting voyages?

:This question of extending to seamen in the home and coasting trades the same special railway facilities as are given to seamen discharged at the larger ports has been considered, but there are considerable administrative difficulties in the way, and it has not hitherto been found practicable to make the extension.

Will the hon. Gentleman look into this matter, because seamen from the North of England who are landed at Southampton have a very dear railway fare to pay to get home?

:I have already looked into it, but if the hon. Gentleman has any case of that kind I will investigate the matter further.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether all treaties entered into between this country and Russia before the War remain valid?

:Any general answer to this question might turn out misleading, so the hon. Gentleman must forgive me if I do not attempt one.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Foreign Office have been formally advised of Russia's attitude in signing peace, and what is the position now, and whether Russia is to be regarded as an ally, enemy, or friendly neutral?

This question refers to treaties before the war.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if this Government has any information at all about what is happening with regard to the signing of peace terms in Russia; if they have not, will they get it; and when they have got it, will they communicate it in such a way that we shall really know what is happening?

:I have a certain amount of information, but I think it will be obvious to my hon. Friend and the House that this is a question which should not be put without notice.