asked the President of the Board of Agriculture -whether discharged soldiers are invited to apply for small holdings or for training colonies when obtaining their discharge; and whether arrangements will be made with the Army authorities for each soldier on obtaining his discharge to be given a printed leaflet giving particulars of existing facilities and requiring him to state his agricultural experience and whether he desires to settle on the land?

Soldiers at present being discharged are not specifically invited to apply for holdings on the colonies set up under the Small Holding Colonies Act, 1916. The scheme has, however, been widely announced, considering the small number of settlers who can be provided for. If the Small Holding Colonies (Amendment) Bill becomes law the Board will take steps to make the extended scheme fully known. In reply to the latter part of the question, the Board understand that the Army Council are preparing booklets, which will contain information as to the colonies, for issue to soldiers on demobilisation. By such means the Board will bring all facilities for settlement under the scheme before ex-Service men, but they cannot undertake to insist that each one shall state whether he wishes to settle on the land or not.

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether any discharged soldiers get small holdings?

I answered that question the other day.

How many?

There are twenty already on small holdings and there are twenty-three men whose claims are now being considered, and who are expected to be on the land before long.

Can the hon. Gentleman say how many discharged soldiers there are, and what proportion these numbers bear to the whole?

The hon. Member must give notice of questions of that kind.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he can explain the mortality among horses belonging to the Food Production Department in Leicestershire; whether the hay and straw were supplied by the Army authorities; and whether he is aware that it has been alleged that the hay and straw used were of bad quality and proved unfit for use, and that on the 6th April, 1918, the manager of Ashby Mill reported that 6 tons of chaff and 5 tons of straw had been received from the Government unfit for use?

I understand that the deaths of nine horses belonging to the Department in Leicestershire were probably in some measure due to, or were accelerated by, the inferior quality of the forage supplied to them by the Army Service Corps. The statements in the last part of the question appear to be correct. I may say that immediately upon the discovery that the forage supplied was unfit for use, steps were taken to obtain forage from another source, and that the arrangements for dealing with the feeding of these horses appear to be now satisfactory.

Will the Board of Agriculture make arrangements with the War Office to allow the representatives of the Food Production Department to make local purchases for local requirements when emergency arises?

I should like notice of that question.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he has been able to take any and, if so, what steps for obtaining and making available for poultry keepers a supply of buckwheat seed?

Arrangements have been made through the Royal Commission on Wheat Supplies for the purchase in France of 100 tons of buckwheat seed. The seed will, on arrival in this country, be sold to a number of selected agents for resale, on the condition that it is sown for the purpose of providing poultry food.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if the Report of the Committee appointed to deal with the production and distribution of milk will, when made, be laid upon the Table of the House; and whether, in view of the importance of the subject and the dangers of monopoly, opportunity will be given to the House to consider the Report before action is taken upon it?

The Sub-committee specially appointed to consider the question of milk distribution in Great Britain has passed a series of resolutions on the subject of more effective control, and these have been submitted in the form of a draft scheme by the Committee, of which the hon. and gallant Member for Plymouth is chairman. I should like to have an opportunity of considering this scheme before expressing any opinion on the points raised in the question.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if his recent Order re regulation of the sale of confectionery being reserved for the trade depending on the sale of same debars the sale of the same in cinemas; and, if not, will he say why the Order does not so extend?

The effect of the Order is to prevent the sale of sweetmeats in cinemas, unless the contract for sale is in the hands of a person entitled to registration under the Order.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether co-operative societies 'are to be allowed to retail tea at 2s. 8d. per 1b. and give a dividend to buyers which reduces the net price to 2s. 6d., whilst private traders are forbiden to retail tea at less than 2s. 8d. per lb.; and, seeing that the effect of such a privilege will be to induce customers of private traders to register with co-operative societies for their future tea supplies when an official rationing scheme is introduced, what steps he pro poses to take in the matter?

Co-operative societies, in common with other traders, are required to retail tea at 2s. 8d. per 1b. The payment of a dividend to the members of a co-operative society is not thought to affect the position inasmuch as that dividend represents the profit earned on the total purchases of members and not merely on their purchases of tea.

When 10 per cent. Is given back to the customer has not that the effect of selling tea at 3d. per 1b. or, at all events, 2d. per 1b., under the controlled price, while other traders are prevented from doing anything of the kind?

I did not say that. I said the dividend paid to members of co-operative societies corresponds to the profits which the private trader receives. If the private trader wishes to hand back to his customers any of that profit, there is nothing to prevent his doing so.

Can the private trader, who sells at 2s. 8d. a lb., hand over 20 per cent. discount on that price to the customer?

I know of nothing to interfere with any private trader offering back anything to the public.

In that ease, would it not enable the private trader to undersell the controlled price?

No; it is only trying to induce the private traders to hand back any excess profit to the public.

Is my hon. Friend aware that his Department issued a Supplementary Order only last week to prevent private dealers from selling under 2s. 8d. a 1b. in any circumstances whatever?

Yes; but that is a very different point from that raised by the hon. Member opposite (Mr. Peto).

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether the Food Controller has issued instructions to the Tea Control Committee to allot an increase of 50 per cent. in the weekly distribution of tea to alleged co-operative societies without making any corresponding increase to other distributors; whether the Tea Control Committee have passed a resolution protesting against this decision; and whether the Government intend to maintain it?

The Food Controller has issued instructions to the Tea Control Committee to allot to the Co-operative Wholesale Society for distribution to retail co-operative societies sufficient tea to enable those retail societies to distribute 1½ozs. per head per week to their regular customers. Sufficient tea in the aggregate is being distributed to other retailers to enable them to supply approximately similar quantities. I understand the Food Control Committee are about equally divided on the point raised in the Committee.

Does the hon. Gentleman admit the Committee did protest against it?

I say they were about equally divided.

Is any preference given, as is believed by small tradesmen, to co-operative societies?

On the contrary; co-operative societies have suffered under the disability of a vastly increased membership during the last two years, and the arrangement now come to has been to redress a grievance which their members have felt.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether Irish cattle have been selling for at least 100s. per live cwt., while the price of British cattle has been limited by regulation to 76s. per live cwt.; whether steps are being taken to put a stop to this anomaly; and whether any Government Department, by means of a subsidy, has in any case adjusted the difference in price between Irish and British cattle to the purchaser?

With regard to the first part of the question, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer given on this subject on Thursday, 11th April. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.

Is my hon. Friend aware that meetings have been held in Scotland emphatically protesting against the action of his Department in this matter, and will he give an undertaking that for the future, when prices are being fixed, all parts of the United Kingdom shall receive equal treatment?

As to the latter part of the question, I may inform the hon. Member that the Ministry of Food do not wish to give any privilege whatever to cattle dealers in Ireland. As to the protests, I think some of them seem to have been made under a misapprehension.

Why is it right to fix prices for British farmers and not to fix prices for Irish farmers?

It is right in these times to fix prices in both countries, but in Ireland there has been some delay owing to difficulties.

Is it not the fact that Ireland is a neutral country, and what right have you to interfere?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Government contemplate the splitting up of the Food Ministry into several branches under different heads; and, if so, whether they are doing so after consultation with, and with the approval of, the Food Controller?

The whole problem of food supply affecting our Allies as well as ourselves is constantly under the consideration of His Majesty's Government, but always in consultation with the Food Controller.

Will my right hon. Friend say if it is the intention of the Government to set up a new Ministry of Supply in addition to the Ministry of Food?

There is no such intention, though, of course, the whole subject, as I have said, is constantly being reviewed.