asked the Prime Minister whether, seeing that our present expenditure on the fighting forces is double that of pre-War, he will, before sanctioning orders being placed for two new battleships, ascertain whether sums already allocated are being properly spent; and whether the sum necessary for the provision of two new battleships would be better employed for defence purposes in the equipment of an efficient air force?

I am not at present in a position to give a definite answer to this question, as the Cabinet has not yet had time to re-examine this and similar questions of expenditure.

Before any definite order is given for any battleship, will the House of Commons have an opportunity of expressing its opinion on the matter, and also expressing its opinion as to whether the money would not be better spent on aircraft than on battleships?

Is it not a fact that the House of Commons has already had an opportunity of expressing an opinion?

If hon. Members endeavour to debate every question by question and answer it will be unfair to those whose questions are lower down on the Paper.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what progress has been made with respect to giving out the orders for the construction of the two new battleships, their armament, and armour; and whether, with a view to relieving the unemployment in the centres interested, he can at once expedite such orders?

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can now say what steps have been taken with regard to the placing of con tracts in the matter of new capital ships; whether it is the intention of the Government to lay down one of these ships in the Royal dockyards; if so, whether he will consider the advisability of laying one down at Devonport; whether he is aware that the lengthening of the slip at Devonport would give work to a consider able number of men who are now unemployed; and, seeing that the undertaking is a necessity, can he give any assurance that the work will be started immediately?

Tenders for the construction of the two new battleships and their armament and armour have been invited and some have been already considered. I hope that a decision will be reached in the whole matter very shortly, but the latest tenders are not due till the end of this month, so that a final decision cannot be given for some days yet. I can assure my hon. Friend the Member for Devonport (Sir C. Kinloch-Cooke) that the possibilities of building in the Royal yards have been fully explored, but I regret that the Board of Admiralty could not accept the very serious delay in completion of one of the ship's, if it were built at Devonport, where the slip on which it would be built could not possibly be ready for some 18 months.

Would it not have been possible, if the slip had been enlarged 18 months ago, to have given instructions that the ships should be built in the Devonport Dock- yard, and was this possibility not brought to the right hon. Gentleman's notice 18 months ago?

That would have involved a cessation of the work which, was being done in the dockyard during the 18 months.

Is it not true that I brought to the notice of the right hon. Gentleman—

This dockyard competition is not in place now.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Admiralty whether H.M.S. "Berwick" was sold by public auction or by tender to German purchasers for breaking up; if by tender, whether the ship was advertised in the shipping newspapers as being for sale; how many tenders were received; and, if the ship was not so advertised, how tenders were obtained?

The "Berwick," which was sold over two years ago, was re-sold to a German shipbreaker with Admiralty permission, to enable the British buyer, who was in financial difficulties, to continue his operations on other ships.

When was H.M.S. "Berwick" originally advertised?

That will be dealt with in my answer to the next question.

further asked the Financial Secretary to the Admiralty what steps have been taken since 1915, beyond exhibiting notices in dockyards and on Government premises, by which the public have, in every case, been informed that certain obsolete vessels were lying up and awaiting offers for purchase at breaking up prices?

The widest publicity has been given to the sale of these obsolete ships. In addition to advertisement, tenders have been issued to likely purchasers—sometimes to as many as 200 firms. Furthermore, in October, 1921, a special notice was issued by the Admiralty in the Press, a copy of which I am sending to my hon. Friend, that such vessels would be sold on a scheme of payment by instalments with a view to providing employment of ex-service men in the work of demolition.

asked the Prime Minister to whom questions regarding Scotland should ho addressed?

asked the Prime Minister to which Minister of His Majesty's Government in this House questions relating to Scottish affairs should be addressed?

Questions should be addressed to the Under-Secretary for Scotland but they will at present be answered on his behalf by the First Commissioner of Works.

Would the right hon. Gentleman say whether any steps are being taken to secure direct representation in this House for Scottish interests?

We shall arrange it as soon as possible. Perhaps the hon. Member would give us his seat?

Does the right hon. Gentleman not think it advisable that the Secretary for Scotland should be a Member of this House and not a superannuated Commissioner-General in the other House?

asked the Prime Minister whether he can state in detail what arrangements have been made with regard to the Cabinet Secretariat; whether Sir Maurice Hankey is still secretary to the Cabinet; and, if so, what are his functions and to what Department does he belong?

In reply to the first and last parts of the question, the Cabinet Secretariat has been very considerably reduced in numbers and will be transferred to the Vote of the Treasury and Subordinate Departments. The answer to the second part of the question is in the affirmative With regard to the third part, the functions of the Secretary are to provide such secretarial service as the Cabinet requires to facilitate the transaction of its business.

asked the Prime Minister whether it is the intention of the Government to abolish the office of Minister of Pensions, and when they propose that it shall come into operation?

I am not yet in a position to give any answer to this question.

If I repeat the question this day week may I have a definite answer?

As the hon. Member knows, it is impossible to do anything without legislation. Nothing will be done in the present Session: so there is no hurry in the matter.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Provisional Government of Southern Ireland has proposed to issue £20.000,000 worth of paper money; whether the British Government has been asked to guarantee the issue: and whether it has come to any decision regarding the matter?

I am not aware of any such proposal. No such request has been made to the British Government.

asked the Prime Minister whether His Majesty's Government will grant an inquiry into the effect of the abolition of agricultural wages boards and into the degree of success obtained by the county conciliation committees in maintaining an adequate standard of wages in agriculture?

I have been asked to reply. I am advised that the county conciliation committees established by the Corn Production Acts (Repeal) Act have met with a considerable measure of success, agreements having been reached in 55 areas. In September last there were 49 agreements actually in operation. The recent fall in the prices of agricultural produce has checked for the moment the settlement of winter wages in many districts, though there are 17 agreements in force at present, of which 11 have been come to during the past six weeks. The Government do not think that an inquiry would bring to light any facts not already known.

If an inquiry cannot be granted for the whole country, can one be granted for those counties where wages have fallen below subsistence level?

I will consider that.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is able to indicate an approximate date for the meeting of the Empire Trade Conference?

asked the Prime Minister if he has consulted the Governments of the Empire overseas as to the holding of an imperial economic conference; and, if so, with what result?

No, Sir. I am not yet in a position to make any statement on the subject. I expect that the telegrams to the Dominions will be sent during the course of this week, but I am not able to give any further information to-day.

asked the Prime Minister whether, on 21st November, his secretary summoned the representatives of certain selected newspapers to Downing Street and gave them particulars of an alleged plot, amongst certain unemployed workmen to raise His Majesty's subjects in rebellion against the Crown; whether the newspapers' representatives were told not to give the source of their information; on what evidence this charge of treason was based; whether any of the alleged plotters have been apprehended; and why an official communique1 was not issued to all newspapers instead of the above course being taken?

I have nothing to add to what I said in the Debate on Thursday last.

Does the right hon. Gentleman still maintain that all newspapers were invited to attend this conference?

No, Sir. I do not think I said so. I said that I thought all London newspapers were invited. But I find that, as a matter of fact, the "Daily Herald" was not there.

Why?

That is not surprising, because hon. Members will be the first to recognise that my secretary would hardly expect them to help the object we had in view. At the same time, if I had been consulted, I should have sent an invitation to that paper.

Can the salary of the gentleman who conveyed this false information to the country be called into question on a Vote of this House?

I am the person who gave instructions, and, therefore, the matter can be called into question on any opportunity of dealing with me.

Do I understand that the right hon. Gentleman accepts responsibility for the statement that these men, the leaders of the unemployed of the country, are criminals?

That is not the question on the Paper.

Did the right hon. Gentleman give instructions to his secretary that the newspapers were to be told not to give the source of information?

I have inquired into that, since the hon. Member put the question once before. The information was given as information of fact, and it was left to the newspapers to publish it as information coming from them. If we had merely intended to send it as a communiqué we should have sent it in that form, but we gave it as far as possible to papers of all political complexions.

That shows that you were ashamed of it.

The reason why the information supplied to other newspapers was not given to the "Daily Herald" being that the "Daily Herald" would not have assisted the Government in the object in view, will the Prime Minister be good enough to state what was the real object which the Government had in view in submitting it to a few selected papers?

I have already given the information. It was to prevent a riot. I should think that the whole subject could be discussed again on the Amendment to the Address relating to unemployment.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that British subjects living in Potsdam have been ordered to pay taxes five times higher than those paid by Germans; whether this is in accord with the Treaty of Versailles; if not, what action His Majesty's Government intends to take in the matter; whether he is aware that the State of Thuringia and the municipality of Baden Baden also have special taxes levied upon British subjects; whether he is aware that in Berlin British subjects are specially taxed by the municipality; and whether the Government will take action to prevent these imposts or, alternatively, to levy a special tax upon German subjects in this country?

The whole question of the levying by the German Government authorities of discriminatory charges on British and Allied subjects in defiance of the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles is engaging the serious attention of His Majesty's Government, who are in conversation with their Allies thereon.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether, in view of the proportion of women electors now on the register and of the interest they take in political affairs, he is aware of the inadequate arrangements for the convenience of lady visitors to this House; and whether he will see that a separate room is placed at their disposal corresponding with the arrangements for men visitors?

I should like to discuss this proposal with the hon. Member, though I doubt whether the accommodation available is sufficient to justify the adoption of his suggestion.

asked the First Commissioner of Works, as representing the Secretary for Scotland, if he is aware that tenants of houses in Barrhead, Renfrewshire, to whom the house factors and landlords owe considerable sums of money under the recent decision of the Law Courts, are receiving from the factors notices threatening them with eviction if they do not continue to pay the increased rentals which have been declared to be illegal, and informing the tenants that the Government has promised to introduce legislation to annul the decision of the House of Lords; and what steps he is prepared to take to restrain the house factors and landlords from this intimidating course of action?

My Noble Friend has not received any representations or complaints alleging action by house factors and owners of the nature suggested by the hon. Member.

As the answer does not give any information at all on the subject, and as there are hundreds of tenants in the Central Division of Glasgow who are affected by notices couched in a similar strain, may I ask whether the Prime Minister has any information on the subject?

asked the Minister of Labour, as representing the Ministry of Health, if he can now make any statement of the policy of the Government with respect to the renewal or otherwise of the Rent Restrictions Act?

The interim Report of the Departmental Committee which was set up by the late Government to consider the matters referred to by my hon. Friend is at present under consideration, and pending the result of this consideration my right hon. Friend is not in a position to make any statement.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will assure the House that pensions to widows, children, totally disabled men, and others granted under the Royal Warrant of 1919, and subsequent Royal Warrants, shall not be reduced during the three years commencing April, 1923?

I am glad to inform the hon. Member that the Government have decided that the present rates of flat-rate disablement, widows' and dependants' pensions shall not be revised under Article 24A of the Royal Warrant on account of the fall in the cost of living for a further period of three years from the 1st April, 1923.

Does the right hon. Gentleman not know that widowed mothers are at present in receipt of intimation that their pensions are to be reduced from 10s. to 5s. a week? How does that square with the information which he has just given to the House?

My statement is absolutely accurate. If the hon. Member refers to the Royal Warrant he will see that that is so.

The facts are not accurate.

asked the Minister of Labour, as representing the Ministry of Health, whether, seeing that the official returns made by local authorities in 1919, after taking a survey of their housing needs as provided by the Housing Act of 1919, over 800,000 houses were then required to remove existing overcrowding, and that only about 200,000 houses have yet been built, he will state what steps the Government proposes to take to remedy the continued existence of overcrowding?

My right hon. Friend can only say that the whole question of future housing policy is receiving his careful consideration.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether that consideration will lead to any definite conclusion before the House rises, so that, if legislation is necessary, it can be taken before the Adjournment?

I can give no answer on that point. I might suggest to my hon. Friend the possibility of putting down a question again.