asked the Prime Minister if information has reached His Majesty's Government pointing to the intended occupation in the immediate future of East Prussia by Polish forces and the assumption of complete control over the port of Danzig by the Polish Government?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Prime Minister whether, having regard to the fact that the German Government intimated in a note to the Government of the United States of America on 26th April, 1921, that it was prepared to pay for reparations a sum equal to £2,500,000,000 sterling, and that on 3rd January, 1923, His Majesty's Government estimated Germany's capacity to pay at the same figure, he will state what action, if any, His Majesty's Government have taken in regard to the German offer of April, 1921?

I do not see what action it is supposed the Government could take on an offer to another Government which is two years old and subject to conditions such as the retention of Silesia which cannot now be fulfilled. The Government submitted to the Paris Conference in January last a comprehensive plan for dealing with the reparation situation as it then was, but it was not forwarded to Germany for the reason that the other Allies did not accept it.

Is it not likely that delay will lead to a further diminution of Germany's power to pay?

I think that is possible.

asked the Prime Minister whether the arrested members of the Wafd, Egyptian delegation, are to be brought before a British military court in Cairo; and what charges are to be made against them?

I have no official information in regard to either part of the question.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the persistent difference of political opinion in Scotland as compared with England, he will take steps to call a representative Scottish convention with a view to formulating and adopting a scheme of autonomy for Scotland?

The answer is in the negative.

May I ask why?

I would remind the hon. Gentleman that I am without the services of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

In view of that reply, cannot more time be given in this House to the study of Scottish questions?

asked the Prime Minister if he will introduce a Resolution under the Tribunals of Inquiry Act, 1921, to set up an inquiry into the alleged responsibility of certain Members of the late Government in tendering advice to the Greek Ministry of 1921, which had the consequence of leading to serious Greek military disasters and the execution of five Greek Ministers for their alleged misconduct in acting on such advice?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will hold an immediate inquiry into the part played by the railway combine and the Railways Act, 1921, in the maintenance of freights at a level which is crushing agriculture, hampering trade revival, and promoting unemployment?

I am not aware what the hon. Member means by the railways combine, but in view of the establishment by the Railways Act, 1921, of the Railway Rates Tribunal, which is now the determining authority for railway charges, and to which appeal can be made at any time, I am unable to agree that any useful purpose would be served by instituting the inquiry suggested by the hon. Member.

Is the purpose of that Act to reduce the rates, or to keep them up? [An HON. MEMBER: "Keep them up! "]

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that there is more than enough work in connection with the Empire and the three fighting Services to absorb the entire energy of the secretary of the Committee of Imperial Defence; and whether he will consider bringing to an end the wartime arrangement by which this official is also secretary of the Cabinet?

I have no reason to believe that the secretary of the Committee of Imperial Defence is unable to combine his duties with those of secretary of the Cabinet, which have been considerably lightened since the present Government came into office. On the contrary, I have observed great advantages in combining the two posts, and thus ensuring complete co-ordination between the work of the Cabinet and the Committee of Imperial Defence and their respective Committees.

Is the right hem. Gentleman aware of the objection of the public to the creation of "Pooh-Bah" posts of this kind, this gentleman now having three separate posts?

asked tile Prime Minister the composition of the Committee appointed to consider the correlation of the three services of defence?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer which the Prime Minister gave on the 26th March in reply to a question by the right hon. Member or South Molton (Mr. Lambert).

Does that mean that this House is to be kept in ignorance of the Commissioners who will hold this inquiry?

It is not customary to give them. There is a question later on the Paper.

asked the Prime Minister on what grounds he refuses to give the names of Sub-committees of the Committee of Imperial Defence which have been set up in response to demands for inquiry from this House; and whether he is aware that the names were given on the occasion of the inquiry into Lord Charles Beresford's charges concerning the state of the Navy?

As was stated in the House on the 26th March by the Prime Minister, it is not customary to give the names of members of Sub-Committees of the Committee of Imperial Defence during the inquiry. In regard to the second part of the question, the names of the members of the Sub-Committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence appointed to inquire into certain questions of naval policy raised by Lord Charles Beresford, were given in the Report of the Sub-Committee which was presented to Parliament.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that two of the names of the members have already been given: can he not give us the third?

asked the Prime Minister whether, having regard to the fact that the Secretary for Scotland sits in the House of Lords, and that neither of the Scottish Law Officers are in the House of Commons, he will consider the advisability of strengthening the representation of Scottish interests on the Treasury Bench before the Scottish Estimates are taken?

The answer is in the affirmative.

May we have a more detailed statement as to the shape in which the strengthening process is to be carried out?

asked the Minister of Health if his attention has been called to the case of Mrs. Beatrice Bowey, formerly a patient in the Sunderland Mental Hospital, who died there on 18th March, 1922; is he aware that on 22nd February the acting medical superintendent referred to the prospect of her speedy recovery; that the husband received no intimation of his wife's change of health until summoned to find his wife dead; that the husband has made allegations of gross ill-treatment, starvation, and neglect, and of false reports having been made by the officials of the institution; that at an inquiry held on 26th June the inquiry committee did not call any of the nurses of the institution; and, in view of the distrust engendered by the refusal to call the best evidence, will the Minister of Health direct that a public inquiry be held as to the treatment of this patient in this institution?

I have been fully informed of the circumstances of this case. I understand that the patient's condition deteriorated very rapidly and that she died quite suddenly. I am aware of the allegations made by the husband and of the procedure of The inquiry committee. The case has also been investigated by a Commissioner of the Board of Control, who has recently had a long interview with the husband and fully explained to him the whole of the circumstances of the case. I can find no evidence to support the allegations made in this case, and doubt whether any useful purpose would be served by the further inquiry suggested.

asked the Minister of Labour if, taking the chief trades of the country, he will state which are the six best paid so far as manual workers are concerned and which are the six worst paid, and indicate in each case whether any proposals have been put forward for a reduction of wages?

I regret that the information at, my disposal is not sufficient to enable me to say which are the six best paid and the six worst paid industries.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Government is satisfied that the maintenance of an armed special police force in Northern Ireland by the English taxpayers, as is proposed, and the creation of a new naval force in Northern Ireland, as is also proposed, is not a breach of the terms of the Irish Treaty of the 6th December, 1921?

I have been asked to reply. I do not consider that the provision of financial assistance towards the maintenance of a force for duties which otherwise would have to be discharged by troops involves a breach of either the letter or the spirit of the Treaty. I am not aware of any proposal to establish a new naval force in Northern Ireland.

asked the Prime Minister whether any Department of the Government is charged with the duty of directing its efforts to the more rapid development of trade with China?

The Department primarily concerned is the Department of Overseas Trade, which is charged with the duty of promoting trade with China as with other parts of the world.

What steps are being taken—what efforts made to promote trade with China?

That is not in the question.