asked the Minister of Labour the extent to which the work of the Claims and Record Office of the Ministry of Labour, Kew, is in arrear?

Owing to the abnormally large number of claims, certain parts of the annual programme of work have had to be temporarily postponed. The current work of dealing with new claims is up to date.

asked the President of the Board of Education who constitute the Board of Education, and the number of occasions on which it has met during the last three years?

The Board consists of a President, the Lord President of the Council, His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, the First Commissioner of His Majesty's Treasury, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. I can find no record of any meeting of the Board.

Has consideration recently been given to the question whether this is the best machinery for conducting the educational affairs of this country, and does not the right hon. Gentleman think that he might have a board over which he should preside?

That will, no doubt, be a matter of interesting discussion in the House, but I do not feel the need of it at present.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many Class I civil servants there are at the Treasury; and how many of them saw active service during the Great War?

There are 71 officers (including two women), in the Administrative Class borne on the establishment of the Treasury, of whom 11 are at present seconded for service in other Departments. 37 of these officers saw active service during the Great War.

Have any men lost seniority in the public service who would now be in that class if they had not been ex-service men?

I am not aware of any instance of the kind, but, if the hon. and gallant Member will send me particulars, I will make inquiries.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether when permanent non-pensionable ex-service clerks in the Civil Service in receipt of weekly salaries are appointed to the established clerical classes under the provisions of Clause 5 of the Government memorandum of 12th January, 1925, any reduction is made in their pay; if so, will he say what such actual reductions amount to; whether any representations have been made to him by the various staffs concerned; and, if so, will he state what action the Government intend to take in the matter?

I am not yet able to add anything to the reply which I gave to the hon. and gallant Member on this subject on 8th April last. The question raised is under discussion with the representative Staff Associations concerned, from one of which I am awaiting a further communication.

When will it suit the hon. Gentleman's convenience for me to repeat the question?

I cannot anticipate the negotiations that are still proceeding, but, when they are completed and I am able to give the information, I will let the hon. and gallant Gentleman know.