asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, under his scheme of National Insurance, exemption will be allowed in cases where employés are already contributing to funds or schemes organised by the companies or private firms in whose employment they are, provided such funds comply with a standard of benefit equal to that under the Government proposals; and whether he will consider giving such funds the benefit of the State contribution, although not in the category of what are to be called approved societies?

If the hon. Member will read Clause 19 of the National Insurance Bill, he will see that a fund of the character described can be brought into the scheme on certain conditions, and in that event the persons participating in the fund would obtain the benefit of the State contribution.

also asked the Chancellor what, under the National Insurance system, is the position of a workman who joins a society which becomes insolvent or unable to pay the minimum benefits; must he remain a member of it, with the prospect of additional levies, and perhaps uncertainty of receiving his allowance when he is sick or unemployed, and trusting to his own endeavours and those of his colleagues to improve the management; or are the alternatives to join another society at an increased rate appropriate to his age or a reduced benefit, or to join the Post Office contributors and rank for the reduced benefits of the uninsurable lives?

I will refer the hon. Member to Clauses 25 and 31 of the National Insurance Bill, which show that a person who is transferred from one society that another carries with him a sum representing his age reserve, but remains subject to any levy or reduction of benefits arising from a deficiency in the former society. I hope that the machinery of Clauses 29 and 31 which provide for frequent valuations and for prompt dealing with any deficiency in its early stages, will prevent a deficiency from ever attaining formidable dimensions.

asked what would be the length of the term during which, under normal conditions, a purchase annuity would be payable by the tenant-purchaser if the interest were 3 per cent. throughout the whole term, and the sinking fund were ½ per cent. for the first ten years, ⅜per cent. for the second ten years, and a ¼ per cent. for the residue of the term; if the interest were 3 per cent. during the whole term, and the annuity were 3½ per cent. for the first ten years, what would be, under normal conditions, the unpaid or outstanding amount of an advance of £100 at the end of the first ten years; what would be the annuity at 3½ per cent. on that amount for the second ten years; what, would be the unpaid or outstanding amount of the original advance of £100 at the end of the second ten years; what would be the annuity at 3½ per cent. on that amount for the residue of the term necessary for the repayment of the residue of the advance; and what would be the length of the period during which the last-named annuity should be paid?

The term of the annuity referred to in the first part of the question would be seventy-six years. The 3½ per cent. annuity to replace £100 with interest at 3 per cent., and subject to two decadal revisions, would be £3 10s. for the first ten years, £3 6s. for the second ten years, and £3 2s. 2d. for the succeeding 65½ years. The capital outstanding at the end of the first decade would be £94 4s. 5d., and at the end of the second decade £88 15s. 6d.

asked what was the amount of arrears of Income Tax due in the financial year 1908-9 collected in the year 1909-10; what has been the amount of arrears of Income Tax of the year 1910-11 which has been collected since 31st March up to date; and whether any of the Super-tax for the year 1910-11 was collected in that year?

If by the term "collected" my hon. Friend means paid into the Exchequer, then the figures are as follows:—

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that a notice, No. 8/2, and headed. List to be delivered by Trustees, Agents, etc., of persons chargeable under Schedule D, has recently been served by the Income. Tax authorities upon solicitors and others, requiring them to make a return in writing within twenty-one days of all money, value, profits, or gains of or belonging to any other person chargeable under Schedule D of the Income Tax Acts received by him, and the name and place of abode or residence of every person to whom the same shall belong, under the penalties contained in the said Acts for neglect so to do; and that one of the lists scheduled to the said notice is headed Description of every Person for whom I act as Trustee, Agent, Receiver, Guardian, Tutor, Curator, or Committee, in relation to profits arising from trade, profession, untaxed interest, foreign possessions and securities, or other profits chargeable under Schedule D; whether, in pursuance of this notice, solicitors are expected to make a complete return of all moneys they receive and disclose information they obtain in a confidential and fiduciary capacity, either as solicitors or trustees, on behalf of their clients; by whose authority was this notice issued; how many have been issued; which are the Clauses in the Finance Act in pursuance of which the notice is stated to be given; and what are the penalties referred to in the notice?

The form referred to, with the requirements of which solicitors, so far as it applies to them, are required to comply, is issued by Assessors of Taxes. The number issued is not known. It is issued under the provisions of Sections 41, 42, 51, and 190' (Schedule G XVI.) of the Income Tax Act 1842, and the penalties are contained in Section 55 of that Act.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether in the Goold-Verschoyle estate, situate at Athea, in the county of Limerick, of the six tenants whose lands were affected by the action of the River Gale, the inspector of the Estates Commissioners reported that the lands of four of them should be banked at the landlord's expense; that he promised to give the fifth tenant four acres of the untenanted lands which the Estates Commissioners agreed to purchase from the landlord in lieu of the banking of his land by the landlord; whether he is aware that in the case of the sixth tenant, whose lands the tenant, alleges are to a larger extent and more seriously affected than the other lands referred to, the inspector failed or refused to inspect his lands, though repeatedly called upon to do so, and that no examination thereof has up to the present been made, though the sale of the estate is about to be completed; and whether, under these circumstances, the correspondence that passed between the Estates Commissioners will be laid upon the Table of the House and an independent inspector sent to examine the lands before the sale of the estate is carried out?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that on this estate the tenants entered into agreements under the Irish Land Act, 1903, with the owner to purchase their holdings direct at prices agreed on between the parties. After inspection the Commissioners directed in the case of four tenants that the embankments should be put in repair by the owner before sanctioning the advances applied for by the tenants in their purchase agreements. The Commissioners are not aware that any tenant was promised four acres of untenanted land in lieu of having his embankment repaired. It is assumed that the sixth tenant referred to in the question is John M. White, who has written to the Commissioners complaining that no provision was made in regard to his holding. It was inspected, and the Commissioners have decided not to take any action in the matter referred to by White. The reply to the concluding paragraph of the question is in the negative.

asked whether the Estates Commissioners had investigated the claim of Mrs. Mary Riordan, widow of Timothy Riordan, evicted tenant, Carrigacooleen, in the Millstreet rural district; whether they are aware that this eviction took place twenty-eight years ago for non-payment of rent, and therefore comes within the provisions of the Evicted Tenants Act; and what steps were being taken to provide Mrs. Riordan with a holding?

The Estates Commissioners have investigated the application of Mary Riordan for reinstatement in a holding formerly occupied by her late husband on the estate of Charles McSweeney, and have decided to take no action in the matter.

asked the Chief Secretary when the sale of the estate of Sir John Olphert, Falcarragh, county Donegal, to the Congested Districts Board will be concluded; and if he can give any information regarding negotiations for the purchase of the Stewart Nixon and other estates in the same neighbourhood?

The maps and other documents relating to the estates of Sir -John Olphert, Miss E. T. D. Stewart, the Rev. H. C. Nixon, and Lord Leitrim in county Donegal, have not yet been lodged, but the Congested Districts Board understand that they are being prepared.

also asked the grounds upon which Bridget Gillespie, of Mullaghduff, Annagry, county Donegal, was deprived by the Local Government Board of the old age pension granted to her by the Glenties (No. 2) sub-committee; whether lie is aware that no notice of appeal was received by the applicant; and whether he will give instructions that notice of appeal shall be given to the applicant in all cases in which an appeal or question is raised against the issue of a pension granted by a pension committee, and that the grounds of any adverse decision on the part of the Local Government Board shall be stated upon the form on which such decision is made known to the applicant?

Bridget Gillespie's claim was disallowed on the ground that she had not reached the statutory age. She was not amongst the members of her parents' family in the Census Return of 1841, and in the Census of 1851 she was returned as being only five years old. Before determining the claim, the Local Government Board informed the claimant of the receipt, of the appeal, and the ground on which it was made, and they have her reply to their communication. This is in accordance with the invariable practice of the Board. The form in which the decision is communicated is statutory and the Board have no power to alter it, but they will inform a claimant of the reason for the disallowance of a claim if asked to do so.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that Mrs. Honoria Buckley, Carriginimma, in the Macroom (No. 2) pension district, was for some time in receipt of an old age pension; that owing, as she alleges, to the fact that she has been confounded with another person of the same name, who was born at a much later date than she was, her claim has recently been refused by the Local Government Board; whether he is aware that she submitted several documents to the Board, including her marriage certificate and the baptismal certificate of her eldest son, and a statement as to her age signed by the Rev. William M'Auliffe, P.P., tending to show that she was married on the 25th February, 1868, and that she was twenty-nine years of age at the time; and, in view of these facts and that a mistake appears to have been made in this case, will the Local Government Board immediately order the continuance of this woman's pension and a refund for the period she has been deprived of it?

Mrs. Buckley was, as stated, in receipt of a pension awarded by the Macroom (No. 2) Pension sub-committee. The pension was discontinued as the result of a question raised by the pension officer to the effect that Mrs. Buckley was not seventy years of age, being recorded as only seven years old in the Census Return of 1851. There is no reason to suppose that the entry in the Census Return relates to some other person. The claimant appears to have submitted a certificate showing that she was married on 25th February, 1868, but there was no satisfactory evidence as to her age at that time. There is no ground for believing that a mistake was made in this case.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that representations for cottages and allotments have been received by the Macroom District Council, and sanctioned by the Local Government Board, on behalf of Patrick Cronin, Jeremiah Cronin, and Patrick Buckley, of Carrigagulla, Ballinagree; whether he is aware that the acre allotments have been actually fenced for the past two years in each of these cases; can he, therefore, explain the delay in providing these parties with the cottages which have been passed for them; have any contracts been entered into for their erection; and, seeing that these men live at present in insanitary abodes, will the necessary steps be taken to have their cottages built forthwith?

The statement in the first paragraph of the question is correct. The Local Government Board understand from the clerk of the council that the acre allotments have been fenced for the past fifteen months, not two years as stated. The reason the cottages have not been built is that the council have failed up to the present to get contractors for the building of them.

asked the Chief Secretary if he can give a summary of the recent Census so far as it affects the urban district of Portadown?

The Registrar-General informs me that no figures of the recent Census can be supplied at present.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he was aware that the band of the Royal Marines, thirty in number, Chatham Division, had contracted to give four concerts at South Shields for an inclusive sum of £67 10s.; that it would take over £37 to pay their railway fares at a single fare for the double journey, leaving only £30 for hotel and other expenses; that it was impossible for prize brass bands to compete with the Royal Marines for engagements of this kind; and whether he would take steps to fix a minimum charge per day, plus travelling expenses, for the services of bands connected with the Navy?

I am informed that the amount contracted for on this occasion was £67, composed of £54 fee and £13 to cover railway fares. I am inquiring further into this matter, but I am not yet in possession of the information necessary to enable me to answer the remainder of my hon. Friend's question.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether a young officer on joining the Special Reserve may, if he wishes to do so, voluntarily be allowed to carry out twelve months' probationary t raining?

As regards officers of the Infantry the probationary period is limited to six months; for other arms the period is twelve months.

asked the reason for the delay in granting commissions and the gazetting of officers to this Special Reserve.

Cases have occurred of delay in this connection, but instructions have been issued which it is hoped will prevent any delays in the future.

asked the President of the Local Government Board what is the estimated reduction in the number of officials under the Poor Law for the year 1913, in view of the State Insurance Bill?

No estimate is 4t present practicable.