asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether representations have been made to him that in the case of those suffering from some infirmity, such as total or partial blindness, the provisions in the Second Schedule of the Insurance Bill, demanding a higher contribution towards their insurance by the employer in proportion to the lower wages paid to them, will make employment less easy for them to obtain; and whether he will consider the possibility of exempting such cases of infirmity from the operation of that schedule?

I will consider the hon. Member's suggestion, but I fear I feel doubts as to its practicability.

asked whether, in the case of a friendly society or branch being in a strong financial position and having accumulated funds, such society or branch may, under Clause 55 (c) of the Insurance Bill, relieve its members from the full payment of the contribution laid down in the Second Schedule of 4d. per male employed contributor and 3d. per female, so long as the society or branch by such part payment of members' contributions remains actuarily capable of paying the benefits required under the State insurance scheme, or are these contributions compulsory upon all employed contributors under any circumstances?

Clause 55 (c) enables reserves to be used in the manner indicated, in the case of employed contributors, but the machinery of deduction from wages must necessarily be operative in all cases.

Do I gather from the right hon. Gentleman's answer that though the machinery of deduction must be used, the contribution might be less, not only of existing members, but also of members who come into the scheme?

It is a question of the application of reserves. Under Clause 55, the 4d. may be refunded from the funds brought in by the member himself.

It will be a question of refunding?

Yes, that is the suggestion.

asked whether existing members of friendly societies will be debarred from receiving sick or other benefits for the first six months after the Insurance Bill comes into operation unless they pay the contribution to their society in addition to that required under the Insurance Bill?

The waiting period of six months before receiving sickness benefit applies to existing members of friendly societies. In the great majority of cases, however, societies will, if they so desire, be enabled by means of their accumulated funds to secure their existing benefits to the members for that period, without the payment of any extra contribution.

Will that not require a considerable alteration of existing rules in a great many cases?

No, I do not think so. We are able to do it under Clause 55.

asked how many friendly societies there are whose membership is less than 10,000, and what their total aggregate number of members is; and what is the estimated number of officials required to carry out the affiliation of such societies?

There are approximately 6,300 societies with less than 10,000 members, and their aggregate membership is 1,240,000. With regard to the latter portion of the question, I fear it would be quite impossible to frame an estimate; but I may remind the Noble Lord that I have promised to consider Amendments with regard to the limit of numbers. I may add that the friendly societies agreed at their conference that the limit should be 5,000.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how many of these 6,000 societies have fewer than 5,000 members?

Obviously that is a question of which I ought to get notice. It involves looking into the figures supplied by the Registrar of Friendly Societies.

May I ask whether, in calculating on the limitation of societies with 5,000 members, the right hon. Gentleman did not consider what number of societies he would bring in?

I only attended a meeting, which was a very fully representative one of the friendly societies. I took no part in the discussion at all. All the other suggestions were defeated by considerable majorities, and the question of the 5,000 was carried by a considerable majority of those present. They felt it was desirable to have a limit involving a considerable number of members, otherwise it would be difficult to administer the whole scheme, and, not only that, but to distribute the benefits fairly.

Did the right hon. Gentleman make a calculation on the basis of this 5,000 limit, or was it merely a rough shot?

It was not my suggestion. The suggestion came from the friendly societies, and all these societies were represented at that conference.

Were the 6,300 small societies all registered friendly societies?

I should not like to answer that without notice.

Can the right hon. Gentleman tabulate the societies, giving their proportion of members?

I think the hon. Member will find that there are returns of these societies, and it only involves an examination of these returns. I am not sure that I have any sources of information which are not open to the hon. Member in the Library of the House of Commons.

Does the number of 6,000 odd include accumulating societies and dividing friendly societies?

I think it would include dividing societies as well. If the hon. Member wants an accurate return on the subject, I will make inquiries and let him know the result.

asked the estimated cost of the Insurance Commissioners and the staff of the Insurance Office to be instituted under the National Insurance Bill?

Any such estimate must necessarily be very conjectural. The closest figure at which I have been able to arrive after a consideration of the duties of the Commissioners is from £75,000 to £100,000.

How many commissioners does the right hon. Gentleman contemplate appointing?

I answered a similar question the other week. I think it would be undesirable at the present stage to make up our minds on that point until, at any rate, we have got the Bill partly through Committee. It depends very largely upon the view the House takes as to, I will not say the interests that ought to be represented, but the class of experts who ought to be on. I think it is better not to make up our minds until we have made some progress with the Bill in Committee.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give some indication of the personnel immediately required, apart from the commissioners, in view of the fact that 6,300 schemes will have to be prepared before next May?

Certainly, if the Noble Lord will put a question down. It is very difficult to deal with all these matters in the time at our disposal for answering questions. I shall be happy during the course of the discussion in Committee to give an answer on the point if he will give me notice.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, under the National Insurance scheme, in the event of an employé electing to keep his own card and then losing it, he proposes to allow the word of the employer as proof that he has paid up his due contributions and those of the employé?

It will be for the Insurance Commissioners to make regulations as to the issue, sale, custody, or delivery up of books or cards and the replacement of books or cards which have been lost or defaced?

asked whether a regular allowance to an employed contributor under the National Insurance Bill of milk, potatoes, coal, or any other perquisites in addition to cottage accommodation, agreed upon at the time of engagement as a condition of service, will be taken into account in fixing the amount of premium payable by such contributor?

For the purposes of the scale which determines in what proportions the sum to be paid in respect of an employed contributor is to be paid by his employer and himself, the wages "or other remuneration" of the contributor will be taken.

May I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman anticipates that any considerable number, or, in fact, any at all, of the English agricultural labourers who are regularly employed will come below the 15s. limit?

I think it very likely that in just a few English counties there may be a certain number who may come under that scale.

asked how it is proposed to assess, for the purposes of the National Insurance Bill, the annual value of an agricultural labourer's cottage occupied rent free, or the difference between its economic rent and that actually paid; and whether such annual value or difference, as the case may be, will be added to the labourer's weekly wages in order to ascertain the amount of premium payable by him and his employer respectively?

Calculations of the value of emoluments in kind already have to be made for the purposes of the Old Age Pensions Act, and I anticipate no special difficulty in this respect under the National Insurance Bill.

Will the Old Age Pensions Act be taken as a basis in every case in order to estimate the economic value of the cottage as distinct from the rent actually received from it?

I should think we will arrive at it by that same process in much the same way as on the calculation under the Old Age Pensions Act.

Is it not the fact, I speak as a member of an old age pensions committee, that for the purpose of the Old Age Pensions Act the actual rent is taken into account and not the economic value of the cottage?

I could not answer that question.

asked (1) whether any calculations have been made to show that the reserve values of spinsters on marriage will, after accumulation during marriage, suffice for the reinsurance at original rates of widows who subsequently become employed persons; and whether these reserve values at date of marriage can be published, together with any data as to the probability of subsequent re-entry into the scheme; (2) whether, from the calculations made in connection with the National Insurance Bill, he can state, even approximately, what is the calculated average age at marriage of insured spinsters; what proportion of those originally insured become widows, divorced, or legally separated, and at what average age; what proportion of these widows, divorced, or legally separated would ultimately become employed persons within the meaning of the first part of the National Insurance Bill; and what proportion of these females ultimately remarry; and (3) whether the Chancellor of the Exchequer's attention has been drawn to the desire of the Manchester Unity of Odd fellows that a supplementary report as to certain matters should be obtained from the Government actuaries; and whether he intends to meet the wishes of that society in this respect?

asked if there are figures available to show the proportion of widows who return to industry?

asked (1) what are the estimated average amounts required in each of the fifteen years after the passing of the National Insurance Bill to provide the difference between the reserve values referred to in Clause 36 (2) (re) of the Bill initially credited to the separate account and the transfer values which will be required on discharge of the men to civil life referred to in Clause 36 (3); and (2) if the Chancellor of the Exchequer will publish the data, as supplied by the War Office and the Admiralty to Messrs. Hardy and Wyatt, containing the number and ages of the men in the Army and Navy who will come within the provisions of Clause 36 of the National Insurance Bill?

asked whether any calculations have been made showing that the suspension of insurance to spinsters on marriage according to the National Insurance Bill will suffice, after accumulation during marriage, to provide the necessary reserves for those who subsequently become widows and resume their insurance as employed persons; and, if so, will he lay those calculations upon the Table of the House?

These questions all relate to actuarial information, and the hon. Members have been good enough to postpone them from previous days at my request. As my hon. Friend, one of my colleagues on the Board of Treasury, stated in reply to the hon. Member for Salisbury on the 26th June, I shall be glad to obtain for the information of the House any further actuarial calculations which are likely to be of material value for the purposes of the discussion of the Bill and for which there is a desire among any considerable body of Members of the House. But, having regard to the great amount of time and labour involved in actuarial calculations and to the necessity for all the subsidiary calculations being entrusted to the same actuaries who made the original report, I think it most important that the calculations undertaken should be strictly limited to those which satisfy the conditions to which I have referred. I would suggest that hon. Members who have put down questions of this character should see me privately on the subject, and I should in that case be very glad to discuss the matter with a view to agreeing upon the information which it is most desirable to obtain.

As regards the questions I have put down, may I ask whether the actuaries have not already got that information, and how they can possibly have made the calculations for Clause 36 without them?

The same thing applies to the questions put down by the hon. Gentleman as to others. It is not a question of whether or not we have got the information. Most of the questions present these matters in a different form from that on which the actuaries have made their calculations. We have really got the material, but, after all, we have only got two actuaries who have to be personally responsible for the answers. I suggest that in those circumstances it is quite impossible for them to be responsible. It is far better, that these things should be discussed in the first instance with a view to ascertaining which are the figures to which the House attaches importance. It is quite impossible for the actuaries to answer every question, put by hon. Members. There ought to be some understanding as regards the general character of the questions. May I also point out that I suggested two months ago that there should be a conference between the various sections of the House and the Government in reference to suggestions for amendments, and the actuaries would be present to answer all questions put to them by hon. Members. I made that proposal two months ago, and although I have repeated it over and over again, there has been no response up to the present time.

I suppose I would be out of order in following the right hon. Gentleman, but I ask him whether he will publish the data which has already been supplied by the War Office and Admiralty, and whether in view of the fact that this cannot entail any calculations upon the actuaries, he cannot publish the data now?

I am in a position to publish it, but I want to point out that before I decide I should like to know to which of the questions the House attaches importance. I think it would be far better to publish the information in the form of a Paper rather than by question and answer across the floor of the House, because it would involve lengthy answers. Therefore, I still adhere to my suggestion that it would be far better to have a conference.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he remembers that I have boon asking for information during the last week?

The hon. Gentleman is not the only Member of the House who has been asking for information of this kind, and I have suggested that hon. Members should come to some sort of agreement with regard to the points upon which they require information.

With reference to the question which I have put down, is it not a fact that it raises one of the most important questions under the Bill, and may I ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how he imagines we can come, and meet him and discuss things with him if we have no information?

I do not think my hon. Friend understood the answer which I gave. It had reference to the supply of information in the first instance, and not to discussion. My suggestion was that hon. Members should agree first of all upon the character of the questions with regard to which they want information. It is perfectly obvious that we cannot give answers to fifty actuarial questions with only two actuaries to deal with them. I suggest to my hon. Friend and to hon. Members opposite that they should come to my room, and that they should agree upon the questions on which they want information.

asked if fishermen whose pay is not in the form of weekly wages but derived solely from a share in the results will have to pay the employer and employés' contributions in order to obtain the benefit under the National Health Insurance Bill?

If there is a contract of service, a fisherman in the circumstances described would be an employed contributor.

asked what is the total face value of adhesive postage stamps manufactured at Somerset House since the establishment of the plant?

The total face value is £296,000.

Is it not a fact that the penny stamps manufactured at Somerset House have had to be withdrawn owing to the bad state of the stamps?

I am not aware of that.

asked what has been the daily average face value of the rejected stamps delivered by Messrs. Harrison at Somerset House since the 22nd June, 1911?

None of the stamps delivered at Somerset House since the date mentioned have been rejected.

Is it not the case that these stamps are rejected on the authority of the foreman porter or warehouseman, and not on the authority of a responsible official?

I really could not answer that question without some sort of notice.

asked what is the amount expended up to date in the purchase of machinery and plant used for the manufacture of adhesive postage stamps at Somerset House; and how many men are at present employed in the manufacture of these stamps?

The amount expended is £l,563. Two men are employed.

asked in how many cases demands for Undeveloped Land Duty, where sufficient time has not elapsed for notice to be given by the owner to the existing tenant, have been made by the Commissioners; in how many cases such demands have been withdrawn on the protest of the owner; whether such demands have in many cases been acceded to; and, in such cases, what the Chancellor of the Exchequer intends to do with the money so illegally obtained?

I am unable to furnish the information asked for in the first part of the question; the answer to the second part of the question is 153; as regards the third and fourth parts it is of course impossible to say in how many cases duty has been paid in ignorance of the provisions of Section 17 (5) of the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910, but upon the true facts being established to the satisfaction of the Commissioners the duty paid in error will be refunded.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to an oil company, No. 1,509, registered in Trinidad on 1st June, 1910, with a capital of £200,000 in £20 shares; whether among the seven original shareholders are Mr. Gordon Mazeley, clerk to the Hon. R. S. Aucher Warner, then acting Attorney-General, and Mr. W. A. Murray, clerk to the Hon. L. A. Wharton, then acting Solicitor-General; whether neither Mazeley nor Murray were in receipt of a salary exceeding £100 per year; and, if so, will he cause inquiry to be made with a view to ascertain whether they are mere figure-heads, or whether in reality they were used to cover up the fact that officials of the Government were using their official positions to further private financial transactions?

I have no information as to the company alluded to. Even if the facts are as alleged, they do not warrant the inference suggested in the last part of the question, but as my hon. Friend has raised the point I will refer it to the Governor for his report.

asked whether the Secretary for the Colonies is aware of the dissatisfaction existing in the Island of Malta consequent upon the appointment of the two members of the Legislative Council to the Executive Council, one of whom was appointed contrary to the wishes of the majority of the elected members of the Legislative Council; whether he is aware that owing to the dissatisfaction upon that and other questions there is a danger that the elected members will again resign; whether he can hold out hopes that in the near future constitutional reform will be given; and whether he will shortly lay Papers upon the Table of the House dealing with the political conditions of Malta?

No expressions of dissatisfaction with the appointments to which my hon. Friend refers have reached me, nor have I yet heard that the elected members propose to resign. I cannot hold out any expectation of further constitutional changes in Malta in the near future. Papers on the subject of the political condition of Malta were laid in July of last year (Cd. 527), and I do not think that the subsequent correspondence is of sufficient importance to call for publication at present.

asked whether the Colonial Secretary has received information from the Government of Malta with regard to the new penal code which has been introduced by that Government, one feature of which is the application for the first time in Malta of the punishment of hard labour for the offence of contravention or misdemeanour, carrying with it the loss of franchise; whether, seeing that the elected members being in a minority on the legislative council and on the executive council, though opposed to it, cannot prevent it becoming law, he will consider the advisability of disallowing it as an Ordinance which has been passed against the will of the Maltese people as expressed by their elected representatives?

I have not yet received from the Governor of Malta the report on this subject which I requested him to furnish, but I will remind him of my request.

asked whether the right hon. Gentleman is aware that a native association or company in the Tongan Islands, called the Kautaka, whose business has been wrecked by the alleged unlawful acts of the Consul-General, Mr. W. Telfer Campbell, has served writs upon Mr. Campbell and also upon the Auditor-General, Mr. Roberts; further, whether he is aware that in consequence of the issue of the writs Mr. Mahaffy, the Assistant High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, has threatened to deport Mr. Cameron, the president of the Kautaka, informing him that he could be deported without any reason being assigned; and whether he will state under what Order in Council the power is given to deport a British resident in the Pacific without the person deported being informed as to the reason of such summary proceedings?

I am aware, as I informed my hon. Friend, in reply to his question on the 31st May, that legal proceedings are being taken by Mr. Cameron, but I have no information to the effect that he had been threatened with deportation. The manner in which proceedings for deportation may be taken against British residents in the Pacific is laid down in Section 111 of the Pacific Order in Council, 1893.

asked the President of the Board of Education why notice has been given that the Parr Mount Boys' School, St. Helens, will not be recognised in future; whether he is aware that the health of the children attending it has been excellent, the standard of instruction extremely high, and that for the last five years the percentage of attendance has been 95.2, 93.7, 95.1, 94.1, and 95 respectively; what provision will be made for the teachers; and how much it is estimated that the new schools required in their place will cost?

No such notice has yet been given. The premises are over-crowded and seriously defective, and the site is so restricted that it appears to be impossible to make them satisfactory for their present numbers. The Board have advised the managers accordingly and have called attention to specific defects, and especially to the serious risk of injury to the children in case of fire. It will not be possible to recognise the premises indefinitely for their present numbers or, without improvement, for a smaller number. The Board have, however, advised the managers of the improvements necessary to admit of the recognition of the premises for a further period for a single department. I am not aware of anything abnormal in the health of the children or the standard of instruction. The statement in the question as to the percentage of attendance at the school is substantially accurate. There does not appear to be any reason why the teaching staff should be adversely affected as ample notice will be given of any decision to remove the school from the grant list. No proposal for the replacement of the school is before the Board, and I am not, therefore, in a position to give an estimate of the expenditure which would be involved.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any recent report on the conditions under which the traffic in worn-out horses from this country for slaughter on the Continent is carried on; and will he consider whether it will be more humane to require that the animals be slaughtered prior to shipment?

The Board receive weekly reports made on behalf of the Belgian and Netherlands Governments as well as special reports from their own inspectors. The Board have no authority for adopting the hon. Member's suggestion.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that there is very considerable mortality amongst those horses in any kind of rough weather, and whether, if he has not got authority he does not think he might ask this House for authority and that he would probably get it?

I will draw the attention of my Noble Friend to the request of the hon. Gentleman.

I should like to know whether any special inquiry has been made by the Board at eastern ports since the Diseases of Animals Act, passed last year, came into force, and which dealt with this very matter?

As I have already stated, the Board have received special reports from their inspectors.

Is the procedure different to what was adopted last year before the Act came into force?

The procedure is altered in many respects.

In this respect?

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman could tell me whether the nature of these reports is absolutely satisfactory?

Certainly, in some cases there may be room for improvement. That is the object of having the reports.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether the Board has yet made its Report on the application from the Lancashire and Western Sea Fisheries Joint Committee, forwarded to the Board by the Treasury in July, 1910, for a grant under the Development Act; and, if not, when they expect to do so?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to a similar question yesterday.

Can the hon. Gentleman tell me whether the report will include a recommendation that a grant be made to this committee?

My hon. Friend will see that that does not arise out of the question, and he should give me notice.

Can he tell me when the report is likely to be published?

I do not know.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the firm of Messrs. A. and J. Inglis, Pointhouse, are contractors to the Admiralty; whether he is aware that labourers employed by the firm are paid 16s. l0d. for a week of fifty-four hours; and whether he will make inquiry into the matter with a view to securing conformity with the Fair-Wages Clause?

The firm named are contractors to the Admiralty, and inquiry is being made into the matter.

asked the dates at which the seven torpedo-boat destroyers now on the China stations were built; whether they are now fit for sea and capable of doing the work which would be required of them in war; and whether any parent ship is provided for this flotilla?

The seven destroyers on the China Station were completed in the following years:—"Handy" and "Janus" in 1895, "Hart" in 1896, "Fame," "Virago" and "Whiting" in 1897, "Otter" in 1900. The "Handy," "Hart" and "Janus" are ordered to be relieved shortly by three of the River class, and consequently no further sums will be expended on their repairs. All except the "Handy" and "Hart" are fit for sea and capable of doing the work required of them in war. They do not require a parent ship, as they are based on the dockyard.

May I ask whether there is any peculiarity about the dockyard at Hong Kong that makes it better than other dockyards, since in ether parts of the world a parent ship is necessary; and if such a ship is necessary at Harwich, why is not necessary at Hong Kong?

It is a question of the mobility of the vessels. A parent ship is required at Harwich for the service which destroyers have to perform, but the service they are called on to perform in China and the circumstances are entirely different.

May I further ask whether all those destroyers are not of an old, condemned class?

No, Sir.

May I ask if they are not of a class which, over and over again, has been condemned in debate in this House?

No, Sir; they have not been condemned.

Are we to understand that the German Government replace destroyers after twelve years' service?

No, Sir. The hon. Gentleman has stated that frequently in the House. The German Government have issued no orders to replace destroyers after twelve years.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the attention of the Admiralty had been called to the case of a sailor named Alfred East, His Majesty's Ship "Natal," who is a married man, with wife and two children living at Lewisham; whether he is aware that about three months ago East objected to vaccination; that the captain of the ship on which this man serves refused to allow him to go ashore in the ordinary way, but sent him on patrol duty instead; that he was refused permission to visit his home, such permission being refused when his ship's company was granted four days' leave in May; and whether he will draw the captain's attention to the fact that East has committed no offence, and direct him to cease the punishment meted out to him for acting within his rights?

The attention of the Admiralty has been drawn to the case, and the commanding officer has been informed that the man had committed no offence. On receipt of this intimation the restrictions on his movements were at once withdrawn and special leave was granted to him.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether any of the armoured units of the German programme for 1908 have yet been commissioned for service with the Fleet, and, if so, when; and whether he can stale the dates on which they wore laid down, launched, and commissioned for trials?

Of the armoured units of the German programme for 1908, one, the "Thuringen," was commissioned for trials on 1st July, 1911. None have yet been commissioned for service with the Fleet. The dates of order and launch are as follows:—

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the "Thuringen" was commissioned last Saturday?

No, Sir. I understand that it was not commissioned for service, but for trials last Saturday. That is the information which I have received.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can now give details as to the displacement, armament, engine-power, speed, etc., of the German battleship "Thuringen"?

The details concerning this ship have appeared in "Nauticus" for 1911. We have no official information concerning her.

asked whether tenders have been called for for the destroyers of the programme 1911–12, and to what type the vessels proposed will belong?

Tenders for a certain number of destroyers of the 1911–12 programme have been called for. It is not in the public interest to give particulars of the design at this stage.

May I ask whether it is not the fact that the right hon. Gentleman has asked for tenders for ships, the money for which has not yet been voted by this House?

Yes. That is according to the practice of a great many years.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many effective protected or unprotected cruisers, with a 5,000 mile radius of action at economical speed, are possessed by both Germany and Great Britain?

The information which the hon. Member requires as regards Germany is contained in the "Taschenbuch der Kriegsflotten," 1911, compiled by Kapitanleutnant (retired) D. Weyer. We have no official information which will enable us to check the data therein given. Great Britain possesses fifty effective protected or unprotected cruisers, with a 5,000 mile radius of action, excluding armoured cruisers.

Would the right hon. Gentleman arrange to have a copy placed in the Library for the use of Members, with a translation if possible?

I cannot say as to a translation. The data would have to be worked out. It only gives the coal capacity and speed, and I think the inferences one might draw might vary.

asked when the "Orion" and "Lion," building at Portsmouth and Devonport respectively, are to commence their trials; and whether it is expected they will be commissioned within two years from the date of commencement?

According to present arrangements, the "Orion" will begin her steam trials in September, and the "Lion" in October next. It is expected that both ships will be ready for commission twenty-five months from the date of laying down.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the "Monarch" is of a different type to the "Orion," "Conqueror," and "Thunderer"?

No, Sir, all four ships are being built to the same design.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will grant a Sunday delivery between Fethard and the Hook, South Wexford, as it is much needed, and as the people in that neighbourhood have been a, long time asking for it?

I am having inquiry made, and I will communicate the result to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will take steps to have the conventions referred to in the Preamble to the Second Peace Conference (Conventions) Bill printed and issued in a convenient form for the use of Members of this House; and whether he will arrange that this shall be done so as to give adequate time to Members for the consideration of these conventions before the Second Reading of that Bill?

If the hon. and learned Member will refer to the answer given to the hon. Member for Warwick and Leamington on the 26th ultimo on the same point he will see that his wishes have already been met.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state what decision has been come to with regard to compensating members of labour exchange advisory boards for loss incurred in attending meetings of the board?

Arrangements have now been made for compensating workmen for time lost in attending the meetings of Advisory Trade Committees and Juvenile Advisory Committees, and I am causing a leaflet, showing the scale on which expenses of this kind can be recovered, to be circulated to the members of these Committees.