asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that many friendly societies, when paying sickness benefits, deduct the cost of postage and commission on postal or money orders from the amount of the benefits; and whether that practice may be continued in respect of the sickness benefits payable under the National Insurance Bill, or whether those benefits must always be paid in full to the insured person, even though he be unable to attend, either personally or by deputy, for the purpose of receiving payment in cash?

The matter is one to be dealt with by the rules of the societies. They will be under no obligation to make arrangements for distribution of benefits through the post, though, if they think fit to do so, it will be open to them to make such arrangements and charge the cost of them to general administrative expenses. In the absence of such arrangements there would be nothing to prevent remittances by post being made at the member's expense, if he desires it, in the manner described in the question.

asked from what day the sickness benefit of an insured person will be payable under Section 8, Sub-section (1), paragraph (c), whose illness commenced at 6 o'clock a.m. on Monday morning; whether sick pay would commence from the following Friday, that being the fourth day after the insured person was rendered unfit; and, should such be the case, does the insured person lose his sickness benefit for the first four days of illness and not the first three days, as generally understood?

The question would be one to be determined by the approved society under its rules.

asked whether, now that insurance companies and collecting societies are to be allowed to form approved sections under conditions which it is generally acknowledged will give them preferential advantages over all friendly societies, there is any objection to any surplus that may be disclosed at the valuation of any approved society being distributed by means of payment at death or to the widows and orphans of insured persons?

Before the right hon. Gentleman answers that question, may I ask him whether he accepts this statement about preferential treatment, or does he think that it is a totally absurd idea?

My right hon. Friend does not admit that any such preferential treatment has been given. He is unable to entertain the suggestion made in the second part of the question, which would be contrary to the pledges given by the Prime Minister.

asked what is the estimated additional sum which will stand to the credit of the National Insurance Fund in consequence of the decision to permit approved societies to invest the contributions of employed contributors as the friendly societies have hitherto done at £4 per centum and upwards instead of, as originally contemplated, at £3 per centum only; and how is it proposed to apply such additional sum?

Any profit or loss which may accrue to a society through the investment of its funds in trustee securities or such other securities as may be approved, instead of accepting the Government guarantee of the capital and interest at 3 per cent. will be taken into account in calculating the surplus or deficiency to be dealt with under Clauses 30 and 31. I cannot state the amount.

Will this not amount to so large a sum as to alter the actuarial basis on which the Bill is founded?

Not to any serious extent.

asked whether the employers' contributions to insurance will be a deduction for Income Tax purposes as part of employers' expenses; and, if not, whether he will insert a Clause in the Bill authorising this deduction?

I am advised that contributions under the National Insurance Bill paid by employers in respect of persons employed by them wholly in earning the profits of their business will be allowable as a business expense in estimating the assessable profits according to the rules of the Income Tax Acts.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will accept an Amendment to the National Insurance Bill making it one of the conditions of becoming an approved society that such society should not be in any way connected with any existing assurance company which has been convicted of irregularities and frauds in connection with its general business?

My right hon. Friend does not think it necessary to take the action suggested by the hon. Member.

asked what machinery the Insurance Commissioners will have for investigating the solvency of local authorities whose loans from approved societies will, under his new Clause relating to transactions between the Insurance Commissioners and societies, be subject to the approval of the Com-missioners?

They will have access to all the ordinary sources of information and will also be able to consult the Local Government Board in cases in which any doubt may arise.

In view of the fact that each of these loans has been sanctioned by the Local Government Board, is it necessary that the time of the Commissioners should be taken up in investigating them?

In many cases it will be unnecessary.

asked whether any and what steps have been taken to give effect to the promises made to rectify the scheme of pensions to national school teachers in Ireland; has he yet considered any suggestions that may have been made by representative bodies in Ireland on the subject; and, if so, with what result?

I must refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for South Sligo last Wednesday.

asked, in view of the fact that of the 36,000 copies of Form IV. issued in Ireland more than half have not been even partially filled up, he will say what steps have been taken to enforce the penalty of £50 for non-compliance with such demands for information within thirty days, laid down in the Finance Act, 1910?

No case has yet arisen in which it has been considered necessary to take steps to enforce the penalty referred to.

In view of the fact that of the 36,000 forms sent out 15,000 have not been returned and 19,000 have only been partially filled up, does the right hon. Gentleman state that the Government have taken no steps whatever to enforce the penalty?

They have not taken the steps suggested in the hon. Member's question.

Was the usual 2d. per form paid to the officials in Ireland?

The hon. Member must give me notice of that question.

What steps have been taken?

The hon. Member must give notice.

asked whether the right hon. Gentleman can state what progress has been made in reducing the 18,000 cases where executors' accounts cannot be cleared pending the reference of the valuations for Estate Duty to the Land Valuation Department?

The number has been reduced to 15,201.

asked whether it is with his knowledge and sanction that the land valuation department are refusing to report agreed figures of valuation of real estate for probate until their provisional valuations for Land Value Duties have been agreed to by executors?

It is considered of great importance that the original value, where there has been no alteration since the 30th April, 1909, should be recorded at the same amount as the value for Estate Duty purposes, and for this reason instructions have been issued to valuers that valuations for both purposes are to be completed at one and the same time.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the dates do not coincide in any case except where the death takes place on the 30th of April, 1909?

That may be, but there may have been no alteration of value.

Is it not possible that there, may have been an alteration?

Yes, and in that case the treatment is different.

I did not quite gather from the right hon. Gentleman's answer whether he is telling the House that he is totalling up these valuations of Death Duties, even where the figures are identical, and where they disagree and are not identical sanction is being withheld until the valuation for the land tax has been made.

I did not make that statement.

That point is in my question.

asked whether the right hon. Gentleman will give instructions to the Inland Revenue Commissioners to suspend any valuations or claims affected by matters now sub judice, or as to which appeals have been lodged, until the interpretation of the law has been settled; and whether the Commissioners' interpretation of Section 25 (4) (c) as to deductions for that part of the total value directly attributable to the appropriation of land for the purpose of streets, roads, etc., is based upon the advice of the Law Officers of the Crown?

The answer to the first part of the question is that my right hon. Friend does not consider it advisable to take the action suggested by the hon. Member. It is open to any person aggrieved by a determination of the Commissioners to give notice of objection or appeal in the manner prescribed by law, and where this step is taken the Commissioners do everything in their power to-avoid the trouble and expense of a multiplicity of appeals involving the same question. As regards the last part of the question, the Commissioners' interpretation is based upon the advice of their own legal adviser.

Are we to understand that the interpretation which the Commissioners place upon the law is being enforced upon poor owners, even where there is a case sub judice?

asked whether the right hon. Gentleman will now give instructions that forms issued by the Commissioners of Inland Revenue drawing attention to the benefits of Section 2, Subsection (3), of the Finance Act shall also draw attention to the extension of that benefit conferred by the Revenue Act of 1910–11; will he give instructions that in all cases where such documents have been issued the owners shall be fully informed of their legal privileges; and whether an extension of time will be given to any owners who would have been entitled to apply for substituted site value but have not done so owing to this omission?

I am much obliged to the hon. Member for calling my attention to this matter. As stated in reply to a question of the hon. Member on the 7th instant, a revised form (which calls attention to the extended benefit conferred by Section 2 of the Revenue Act, 1911), is now in general use and steps will be taken to ensure that it is always issued in future. In any cases where the old form has by inadvertence been used after the passing of the Revenue Act, 1911, and owing to this a substituted site value was not claimed at the proper time, the Commissioners will be prepared still to entertain such a claim provided that it is made within a reasonable time after the owner becomes aware of his full legal privilege.

asked what are the latest available figures of the yield of Increment Value Duty and Undeveloped Land Duty since the passing of the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910?

Up to the 7th instant the yield of Increment Value Duty and Undeveloped Land Duty was approximately £1,950 and £13,900 respectively.

Would it not be possible to enter in the periodical Return issued to Members the different heads, instead of lumping them altogether under "Land Value Duties"?

We will consider that question.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can state how many valuations had by the 1st November, 1911, been finally settled?

The information desired by the hon. and learned Gentleman is not available. 1,337,153 hereditaments have been valued and provisional valuations with regard to them issued, but it is not possible, without elaborate inquiries of all the district valuers to say in how many of these cases no objection had been raised on or before the 1st instant to the provisional valuation.

Will the right hon. Gentleman give me an answer to my question if I postpone it for such a period as will enable him to obtain the information?

I cannot promise to obtain the information because it would require such an amount of time on the part of the district valuer that it would interfere with the work of valuation, which I understand hon. Members on all sides of the House desire to see proceeded with as speedily as possible.

Does the right hon. Gentleman suggest that it would take so long to ascertain what number of valuations are finally settled when he is able to give me the number that have been provisionally settled?

Yes, I certainly do suggest that.

asked whether the district valuers are acting under instructions from the Inland Revenue Commissioners in excluding from their valuations of house property in Hull and other large towns the space between rows of back-to-back houses, notwithstanding the fact that this space is the property of the owner of the houses and is not subject to any public rights of way?

District valuers have not been instructed to exclude—and are not excluding—from their valuations the space between rows of back-to-back houses, or any similar passages. But, where such spaces or passages are used in common by the occupiers of several adjacent properties, it is the practice to state on the face of the provisional valuation the net area of each property, excluding the passage. The valuation, however, should—and does include the proper proportion of the value of the space or passage in each case.

asked the Prime Minister, (1) in view of his statement at the Colonial Conference that without absolute control of national finances freedom would be a mockery, he will state if the promised measure of full self-government for Ireland is being drafted in accordance with that principle; (2) whether he regards Crown property in Ireland as one of Ireland's assets for public purposes under self-government; and, if so, by whom he proposes to have a full account of that property since the Act of Union prepared as a matter of business and justice, and about what time it will be available for Members of this House; (3) when, and in what form, he proposes to make available to Irish representatives information possessed by the Government which is essential for discussion of the financial relations between Great Britain and Ireland in which the rights and interests of both countries are equal; whether he will have the findings of the majority of the Financial Relations Commissioners reduced to figures, and their treatment extended to the subsequent years; and whether it is proposed to treat the £320,000,000 excessive taxes taken from Ireland since the Act of Union as the ascertained amount of restitution which Ireland is entitled to receive on entering upon full self-government?

For the reasons which I stated a week ago, I cannot at present anticipate the proposals which the Government may make in regard to the matters touched on in the hon. Gentleman's question.

When will the right hon. Gentleman be in a position to give the information?

Certainly when the Bill is introduced.

asked whether, in view of the fact that the rise in the cost of living is affecting the United States, France, Austria, and Germany, he will consider the propriety of arranging for an International Commission of Inquiry; and whether he will approach the Governments of these countries with the object of finding if this proposal would meet with their acceptance?

As my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade informed the hon. Member for Plymouth, any definite proposal for the purpose indicated in the question would have the careful consideration of His Majesty's Government.

asked whether the Prime Minister intends to fulfil the pledge, given on behalf of the Government in 1907, that they would put an end to the practice of blocking Motions?

I beg to refer the Noble Lord to what I said in Debate on this subject on 20th June, 1907, when I stated that one of the conditions precedent to any action being taken was that it should command general assent from all quarters of the House. That statement I have frequently repeated, and I regret that that condition is not as yet fulfilled.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he can state approximately what number of persons are now engaged in agricultural and horticultural occupations in Great Britain; and how many were so engaged ten years ago?

The number of persons ten years of age and upwards who were engaged in agricultural or horticultural occupations in the year 1901 was 1,402,929. I am unable to give corresponding figures for the present year until the returns of occupations obtained by the recent Census are available.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give figures for the last year that is available?

I think it would be better to wait for the accurate figures which will be rendered available by the Local Government Board very shortly.

Will those figures include Scotland?

Yes.

asked whether, in view of the present price of linseed and linseed cake, and the increasing dependence of dairy farmers upon the former as a substitute for the fat of milk in raising calves, and of farmers generally upon the latter for feeding and fattening stock, and also in view of the fact that Irish cultivators while growing flax for linen fibre do not allow the seed to mature, the Board are taking any steps, through the medium of the Development Commissioners or otherwise, to revive flax-growing as a profitable industry in Great Britain?

I understand that this subject is engaging the attention of the Development Commissioners, who have appointed an officer to make inquiries with regard to it both in this country and abroad. Until I have had an opportunity of judging of the value of his investigations I shall refrain from setting on foot any further inquiry.

May I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman is in favour of the development of the flax-growing industry in this country?

I should like to see any addition made to the agricultural industry, whether it is flax-growing or otherwise.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the Colonial Office have yet come to any decision with regard to an improved cable system between the Mother-Country and the Dominions?

The Imperial Conference had under consideration the question of laying a State-owned transatlantic cable, but it was postponed in view of the possibility of considerable reductions being effected in the cable rates. I am not yet in a position to make a statement on that subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the information has been received showing how long the 1,300 Maltese refugees, who arrived at Malta on board the steamer "Castlegarth" on 1st October, were prevented by the authorities from landing, and what was the reason for their detention; and, if so, whether he will state the results of his inquiries to the House?

I have not yet received the report for which I called.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman—

The Secretary of State has just said he has not received a report. It is no use cross-examining him about a thing he has not received.

asked the President of the Board of Education when the Order in Council establishing a teachers' registration council will be issued; and what funds it is proposed to place at the disposal of the registration council?

I am about to approach the Treasury in regard to the finance of the proposed scheme. I am, therefore, not yet in a position to answer either paragraph of the question.

Is it contemplated the order will be issued before the end of the year?

I cannot say how long it will take.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether his attention has been called to the complaints made by Irish traders against the Irish railway companies owing to the manner in which they meet the traders on the question of owner's risk and the conditions laid down by them when dealing with those matters; whether he is aware that the English and Scotch railway companies have amended their owner's risk conditions so that in case of damage the onus of disproving negligence or misconduct on the part of the railway companies rests now with such companies instead of, as hitherto, on the senders proving it, while the Irish companies decline to grant those concessions; and, as this entails hardships on the Irish traders, will the Department take the matter up with the view of compelling the Irish companies to assimilate their rules in this respect to those of the English and Scotch companies and so give Irish traders a fair chance of competition?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The Department of Agriculture have already made representations on this subject to the Irish railway companies, who, however, have declined to alter the owner's risk conditions in force on their lines. They have also been in communication with the Board of Trade on the subject. In the absence of individual cases in which consignors have suffered through discrepancy of treatment the Department are not in a position to determine whether further action is open to them.

asked whether, through the assistance of the Congested Districts Board (Ireland), the fishing industry on the South-West and West Coasts of Ireland has been in a prosperous condition for many years past; whether the fishing industry of Kinsale, once the greatest fishing centre in Ireland, has been on a steady decline owing to the lack of such assistance, being outside the congested area; and whether, now that the Board of Agriculture has at its disposal, for the improvement of fisheries outside the congested districts, the sum of £50,000, immediate help will be given to Kinsale to resuscitate this, the staple industry of the town?

The Department of Agriculture are aware that much of the fishing activity, once centred at Kinsale, has been transferred to more western ports, and that in recent years, owing chiefly to the development of steam fishing, a further diminution of the fleets visiting Kinsale has taken place. The condition of the fishing industry at Kinsale is receiving the careful consideration of the Department.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to cases tried at Castlebar (county Mayo) quarter sessions on 3rd instant, in which a Liverpool firm sued a number of small landholders for the price of manure, and which cases were dismissed with costs on expert evidence that the manure supplied was useless as a fertiliser and was simply rubbish; and can he state what steps the Department are taking, or propose to take, to prevent the importation of such rubbish and the perpetration of such frauds upon the small farmers of the West of Ireland?

I am informed that an appeal is pending in this matter. I cannot therefore enter into it.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture whether, in view of the fact that the total external trade of Ireland during 1910 amounted to £131,000,000, he can give the total figures for Irish exports and imports respectively?

The figures asked for are:—Imports for 1910, £65,044,477; and exports, £65,844,255.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the low prices recently obtainable in the London markets for Irish butter as compared with Danish and other butters, and to what might he attribute this fall in price; and, having regard to the fact that the Irish agriculturist has suffered, and will suffer, by such lack of demand for that one product, which is their mainstay, will inquiries be made and steps taken to push forward the sale of that commodity, which has always been equal in its quality and flavour to the butter of any other country?

The hon. Member appears to be under a misapprehension. The recent prices for Irish butter in London, though not up to the abnormal figures realised for Danish butter, have been higher than in previous years. There are admittedly many causes in operation unfavourable to the dairying industry in Ireland, but the Department of Agriculture are doing everything in their power to correct such evils as exist. In addition to a large staff of instructors in dairying and butter-making in Ireland, they have a staff in Great Britain whose duties include the promotion of the interests of the Irish butter trade.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say what the causes are which are so inimicable to the dairying industry in Ireland?

I do not think I could do that under ten minutes or a quarter of an hour.

asked the Lord Advocate whether in the new regulations for the training of teachers in Scotland the right of nominating junior students, hitherto possessed by the larger school boards, is withdrawn and transferred to the secondary education committees; and on what grounds these boards, from whose schools the junior students are drawn, in whose schools they are to receive their practical training, and who are to be their future employers, have been deprived of this privilege?

Clause 57 of the Regulations for the Training of Teachers, to which the hon. Member refers, has been deleted, as it is in conflict with Section 17 (5) (a) of the Act of 1908, which confers the power of awarding bursaries (including junior student allowances) from the district education fund upon the secondary education committee of the district. On the ground of future employment, the boards in question have no more reason to claim to direct the training of teachers than the other school boards and managers in Scotland, while as regards the use of their schools for practical training the school boards powers of making arrangements with the provincial committee as a matter of bargain are in no way impaired.

asked the Lord Advocate whether in the new regulations for the training of teachers in Scotland the express obligation which has hitherto rested upon secondary education committees to provide bursaries for junior students is abolished; whether this is regarded as a breach of the understanding on which the abolition of the pupil teacher system was acquiesced in, namely, that bursaries would be provided to take the place of the salaries formerly paid to pupil teachers, so that thereby the way to the teaching profession should still be left open to the children of parents of slender means; and whether he will take steps to have the provision restored?

As explained in my previous answer, the Clause of the Regulations referred to has been deleted, because it is contrary to Statute. Judging from the action of the secondary education committees in the past, there is no ground for anticipating that they will not in the future, as in the past, have due regard to the desirability of providing allowances whereby the children of parents of slender means may have the way as open as heretofore, not merely to the teaching profession, but to any other profession. Should any evidence to the contrary be produced the matter will be further considered.

Do I understand the right hon. Gentleman to say that in future the pupil teachers will get the same privileges as in the past?

Perhaps the hon. Member will put down that question.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say why so great a delay occurred between the passing of the Act and the discovery by the Scotch Office this conflict was involved?

I am not aware that a long delay took place.

asked the Lord Advocate what steps he proposes to take, in view of the proposal to deprive school boards of their direct representation on the committees for the training of teachers, to give effect to the intention of the Secretary for Scotland, as expressed in the prefatory memorandum to the original minute of 30th January, 1905, where he explicitly declares that one object of these committees is to provide means whereby school boards and others directly interested in the question of the supply of teachers shall be in a position to secure due consideration for their views?

The declaration of the memorandum referred to, which, it will be observed, does not relate merely to school boards, is amply carried out by the constitution of the provincial committees, on which the school boards of Scotland collectively will have an undoubtedly preponderant representation.

asked the Lord Advocate whether by minute, dated 15th August, 1911, providing for the establishment of the committees for the training of teachers, it is proposed to deprive school boards of the direct representation which they have had since the constitution of these committees in 1906, notwithstanding the fact that school boards are the only popularly elected authorities represented on the committees and are the bodies most directly interested in the training of teachers; and the reason for the proposed change?

As stated in the answer to the previous question, school boards, as being the bodies most directly interested in the training of teachers have a predominant representation on the provincial committees, and that representation has been in no way lessened by the minute referred to. It is not the case, however, as stated in the question that school boards, since 1906, have been directly represented. Direct representation of all school boards is an impossibility, and the minute in question, following upon the minute of 10th August, 1909, which greatly increased the representation of school boards upon secondary education committees, merely substituted in the case of school boards in general a more convenient and businesslike method of indirect election for the method of indirect election which formerly obtained. As regards the larger school boards, however, which have hitherto been directly represented, I would refer the hon. Member to the amending minute of date 31st October last, which secures that each of those boards shall have not less than the number of members on the provincial committee that they have had hitherto, though the method of election is changed in conformity with that which obtains for other school boards.

Arising out of that very complicated answer, necessarily and purposely so—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh!"]—purposely so, perhaps; if it was prepared by the permanent officials of the Scotch Office, more likely so. Might I ask whether the general tendency of recent minutes of the Scotch Office is not to "anti-democratise" Scotch education?

asked the total number of declarations of conscientious objection to vaccination made in Scotland in the years 1907, 1908, 1909, and 1910; and also the percentages of these declarations to births?

The information desired by my hon. Friend for the years 1907, 1908, and 1909, is as follows:—

asked the Postmaster-General whether, dating from the 24th January, 1909, the arrangements for the outward primary sorting at the Southport post office, hitherto performed by sorting clerks, have been altered, five postmen being now employed; and whether it is his intention to permanently replace sorting clerks by postmen?

Five postmen have been employed at Southport upon primary sorting duties for a few hours daily as stated. Since the date mentioned I have referred the general question of such duties to a Departmental Committee and am awaiting its Report.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will cause instructions to be given to the Labour Exchanges to suggest to employers the advisability of stating in their advertisements, when possible, the wages they are prepared to offer when advertising for workmen through the medium of the Labour Exchange newspapers?

I have been asked by my right hon. Friend to answer this question. Labour Exchange managers are instructed to point out to employers that the prospect of finding suitable applicants is greatly increased if full details of the conditions attaching to particular vacancies, including the rates of wages offered, are supplied by them to the Exchange. This instruction applies generally, and not only to those vacancies of which details, by the courtesy of certain newspapers, are from time to time published in the Press.