asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what benefit under the National Insurance Bill would a member of an approved society be entitled in the event of his claiming sickness benefit in respect of an illness occurring within twelve months after his recovery from a previous illness in respect of which he has been in receipt of disablement benefit; and whether the provision in Clause 8, Sub-section (5), of the National Insurance Bill only refers to the benefit to which a member is entitled in any subsequent illness occurring within twelve months after having been in receipt of sickness benefit?

As the weekly payments for the first twenty-six weeks of any illness are classed as sickness benefit, an insured person will not receive disablement benefit unless he has previously received sickness benefit in respect of the same illness. Clause 8 (5) refers not to an illness occurring within twelve months after receipt of sickness benefit, but to an illness occurring within twelve months after recovery from a previous illness in respect of which sickness benefit or both sickness and disablement benefit have been received.

also asked the Chancellor whether he is aware that the usual practice of friendly societies is to provide in their rules against a member delaying his claim for sickness benefit in order that he might obtain a higher rate of pay than he would otherwise be entitled to; and whether, in view of the fact that he now proposes to pay twenty-six weeks' benefit at 10s. per week, he intends to make a similar provision in the National Insurance Bill?

As Clause 8 (5) applies to cases where a subsequent illness begins within twelve months of recovery from the previous illness, whether a claim to benefit is made within twelve months or not, it would be within the power of a society to make rules for the purpose indicated in the question under the Bill as it stands.

asked the Chancellor whether he will consider the advisability of providing for the payment of the contributions of casual workers by daily deductions from their wages and by daily payments by their employers of 1d. each, respectively?

This and several other suggestions in regard to casual workers are under careful consideration.

asked whether an approved society which has less than 5,000 members at any valuation, and is thereby required to pool half of its surplus in the county or other pool, will be required to pay any of the expenses incurred in connection with the administration of that pool?

Small societies will contribute rateably with other societies to the costs of the local health committee which is responsible for the administration of the county pool. If they form separate associations for the purpose of pooling they will have to arrange the question of costs among themselves. I may point out that the committee administering a pool will not, in most cases, incur any serious expense, as they will be able to act upon the report of the Government valuer.

asked whether a society of less than 100 members will be permitted to administer benefits to its members under the National Insurance Bill on the condition that it shall at each valuation pool half its surplus in the county pool; and, if so, will such society transact its business direct with the Insurance Commissioners or through the local health committee having control of the county pool?

There is nothing to prevent the Insurance Commissioners giving approval to a society with a hundred members, and if they give such approval the society would transact its business direct with the Insurance Commissioners, except that on a valuation it would pay half of any surplus into the county pool under the administration of the health committee, and have a claim upon that pool in the event of a deficiency.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) when the promised grant will be made for the improvement of Fethard Fishery Pier?

It is impossible to say what will be done for the improvement of this pier until the receipt of the final decision of the Development Commissioners on the application of the Department of Agriculture for funds for the development of the Irish fisheries.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland why the scheme for labourers' cottages passed by the Gorey district council in 1906 has been so long delayed; what stage has it now reached; when it will be proceeded with by the Local Government Board; and if he will state what is the position of the scheme adopted recently for the building of houses for the labourers of Gorey by the Gorey district council, and when it will be proceeded with?

The council made a scheme on the 28th December, 1907, which they lodged with the Board on the 27th March, 1908, and in respect of which an order was made and confirmed on the 24th September, 1908, for the erection of thirty-seven cottages. The carrying into execution of the scheme has been a matter for the council themselves. The council have since made two further schemes (on the 30th August, 1910), one proposing seventy-seven cottages and seventy-six additional allotments, and the other forty-three cottages and thirty-nine additional allotments, the former being lodged with the Board on the 11th March last, and the latter on the 3rd May. Further proceedings, however, regarding these schemes, and a number of schemes from other districts were deferred pending the provision by Parliament of additional funds for the purposes of the Labourers Acts. The cases will now be dealt with as soon as practicable, having due regard to the claims of other districts. The scheme referred to in the concluding part of the question appears to have been made by the council only on the 28th October, and cannot reach the Board for some time.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that Mr. Francis Dubourdieu, of Knocknadona, Magheragall, Lisburn, county Antrim, has been unable to obtain an official receipt from the Land Commission for the half-yearly instalment paid by him in May last in respect of his holding in Knocknadona, on what was formerly the Wallace estate, and that, as the receipt for the payment of the last half-yearly instalment must be produced before payment of the succeeding half-yearly instalment is accepted, Mr. Dubourdieu is unable to pay his November instalment; and whether he will direct the Land Commission to issue the receipt in question forthwith?

The Land Commission inform me that the instalment of the Land Purchase Annuity which fell due in this case on the 1st May last was received on the 16th of that month, and the Receivable Order was returned duly receipted to the payer in ordinary course. As, however, the receipt appears to have miscarried a duplicate has now been sent to Mr. Dubourdieu.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the circumstances attending the death of a young Englishman in the Lisbon hospital of San Jose in August last; and whether he will make a more searching inquiry than that contained in the Consul's Report as to the circumstances under which the deceased met his death; and whether His Majesty's Government have any arrangement with the Portuguese Government as to the repatriation or care of British subjects who may become temporarily deranged in their minds or otherwise unable to take care of themselves whilst in Portugal; and, if not, whether he will consider what steps can be taken to remedy this condition of affairs?

I presume that the hon. Member for Brentford refers to the case of a young Englishman who died at Lisbon on 5th August last. This case was fully reported at the time by His Majesty's Consul, and I am not aware of any points regarding which further inquiry appears to be necessary. With regard to the third and fourth parts of the question, there is no arrangement by which British subjects of unsound mind are repatriated by His Majesty's Government from Portugal. It rests with the Portuguese Government to take charge, of such persons, or to provide the necessary funds for their repatriation. I will consider the point raised in the last part of the question.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in his proposals for manhood suffrage, he will couple national rights with national obligations, and will provide that the privilege of giving a vote shall be conjoined with the necessity of submission to military training and service?

I must refer the hon. Member to the statement which I made in the House of Commons yesterday, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, as a part or as a consequence of the scheme for the abolition of the home surveying district, it is intended to reduce the number of sorting clerks and telegraphists at any of the offices formerly contained in that district by diverting a portion of their present duties to classes receiving lower rates of pay?

There is no such intention. The abolition of the home surveying district does not affect the rank and file in the post offices in any way whatever.

asked the Lord Advocate whether he will place upon the Table of the House a copy of the actuarial Return upon which has been based the superannuation scheme for teachers under the Education (Scotland) Act, 1908, Section 14, now upon the Table?

The Report of the actuaries is being printed, and it is hoped to lay a copy shortly.

also asked the Lord Advocate whether he can state the amount of the grant which the Chancellor of the Exchequer will make to Scotland in relief of rates on account of the teachers' superannuation scheme now upon the Table of the House?

The Department have been in communication with the Treasury on the subject, but I am not in a position to make any statement on the matter at present.

asked the Lord Advocate what sums would be paid out of the Education (Scotland) Fund into the Scottish teachers' superannuation fund during the first year of its existence under Section 5 (2), Sub-sections (a) and (c), respectively, of the scheme now lying upon the Table of the House, presuming the total salaries of teachers are the same for that year as for the last year for which they have definite figures; and, upon the same basis, what separate amounts should be paid into the fund on account of the various education districts of Scotland?

An estimate of the sums payable out of the Education (Scotland) Fund on the presumption stated is: Under Subsection (a), £85,000; under Sub-section (c), £46,000. As against this there will be paid into the fund the equivalent of the cost to the Treasury of the present superannuation scheme, estimated at approximately £20,000. There is also a charge upon the fund for superannuation purposes under Section 13 of the Act of 1908, which will disappear when the new scheme comes into operation. This charge for the current year is estimated at £18,000. Leaving out of account for the present the possibility of any further contribution from the Treasury, there will thus be a net increase of charge upon the Education (Scotland) Fund for superannuation purposes in the next financial year of approximately £93,000. This sum falls to be deducted from the fund as one of the first charges under Section 16 (1) before distribution is made to the district funds under Section 16 (2), and no separate amounts will be paid into the superannuation fund on account of the various education districts of Scotland.