asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he would state the estimated cost to the Treasury of the administration of the National Insurance Bill which will not be paid out of the two-ninths cost of benefits and administration provided in the terms of the Bill.

I regret that I am unable at present to give any useful estimate of the cost of Government administration. The size of the staffs required by the Commissioners can only be decided gradually by the aid of experience.

asked whether, in the event of the National Insurance Bill becoming law, he would consider the advisability of substituting an annual domestic servant licence for the proposed weekly or quarterly postage stamp contributions from employers, such licence to relieve the employer from all further responsibility for the collection of contributions from his or her servants under the Bill?

There is an Amendment standing on the Paper dealing with this proposal, which I have no doubt will be discussed this afternoon.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the manner in which the insurance of domestic servants is at present arranged under the National Insurance Bill, whereby the mistress, in affixing the monthly tax-stamps, is compelled to deduct from her servant's wages the latter's contribution, he will so modify the measure that, instead of the mistress having to purchase stamps of double value, both mistress and servant shall separately obtain and affix each month a stamp representing the amount of her own contribution, thereby placing the onus of any non-compliance with regulations on the party resisting the same?

My right hon. Friend is unable to adopt the hon. Member's suggestion. Compulsory insurance would be unworkable except on the basis of the primary liability of the employer for the contribution of the employé.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is the custom of all domestics in the employ of officers of the Admiralty shore establishments to have free medical attendance at the hands of the naval medical officers attached to these establishments; and whether, seeing that Article 138 of the Home Hospital Instructions, paragraph 7, defines families as including domestic servants, he will say if these domestic servants will be exempt from the National Insurance Bill?

The servants in question will not be excluded from the provisions of the Bill. I understand from my right hon. Friend the First Lord of the Admiralty, that he has under consideration the question whether it may be necessary by revision of regulations to meet the point raised by the Question.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the gentlemen announced by him as Insurance Commissioners will be able to give the whole of their time to the work of the Commission?

The answer is in the affirmative, except in the case of Mr. Bradbury, who will continue to perform duties in the Treasury.

asked what remuneration will be given to the Insurance Commissioners?

The chairman will receive £2,000 a year and Mr. Bradbury an allowance of £300 a year in addition to his salary as a principal clerk in the Treasury. The remaining three appointments announced carry a salary of £1,000 a year, non-pensionable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he could say what will be the salaries of the Insurance Commissioners for England, Scotland, and Ireland, respectively?

I have just given the English salaries. I am not yet in a position to reply to the rest of the question.

asked what are the names of the Scottish Insurance Commissioners to be appointed according to promise before the National Insurance Bill leaves this House?

asked what are to be the salaries to be paid to the three Insurance Commissioners to be appointed for Scotland?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it is intended that the Commissioner other than the doctor appointed for Scotland under the Insurance Bill will have friendly society experience; and, if so, will it be part of his duty to instruct the other two members of the Commission, the lady and the doctor, in friendly society methods?

I am not yet in a position to give the information asked for in this question and my hon. Friend's two questions immediately following.

asked if there would be a secretary appointed for each Insurance Commission in England, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland; what salaries would be paid these gentlemen; and would they be entitled to a pension?

The answer to the first question is in the affirmative. The salary of the English secretary will be £1,200 a year, pensionable. The rates of remuneration of the other secretaries have not yet been fixed.

asked what salaries were to be paid to the Insurance Commissioners, and if any extra salary was to be paid to the chairman; would those gentlemen be entitled to a pension, and, if so, what would be the amount of such pension; would he also state what is to be the salary paid to the ladies and gentlemen who will form the Insurance Commissioners for Wales, Scotland, and Ireland; how many are to be appointed for each country, and if they would be entitled to pensions; if so, the amount?

This question is covered by answers that I have already given.

asked whether in view of the fact that the administrative expenses of the National Insurance Bill incurred by the Government were provided from money which was not raised under the Bill, he could say why deposit contributors had to pay towards the expenses incurred by the local Health Committee in the administration of benefits?

I see nothing inconsistent between the first and second parts of the hon. Member's question. Under the Bill members of Societies and Post Office contributors contribute towards the cost of the administration of their own benefits, by their Societies in the case of members of Societies, by the Committee in the case of deposit contributors. There is no sufficient reason to give a preference to deposit contributors in the matter.

asked whether persons who only have employment in the summer, and are not employed for the remainder of the year, will have to pay their own and the employer's contribution for the intervening months when they resume their occupation the following summer?

No, Sir, they will not "have to pay" their own and their employer's contributions. Such persons may become deposit contributors, and pay contributions only while they are employed, or they may become members of an approved society, when the amount which they would have to pay while unemployed will depend upon the benefits to which they desire to become entitled. In calculating this amount there is also to be taken into consideration the provision which gives an allowance of four weeks per annum, which do not count for arrears, and which being cumulative reduce substantially payments during periods of unemployment.

asked who will pay the fees for the medical examination of persons applying for membership in an approved society?

Societies will bear the cost of any medical examination that they may impose.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can state what will be the position under the National Insurance Bill of the men, numbering over 400, who were involved in the recent railway dispute in Ireland, and who have not been reinstated, some of whom have been paying into the railway companies' sick and benefit funds for over 29 years, and whose subscriptions are forfeited; and whether the companies will be held to restitution of these subscriptions in the event of the men being permanently dismissed?

This is not a matter which is, or can be, dealt with in the Insurance Bill.

asked whether, inasmuch as under Clause 68 of the National Insurance Bill, as amended, funds of friendly societies set free by the operation of the Bill are to be devoted solely for the benefit of existing members, the contributions of new members to their societies, independently of contributions payable under the Bill, will be liable in respect of existing members, or whether there will be a complete separation of funds, outside the National Insurance scheme, between existing and new members of approved societies?

I see no reason for such a separation, but the matter is wholly within the discretion of the societies.

asked whether approved societies, other than registered friendly societies, will be able to devote funds not created by the contributions under the National Insurance Bill to the increasing or supplementing of benefits under the Bill?

The matter is entirely one for the societies concerned. If the hon. Member is referring to funds accumulated for purposes other than increasing or supplementing benefits under the Bill, and the society is not a registered friendly society nor a society, not registered under the Friendly Societies Acts, but of the kind referred to in Clause 68, the question is one which will have to be determined under the rules and constitution of the society.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the position of auxiliary postmen not eligible for sick pay under the provisions of the National Insurance Bill?

Auxiliary postmen, provided that the conditions of their employment do not bring them within the exemption to the Second Part of the First Schedule, will be employed contributors under the Bill and entitled to sickness benefit when they are ill, the Postmaster-General being treated as their employer.

asked whether, where contributors under the National Insurance Bill, who are members of a friendly society and also of a compulsory railway mutual provident society, are entitled to payments from the two societies which together exceed the amount of their weekly wages, any deduction from such payments would be made when the Bill comes into force; whether the Bill in any way limits the benefits which contributors may receive from the societies of which they are members; whether such benefits are limited in any way by the amount of wages they receive in health; whether contributors, who are members of the salaried staff of a railway company and receive wages during the first month of illness, and are also members of a friendly society entitled to sick pay during illness, would be precluded from obtaining the sick pay from their society because they receive salary during the first month of illness?

The answers to all four questions are in the negative, subject to the understanding that under the Bill every approved society has the power in any case, and in particular where the rate of sickness benefit exceeds two-thirds of the ordinary rate of wages, to reduce the amount of sickness benefit at their discretion, provided that they give other benefits of an equivalent value.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the 3d. per week payable by the employer in respect of an employed person of more than sixty-five years of age, together with the 2d. per week payable by Parliament, may be utilised by the society to which such employed person may belong in reducing his contributions for existing voluntary benefits?

The answer is in the affirmative.

also asked whether the expenses of auditing the accounts of approved societies will be paid out of the moneys provided by Parliament, or from the proportion of the contributions reserved for management expenses; whether an approved society will be allowed to select an auditor from a panel or list prepared by the Insurance Commissioners, or if it will have to submit its books to audit by an auditor appointed by the Commissioners; and whether such audit will be conducted at the society's registered offices where the books are kept?

The answer to the first question is that the expense will be borne by the State; as regards the second question, the Society will have to submit its books to an auditor appointed by the State; the last question is on a point of detail with which it will be for the Insurance Commissioners to deal.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the number of unestablished clerks to surveyors normally due to retire without pension during the next ten years, the average length of their service, and the average amount of the gratuity to which that service will have entitled them?

The number of unestablished clerks to surveyors of taxes normally due to retire without pension during the next ten years is eleven. The average length of their service will be 22¾ years, and the average amount of the gratuity to which that service will have entitled them is £23 12s. 5d.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that at a recent election of Income Tax Commissioners for the East Morley Division, held in Bradford, the chairman of the meeting put forward a list of names and stated that all sections of the community were represented thereon, whereas, as a matter of fact, the list did not contain the name of a single retail trader throughout the whole of the division; whether he is aware that the names of distributive traders are remarkable by their absence from similar lists of most of the other divisions of the country; and, if so, whether he will take steps, by legislation or otherwise, to deal with this state of affairs?

I am not aware of the circumstances referred to. Appointments to fill vacancies among the General Commissioners of Taxes are, under the existing law, made either by co-option from a waiting list of persons nominated by the Land Tax Commissioners, or by the Land Tax Commissioners themselves where there is no such waiting list. I see no reason for introducing legislation to alter the method of election or to enable the Government to influence it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can state the amount paid on account of railway passenger duty by the railway companies of England, including Wales, and Scotland, respectively, in each of the years 1908, 1909, 1910, and 1911?

The figures for the last ten financial years are contained on Page 74 of the second Report of the Commissioners of His Majesty's Customs and Excise. (Cd. 5827.)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the salary of the Lord Chancellor will be placed on the Estimates as a separate item; and whether, in that case, an opportunity will be afforded of discussing the suitability of the appointment?

The answer to both questions is in the negative.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he expects to publish, in the form of a White Paper, the passages he quoted during a recent Debate from OFFICIAL REPORTS relating to the sanitary conditions prevalent in various towns and urban and rural districts, in fulfilment of his promise made at the same time?

I hope in a few days.

asked the Chancellor the number of publicans' licences and beerhouse licences in respect of which the minimum duty prescribed in Scale 3 in the First Schedule of The Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910, was paid for the year 1910–11, in England, Scotland, and Ireland, respectively; and whether he can state in detail the number of cases in which the minimum duty prescribed at each step of the scale was so paid?

The figures are not available.

asked the total amount contributed from the Treasury towards education, primary, secondary, technical, and university, in England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, respectively, for each year during the past ten years?

Having regard to the differences in the Educational systems of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, a return in the form suggested would be very misleading, as the figures, even if they were available, would not be strictly comparable.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he will state the number of students in each of the Irish training colleges who sat for the examination in Irish last June, as well as the number in each college who qualified?

The following are the numbers of King's scholars in the various training colleges who presented themselves for examination in Irish in July, 1911, and the numbers who qualified:—

Training College.		Number of Students examined in Irish.	Number who passed.
Marlborough Street	…	13	3
St. Patrick's	…	41	17
Our Lady of Mercy	…	39	7
Church of Ireland	…	—	—
De La Salle	…	39	28
St. Mary's	…	23	21
Mary Immaculate	…	28	7
		183	83

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that James Barrett, of Dereenacnow, in the parish of Caheraugh, West Cork, a former tenant on the estate of J. S. Lewis, was evicted in January, 1880, for the non-payment of only one year's rent; that he applied for reinstatement in 1905, and after his death in 1907 his widow renewed the application for reinstatement; whether he will say if the estate of which Barrett's evicted farm forms part was recently sold to the tenants; and whether, seeing that Barrett's farm is still in the landlord's hands or in the hands of one of the landlord's relatives, and is practically derelict, being used only for depasturing heifers, the Estates Commissioners will, before they sanction the sale of the estate and before it passes out of their jurisdiction, take the necessary steps to secure this farm or a farm of equal value for the widow of the evicted tenant?

The Estates Commissioners have received an application from Mrs. Catherine Barrett for reinstatement in a holding formerly occupied by her late husband, James Barrett, on the Levis Estate, County Cork. No application for reinstatement was lodged by James Barrett. Proceedings for the sale of the estate under the Irish Land Act, 1909, have been instituted, and Catherine Barrett's application will be considered when the estate is being dealt with in order of priority.

asked the Chief Secretary if he would state on what grounds an old age pension was refused to Margaret McNally, of Corbane, county Monaghan, Register No. A 177, seeing that the decision of the Local Government Board as intimated to her simply stated that the applicant was not entitled to any pension; whether the Local Government Board had taken into consideration the Census return for the year 1851, in which Margaret McNally appeared under her maiden name, Margaret Donaghy, daughter of Michael Donaghy, as aged eleven in that year; and would he further state whether the Local Government Board had decided that the applicant's income exceeds £31 10s., notwithstanding the fact that the only property which she possessed was a small farm of six acres, held at an annuity of £3 6s. 4d., on which farm she had to support a son and daughter?

The Local Government Board were satisfied that Margaret McNally had attained the statutory age, but they disallowed her claim on the ground that her means exceeded the statutory limit. Besides the farm referred to in the question, it appeared that the claimant worked another farm of eight acres which was stated to belong to a son in America.

asked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that Mary Murray, of Croaghan, in the county of Monaghan, who applied for an old age pension, was refused by the Local Government Board on appeal, No. Y899, on the ground that her income exceeded £31 10s. per annum; if he twill state the reason for this decision, in view of the fact that on the 7th July, 1908, her deceased husband, Dennis Murray, assigned a reversionary interest in his farm stock, and crop to his son, John Murray, reserving to himself a life estate and to this wife, Mary Murray, a life estate, the farm to be the absolute property of John Murray at the applicant's death, and that under the deed John Murray covenanted that he would support Mary Murray during her life; that the farm consists of eleven statute acres; that there are at present living on the farm Mrs. Mary Murray, the applicant, her son John Murray, his wife and their two children, all persons who are entitled to their support and maintenance off this small farm; and whether, in view of the fact that Mary Murray, the applicant, has no means whatever except her maintenance and support off this small farm, which is also the support and maintenance of four other persons, he will ascertain whether the applicant's means have been incorrectly estimated, and say whether, if a fresh application be lodged, the Local Government Board will assess the income of the applicant at the same figure having regard to the claims of the other parties legally entitled?

The facts are as stated in the question. The Local Government Board disallowed Mary Murray's claim as they considered that, after making due allowance for the expenses of working the farm, her life interest was worth more than £31 10s. a year.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the local pension committee has approved of the claim to an old age pension made by Mary Griffin, Caherciveen; and can he state on what grounds the pension has not yet been granted?

The second appeal made in this case was disallowed by the Local Government Board on the ground that there was no evidence that Mary Griffin had attained the statutory age. No subsequent appeal has come before the Board.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland can he state on what grounds Mary Lyne, Quaybawn, Glenbeigh, has not been granted the full old age pension awarded to her; and can he state whether it is due to the fact that the name had been incorrectly entered as Lyons instead of Lyne?

A claim made by Mary Lyne was disallowed by the Local Government Board on the 4th July, 1911, on the ground that they were not satisfied that her means did not exceed £31 10s. a year. A fresh claim is at present being investigated. The claimant's surname is correctly entered in the Board's records as Lyne, but the hon. Member called her Lyons in his previous question, with the consequence that the Board were unable to trace the case.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he had received a request from the president of the Associated Petty Sessions Clerks in Ireland to have petty sessions clerks in Ireland supplied with O'Connor's Irish Justice of the Peace; was he aware that the office of Law Adviser was abolished in 1883, and that the magistrates largely rely on the assistance and advice of their clerks in the discharge of their magisterial functions; and would he in the circumstances accede to the request of the petty sessions clerks in this instance?

The application referred to was received, but it was decided that, in view of the fact that it had never been the custom on the publication of any particular text-book to supply Clerks of Petty Sessions with copies, it was not advisable to depart from this practice. I see no reason for interfering with this decision.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he will publish with the Votes the rules made by the Commissioners of National Education, Ireland, and approved by the Treasury, governing the grant of a moiety of the cost of heating and cleansing Irish national schools?

I will send the hon. Member a copy of the regulations referred to with explanatory memorandum. A copy has been sent to the manager of every national school in Ireland, and it has also been published in the Press. I do not see any necessity to burden the Votes by printing it with them.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that the people of Murrough, county Clare, are in need of a landing pier to enable them to carry on the fishing industry; and if he will direct the attention of the Congested Districts Board to the matter?

The Congested Districts Board have received an application for the erection of a landing pier at this place, and it has been referred to an Inspection Committee of the Board, who have not yet reported.

asked when the holdings on the estate of Earl Annesley, in the townlands of Derries, Upper and Lower, Drumury, Trinity Island, Killaneilla, Blenacup, Clinoskin, and Drumora, all in the county of Cavan, are likely to be vested in the tenants; and when were the purchase agreements filed?

The purchase agreements in the case of this estate, which is being sold direct by the owner to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903, were lodged in January, 1906. The estate is on the principal register of direct sales, and the Estate Commissioners hope that it will be reached in order of priority to be dealt with during the financial year beginning 1st April next.

asked the Chief Secretary can he state whether the Congested Districts Board has yet taken steps to acquire the congested estate of Mr. Patrick O'Dowd, Fallduff Lodge, Westport, county Mayo, who has expressed his willingness to sell the estate to the Board?

The Congested Districts Board have been in communication with the owner of the estate referred to, but he has not so far lodged the maps and documents necessary for a preliminary inspection to be made to enable the Board to come to a decision regarding the purchase of the property.

asked whether Mr. Francis C. Garvey, of Murrisk Abbey, county Mayo, has expressed his willingness to sell his congested estate to the Congested Districts Board; and whether the Board has yet taken any steps to acquire the estate?

The Congested Districts Board communicated with the agent regarding the sale of this estate, but he has not so far expressed his wililngness to negotiate for a sale of the property through the Board.

asked whether the Congested Districts Board have recently made an offer for the purchase of the estate of Colonel Blake, Towerhill, Ballyglass, county Mayo; and, if so, what were the terms of such offer and whether it was accepted; and whether game rights and all grass lands except demesne are included in the proposed sale?

The Congested Districts Board have not yet made an offer for the purchase of Mr. C. J. Blake's estate. They have received the maps and documents necessary for a preliminary inspection which will be made as soon as practicable. The question of purchasing the game rights and the grass lands on the estate will be fully considered when the Board receive their inspector's report and valuation of the property.

asked whether the Congested Districts Board will consider at once the urgency of dealing with the Neptune Blood estate, county Clare?

The estate referred to has been purchased by the Congested Districts Board, and it will be dealt with without any avoidable delay.

asked when the Congested Districts Board mean to deal with the estate of Captain Moloney, Flagmount, county Clare; and whether any steps in the matter have yet been taken?

This estate has been offered for sale to the Congested Districts Board, and the lands will be inspected and a decision arrived at regarding purchase as soon as practicable.

asked the Chief Secretary if he can state whether the Congested Districts Board have yet made an offer for the purchase of the Owens and Browne estate at Kilgreena, Ballyglass, county Mayo, which was officially inspected for the Board some months ago; if so, with what result; and, if not, when they hope to be in a position to make such offer?

The Congested Districts Board have not yet made an offer for the purchase of this estate, but they expect to do so soon.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he can state whether, by Rule 105 (a) of the Commissioners of National Education, teachers are eligible for promotion after remaining three years on the maxiumum of their grade; whether teachers affected by paper promotion arc, in some cases, from four to six years on the maximum of their former grade without receiving any additions to their salaries, although the Commissioners acknowledged that they are entitled to increases; whether Rule 108 (b) of the Commissioners states that awards of continued good service salary are made triennially to the teachers when the work shows merit; whether this rule also has been violated in the cases of the paper promotion teachers; and, considering that these rules were sanctioned by the Treasury in 1900, and that the teachers are denied their rights under them, if ha will recommend the immediate payment to these teachers of the arrears of their grade salaries from the dates of their promotions, pending a revision of the present rules?

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that teachers in the third, second, and second division of first grades who are three years on the maximum income of their grades respectively are eligible, so far as service is concerned, for promotion to higher grades, but they may not be promoted unless other conditions are fulfilled, and hence many teachers are more than three years on the maximum incomes of their grades. Some men teachers promoted to the second and first divisions of first grade have not yet received the income of their new grades, nor can they receive such income until vacancies occur in the grades to which they have been promoted. Awards of increment are made under Rule 108 (b), as stated, but these increments of good service salary can only be granted to teachers already in receipt of their grade salaries for at least three years. With regard to the last paragraph of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the question on this subject asked by the hon. Member for Mid-Armagh on the 9th November.

asked the Chief Secretary whether Mr. Francis Shields, solicitor, of Omagh, county Tyrone, was employed for many years by the Irish Land Commission to sue for arrears due by the occupying proprietors; whether he was in the year 1895 discontinued and at the same time complimented upon the manner in and the efficiency with which he had discharged his duties; and can he explain why he was discontinued, seeing that the Land Commission were only seeking for the men who would most efficiently discharge the duties?

Mr. Shields was employed by the Land Commission in the years 1892 to 1894 as local solicitor in the recovery of land purchase annuities in county Tyrone, in addition to another firm of solicitors which was then, and had been for many years previously, employed in the recovery of arrears due to the Church Fund in that county. The Commissioners eventually decided that the employment of a second firm of solicitors in county Tyrone was not necessary, and the work was accordingly consolidated in 1894, and given to the firm first employed, one member of the firm being sessional Crown solicitor for the county. It is now, and has for many years been the practice of the Commissioners to employ one solicitor or firm only for all purposes in a county.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether it is with his knowledge and sanction that a list of the names and addresses of the candidates for commissions in the Royal Marines have apparently been furnished to a firm of naval outfitters, so as to enable them to tout for orders for the uniforms and outfit?

No information whatever as to the names and addresses of candidates for commissions in the Royal Marines has been furnished to any firm of naval outfitters.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware that on the occasion of the visit of the Fourth Cruiser Squadron to Halifax, Nova Scotia, on 17th November, a concert party from H.M.S. "Essex" arranged to give a consert ashore in aid of the funds of the local Methodist church, but that, owing to

			Amount voted for the year.	Expenditure to 18th November, 1911.	Further anticipated expenditure for the year.	Total anticipated expenditure.
			£	£	£	£
New construction	…	…	116,640	72,645	42,060	114,705
Repairs, etc., to ships	…	…	32,360	20,687	12,148	32,835
Yard, etc., services	…	…	17,000	12,033	7,717	19,750
Manufactures	…	…	2,000	1,225	725	1,950
Total	…	…	168,000	106,590	62,650	169,240

In addition to the above expenditure, which is charged to Vote 8, £3,086 have been paid in wages to Works Department men from the commencement of the financial year up to date. It is estimated that £1,770 will be similarly paid for the remainder of the financial year. This, however, does not cover all that will be paid for labour in connection with works, as a contract is in hand for two haul-up slipways for torpedo - boat destroyers amounting to £17,560, of which the contractor expects to earn £12,500 this financial year. How much of this will be paid for labour apart from materials, etc., cannot be estimated.

The matter referred to in the question of my hon. Friend has not been reported to the Admiralty.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what sums of money have been expended in Pembroke dockyard from the commencement of the present financial year to the present date, under the respective headings: labour for new construction; labour for repairs to ships; labour for maintenance of yard and preparation of slips; and what is the estimated expenditure under these heads for the remainder of the financial year 1911–12?

The figures are as follows:—

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether he is aware that in the case of Private S. Lock, G Company, Shropshire Light Infantry, his father stated before his son enlisted that he could not give any guarantee that his son could stay in the regiment after the age of eighteen, and that Mr. Dewar, who raised the section, pointed out to his father that S. Lock would have to rejoin at the age of eighteen when his father's guarantee expired and that this was confirmed by Sergeant-Instructor Barrett, and also that Private Lock was sent a postcard from the officer commanding of G Company asking him to re-engage for a further term of two years with the promise that he should be made full bugler; and will he say why S. Lock has been proceeded against with a view to his being fined because he did not re-engage?

Private Lock joined the Force on 31st July, 1908, and is therefore liable to serve until the 30th July, 1912. The points raised in the question do not bear in any way on his liability to serve until this latter date.

asked if, in view of the fact that a plot of land had been bought at Ridlers, Featherwood, Philthope, Sills, and other small places in Northumberland on the Scottish border, for artillery practice, he could see his way to grant permission to local graziers to take their cattle to market over the old path when no practice is going on, seeing that the circuitous route now made necessary is from ten to twenty miles longer than the ancient road?

Inquiries are being made into the matter. Local interests will receive all possible consideration.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the fact that French aeroplane manufacturers are already so fully supplied with orders from their own and other Continental Governments that they cannot supply machines to the British Army in quantities within a reasonable time, he will take immediate steps to purchase machines from such British manufacturers as may prove their ability to turn out satisfactory aeroplanes?

Will the hon. Member kindly refer to the reply to the question put on this subject by the hon. Member for Taunton on the 28th instant, to which there is nothing at present to add.

asked how many effective aeroplanes are now owned by the War Department; how many of them are of English and French manufacture; and how many of each sort have been purchased since the 1st January, 1911?

There are twelve effective aeroplanes at present owned by the War Department and three more are under reconstruction in the factory. Of these nine are of English and six of French manufacture. Every aeroplane of English and four of French manufacture have been purchased since 1st January, 1911.

also asked whether the French Army regulations provide that officers engaged in the aviation department are to be treated as on full war footing with, in the case of accident, similar allowances and pensions to themselves or their widows as they would receive if wounded or killed on active service; and whether such conditions also apply to the English aviation officers?

The suggestion contained in the question that French officers engaged in the aeronautical service are placed on a war footing, and that in case of injuries they or their wives receive pensions or allowances as if the injury had been incurred on active service, is inaccurate. Their service is only regarded as active service for purposes of promotion. The conditions for our own aviation officers are not yet settled.

asked whether the boy scouts are, on the conclusion of their service as scouts, joining the Territorial Force, and, if so, in what numbers?

There is no official information available at the War Office to show how many Territorial Force recruits have belonged to the Boy Scouts organisation.

also asked the Under-Secretary for War whether he can give a return showing approximately the proportion in which the various classes of the community are now serving in the Territorial Force, under the headings of officers and non-comimssioned officers and men?

The preparation of the proposed return would necessitate an examination of all the documents in the hands of units, and would involve very great labour in compilation. I regret, therefore, that I cannot see my way to agree to it.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has any information as to the progress of the inquiry as to the existence of sweating amongst the outworkers in the linen and cognate trades in Belfast, and as to when the inquiry will be completed?

I am informed by the Committee that they have already heard a number of witnesses in London and will proceed to Ireland to continue the inquiry as soon as the employers are ready to submit their evidence. The Committee cannot say at present when the inquiry will be completed.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he will state the names of the local education authorities which have submitted schemes for making arrangements in accordance with the provisions of the Education (Choice of Employment) Act, and the names of those in the case of which schemes have been approved?

The following local education authorities have submitted schemes under the Education (Choice of Employment) Act, 1910, which have been formally approved by the Board:—

Birmingham

Liverpool

Schemes have also been submitted by the following authorities, which only wait the completion of certain formalities for their approval:—

Gloucester	Hornsey
Burton-on-Trent	Wallasey
Colchester

Schemes have also been submitted by, or communications contemplating the submission of schemes have been received from, the following authorities:—

Cumberland

Cumberland	Rotherham
Dorsetshire	Sheffield
Huntingdonshire	Stockport
Oxfordshire	Walsall
Hampshire	West Ham
Wiltshire	Wolverhampton
Carnarvonshire	Merthyr Tydvil
Brighton	Cambridge
Coventry	Ealing
Dudley	Finchley
Hull	Kendal
Newcastle-on-Tyne	Lincoln
Oldham	Lowestoft
Portsmouth	Scarborough

asked the Secretary for the Colonies whether he is yet in a position to confirm the dropping of the Canadian Navy by the present Canadian Government; whether the existing Canadian Navy scheme was approved by the Colonial Conference; and what steps will be taken to urge upon the Canadian Government the necessity of continuing to make some provision towards Imperial naval defence?

I have no official information from the Canadian Government with regard to a change of policy, and in the absence of a communication from Ministers I do not at present propose to address them on the subject. With regard to the Imperial Conference, I would refer to page 1 of Cd. 5742–2 and page 432 of Cd. 5745, as well as to the account of the Conference of 1909 published in Cd. 4948.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether it is the policy of the Local Government Board to discourage the sale by boards of guardians of goods made by the inmates of workhouses at a less price than it is possible for makers outside to sell similar goods at a reasonable profit; and whether he will make representations to any board of guardians which may be shown to depart from this policy?

The answer to the first question is in the affirmative. I have recently received a petition from the hon. Member's constituency on this subject, and I am in communication with the local board of guardians with regard to it.

asked the President of the Local Government Board the number of persons in the United Kingdom who were both blind and deaf from birth, according to the most recent statistics available?

The latest figures relating to the number of blind and deaf persons are those for the Census of 1901. At that Census the total number of persons who were stated to be both blind and deaf, whether from birth or otherwise, was 470 in England and Wales, and sixty-three in Scotland: these numbers include a few persons who were afflicted with some other infirmity also. The numbers who had been both blind and deaf from birth cannot be stated. The figures relating to Ireland are not shown in the Report on the Census of that part of the Kingdom.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether steps will be taken by the Government to secure that, in any conference between the railway directors and the men for the purpose of bringing about a settlement of the points in dispute between them, adequate provision will be made for the representation of the employés of the Irish railway companies, including those displaced by the recent dispute in Ireland, most of whom are long-service men, and whom their comrades believe have been victimised because they took a leading part in the dispute in the interests of their class?

I must refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, to a similar question asked by the hon. Member for the College Green Division of Dublin on the 27th November, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, whether in the period from 1901 to 1910, inclusive, the net annual receipts of the Great Northern Railway, Ireland, increased from £410,175 to £452,524, of the Great Southern and Western Railway, Ireland, from £457,870 to £606,683, and of the Midland Great Western Railway, Ireland, from £231,848 to £258,377; whether the average dividend paid by these railway companies during this period was respectively, 6⅛, 4⅛, and 3⅛ per cent.; whether the percentage of wages and traffic salaries to total receipts in 1901 was, in the case of the Great Northern Railway, Ireland, 23.20, in the case of the Great Southern and Western Railway, Ireland 29.44, and in the case of the Midland Great Western Railway, Ireland, 29.39; whether the percentages for 1910 were respectively 22.29, 25.92, and 28.38; whether any, and, if so, what increase of wages has been given to the railway servants on these railways in the period named; and whether he will grant a Return setting forth the rates of wages paid to all grades of railway workers in Ireland in 1901 and in 1910?

The figures given by the hon. Member in regard to net annual receipts and average dividends seem to be approximately correct, but the percentages quoted are not quite in agreement with the information in the possession of the Board of Trade. With regard to the last part of the question, the Board have no information as to changes in rates of wages affecting particular grades of railway servants employed by the three companies named, but the companies furnish particulars annually of the numbers employed, and the total earnings in one week of December of the railway servants in the coaching, goods, locomotive, and engineer's departments. The average earnings per head in the selected week of 1910 when compared with the selected week in 1901 show an increase of 6.4 per cent.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether any research is being conducted by or under the auspices of the Board into the various diseases of sheep due to stron-gylus contortus and other less-known parasitic worms which have during the past two years caused a high rate of mortality among sheep throughout Great Britain; whether any part of the grant allocated to the Board out of the Development Fund will be applied to the conduct of such research; and what steps, if any, are being taken by the Board to bring the results of such research to the notice of flock-masters with a view to the reduction of the above mortality?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, but arrangements are now being made for the institution of researches in helminthology by means of money provided from the Development Fund, and the particular disease to which the hon. Member refers will receive early attention. The results will be published by the Board.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if his attention has been called to the recent decision of the Court of Appeal in Kedwell v. Flint; and whether, in view of this decision, he will introduce legislation to carry out the intention of the Agricultural Holdings Acts of 1895, 1906, and 1908?

My right hon. Friend has been informed that proceedings are pending to obtain further consideration by the courts of the question dealt with in the case of Kedwell v. Flint, and it would be premature, therefore, to consider whether legislation should be proposed respecting it.

asked the Lord-Advocate (1) if he could state the total cost, for the latest financial year, per pupil in average attendance at evening and continuation classes; and the amount of Government grant per pupil in each of the secondary education districts in Scotalnd; (2) the total cost for the latest financial year per pupil in average attendance at the primary, intermediate, secondary, and technical schools, respectively, in each of the thirty-eight secondary education districts in Scotland; and (3) the amount of Government grant received in the latest

Secondary Education Districts.		Continuation Classes.						Primary, Intermediate and Secondary Schools.
		Cost per pupil.*			Government grant per pupil.			Cost per pupil in average attendance.			Government grant per pupil in average attendance.
Counties—		£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.
Aberdeen (excluding Burgh)	…	1	0	9		13	5	4	5	10	2	7	9
Argyll	…	1	1	9		11	8	6	4	8	3	3	2
Ayr	…	1	7	6		18	0	4	9	2	2	4	10
Banff	…		17	2		10	6	4	0	3	2	11	2
Berwick	…	1	0	3		10	2	5	5	8	2	9	3
Bute	…	1	0	8		12	7	4	18	3	2	9	4
Caithness	…		18	6		10	8	4	15	11	2	16	9
Clackmannan	…	1	10	6		19	2	5	13	4	2	7	11
Dumbarton	…	1	6	7		17	9	4	16	4	2	3	4
Dumfries	…	1	4	0		12	9	5	2	4	2	9	0
Edinburgh (excluding City and Leith)	…	1	4	10		14	11	4	9	6	2	9	7
Elgin	…	1	7	6		17	10	4	18	2	2	9	5
Fife and Kinross	…	1	6	8		16	10	4	19	7	2	2	3
Forfar (excluding Dundee)	…	1	7	7		18	7	4	18	7	2	5	0
Haddington	…		19	6		10	5	4	11	5	2	3	6
Inverness	…	1	1	9		14	4	4	19	3	2	16	6
Kincardine	…		15	11		10	6	4	9	7	2	10	2
Kirkcudbright	…	1	4	9		12	9	4	15	0	2	7	7
Lanark (excluding Glasgow and Govan)	…	1	5	11		17	4	4	7	5	2	2	5
Linlithgow	…	1	3	2		14	9	4	1	0	2	1	0
Nairn	…		18	1		8	8	5	1	1	2	7	7
Orkney	…		17	5		9	2	4	14	2	3	7	3
Peebles	…		16	11		11	0	6	12	0	2	15	10
Perth	…	1	4	7		14	2	5	12	10	2	9	8
Renfrew	…	1	9	6	1	1	5	4	14	5	2	1	8
Ross and Cromarty	…		16	10		7	9	4	12	5	2	17	3
Roxburgh	…	1	7	8		14	4	5	10	3	2	12	3
Selkirk	…	1	15	3	1	4	0	7	17	9	2	2	7
Shetland	…	1	3	6		16	1	4	7	5	3	0	2
Stirling	…	1	9	11		18	9	4	14	3	2	2	4
Sutherland	…		16	11		10	8	6	5	3	3	10	8
Wigtown	…	1	5	8		11	7	4	14	2	2	7	5
School Board Burghs—
Edinburgh	…	1	9	6	1	1	0	6	17	11	2	8	6
Glasgow	…		18	7		13	10	5	11	10	2	4	9
Aberdeen	…	1	9	1	1	1	10	5	13	3	2	8	1
Dundee	…	1	2	3		16	3	4	17	9	2	9	1
Leith	…	2	13	8	1	8	3	5	13	3	1	18	1
Govan (Parish)	…	1	6	6		19	9	5	5	3	2	7	3
* This is the net maintenance cost (after deduction of income from fees, etc.) per head of the number of pupils eligible for grant. The average attendance at Continuation Classes is not known.

I regret that I am not in a position from the statistics available to give separate figures for primary, intermediate, and secondary schools as desired by my hon. Friend. The figures, taking these collectively, are as follows:—

asked the Postmaster-General (1) in reference to the recent promotions in the Cork sorting office, whether he will state how many overseer's duties were performed by Mr. Wallace, promoted assistant superintendent, while he himself was in that class, and had he been found competent in all of them; how many of the duties proper to the class of assistant superintendent had he performed at the time of his promotion; had the man whom he passed over been continually and capably acting in that capacity; and is he doing so still; also (2), how many years' experience of the ability of the members of the Cork staff the chief superintendent possesses; was he consulted in connection with the recent promotions; what was his recommendation in regard to the selections made and the passing over of members of his staff; how long has the present postmaster been at Cork, and who has been his confidential overseer during that time?

I am making inquiry with regard to these questions, and will communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Postmaster-General whether any telephones under the new scheme had as yet been provided in rural districts in Ireland; whether any applications for the provision of such telephones had been received, and, if so, from what districts; and would he further state whether any information was circulated amongst rural districts in Ireland with a view to eliciting applications for rural telephones from farmers and others?

No rural-party line telephones have yet been provided in Ireland, but applications for such telephones have been received from residents in the neighbourhoods of Dundalk, Limavady, and several other places. The difficulty in Ireland, as elsewhere, is in getting sufficient subscribers on the route of each party-line. Circulars have been sent to Ireland to be given to applicants, but no general distribution has been made. The possibility of modifying the conditions of the service so as to allow the wants of more scattered subscribers to be met is at present under consideration.

also asked what experiments have been, or are proposed to be, made with automatic telephone exchanges in the three kingdoms; whether an experimental automatic exchange will be set up in Ireland in view of the fact that there are many small exchanges in Ireland for which the automatic system would be suitable both from efficiency and economy in working expenses; and will he further state what is the estimated cost of the experiments with automatic telephones?

Three experimental automatic exchanges are about to be established at Epsom, Caterham, and the General Post Office, London. They can all be watched conveniently by the technical officers of the Engineer-in-Chief at headquarters, but this would not apply to an exchange in Ireland. The establishment of automatic exchanges in other places must depend on the results of these experiments. I cannot give a precise estimate of the cost of working of the experimental exchanges. It is, indeed, one of the objects of the experiments to ascertain that cost.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that a change has recently been made in the method of supervising the staff of the telegraph department which has caused dissatisfaction, tablet checks of the working being taken daily, whereas in other telegraph offices these checks are only taken monthly; whether the preparation and completion of these tablet checks has been added to the work of the night-duty staff; whether this practice is an innovation and a departure from the methods of previous postmasters in Cork; for what reason has Cork been thus exceptionally treated in this; and if he will direct that this new practice shall be discontinued?

Tablet returns of the traffic and time of transmission on all telegraphic routes are furnished monthly for scrutiny at headquarters, but postmasters often require more frequent returns to assist them in dealing with staff and traffic problems. I see no reason for interfering with the discretion of the postmaster of Cork in employing members of the night staff on these returns at times when they have no other duties.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he had yet arranged to connect Cavan with the telephone trunk; Avas he aware that there was a local telephone system in county Cavan; and would he state what the estimated cost of connecting Cavan and Clones, where the necessary guarantee has been given, would be?

I regret that I am not yet in a position to arrange to connect the existing local telephone system in county Cavan with the trunk system. The first cost of a trunk line from Cavan to Clones is estimated at about £600.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) whether eight additional sappers were brought into Dublin and started doing labourers' work on Drum-condra Road, Dublin, on the 20th instant; and whether these men had any previous experience on telegraph or telephone construction; (2), if the superintending engineer at Dublin has been notified that if he requires additional labour staff he can loan men from the National Telephone Company; if so, did he apply to the company for men; and, if so, with what result; and (3), if any inquiries were made from the National Telephone Company to ascertain if any temporary men were available before importing sappers; and is he aware that there are at present about 3,000 unemployed labourers in Dublin seeking work at Labour Exchanges?

I am having inquiry made regarding the three questions asked by the hon. Member.

asked the Lord Advocate whether he will amend the Minute of the committee of council amending the constitution of the provincial committees for the training of teachers, in order to insure that teachers shall have the right of saying who their representatives shall be upon the provincial committees, in accordance with the scheme submitted to the Scottish Office by the Educational Institute of Scotland?

The scheme in question has been carefully considered, but, without pronouncing an opinion on its merits, I am informed that it is not now practicable to introduce the changes in connection with the Minute of constitution of the present year.