asked the Secretary to the Treasury what has been the total sum paid to the Exchequer in respect to Land Values Duties; what has been the cost of collection; and what amount has been spent on the Land Valuation Department since the passing of the Finance (1909–10) Act?

The total sum paid to the Exchequer in respect of Land Values Duties up to the 14th instant is £901,000. As previously stated, the cost of collection cannot be distinguished from the cost of collecting the Inland Revenue generally. The cost from the commencement of the Act up to January 31st of the branches mainly concerned with the collection of the duties in question amounts to about £25,000. The total cost for the same period of the Land Valuation Office, which, as the hon. Member is aware, is engaged in making the original valuation of all lands in Great Britain, has been approximately £610,000.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland what progress has been made in connection with the sale of the Leigh White estates, situate in the Castletown Bere, Adrigole, and Glengariffe districts; whether he will state approximately when the tenants will be paying the annuities in lieu of rents; and when the tenants may expect their holdings will be vested in them?

The Congested Districts Board inform me that preliminary agreements for the purchase of the Leigh White estates have not yet been entered into. It cannot yet be stated when the annuities in lieu of rent will be paid or when the holdings will be vested in the tenants.

asked what was the total amount awarded for malicious injuries during the twelve months ending 31st December, 1910 and 1911, respectively?

The total amount of compensation granted by County Courts for malicious injuries during the year ended 31st December, 1910, was £9,789. The figures for 1911 will not be available for some time.

asked how many troops and how many police were needed to protect the First Lord of the Admiralty on the occasion of his recent visit to Belfast; and what the cost thereby involved was to the Crown and to the municipal authorities?

No extra police were employed in maintaining order in Belfast in connection with the recent visit of the First Lord of the Admiralty. A military force of five battalions of Infantry, a squadron of Cavalry, and a half company of the Royal Engineers were drafted into the city in view of possible disorder in consequence of threats, which had been made in certain quarters, to interfere with the rights of free speech within the city of Belfast. As regards the cost of the military employed, I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for War.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the War Office have recently had applications made to them to sell land in the vicinity of Portsmouth for the purpose of small holdings, in order to permit the city to expand; whether these applications have been refused; and, if so, on what grounds have the Government been holding up this land?

The question apparently refers to a scheme for town planning recently started by the corporation of Portsmouth which included a considerable area of War Department land. No details of the scheme have as yet transpired and the corporation have been informed that until the department had further information as to what was proposed it must withhold its consent to the inclusion of War Department property.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he intends to introduce legislation safeguarding the interests of those teachers of voluntary schools who have been deprived of their employment through no fault of their own, but through the action of the Board of Education in condemning the school buildings; or, failing such legislation, whether the influence of the Board of Education will be directed towards securing such teachers adequate employment in substitution of that which they have lost?

I can take no responsibility for any results following from the failure of the managers of voluntary schools to provide proper school buildings. I am very sorry for the teachers who are displaced by the closure of voluntary schools, and I hope that local education authorities will do their best to find them other employment, but I have obviously no right to intervene.In pursuance of Standing Order No. 1 Mr. Speaker has nominated—