asked the the Prime Minister whether Members of the Irish Privy Council will be eligible for the rota, of Privy Councillors mentioned in Clause 28 (3) of the Government of Ireland Bill?

The answer is in the negative, except as respects persons who are Members of both Privy Councils.

asked the Prime Minister whether the land policy of the Government includes the policy known as the Single Tax?

asked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to a recent statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in connection with a pending by-election that the Government hoped to free the land system of this country from the bondage of monopoly and privilege; and whether he can state what are the intentions of the Government thus referred to?

The specific proposals of the Government will, as I have already stated, be announced in due course. They will not include what is called the "single tax."

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the urgent need of providing some system for the settlement of industrial disputes, he will introduce the Bill foreshadowed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer before the Government of Ireland Bill and the Established Church (Wales) Bill are further proceeded with?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Prime Minister whether Lord Strachie gave utterance to the views of the Government when he recently stated at the annual meeting of the Rural District Councils Association that the Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1909, did not meet the wants of purely agricultural districts, and that it was desirable to apply the principles of the Labourers (Ireland) Act, 1906, to England, in order to accelerate the provision by such councils of additional cottage accommodaion for agricultural labourers; and, if so, whether, in view of the urgency of the matter, it is proposed to introduce this Session legislation of the character indicated?

Lord Strachie was expressing his own views in the matter. The Government do not propose to introduce this Session legislation of the kind suggested.

Is it not desirable, in a matter of such national importance, that Members of the Government should speak with one voice?

That is always desirable.

Has the right hon. Gentleman no power to secure such a desirable thing?

I think, speaking from some experience, that Ministerial solidarity is best promoted by allowing a certain freedom and fullness of range to individuality.

asked the Prime Minister (50) if he will state what is the total number of signatures to the three memorials asking him to publish that portion of the evidence on Irish finance in respect of which no pledge to secrecy was given or is now insisted upon; and how many hon. Members who signed those memorials are members of the Liberal, Labour, and Irish parties, respectively; and (56) whether he has received the third memorial signed by Members of the House of Commons asking him to approach those witnesses who gave evidence before the Committee on Irish Finance, with a view to the publication of that portion of it in respect of which no pledge of secrecy was given or is not insisted upon?

In reply to these questions, and the question of which the hon. Member has given private notice to my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, I have received three memorials. They have, I understand, been signed by fifty-six Members of the Liberal and fourteen of the Labour party. No Members of the Irish party have signed the memorial—

I signed it!

I apologise to the hon. and gallant Gentleman, and I congratulate the Irish party on their latest recruit. The total number of signatures, after allowing for duplicates, is, I believe, 295.

Arising out of that answer perhaps, Mr. Speaker, I may be allowed to ask the right hon. Gentleman the question of which I have given private notice, as to whether the promise of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to this House that, if there were any desire on the part of any body of Members for the publication of the evidence given before the Committee on Irish Finance he would ask the witnesses for their permission, was a promise or a pledge on behalf of the Government?

There has been some misunderstanding. I said if there was a general desire expressed by the House I would assent to it. My right hon. Friend did not in any way mean to vary what I said. I cannot believe there is a general desire in the matter.

asked the Prime Minister if the Committee which is now considering the question of legislation to be introduced to deal with education was appointed with his sanction; what is the nature of the reference to and who composes the Committee; whether there are any other Committees in existence appointed with the approval or knowledge of himself or some other Member of the Cabinet to prepare material for further legislation; and whether, in respect of all such private Committees, he will take steps to ensure that no expenditure, either directly or indirectly, in respect of the same shall fall upon public funds?

I have no knowledge of any such Committee or Committees.

asked the Prime Minister (54) whether he stated on 16th October. 1901, that it would not be wise of the Liberal party to repeat the experiment of 1892, and to assume power when it could only be retained by the support of Irish votes; whether, in view of the fact that in three crucial Divisions this Session, namely, on the Amendment to exclude Ulster from the Government of Ireland Bill, on the Second Reading of the Finance Bill, and on the salary of the Home Secretary, the Government were only retained in office by the Irish Nationalist vote, and would have been defeated without that support, the Government are now prepared to resign office; and, if not, whether he still adheres to the views expressed by him on 16th October, 1901; and (55) whether his intentions in regard to retaining office have been affected by the Division of 26th July, in which the Government had a majority of three, and in which they would have been in a large minority but for the Irish Nationalist vote?

Before the Prime Minister answers, may I ask him whether he is aware that on the resignation of the Gladstone Administration on 12th June, 1885, which was occasioned by its defeat by a majority of 12 on a Division in which forty-one Irish Members voted in the majority, Lord Salisbury assumed office as Prime Minister and retained office with the support of the Irish Nationalist vote till the fall of his Administration, and that no objection was taken by any of Lord Salisbury's followers to that course; and whether, having regard to this precedent, any reply whatever need be given to the question on the Paper?

The Government do not propose to resign office in view of the Divisions referred to. The speech from which the hon. Member quotes was made by me eleven years ago, and should be read as a whole. I think that the advice which it gave as to the conditions under which the Liberal power should thereafter assume office was sound. I went fully into its application to existing circumstances in some observations which I made on the Motion for the Adjournment of the House on Wednesday, 19th June.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he is still under the impression that he retains the confidence of the electors either of England or Great Britain?

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he can give a date when the meritorious service medal for the Royal Navy will be issued?

Men of the Royal Navy are not eligible for this medal, which is restricted to the Royal Marines. I am not aware of any proposal to extend the award of the medal to the men of the Royal Navy.

asked why pensioner writers, second-class, in the Royal dockyards who joined before May, 1909, and who have bad to satisfy the Civil Service Commissioners in all their requirements, and who are compelled to comply with all the details of the Superannuation Act, are only granted Civil Service certificates to a temporary situation, notwithstanding the fact that their appointments are identical with all others issued from the Admiralty which carry establishment with them; and is he aware that the present procedure debars pensioner writers, second class, from the superannuation allowance?

It is the fact that candidates for the office of Pensioner Writer, second class, are examined by the Civil Service Commissioners at the Admiralty request. But this does not carry with it the right to establishment. With regard to the last part of the question, if the pensioner writer is not established he is, of course, not eligible for a superannuation allowance; but a hired pensioner writer, second class, promoted to be a pensioner writer, first class, becomes ipso facto established, eligible for a superannuation allowance, and is permitted to count half his service in the second class for pension.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will recommend the issue of a national loan in order to finance a British Navy law parallel with the German law, which would insure up to 1920 the due relative strength of the fleet; and whether the proceeds of such a loan could be called up as needed, so that the Admiralty could build as progressively out of loan as out of revenue?

No difficulty has yet been experienced in meeting Naval Estimates in the regular way.

Will the right hon. Gentleman answer the second part of my question?

We do not propose to raise a loan. Our hope and expectation is to pay our way as we go.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, whether he has any information which he can give as to whether Italy has now decided to construct six super-"Dreadnoughts" of 20,000 tons and 25 knots, the first two to be laid down at the end of the present year; and whether Austria has also decided to build three super-"Dreadnoughts" of 26,000 tons; and whether, if he has information to this effect, he will reconsider and accelerate his building programme?

We have no official information.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether two sisters, sentenced to six months' imprisonment for window-breaking, were recently discharged from Aylesbury Prison before the expiration of their sentence in consequence of the serious illness of their mother, a lady over ninety years of age; whether, before being released, they were required to sign an undertaking to abstain for life from all illegal conduct; whether this undertaking was a recognisance in legal form entered into before a Court or magistrate com- petent in that behalf; by what official, acting under what authority, were the prisoners required to sign it; whether such an undertaking has any legal validity to bind the signatories thereof; and whether he will give instructions that no irregular or illegal pledges be extorted from prisoners as the price of liberty in the future?

Representations were made to me by the sister of the two prisoners referred to that their immediate release was desirable on the ground of the serious illness of their mother, who is over ninety, and she produced a medical certificate as to the state of their mother's health. I accepted these statements, but I should not have felt justified in recommending the exercise of the prerogative of mercy unless I had been satisfied that the prisoners had no intention of repeating their offence. They were so informed, and were asked if they would give a promise not to break the law again. Both prisoners gave the promise, which has a moral though not a legal force. No recognisances were asked for or given. It is neither irregular nor illegal to seek some assurance that a prisoner, if liberated by the exercise of the Royal prerogative, has no intention of repeating the offence for which he has been imprisoned.

Apart from the question of the legality is the usual course followed to accept from the prisoners, as a price of their receiving the exercise of the Royal prerogative of mercy, a pledge to abstain from a particular line of conduct for the rest of their lives?

It is not the usual practice, because the prisoners usually offer the promise without being asked, but it is not an unknown practice.

Will this be taken as a precedent in the case of the Ulster Unionists?

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any official information as to whether the drivers of motor omnibuses in London are paid according to the number of miles run; and, if such a practice does prevail, will he, in the interest of safety in the streets, consider the advisability of introducing legislation to prevent such a method of payment?

There is no official information on the subject, but it is known that the large omnibus companies pay their drivers at a fixed daily rate irrespective of mileage. Every omnibus works to a time table, which must be strictly adhered to, and which a recent investigation proved to work out at an average speed of 8.5 miles an hour.

asked how many persons have been killed in London by motor omnibuses and tramcars, respectively, since the 30th of June?

During the four weeks ending the 27th of this month, ten persons were killed within the Metropolitan Police District by motor omnibus accidents, and three by tramcar accidents.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his attention has been called to the fact that, at an inquest held at the Paddington Coroner's Court on 23rd July on the body of a milkman who was killed by a motor omnibus whilst cycling on his round, the widow of the deceased was not represented, that the man's employers were not represented, and that the coroner refused to allow a representative of the Public Safety League in Streets and Roads to put questions to the witnesses or to put questions through the Court; and whether, having regard to the increase in the death roll caused by these omnibuses, he will arrange for the Home Office to be represented at the inquests, or will issue a circular to the London coroners expressing a wish that they allow societies whose object is to decrease the peril of the streets to be represented at such inquests?

I am informed by the coroner that both the widow and the employer had ample notice of the inquest; and that the widow was not represented, but the employer's insurance company was legally represented in Court. A gentleman who wished to criticise some of the evidence was told that he had no locus standi, but that he might put questions through the coroner. When asked at a later stage whether he wished to put any question, he made no reply. After the inquest was over, this gentleman said he was getting up a society. Whether persons not connected with the case should be allowed to put questions is, as a rule, within the coroner's discretion, and I am not prepared to issue any circular of the nature suggested. It does not appear to me that it is ordinarily necessary for the Home Office to be represented at inquests of the nature referred to by my hon. Friend.

Does the right hon. Gentleman not think that in a case like this, where on the one side there is a poor widow unrepresented, and on the other side a wealthy combine, that somebody should be represented in order to secure the interests of the public?

The coroner is supposed to look after the interests of the public, and I believe does so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the grounds on which a man named W. W. French was prosecuted for an inflammatory speech recommending the removal of Lord Devonport, delivered in Hyde Park to a transport workers' demonstration; and why similar action has not been taken against another man, called Tillett, who originated the proposal to shoot the chairman of the Port of London Authority?

The proceedings against French were instituted by the police in the course of their ordinary duty. The actual words used were, in his case, deemed sufficient in law to justify proceedings; in the case of Tillett they were not.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he has called the attention of the police to the inflammatory and incendiary speeches delivered at Blenheim on Saturday last?

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has examined the numerous Bills now before the House giving increased power to the police, which seriously affect the liberty of the people; whether he intends to support every one of such proposals; and, if so, will he recommend an increase of pay to accompany the additional difficult duties which were not contemplated when the existing staff was engaged?

I do not know to what Bills my hon. Friend refers, except the Criminal Law Amendment Bill, which I supported and will support. I am well aware that new duties have been from time to time imposed by Parliament on the police, and these have been taken into consideration in connection with the revisions of their pay and the frequent augmentations of the force.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman, not whether he is giving a general support to these Bills, but whether he supports the proposal in the Bill giving increased police powers, and whether he is aware that such powers are given under the Inebriates Hill, the Employment of Children Bill, and other Bills?

Yes. I have the impression that all these Bills have been brought in under the auspices of the Home Office.

May I take it from the right hon. Gentleman's answer that he is always in favour of any Bill that gives increased powers to the police?

Oh, no; my hon. Friend is going much too far.

asked if any statistics are available for the current year of the cases of wrongful arrest by the police in London or in the provinces and of the cases where persons have been released as innocent after police testimony has been given against them; and whether he has sanctioned the principle of promotion in the police force by the number of convictions obtained?

In reply to the first part of the question, I must refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave him on the 15th of this month. With reference to the second part, no such "principle of promotion" as is alleged is recognised in the Metropolitan Police, and I do not know of its existence in any other force. It would be so inimical to the public interest, that I cannot imagine any police authority adopting it.

Are any current statistics kept which does not relate to the present year, and are there any statistics ready in the police authorities' hands which gives the information sought in the question?

Statistics are compiled year by year. They are not available for the current year.

Can an estimate be made of the police mistakes for the first six months of this year?

Not until the figures are ready.

asked the Secretary of State if his attention has been drawn to the wrongful arrest of a Birmingham manufacturer by the police; whether heavy fines have been inflicted upon the two constables concerned; whether the gentleman was arrested because he protested against the treatment of a prisoner; and what action the Home Office intends to take?

My attention had not been drawn before to this matter, which is one for the local police authority, but on inquiry I am informed that damages to the amount of £20 have been awarded in the County Court against one of the police constables concerned and he has been called on by the watch committee to resign. The case against the other appears to be still sub judice.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will say what was the quantity of potato and other raw spirits imported into this country during the years 1010 and 1911, respectively, and the values of the same?

Imports of potato and other raw spirits are not separately recorded, but are included under the general heading, "Spirits Unenumerated, not sweetened, imported in Cask," of which the total imports were 727,762 proof gallons, valued at £35,163, in 1910, and 615,453 proof gallons, valued at £30,553, in 1911.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether those figures include all raw spirits?

Perhaps my hon. Friend will give me notice of that.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say where this spirit went, and whether it is not the most fiery of all spirits?

I am not able to answer that.

asked whether he is aware of the statements contained in the annual report of the medical officer of health to the Newport (Mon.) Port Sanitary Authority that the standard of hygiene on board merchant cargo vessels is such as would not be tolerated ashore in any town in this country, that there is no question as to the inadequacy and obsoleteness of the health preserving regulations of the Board of Trade, which Department is entrusted with the housing of the sailor, and that Norway and Denmark are ahead of us in respect to marine hygiene; and whether he intends to take any steps in the matter?

asked whether there has been brought to his attention the resolution adopted by the port sanitary committee at Newport (Mon.) in June last to the effect that this committee are strongly of opinion that it is full time that something was done with a view to the raising of the standard of hygiene at sea, and that the conditions of living, supervision, storing of food, nuisance arising from foul contaminations, damp, dark, dirty, and ill-ventilated living spaces, foul sanitary arrangements, lack of opportunities for personal ablutions, faulty designs, and other matters must render the merchant service most unattractive to self-respecting individuals who can earn a living ashore, and call for early Government inquiry; and whether, having regard to these animadversions, and to others of a similar character, on the part of medical officers at other seaports, he intends to take any action in the matter?

asked whether the right hon. Gentleman is aware of the fact that out of 2,689 British merchant vessels which during the year 1911 entered the port of Newport (Mon.), and which were inspected by the port sanitary inspector, no fewer than 453 were discovered with sanitary defects in respect to accommodation and space provided for officers and crews; and whether he is proposing to take any steps in protecting those engaged in the mercantile marine in the way of insuring their being enabled to carry on their work under proper hygienic conditions?

As I have already stated, I am causing inquiries to be made in connection with the Report referred to, on which the resolution of the Port Sanitary Committee at Newport was presumably based. When these inquiries are completed I will consider what action, if any, is necessary.

Is it the intention of the right hon. Gentleman to appoint any surveyors who possess any knowledge of sanitary science to enable them to advise him on this subject?

That hardly arises out of the question, but I will consider the point.

Has the right hon. Gentleman any intention of appointing a Committee of Inquiry to inquire into this state of affairs?

No, Sir.

Is it not a fact that there are only two medical officers representing the Board of Trade in the Port of Liverpool, and is it not also a fact that they have not the time to make inspections except of large vessels?

I must have notice of that question.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the opinions expressed by Professor Moore and other food experts at the meeting last week of the physiological section of the British Medical Association to the effect that the value of milk to young children is reduced by its sterilisation; and whether the experts of his Department share this view?

No report of the meeting to which the hon. Member refers appears yet to be available. The relative values of boiled and raw milk as foods for infants and young children have, however, been fully discussed in a Report made to me by Dr. Janet Lane-Claypon, and I shall be pleased to send the hon. Member a copy of that Report.

Would it be possible to institute a series of experiments?

Before I reply to that question I would suggest to the hon. Member that he should read the Report which I shall send to him and to which I have already referred.

Do I understand from the reply given that sterilised milk is injurious to infants, or is it not?

Under certain conditions it may be.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he proposes to introduce this Session a Bill to prevent the sale as bread, without any qualifying prefix, of a product of wheat flour which has been artificially bleached or adulterated or from which nutritious ingredients of the wheat grain have been mechanically abstracted, or whether he intends otherwise shortly to take legislative or administrative action in consequence of the published opinions of the scientific experts of his Department upon the adulteration or sophistication of flour, rice, and other natural products of common consumption?

I may refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on the 23rd instant to a question by the hon. Member for Devizes. The precise scope of the Bill has not yet been definitely settled.

asked whether the right hon. Gentleman's attention has been called to the Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health for the Market Bosworth Rural District Council; whether, according to such Report, out of 558 dwelling-houses inspected in that area in the year 1911 defects were found in 355, and five closing orders were made, ten dwelling-houses closed, and three demolished, whilst the excess in the number of births over deaths was 373; and what action, in view of these facts and the decision of the rural district council in question not to take action in supplying the housing deficiency in their area, he intends to take in the matter?

My attention has been called to the Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health for the Market Bosworth Rural District for the year 1911, and I am in communication with the district council on the subject.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say what became of the people who were turned out of the houses which were closed and for whom no accommodation was provided?

That is one of the points upon which I want to get information, which I can only get by communicating with the district council I have referred to.

asked what action is being taken by the rural district council of Bridlington to pro- vide accommodation in their district under the provisions of the Housing Acts, in view of the fact that the sanitary inspector reports that eighty-six cottages are too antiquated and worn out to be serviceable, whilst he reports that thirty-five further dwellings are such as cannot without danger be occupied any longer, and they should be properly vacated before another winter season; and whether, under these circumstances, the President will inquire into the case, and take action if the rural district council has not yet taken steps to remedy the deficiency?

In connection with the previous reports of the medical officer of health of the district I addressed communications to the rural district council as to the need for the provision of houses under Part III. of the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890. The further consideration of the question was reserved pending a survey of the district by the local sanitary inspector. That survey has recently been completed, and the report of the inspector, from which the figures mentioned in the question are taken, is under the consideration of the council. A copy of the report was sent to me a few days ago, and the matter is engaging the further attention of my housing department.

asked the Patronage Secretary to the Treasury whether he received some time ago a largely-signed memorial from Scottish Liberal Members, asking that the Report stage and Third Reading of the Temperance (Scotland) Bill should be taken at an early date; whether he can yet give a definite date; and, if not, can he give the Scottish people an assurance that it is still the intention of the Government to pass that Bill through its remaining stages in the Autumn Session?

My right hon. Friend received the memorial from Scottish Members with regard to the Temperance (Scotland) Bill, and we shall arrange to find an early time in the Autumn Session for its remaining stages.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, under the terms of the regulations issued on Form 64 by the Welsh Insurance Commissioners, candidates for the appointment of inspector, assistant inspector, and health insurance officer are, if already serving in other public departments, exempted from a literary examination under the Civil Service Commissioners; whether he can state the reason for such Civil servants being called upon to undergo such an examination in contravention of the published regulations; and whether the treatment of deserving Civil servants by the Welsh Commissioners coincides with that which they would receive from the English Commissioners under similar conditions?

I would refer the hon. Baronet to the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Barrow-in-Furness on 23rd July. In view of the limited number of the posts to be filled under the Welsh Commission, the Commissioners decided not to reserve any of these for Civil servants without competitive examination. Applicants from the Civil Service therefore compete with others. In the Form referred to the Commissioners reserve the right to appoint some Civil servants without examination if necessary, but do not state that all or any Civil Servants appointed will be exempted from such examination.

Will the right hon. Gentleman satisfy himself that competitive examination is adhered to in the case of all candidates, and will he see that a notice is issued which candidates can understand, and in which the Commissioners do not go directly against their own notice?

I do not think that they go against their own notice. They reserve the right to appoint some Civil servants without examination. If the hon. Member asks for my personal opinion, I think that free competitive examination is the best way of filling the appointments.

Is it the fact that a number of Civil servants who were invited to apply did apply, but because of the violation of the terms on which they were invited to apply refused to sit for the examination?

I have no information on that subject. But I do not see why Civil servants should object to free competition with gentlemen from outside.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the mem- bers of the Central Association of Accountants, and other duly qualified accountants, will have the same rights as the audit staff as regards the National Insurance Act; and, if not, will he explain why?

The only persons entitled to act as auditors of accounts of expenditure out of funds under Part I. of the National Insurance Act will be the persons appointed to act in that capacity by the Treasury under Sections 35 and 60 of the Act. As I stated, in answer to the hon. and gallant Member for Tonbridge, in making appointments under those Sections due regard is being paid to professional accounting qualfications and experience.

Will members of the Central Association of Accountants be placed at a disadvantage as compared with members of other organisations?

Members of the Central Association of Accountants may be appointed on showing that they possess the experience required; that is, experience either of friendly society work or of work in connection with local authorities.

Will they labour under any disadvantage?

If they possess that experience I think they are under the same conditions as others.

asked if societies approved under the National Insurance Act will be authorised to invest the portion of the funds in their hands in mortgages of land, or in ground rents, or in other forms of investment in land, which they have hitherto been accustomed to do?

Such investments as those referred to in the question will be available to approved societies in respect of funds coming into their hands for investment under the National Insurance Act in so far as they fall within the category of trustee securities or may be specially approved by the Insurance Commissioners under Section 56 (2) of the National Insurance Act, but not otherwise.

Will the right hon. Gentleman state what will be the effect upon these approved societies if they invest in mortgages on land and fresh Land Taxes are imposed?

If the mortgages are sound I cannot imagine any legislation affecting them.

asked whether, in the case of a difference of opinion among the English Insurance Commissioners, the decision of the majority of the Commissioners is followed?

In the circumstances described in the question the opinion of the Commission would be arrived at in the manner suggested in the question, and would be carried out subject to the considerations referred to in my reply to the hon. Member's question of 29th February last.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he can state the number of insurance cards which have been issued to insured persons in Scotland; the number of purely Scottish societies which have been approved under the National Insurance Act; the number of provisional insurance committees which are now fully constituted in Scotland; and the number of doctors who are now members of such committees?