asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether an employed person who is legally exempt from becoming insured under the National Insurance Act may be made to pay the premiums under promise of refund until the exemption papers are obtainable from the Post Office; and, if so, will the employer's contributions be refunded when the Post Office has provided the necessary papers?

A person who is employed within the meaning of the National Insurance Act, but is entitled to claim exemption is not in fact exempt until he has applied for, and obtained, a certificate of exemption. In the meantime contributions are properly payable; but the Commissioners are prepared, in the case of certificates issued during the current quarter, to refund the employé's share of the contribution. There can be no question with regard to the employer's contributions, which will remain payable after the certificate is granted.

asked whether a man who works at a fat-stock market regularly for four or five different people on a Monday has to be insured, and, if so, by which employer; whether the employer who has to pay can recover any and what proportion from those who are employing the man at the same time; and, in the event of the same man being similarly employed on Wednesdays in a different market by other people, do the latter employers pay any and what contribution?

In such a case the first employer in each week will be legally responsible for the weekly insurance contributions, unless the various regular employers enter into the arrangement described in my reply to the hon. Member for Whitby on the 23rd of July for paying the contributions in rotation, and as I stated in that reply it is always open to the various employers quite apart from any regulations to enter into a private arrangement for sharing the employer's contributions. Such a voluntary arrangement does not of course affect the legal liability.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury, with reference to Draft Order No. 1B, whether the classes of employed persons named in the Schedule are precluded from becoming insured or have the option to become voluntary contributors under the Act?

The persons in question, like other persons excluded from compulsory insurance, either by Special Order or under Part II. of the First Schedule, will be entitled to become voluntary contributors, subject to the usual conditions.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will state, in the case of chauffeurs insured under the National Insurance Act who are regularly taken abroad for some weeks each year by their employers, what will be the position of such insured persons in the event of their falling ill while abroad as regards the payment of sickness benefit, and the provision of medical attendance and drugs?

Under Section 8 (4) of the National Insurance Act no insured person will be entitled to medical benefit during any period when he is resident either temporarily or permanently outside the United Kingdom. As regards sickness benefit, an insured person who is resident outside the United Kingdom may be allowed the benefit if he is so resident with the consent of the approved society of which he is a member, or of the insurance committee if he is a deposit contributor. For this purpose the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are not reckoned as outside the United Kingdom.

asked the Chief Secretary whether approved societies under the National Insurance Act in Ireland can hold meetings in national schools in localities where halls are not available for the transaction of business that pertains solely to the working of the insurance scheme?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I have just given to the similar question of the hon. Member for North Monaghan.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland how many national school teachers promoted to the second division of first grade and to the first division of first grade, respectively, on 1st April, 1910, have not yet received their grade salaries; how many similarly promoted from 1st April, 1911, have not yet received their grade salaries; what sum would pay these men arrears of salary from the date of their promotion; and whether the Commissioners of National Education asked the Treasury for this sum and, if so, will the Treasury grant it?

Of the teachers who qualified for promotion on 1st April, 1910, eight are awaiting vacancies to the second division, and six in the first division of the first grade. Twenty-four teachers who qualified for promotion to the second division and six to the first division of the first grade on 1st April, 1911, are also in a similar position. An additional £750 would be required to pay those teachers at the higher rates from the dates on which they qualified up to the 30th June last. The Commissioners have not confined their requests to the cases of these teachers, but have asked for a large extension of the standard numbers which would ultimately cost some £18,000 a year. This the Treasury are not prepared to grant.

asked the Chief Secretary whether schools and class-rooms under the control of the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland will be available for the use of approved societies in Ireland for the purpose of meetings to transact the business of their society under the National Insurance Act; and, if so, will he state what arrangements or regulations have been made for this purpose?

The Commissioners of National Education will make no objection to meetings in connection with the National Health Insurance Act being held in national schools after school hours on weekdays provided the managers and trustees of such schools give their consent, and that the National Insurance Commissioners of the Board of Trade guarantee to make good any damage to the school-houses and school fittings that may occur in consequence of the meetings.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Congested Districts Board have yet acquired the Berridge estate, Connemara; and, if not, will he state when he thinks it likely to be purchased.

The Congested Districts Board have not yet bought the Berridge estate, but the negotiations for its purchase are proceeding, and, although I cannot name any date, I have good reason to hope that it may not be long delayed.

asked the Chief Secretary what is the cause of the delay on the part of the Estates Commissioners in completing the sale of the estate of Miss Waldock, situate at Coolrus, Bruree, in the county of Limerick, having regard to the fact that the purchase agreements were signed by the tenants in January, 1906; and can he say when the sale will be completed?

This estate is the subject of proceedings for sale direct by the owner to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903, and is on the principal register of direct sales (all cash). The Estates Commissioners anticipate that it will be reached in order of priority during the financial year commencing 1st April next.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the scheme of redistribution of work in the Land Registry, Ireland, proposed some time ago for the equalising of delay all round in dealing with cases, has been put into operation; and, if so, with what result; whether he is aware that the delays complained of in all quarters up to the present time are attributable to the fact that the staff of this office has not been strengthened in proportion to its daily growing requirements; and will he now state what additions have been made to the staff within the past twelve months?

The work of the Land Registry Office has been distributed among the staff so as to secure the greatest expedition possible. Some arrear of work still exists, but, with the increased staff, it is being gradually cleared off. Twenty-five additional clerks have been appointed within the past twelve months. It is not possible, owing to the limited office accommodation, to make any further additions to the staff at present, but new and larger offices are being built, and it is hoped they will be available next year.

asked the Chief Secretary on what ground the Local Government Board, on the appeal of the pension officer, deprived James Benson, of Ballyloughane, Newcastle West, in the county of Limerick, of a pension; is he aware that his case is a very deserving one, and that the local pension committee granted him the pension being satisfied with the statements of old people in the locality that he was seventy years of age, and that he was not a member of the family of the same name in the locality where he was born, and who were small farmers who sold their place and emigrated to America, but that he belonged to the labouring class; and if he now applies for a pension, the pension officer and the Local Government Board will inquire more fully into his antecedents and not act on the name given in the Census Return of 1851, which cannot be his name?

James Benson's claims for an old age pension have been disallowed by the Local Government Board as they were not satisfied that he had reached the statutory age. The statements referred to in the question were before the Board when deciding the appeals, and all information as to his antecedents were fully considered.

asked the Chief Secretary how the Local Government Board decide the question of old age pensions in cases where no certificate as to age can be found; whether, in the case of Ellen Fleming, Ballylanders, county Limerick, whose claim was passed twice by the local pensions committee, but whose age could not be found in the Census Department nor in the local registrar's, the written assurance of several respectable persons, including Rev. Father Barry, P.P., Ballylanders, that the woman was beyond seventy were ignored; and why such a slight should be made by an official not acquainted with the people or the district on the priest and the other gentlemen who certified that the applicant was entitled to a pension?

The Local Government Board fully consider all evidence tendered to them of whatever nature bearing on the point of age. They did so in the present case, but were unable to regard the evidence furnished as sufficient for the purposes of the Act to establish that the claimant had reached the statutory age.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland what was done with the sums of £30 and £625, the proceeds of timber sold under the Evicted Tenants Act; when were these moneys received; by whom; and when were they appropriated?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that the £625 was applied in reduction of the resale price of the lands, and the £30 is being utilised in connection with improvements on the estate.

asked the Chief Secretary what was the total amount sanctioned under the Evicted Tenants Act in county Cavan to the 31st March last for buildings, livestock, and for other purposes; how much has actually been paid; and, as there is no check as to whether value is given for the money spent, will he have the fullest particulars supplied, in the form of a Return or otherwise, or state the reasons for not giving the information?

The hon. Member will find in the Returns presented quarterly to Parliament detailed particulars of all sums sanctioned by the Estates Commissioners for buildings, purchase of livestock, and other purposes in the case of county Cavan evicted tenants reinstated or provided with other holdings as purchasers under the Land Purchase Acts. The sums for livestock are expended as soon as practicable after sanction, and the sums sanctioned for buildings and other improvements are expended in instalments according as the works progress. It is not possible without a case to case examination to state the amount not yet expended in the case of county Cavan evicted tenants. The expenditure on evicted tenants is included in the expenditure account of improvements generally, and is not segregated as regards evicted tenants. Improvement expenditure is carried out under the supervision of the Commissioners' staff, whose accounts are checked at headquarters and audited by the Comptroller and Auditor-General in connection with Land Commission Accounts in the manner prescribed by Parliament.

asked the reason of the delay in giving a building Grant to Patrick Doyle, Kilgobnet, Beaufort, county Kerry, in view of the fact that the application has been before the Estates Commissioners for some time and that a renewal of the application was made a few weeks ago to one of the Commissioners' inspectors?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his question on this subject on the 27th June.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been called to the fact that the firm of Messrs. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company, Hebburn, are employing apprentices only to do the work of fitting on the sea valves on His Majesty's torpedo boats in course of construction by that firm; and if he can say why qualified engineers are not employed on the work?

It is the fact that a few fitter apprentices are being employed on one of the destroyers now under construction by Messrs. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company. These apprentices are at work fitting on certain sea valves, this work being well within their capabilites. The question of the payment of an outworking allowance for workmen when sent to work away from the premises where they have been taken on has recently been under discussion between the Employers' Federation and the Amalgamated Society of Engineers. An agreement was reached in May last upon the point, but in this particular case a difficulty of interpretation has arisen. For the time being therefore no men are proceeding from Messrs. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company's yard at Newcastle to the yard at Hebburn, where the destroyer is under construction. But I hope a settlement upon the point of interpretation in dispute will be very shortly arrived at.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that Mr. Dunphy, contractor for repairs to the buildings at Carlow Barracks, is employing a labourer to do carpenters' work there and is only paying him 12s. per week, the wages of the district being 28s. per week; and whether he will give instructions that this class of contractor must not be included in the list of contractors for War Office work?

This complaint is being investigated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the liquor bill for the United Kingdom; at how much per head the figure works out, for the latest year for which statistics are available; and whether he will give the like information, if it is obtainable without undue trouble and research, for compounds and derivatives of opium, cocaine, morphia, and drugs of a similar character?

I regret that there are no official statistics available which would enable me to give this information.

asked the Home Secretary if he will reconsider the question of the deduction of one hour each day from the overtime of the Metropolitan Police in respect of the allowance of 1s. for refreshment; is he aware that, in the case of men doing many hours of overtime miles from home, 1s. does not pay for the refreshment needed; that the men, who get no payment for the extra work, but only time off, regard the deduction of an hour per day on account of the 1s. allowance as a harsh measure; and will he take into consideration that some of the men have over 300 hours' overtime due to them, and make such reasonable changes in the existing conditions as will remedy the grievance they now feel?

I regret I cannot reconsider the question of the compensation to be given for overtime work done by the police. Arrangements will be made to work off gradually the overtime due.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why the Indian rupee, with its artificial value of 1s. 4d., is imposed upon East Africa; and whether he will consider the possibility of applying the profit accruing from the coinage of rupees to the benefit of the Colony of East Africa instead of, as now, being paid as a tribute from that Colony to the Indian Government?

The adoption of the rupee as the standard coin in East Africa was the result of the employment of Indian labour in the early stages of the development of the country. The question whether any change in the currency arrangements is now desirable is already under my consideration.

asked the Prime Minister whether the responsibility for the preservation of the decorations of the older galleries and staircases of the Victoria and Albert Museum is divided between the First Commissioner of Works and the President of the Board of Education?

The Prime Minister has asked me to answer this question. The First Commissioner of Works is responsible for the execution of structural and decorative repairs and alterations to the Museum Buildings, the money for which is provided out of the Vote of his office. Where the stability or security of the buildings is not concerned but the matter is one which affects their convenience, utility, or appearance, or in which æsthetic considerations are involved, the Board of Education is responsible.

asked the Prime Minister if he will cause the memorials and signatures addressed to him in regard to the decorations of the Victoria and Albert Museum to be laid upon the Table, together with a copy of the Report by the Committee appointed to inquire into their partial destruction and the means of their future preservation; and whether he will cause to be suspended further mutilation of the decorations until this House has had an opportunity of discussing the Committee's Report and any action it may be intended to take upon it?

The Prime Minister has asked me to answer this question. I am laying upon the Table the Report I have received from the Committee which I appointed to advise me on certain questions relating to the decorations of the Victoria and Albert Museum, together with the memorials which have been addressed to the Prime Minister on the subject. I shall be glad to receive from the hon. Member any observations he desires to make upon the Report and to postpone any action until he has had an opportunity of communicating with me in writing upon it.

asked the Postmaster-General whether a new branch post office is to be opened to take the place of the Fore Street and Coleman Street town sub-offices, and to be staffed entirely by women; and, if so, whether he will consider the question of transferring the Fleet Street Post Office women staff to the new office and staffing the Fleet Street office by men, with a view to abandoning the present arrangements, under which men have nightly to take over the Fleet Street office from the women staff at 8 p.m.?

It is the case that a new branch office will shortly be opened in place of the town sub-offices in Fore Street and Coleman Street, E.C., and that a female staff will be employed there. I will consider the suggestion made by the hon. Member.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether it is the case that, according to the report of Dr. Herbert Williams, medical officer of health for the Port of London, in smaller British vessels the crew have to provide and to keep their food in their quarters; and whether he will now take into his consideration the opinion expressed by the medical officer of health for the Port of London that, until the Legislature takes some more practical interest in the welfare of seamen, pulmonary tuberculosis will continue to be a cause of much mortality amongst this class of men?

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the statements contained in the annual report of Dr. Herbert Williams, medical officer of health for the Port of London, that owing to the nature of the accommodation provided on merchant ships, the conditions are such as to predispose the dissemination of pulmonary tuberculosis; whether, as stated by Dr. Williams, whereas in the case of common lodging houses occupied day and night an official space of 400 cubic feet per head is prescribed, in the case of seamen 72 cubic feet is considered sufficient space; and whether, having regard to Dr. Williams' comments on the accommodation for seamen and the absence of proper hygienic conditions, he intends to take any action?

I have received a copy of Dr. Williams' report, and the statements and expressions of opinion contained therein are receiving my careful consideration. When my inquiries are complete I will consider what action, if any, is necessary and practicable.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the value of domestic produce and manufactures exported by the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States of America, respectively, in the years 1880, 1910, and in 1911, if available, excluding in each case the value of such exports to British Possessions, including Protectorates, and the value of domestic produce and manufactures exported by the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States of America, respectively, to British Posses- sions, including Protectorates, in the years 1880, 1910, and in 1911, if available?

The following statement shows, for the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States of America, respectively, the total value of exports of domestic produce and manufactures to British Possessions, including Protectorates, and to all other countries, in each of the years 1880, 1910, and 1911:—

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture when he now proposes to remove the embargo on the importation of hay from the North of Ireland to England and Scotland?

Perhaps the hon. Member will allow me to refer him to my previous replies on this subject. For the reasons therein given it is not possible for me to allow the importation of hay intoGreat Britain from Ireland to be resumed until it is clear that foot-and-mouth disease has been completely stamped out.