asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Report of the Advisory Committee with regard to the "Titanic" disaster and the evidence given before this Committee and its Subcommittee will be circulated with the Votes for the information of hon. Members, and when he proposes to lay any new Regulations based upon the Report of the Advisory Committee and the findings of the Court of Inquiry into the "Titanic" disaster upon the Table; whether he can undertake that they shall not be put in force until the House has had an opportunity to debate the subject; and whether he can say when that opportunity will be given?

asked the President of the Board of Trade (42) when he proposes to lay upon the Table of the House the draft of the new Regulations governing the provision of life-saving, appliances at sea; and (43) if he will lay upon the Table of the House any Report by the Advisory Committee of the Board of Trade with reference to the provision of life-saving appliances on board merchant ships made since the "Titanic" disaster; whether he has received any report on the same subject from his nautical advisers; and, if so, whether he can also lay their report?

asked whether the Report of the Wreck Commissioner on the loss of the "Titanic" will be presented before the Recess; if so, will the House have an opportunity of considering it; and whether there will be any inquiry as to the neglect of the Board of Trade in not seeing that the "Titanic" was properly equipped with boats, etc., before being allowed to sail?

I propose to have the Report of the Advisory Committee and of its Sub-committee printed as a Parliamentary Paper. I also propose at once to lay on the Table of the House Lord Mersey's Report. As regards the latter part of the question, perhaps the House will allow me to make a general statement. The Report of the Court was only delivered yesterday, and that of the Advisory Committee was only received on Monday. They could not, therefore, be printed and circulated in time to give hon. Members, and those interested in the question, an adequate opportunity of considering them before the House rises. Further, until the House is also in possession of the Revised Rules and Instructions dealing with safety at sea to be issued by the Board of Trade, any discussion would necessarily be of a perfunctory character. I have, with my advisers, been engaged in a very careful review of the whole situation. But the decisions provisionally come to, must, as I informed the House in the discussion on my Vote, be necessarily and properly reviewed by the light of the Reports of the Court and of the Advisory Committee. These have only just been received. The course I suggest, therefore, for the convenience of the House is this: The Rules, before they become effective, must lie on the Table of the House for forty days. But they cannot be "laid" while the House is not sitting. Even if I were in a position to lay the Rules and Instructions before the House on one of the last days of this part of the Session, the House I am sure would not desire that I should do so, inasmuch as the forty days would then begin to run from that period, and the Rules would become statutory before the House had had an opportunity of considering them.

I would propose, therefore, to issue the proposed Rules and Regulations during the Recess in the form of a White Paper, which would be circulated to Members, and be available to the public. I am anxious that the Rules should, when promulgated, be, as far as possible, generally accepted; and this procedure will give the most unfettered opportunity to all those concerned of duly considering them before the House meets again. The Regulations, based on the White Paper, could be laid before the House on its reassembling. If the House then, with all the facts and documents before it, desired a general discussion on the whole question, a definite opportunity would be afforded on an early day after the Recess. I may point out that no real delay would be caused by the suggested procedure; for adequate notice of the alterations which may be required by the new Regulations, must in any case be given before they can be enforced. Further, as the House knows, as regards practically all ocean-going ships the public have, as regards boats, already provisional security from the voluntary action of the shipowners themselves, taken after the conferences with the Board of Trade some, time ago. I hope that the proposal I make may meet the views of the House.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman if the Report of the Advisory Committee agrees more or less with the Report of the "Titanic" Court of Inquiry inasmuch as it recommends boats for all instead of boats for some?

I would much rather not discuss the proposals of the Committee's Report piecemeal. The hon. and gallant Gentleman will, as soon as possible, be in possession of the full facts.

Do we understand from the answer of the right hon. Gentleman that there is to be no temporary revision of the rules, the possibility of which the right hon. Gentleman fore-shadowed some weeks ago?

What I said was that possibly it would be inexpedient, and I did not think it proper on the part of the Board of Trade or myself to issue regulations until we had the advantage of considering the Report of the "Titanic" Court of Inquiry, and also the recommendations of the Advisory Committee. These Reports I have only just received. I can assure hon. Members I have lost no time in preparing additional rules and regulations, but I am very anxious to see how far the conclusions I have come to with my advisers are in accord with those of the Court of Inquiry and the Advisory Committee. There will be really no delay. I stated this would be the proper procedure. I am extremely anxious the House should have a full opportunity of considering the matter when they have the Reports before them, and I think hon. Members will agree that until then no discussion would be of any value.

Will the right hon. Gentleman publish Lord Mersey's findings as soon as possible?

Yes, certainly. I hope to publish Lord Mersey's findings in the course of a few days.

Are we to understand that the Prime Minister will give us a day to consider this matter when the House reassembles in October?

I thought I made that quite clear. I said that after the Recess, when the House has seen these Reports and the rules and regulations, if it desires an early discussion I have an undertaking from the Prime Minister that a day will be given for such discussion.

Will the Report of the American Committee be also circulated?

I do not really think that is germane. I think we have ample opportunity for discussion on the Reports.

asked the First Lord of the Treasury whether, for the convenience of Members, he will arrange that the answers to questions relating to the Government of Ireland Bill, which have been given during the Session until the Summer Adjournment, shall be grouped together and published before the commencement of the Autumn Session?

I will consider the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the Secretary of State for the Home Department stated in a speech at Pontyndd on 18th July that the Government of Ireland Bill, the Established Church (Wales) Bill, and the Franchise and Registration Bill would all become law in the year 1914 unless the public opinion of the electors of the country stopped them; and whether he will state the nature of the steps the Government propose to take to ascertain the views of the electors of the country on the three Bills?

The views of the electors of this country are expressed through their representatives in the House of Commons.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the present Lord Chancellor of Ireland, when Attorney-General and Director of Public Prosecutions in Ireland, refused to take any notice of spurious insurance policies, by which many poor people in Ireland were deprived of their savings, and which have been held by the Irish Court of Appeal to be illegal, that his successor in the Attorney-Generalship acted similarly, and that the present Solicitor-General for Ireland has, since his accession to that office, acted as leading counsel for the Law Integrity Insurance Company in a case in which trial was evaded; whether it is usual for Law Officers of the Crown in England to act for companies evading the law; and, in the circumstances in Ireland, whether he will take any steps to revive for the public there the protection afforded in England by the Director of Public Prosecutions?

I am informed by the Irish Government that the answer to each paragraph of the question is in the negative. All the duties of the Director of Prosecutions in England are discharged in Ireland by the Attorney-General.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the present Solicitor-General for Ireland was adviser to any Government Department at the time of this trial?

I cannot answer that question without notice.

May I ask whether the Irish Government were aware of the advice given by Mr. Moloney to this company when he was made Solicitor-General?

I have already stated I am informed by the Irish Government that the answer to each paragraph in the question is in the negative.

asked whether the Government propose to propound or approve officially a policy of throwing additional burdens upon agricultural industry by the imposition of a tax levied upon the site value of agricultural land pending the issue of the Report of the Treasury Departmental Committee on the relations between Imperial and Local Taxation?

I must refer the hon. Member to the answers which I have recently given with regard to the intentions of the Government in these matters, and to the reply of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to a question by the hon. Member for Enfield on 6th June.

In view of the general interest in this matter and the anxiety that is being felt by some classes of the community, can the right hon. Gentleman accelerate the issue of this Departmental Committee's Report?

I see no reason to suppose there will be delay, but I will take note of the suggestion of the hon. Gentleman.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if he will state how many appeals by pension officers were allowed by the Local Government Board during the period from 1st October, 1908, to 31st March, 1912?

During the period mentioned, 8,778 appeals were made by pension officers to the Local Government Board against decisions of the local pension committees on claims to an old age pension, or on questions raised with reference to the continuance of pensions, or as to the rate at which pensions should be paid. I find that in 3,908 of these appeals the decision of the pension committee was either reversed or modified by the Board as a result of the appeal made by the pension officer.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he has got the percentage of cases in Ireland?

No, I have not, because the Local Government Board for England and Wales does not deal with them.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he can now give, a definite date when Treasury concurrence will be given to the Admiralty proposals based on the Macnamara Staffing Committee's Report?

I fear I cannot add to my former answers on this question.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether any committee is inquiring into the matter?

Inquiries are taking place. I may be able to give the hon. Member an answer before the end of this part of the Session.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has been made aware that Mr. Arana, a Peruvian subject, sold his rubber business on the Putumayo to a British company, and that this business was carried on by criminal methods, including the treatment of natives by methods of slavery; and whether he will insist on adequate inquiries and guarantees in the case of the registration of British companies promoted to obtain and work foreign businesses and concessions, so as to prevent the recurrence of such events, which seriously compromise the commercial integrity of this country?

The Board of Trade can only act in accordance with the powers conferred upon them by the Companies (Consolidation) Act, 1908, and that Act does not enable them to conduct inquiries or require guarantees on the registration of a company promoted to obtain and work foreign businesses and concessions.

In view of recent disclosures, will the right hon. Gentleman consider the advisability of applying for such powers as will enable him to make inquiries into companies of this kind in foreign countries?

I will consider the matter. I shall be very glad to confer with my hon. Friend.

asked if the right hon. Gentleman will instruct the Irish Board of Works to provide plans for the proposed new pier at Courtown, county Wexford, as requested by the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland?

As I informed the hon. Baronet on Monday last, he is mistaken in thinking that the Board of Works have been asked by the Chief Secretary to provide plans for a pier at Courtown. I understand the hon. Member is anxious to obtain a Grant from the Development Fund for the improvement of Courtown. Harbour, and for this purpose it is necessary for the applicants to submit a scheme as required by the Regulations made under Section 1 of the Development and Road Improvement Funds Act, 1909.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say if inquiries have been made from the Chief Secretary?

I have made inquiries and this is the result of those inquiries.

asked what was the value of real property in England and Wales assessed to pay Income Tax in the year 1911, and the amount of personal property assessed in the same area and for the same purpose; and how much of the assessment on real property was derived from agricultural land and how much from house property?

The gross annual value of the property in England and Wales assessed under Schedule A—the Schedule under which real property generally is assessed—was £233,906,688 for the year 1910–11. There was, in addition, a considerable amount of income from real property included in the assessments of industrial concerns, such as railways, mines, etc., but there is no means of separating out this. With regard to personal property, the assessments on income derived there-from cannot, in general, be distinguished from those in respect of trades, professions, or employments. I have not sufficient information to be able to distinguish between the assessments relating to agricultural land and house property, but I may say that the gross income reviewed under Schedule A for the year 1910–11 from "Lands" (including tithe-rent charges, farmhouses, farm buildings, etc.) was £36,843,606, while the gross income from "Houses" (including business premises, factories, etc.) was £196,195,736.

Arising out of that reply, as these figures are seriously misleading to the general public, would it not be possible in future to distinguish between the income derived from agricultural land and other kinds of real property?

I am not sure. These figures have existed for a good many years.

asked the names of the Committee to be appointed to inquire into the methods of valuation under the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910, or, if the members have not yet been appointed, the number and class of men intended to be appointed, the scope of the Inquiry and powers of the Commission in regard to summoning evidence; whether evidence of witnesses, other than those summoned, will be accepted; whether the same Committee will inquire into the methods of valuation, both as regards Great Britain and Ireland; and, if so, which country will be first dealt with?

My right hon. Friend is not prepared at present to make any further statement as to the scope and personnel of the proposed Committee regarding which I understand he is in communication with right hon. Gentlemen opposite. It will be for the Committee to decide on its own procedure, but it is intended that the inquiry shall include Ireland.

asked the Postmaster-General whether rent is paid by the Department for any of the buildings it occupies when those buildings are the property of the Government; and, if no rent is paid, what would the approximate rent of such buildings amount to?

Post Office buildings which are the property of the Government are generally the property of the Postmaster-General. In the few cases in which the Post Office is housed in buildings belonging to other Government Departments, no rent is paid, the general rule of Government being against such payments, but credit is taken by those Departments in the Estimates under the head of Services rendered.

Is it impossible to give an approximate idea of the number?

Where the Post Office is housed by other Departments, it is to be found in the Estimates.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons have actually insured under the National Insurance Act; and how much has been received from the sale of insurance stamps to the latest date available?

I am endeavouring to obtain further returns from approved societies and their branches as to the number of insured persons who have joined approved societies. With regard to the total number of insured persons, including those who have not yet joined societies, I cannot at present add anything to the estimates given in the later Actuaries' Report [Cd. 5983]. As I stated on Monday, the number of Health Insurance stamps sold up to 20th July was 15,396,000. No later figures are at present available.

I asked what was the amount of money received: that was part of the question?

I am sorry; I will see if that is obtainable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the number of members of friendly societies and trade unions giving sick benefit before the introduction of the National Insurance Bill; what is the number of members now of those societies and unions, or sections thereof, which have been approved, separating in each case the societies from the unions; and what is the number of members of the approved sections formed by industrial insurance companies?

I am obtaining further returns from approved societies and their branches and approved sections as to the number of their members. It is necessary, however, to circularise about 20,000 societies and branches for this purpose, and as a consequence of pressure in their offices, they have in many cases found it impracticable at present to render complete returns.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state whether a man employed in a charitable institution to look after a boiler, engine, and electrical plant is a person employed in mechanical engineering within the meaning of Part II. of the National Insurance Act, 1911?

From certain decisions given by the Umpire, of which I am sending the hon. Member copies, it appears that contributions are not payable under Part II. of the Act in respect of workmen wholly or mainly engaged in driving, tenting, or minding machinery of the nature described in the question.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if he will state whether he has given, or will give, the approval of the Board to sanatoria for the treatment of insured persons without their having been inspected at some time by an officer of the Local Government Board?

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of Thursday last, in which I stated that the Board had then approved of eleven sanatoria and other residential institutions for a period of six months, and had communicated with the authorities of seventy-five other institutions, offering to approve of these institutions for a similar period. The great majority of these institutions have been inspected at one time or another by one of the medical officers or inspectors of the Board, and, as regards the remainder, I have sufficient information to justify their being approved for a limited period.

Has the right hon. Gentleman approved any institution without inspection?

The amount of information the Board has, and which I believe is known to the hon. Gentleman himself, with regard to the value and capacity of institutions of this kind is so great that special inspection is hardly necessary.

Why, then, has the right hon. Gentleman appointed additional inspectors?

For the purpose of coping with the additional work placed upon the Board by the Act.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if he will state whether domiciliary treatment for insured persons recommended for that form of sanatorium benefit has to be approved by the Local Government Board; if so, whether the Board propose to issue an Order or Memorandum dealing with this; and when the Order will be circulated?

The Local Government Board have already issued an Order prescribing the manner of domiciliary treatment of insured persons suffering from tuberculosis of which they approve for the purpose of Section 16 (1) (b) of the National Insurance Act.

Is the right hon. Gentleman referring to the Memorandum of 6th July?

I am referring to a document I signed on Saturday and issued first thing on Monday morning.

Does the right hon. Gentleman mean that up to Saturday or Monday there was no home treatment available?

There was home treatment available, but not on the distinct lines set forth in the Order issued on Monday.

Does the Government propose to neglect what is definitely stated in Clause 16, Sub-section (b), of the National Insurance Act?

The Government do not intend to neglect any aspect of the treatment of sick persons under the Insurance Act, and it was put into definite official form by the Order I have issued.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury why Circular, Medical I., dated 25th July, 1912, and containing the terms of application for sanatorium benefit, was issued ten days after insured persons became entitled to such benefit under the National Insurance Act?

The circular referred to was issued because it was understood that some insurance committees desired to have further guidance and suggestions in regard to the administration of sanatorium benefit. The circular was not necessary for the administration of sanatorium benefit, and a Memorandum on the same subject had been previously issued on the 6th July.

asked whether an insured person will be able to sue his society for the non-provision of sanatorium benefit from 15th July; whether the society will in turn be able to sue the insurance committee; and whether any compensation will be payable to the insured person pending his receipt of the sanatorium benefit to which he may be entitled?

An insured person is entitled to the sanatorium benefit for which he is recommended by the Insurance Committee, with whom rests the responsibility for making arrangements for such benefit. Disputes between insured persons and insurance committees will, under Section 67 of the Act, be decided in the manner prescribed by the Insurance Commissioners, who may appoint a Referee whose decision shall be final.

Would the right hon. Gentleman kindly answer the last paragraph of my question?

The hon. Gentleman's question suggests that there will be a question arising between the insured person and his society as to the non-provision of sanatorium benefit. That question will not arise—if it does arise between the insured person and the society—but between the insured person and the Insurance Commissioners.

Will any compensation be paid pending the receipt of sanatorium benefit?

"Compensation pending the receipt of sanatorium benefit" has no meaning at all to me.

Have there been yet any applications for sanatorium benefit?

I think there have been some, but not very many, and some of them have been dealt with.

What compensation will an insured person be able to receive if there is no accommodation to provide sanatorium benefit?

Any insured person who applies will receive the treatment recommended by the insurance committee.

asked whether the right hon. Gentleman will state how many beds in residential institutions, other than sanatoria, which have been approved by the Local Government Board are now empty and available for insured persons?

asked whether the right hon. Gentleman will state how many beds in sanatoria which have been approved by the Local Government Board are now empty and available for insured persons?

The Local Government Board have now approved for a period of six months of thirty sanatoria and other residential institutions, containing 1,172 beds, but, as I have previously informed the hon. Member, I cannot say how many of these beds are now available for insured persons.

May I ask if there are any beds now available?

Yes, certainly.

If the right hon. Gentleman knows there are some can he say how many?

If the hon. Member will give me the opportunity I will inform him.

I have already asked for this information.

There are available at this moment four local authorities with special sanatoria accommodation for upwards of seventy beds; fifty-seven local authorities contract for patients in 200 beds; ninety-three infectious hospitals with provision for 970 beds; fourteen dispensaries run by local authorities; fifty voluntary dispensaries, and a number of other dispensaries and shelters for patients if they apply.

How many of those beds are now empty and available?

I shall be delighted to do my best to comply with the precise question put by the hon. Member if he will put it down on the Paper.

It is on the Paper.

I do not think the hon. Member expects me to telegraph every half-day or day for information.

There are no beds.

asked whether the right hon. Gentleman is aware that twenty window cleaners employed by the Robin Hood Window Cleaning Company, Nottingham, have been discharged in consequence of their refusal to make the Prudential Society their approved society under the National Health Insurance Act; and whether he will order an inquiry to be made into the matter?

I had been informed of this case and had instituted inquiries. I will communicate with my hon. Friend as to the result.

Would it not be better that the result of the inquiry should be made public?

Certainly. If my hon. Friend will put down a question I will answer it.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Prudential are offering to the employers 1s. for every card they can collect before October, and is that not a form of bribery?

I have no information on the matter.

Will the right hon. Gentleman inquire to see whether it is true or not?

Certainly. If the hon. Member or anyone else can provide me with any material for an inquiry I shall be glad to institute one.

asked whether the right hon. Gentleman's attention has been drawn to the fact that, owing to the National Insurance scheme being nationalised for Scotland and England, certain Scottish societies refuse to admit, under the National Insurance Act, Scottish servants of Scottish employers temporarily resident in England, and in some cases have taken steps equivalent to removing old members; what steps the Insurance Commissioners intend to take regarding such societies; and what course should a servant who is to be married in England in six weeks and who is a member of a friendly society in Scotland, and who is refused permission to join the National Insurance side of that society, to take to ensure that she will not be deprived of the future benefits of the Act?

The Scottish Insurance Commissioners have received no information of the nature referred to, but I shall be happy to have inquiries made into any case which is brought to my notice. A Scotch servant who proposes to marry and settle in England would in the circumstances stated be well advised to join a society approved by the Joint Committee and authorised to transact business under the Act in both England and Scotland. She would, of course, retain a right to share in any increased benefits provided by her first society under a scheme under Section 72 of the Act.

asked whether the right hon. Gentleman is aware that the Midland Railway Company at Birmingham has refused to pay sick benefit, in accordance with the Midland Railway Friendly Society's rules, to a member who was in receipt of compensation in respect of an accident which occurred prior to the National Insurance Act coming into operation, their refusal being based on the ground that this man not having made this particular society his approved one under the Act no sick pay would be paid; and whether he will say, in view of the effect of such treatment, what action he proposes to take to insure employés from being penalised in their choice of a society as provided by the Act?

I have no information on the case in question which does not appear to arise out of the business of the society under the National Insurance Act. If the hon. Member will furnish me with further particulars I will make inquiries from the society on the subject.

asked if the right hon. Gentleman will say when and under what name the London and Provincial Approved Society was registered under the Friendly Societies Acts; when and under what name it applied for approval under the National Insurance Act; and whether that society is allowed to operate pending the result of the inquiries regarding it?

The London and Provincial Approved Society is not registered under the Friendly Societies Act. On 20th May, 1912, an application was received for the approval of a separate section of the London and Provincial Assurance Company, Limited, to be known, if and when approved, by the name of the London and Provincial Approved Society. This society was approved on 7th June, 1912, and has since that date been, and is still, carrying on the business of an approved society under the National Insurance Act.

Is it not a fact that they are calling themselves an approved society under the Act?

I have no knowledge of that fact. They certainly are not registered as an approved society unless they have been approved.

asked if the right hon. Gentleman will say when, and under what name, the United National Friendly Approved Society was registered under the Friendly Societies Acts; when, and under what name, it applied for approval under the National Insurance Act, and whether that society is allowed to operate pending the result of the inquiries regarding it?

The United National Friendly Approved Society is not registered under the Friendly Societies Acts. On 20th April, 1912, an application was received for the approval of a separate section of the United National Friendly Assurance Collecting Society, to be known, if and when approved, by the name of the United National Friendly Approved Society. The section was approved on 22nd June, 1912, and has since that date been, and is still, carrying on the business of an approved society under the National Insurance Act.