asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Irish Insurance Commissioners have completed arrangements for the treatment of tubercular patients in Munster; if so, in what counties; how many tubercular patients have been treated in Munster; and what percentage this number bears to the total number of tubercular persons insured in Munster?

Provisional arrangements for the treatment of tuberculous insured person.3 have been made by the insurance committee of each county and county borough in Munster. Seventeen persons have been recommended for sanatorium benefit by the several committees. All these seventeen persons have been actually sent to institutions for treatment, the numbers from each insurance committee being as follows: Clare County, two; Cork County, one; Cork County Borough, one; Kerry County, five; Limerick County, two; Limerick County Borough, two; Tipperary South Riding, two; Tipperary North Riding, one; Waterford County, one.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that the number of persons coming under the National Insurance Act (Part I.) largely exceeds the number on which the actuarial estimates were based, he can state the additional cost which will thereby fall on the Exchequer; whether any Supplementary Estimate for this purpose will be presented; and, if so, when?

No reliable statistics of the number of persons actually coming under Part I. of the National Insurance Act will be available until the first quarter's contribution cards have been received, and such information as I have does not, in my opinion, point to the conclusion formed by the hon. Member—and described in the question as a "fact"— that the estimates of the actuaries will be largely exceeded.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that when men are being taken on for work of a casual and intermittent nature by certain firms only those whose cards are stamped up to date receive employment, and that this has led to the purchase of the Td. stamp by some of the men; and whether, seeing that this state of affairs means that the employers in these cases are avoiding payment and thereby evading their duties under the Act, any instructions can be given by the Commission warning employers of their duty?

As I stated on the 15th instant, in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for South-West Manchester, the Commissioners have no evidence to show that the practice referred to has become at all common. Where, however, a worker has in fact stamped his own card in a particular week the duty of the first person employing the worker in that week is to ratify the stamping as done for himself by paying the value minus the amount he is entitled to deduct when he pays wages.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether insured persons, such as domestic servants, who are paid monthly at the end of the month and whose cards will therefore not be completely stamped until the 31st instant, will be penalised for not returning their cards to their approved society on or before the 26th October, and thereby become deposit contributors: and, if so, whether he will consider the advisability of extending the time so as to obviate such hardship.

The regulations provide that employers should return the workers' cards duly stamped for each week of employment at the end of the quarter, irrespective of the date of payment of wages; but delay in sending in a card would not in any case result in a person who had joined an approved society before 26th October being treated as a deposit contributor.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the share of the county and borough of Cork of the one and a half millions granted for sanatoria on a population basis is £13,182; whether only £9,000 is proposed to be allotted; how much of the £145,000 given to Ireland is the Women's Health Association getting for the erection of the sanitorium at Peamount, county Dublin; on what principle was this allocation made; and are counties like Cork, which can derive no benefit from Peamount, to be deprived of their due proportion of the sum provided by Parliament?

If the whole £145,000 were distributed between counties and county boroughs in proportion to population, the share of Cork county and borough would be approximately £13,000. The share of the county and borough in the sum of £120,000 at present available for distribution on this basis is £10,750, and it is proposed to allot this amount immediately. A further sum will be allotted at a later date when the amounts to be charged against the shares of counties which have entered into contracts with the Women's National Health Association, instead of making provision for themselves, have been ascertained. By this means such part of the £25,000 originally allotted to the Women's National Health Association as is expended on behalf of particular counties will be recovered from the shares of these counties, calculated on the population basis, and will be available for distribution on the same basis as the £120,000 now being allotted, leaving only the remaining portion of the £25,000 (which will represent expenditure incurred in the interest of the country generally in respect of temporary provision for the counties which are contemplating building sanatoria for themselves and in respect of accommodation whether for adults or for children which will be available in the future for any county insurance committee which may apply for it), as a final charge against the £145,000 Grant as a whole.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury the amount of money in the Post Office Savings Bank standing to the credit of claimants under the Workmen's Compensation Act on the 1st July last, and the number of such accounts upon that date in England, Scotland, and Ireland, respectively?

The figures are as follows:—

			Number of Accounts.	Amount.
				£	s.	d.
England	…	…	23,698	1,514,836	3	3
Scotland	…	…	1,094	101,960	1	3
Ireland	…	…	770	36,221	1	8
Total	…	…	25,562	1,653,017	6	2

asked the First Lord of the Treasury whether, in the event of the Government of Ireland Bill being passed, the cross of St. Patrick will be eliminated from the Union Jack; and whether in that event the design of that ensign will be accordingly altered?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that tenders were recently invited by the Board of Works for the erection of a national school at Doaghbeg, Portsalon, county Donegal; that the tender of one Patrick Morning, contractor, was the lowest; whether he will state why he did not get the contract after he had arrangements almost completed to start the work; and whether he will state why the contract was given to a person whose tender was £50 higher?

I understand the facts are as stated by the hon. Member. The lowest tender was passed over because the Board of Works were not satisfied that the tenderer was in a position to construct the school, which is urgently required, without delay and satisfactorily.

asked what stages have been reached in the proceedings of the Congested Districts Board for the purchase of the Fitzgerald, Hunter, Darcy, Martyn, and Miss H. Phibbs estates, in Turlough and Kildcamoge parishes, county Mayo; and when the Board expect to have the sales completed?

The estate of Mr. D. J. Fitzgerald has been offered for sale to the Congested Districts Board, and the question of its purchase is at present under consideration. The maps and some of the documents in the case of the estate of the Misses Hunter have been lodged with the Board, who have asked for further information regarding the property. The maps and documents connected with the estate of Hyacinth Darcy have also been lodged with the Board, and the question of its purchase will be decided as soon as practicable. The Board will shortly make an offer for the purchase of the estate of R. W. Martyn, and they have issued an offer for the purchase of the estate of Miss H. Phibbs.

asked the Chief Secretary whether, in view of the fact that the Irish Land Commission have power to expropriate the intervening interest of a middleman having a lease of over sixty years unexpired of a house in a town or on an estate which is being sold under the Land Act, 1903, he will explain why the Land Commission does not expropriate the intervening interests of middlemen in the town of Strokestown and declare the occupiers of houses the owners on reasonable terms; and will he say what steps the Estates Commissioners intend to take for the distribution of the 1,400 acres of grass lands adjoining the town of Strokes-town let on the eleven months' system, situate on the Mahon estate, which is being sold, or if they intend to give any portion of these lands to the inhabitants of the town of Strokestown requiring the same?

The assumption of the hon. Member in the first part of the question is not correct. The provisions of the Irish Land Act, 1903, as to the redemption of intervening interests do not apply when the middleman has a lease of over sixty years unexpired at the time of sale. As regards the other matters referred to in the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his question on this subject on 29th May, 1911.

asked if the Congested Districts Board entered into negotiations for the purchase of the O'Kelly estate, in Taughmaconnell, near Ballinasloe, in the county Roscommon, and what is the present position of these negotiations; and if, in view of the fact that there are many uneconomic holdings and a considerable amount of untenanted land upon it, the Board will press forward these negotiations to an early conclusion?

The Congested Districts Board entered into negotiations for the purchase of the estate referred to in December, 1911, but, on reconsideration, in February last, they decided to postpone the proceedings.

asked whether the Estates Commissioners are taking any steps to acquire the portion of the Creighton estate in the parish of Kilbride, county Roscommon, not already purchased; and whether, in view of the fact that there are grass lands, amounting to about 500 acres, on the unpurchased portion of this estate that is needed for the relief of small holders in the district, the Commissioners will expedite the negotiations for its acquisition?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his question on this subject on the 7th instant. The estate will be dealt with in order of priority.

asked the Chief Secretary if the O'Connor Henchy estate, situate at Moyvilla, Oranmore, county Galway, has been acquired by the Estates Commissioners; is it an estate to be dealt with by the Estates Commissioners; and can he say when or about what time the Estates Commissioners hope to be able to deal with this estate?

This estate is being acquired by the Estates Commissioners who hope to deal with it at an early date.

asked the Chief Secretary on what grounds Edward Kelly, of Balloor, Doaghbeg, Portsalon, county Donegal, who was born in 1838, was refused an old age pension by the Local Government Board; whether he is aware that the Milford pension committee, the members of which have no doubt as to the circumstances, have allowed the claim; and whether he will take steps to see that the Local Government Board will reconsider the claim, inasmuch as the allegation that a child of the same name was born in 1838 but died the same year is not true in fact?

I would refer the hon.Member to the reply given to his question on this subject on 25th July last. The Local Government Board have no power to reopen the case.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that Mrs. Amelia Proctor, of Farnworth, being well known to members of the Farnworth old age pensions committee, satisfied them that she was over seventy years of age, and was by them awarded a pension on 31st January last; that the local pension officer successfully appealed against this award; that upon a further appeal to the pensions committee she produced a certificate of baptism dated 15th October, 1841, and was again awarded the pension as from 10th July last, against which there has been no further appeal; and whether, under these circumstances, he will direct the arrears of pension between 31st January and 10th July to be paid to her?

I am making inquiry into this case and will communicate with the hon. Member in due course.

asked the Chief Secretary if he will state the several rural district councils in county Cork who have formulated improvement schemes under the Labourers (Ireland) Acts since the additional million was voted by Parliament, and who have asked for local inquiries into these schemes; will he give the number of cottages represented for by each council in each scheme; is it a fact that the additional money was voted to enable district councils who were prepared to cater for the needs of the labourers in regard to houses and allotments to promptly discharge this duty; can he explain therefore, why the Local Government Board are refusing to hold inquiries into the schemes promoted by the county Cork district councils; and will he, as President of the Board, use his influence to have schemes inquired into in their due order of priority, and thus secure an equitable and equal administration of the Labourers Acts.

The following table gives the information asked for in the first two paragraphs of the question:—

COUNTY CORK.—Schemes awaiting Local Inquiry.
Rural District.	Date of Receipt.		Number of cottages proposed.	Number of cottages authorised up to 31st March, 1912.
Bandon	30	Oct., 1911	114	437
Clonakilty	25	July, 1911	49	385
Cork	7	Dec, 1911	643	1,538
Cork	3	Oct., 1912	10
Fermoy	19	June.1911	256	659
Kanturk	11	Nov.,1911	305	641
Kinsale	21	Mar.,1911	169	386
Mallow	11	Oct., 1912	249	550
Youghal No. 1	6	Feb.,1912	53	235
Total			1,848	4,831

The additional million was mainly intended to meet the requirements of districts which, for various reasons, had not taken anything like full advantage of the Labourers Acts, or only put them into operation to a very limited extent, having regard to the needs of the labourers for improved house accommodation. The action of the Local Government Board in deferring inquiries into new schemes from districts in which comparatively large numbers of cottages have already been authorised has been adopted with the view of securing, as far as possible, an equitable allocation of the money available for the erection of additional labourers' cottages.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether any of the Coastguard premises have recently been offered for sale or sold; and, if so,, to whom and at what price?

Since April, 1910, two freehold properties have been disposed of in Great Britain, in each case-fresh quarters being secured for the Coastguard. One of these properties is at Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, consisting of five cottages. The purchasers were Mr. and Mrs. Barnes, and the purchase money £650. The other is at Sutton, Lincolnshire, consisting of six cottages. The purchaser was Mr. E. Painter, and the purchase money £505. Two leasehold properties have been disposed of in Great Britain since the same date, the stations being abolished. One of these is at Fleet-haven, Lincolnshire, consisting of two* cottages. The consideration paid by the purchaser, Mr. Allen Wright, on account of the assignment of the lease was £75. The other is at Gunwalloe, in Cornwall, consisting of two cottages. The consideration paid by the purchaser, Mr. Francis Oxenham, in respect of the assignment of the lease was £290. One other leasehold property has been offered for sale, the station being closed. It is at Ecclesbourne, Sussex, consisting of seven cottages. These premises were offered for sale in October, 1910, but no adequate offer was obtained. Six of the cottages have since been let on yearly tenancies. With regard to Ireland, no freehold properties have been disposed of, but a number of leasehold properties, sixteen in all, have been sold since the 30th April, 1910. There are at the present time still remaining on hand in Ireland for disposal twelve leasehold properties. Some of these have been offered for sale, but no adequate offer has been obtained. If the Noble Lord desires it, I will have a detailed statement respecting the sales; prepared for him.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the Lord Commissioners of the Admiralty have considered the request of pensioner writers in His Majesty's dockyards to be placed upon the establishment; and whether they propose to take any steps in the matter?

The request of the pensioner writers, second class, to be placed on the establishment is now under consideration in connection with the annual hearing of petitions. I can give no undertaking in the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the fact that the wages paid to labourers occupied at the Army Ordnance Factory, near Selby, Yorks, are at a lower rate than the rate prescribed by the Resolution of the House of Commons of 10th March, 1909; and whether there is any reason why these labourers should not receive a minimum wage of 6d. per hour, especially in view of the fact that their occupation is of a dangerous character?

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the fact that the wages paid to the labourers occupied at the Army Ordnance Factory, near Selby, are at a lower rate than the rate prescribed by the Resolution of the House of Commons of 10th March, 1909; and whether there is any reason why these labourers should not receive a minimum wage of 6d. per bour, especially in view of the fact that their occupation is of a dangerous character?

The wages of these men have recently been increased, and I am not aware that they are now not in accordance with the Resolution of this House. I shall be happy to consider any evidence to that effect that may be given me by the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will give details of the age, height, weight, and chest measurement of the 11,261 recruits for the Special Reserve taken in the first six months of this year?

As I have previously stated in reply to question on this subject, the information could only be obtained by calling for a special Return, and it is not considered that the advantages to be obtained from it are sufficient to justify the labour involved in compilation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his attention has been called to the fact that the motor omnibus companies have persisted in running their vehicles through certain thoroughfares, in spite of the fact that they had previously been warned by petitions from the inhabitants that such traffic was bound to be dangerous owing to the narrow and congested state of the roadway; whether he is aware that persons have since been killed by these motor omnibuses in these thoroughfares; and whether he contemplates taking any action against the directors of the motor omnibus trust?

The experience of the police is that, in every case where a new omnibus route is started the residents along the line object. If the passage of omnibuses through any narrow street were prohibited by law, many of the most used omnibus routes would have to be closed. As the law stands, however, neither the Secretary of State nor the Commissioner has power to prescribe or prohibit the use of particular routes by omnibuses, and the Commissioner is expressly prohibited from limiting the number of stage carriages that may use any street. I propose to communicate with the omnibus companies with a view, if possible, to inducing them to adopt arrangements which will reduce the number of accidents.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in order to ascertain the speed of motor cars and omnibuses, he will consider the desirability of fitting accurate speedometers to Government-owned cars which would then readily ascertain the maximum speed attained by motors and motor omnibuses; whether he is aware that an association of motor-car owners some time ago placed on the streets of London a vehicle showing on a large dial the speed this vehicle travelled; whether he is aware that the object of this association was to show the public that a moderate speed for motor vehicles was unnecessary, and will he ask this association to assist him in fitting the same reliable speedometers to cars run by the police; and whether, if the Treasury refuse to grant the money necessary to purchase cars, he would accept an offer of motor cabs fitted with accurate speedometers for the use of the police?

I am aware of the facts stated by my hon. Friend; but the suggestion that Government-owned cars, fitted with speedometers should be employed to pursue and test the speed of vehicles suspected of proceeding at excessive speed is one I cannot accept, as if adopted it would inevitably result in increasing the number of accidents.

asked the Home Secretary why motor vehicles are allowed to travel in the streets of the Metropolis at excessive speed, seeing the law provides that no motor vehicle shall travel at any speed dangerous to the public; whether he is aware that even the maximum permitted speed is habitually exceeded by motor-cars and motor omnibuses; whether he is aware that many drivers of those vehicles have no regard to the rights of the public on foot, particularly at crossings; whether he is aware that old and young people who may be crossing a street are often killed and injured owing to this inconsiderate driving; and whether he will direct the Police Commissioners to commence legal proceedings against any driver who deliberately scatters the people at crossings when the people crossing have the prior right of the road?

I find that in 1911, 893 drivers of motor cabs or omnibuses and 3,556 drivers of other motor vehicles were prosecuted in the Metropolitan Police district for offences connected with excess of speed or dangerous driving. The enforcement of the Motor Car Acts presents many difficulties, but the whole matter is engaging my careful attention, and I am issuing instructions with a view to better differentiation between the more and the less serious classes of offences, and to the more stringent enforcement of the Section which deals with dangerous, reckless, or negligent driving. Reckless driving at a crossing would certainly prima facie justify proceedings under that Section; but the evidence of the constable, showing that the driving was reckless, is often contradicted by the evidence of the driver or occupants of the car; members of the public can give useful assistance by tendering themselves as witnesses on such an occasion.

asked the Home Secretary whether the new regulations with regard to dust and lead in potteries have been put in force according to his intention already expressed?

The efforts which have been made to settle by negotiation with the representatives of the employers and workers the objections which had been taken to the draft regulations, though generally successful, have failed in respect of one of the chief points at issue. It has therefore become necessary for me to direct an inquiry to be held under Section 81 of the Factory Act, and I hope this will take place in the course of next month.

asked the Home Secretary whether he proposes to impose upon the ratepayers of the West Riding the burden of providing, at a cost of £40,000, ecclesiastical fabrics in which to hold Divine service at the lunatic asylums of Menston; Storthes Hall, and Scalebor Park; and whether he is aware that Divine service is now acceptably conducted and numerously and reverently attended, every Sabbath, at the Menston Asylum, in a comfortable and commodious recreation hall; that these services are in turn conducted by Free Church, Anglican, and Roman Catholic ministers, and that stipends are paid to each of these distinctive denominational representatives by the West Riding Asylums Committee?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave on the 15th instant to a question on this subject by the hon. Member for the Barkston Ash Division. I am informed by the Commissioners in Lunacy that there is no reason why chapels for the three asylums in question should not be built at a total cost of about £14,000. As regards the latter part of the question Divine service is held every Sunday in the recreation hall at Menston Asylum; Church of England and Nonconformist ministers officiate in turn, but Roman Catholic services are not held in the hall. The proportion of patients attending the services is below the average in asylums generally. The Church of England, Nonconformist and Roman Catholic chaplains all receive salaries.

asked whether a church, at a cost of £15,000 to the ratepayers, was built for the Wakefield Lunatic Asylum, and whether the Anglican service alone has been conducted therein; whether Free Church and Roman Catholic services have to be held in other apartments belonging to that asylum; and whether the Anglican chaplain is the only one that receives any stipend?

A chapel was built for the Wakefield Asylum in the year 1859 at a cost of about £4,000, not £15,000. It was formerly the case that it was used for Church of England services only; but it is now used for Nonconformist services also. Roman Catholic services are held in one of the wards of the asylum, and a certain number of Roman Catholic patients attend the Wakefield Roman Catholic Church on Sundays. The Church of England, the Nonconformist, and the Roman Catholic chaplains all receive salaries.

asked the Home Secretary how many male persons have during the past three years been convicted of a second or subsequent offence under Section 2 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1885 and whether he can give any particulars of such convictions?

The calendars for 1909, 1910, and 1911 do not show any eases of the kind.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the gallantry of the boy William Carter, of 18, South Street. Isleworth, in rescuing from drowning a little girl who had fallen off the road into the Thames near the lock and weir, Richmond, on Sunday last; whether there are any institutions in connection with his Department who make public recognition of acts of bravery in civil life; and, if so, will he draw their attention to the matter?

My attention was not drawn to this case, but the police have made inquiry, and report that the rescue was a gallant one and they are bringing it to the notice of the Royal Humane Society. Neither this society nor any similar institution is officially connected with the Home Office.

asked the Home Secretary if he will state what is the cost per head per annum of the compulsory cadet training now carried out in Jersey?

I will make inquiry and inform the hon. Member.

asked the Home Secretary how many male persons during the past three years have been convicted of a second or subsequent offence under Section 1 of the Vagrancy Act, 1898?

The figures, so far as they can be ascertained, are: 1909, 32; 1910, 20; 1911, 31.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he has now received from the Government of India any communication on the subject of constructing a branch line from Salur, in the Vizagapatam district, up the Eastern Ghats to the plateau of Jeypore and Bustar; whether he is aware that Jeypore above Ghats with Bustar contains some 12,000 square miles of cultivable land with a rainfall of 60 inches per annum; that in some parts the population is not more than twenty per square mile, though the soil contains gold, iron, coal, and salwood forest, and that in the district there are numerous perennial rivers and waterfalls capable of developing electric energy; whether his attention has been called to the fact that in 1911 the Government of Madras expressed a favourable opinion of the branch line in question: whether the Secretary of State for India endorses this view of the Government of Madras; and, if so, whether, in view of the period, now over fifty years, that the Government of Madras has been anxious to develop the tracts in question, the crops grown in which are of material benefit in securing the coast districts from scarcity in times of famine, the immigration into Jeypore and Bustar which will follow the opening out of these countries, thereby relieving the congested districts of Vizagapatam, Ganjam, and Rajahmundry, and the backward state of civilisation and education of the inland deprived of contact with the progress of the coast districts, the Secretary of State for India will consider the advisability of giving substantial help towards the survey and construction of the branch line by a 3½ per cent, guarantee on subscribed capital, or some such assistance?

The Secretary of State has not received any recommendation or expression of opinion by the Government of India or the Government of Madras in regard to the construction of a railway between the places mentioned. Any request from responsible persons for reasonable financial assistance, such as that mentioned by the hon. Member, towards the construction in India of a line of railway of admitted utility always receives due consideration.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether until recently parish councils were able to put in and pay for hydrants that were, in the opinion of the council, necessary for efficient protection against fire; whether the Board will not now allow expenditure by the council for this purpose, and some parish councils have been surcharged; and whether he will state the exact position of a parish council in the matter?

Fire hydrants cannot lawfully be provided at the cost of the rates in a rural parish except where the rural district council have been invested with the powers of an urban authority in this matter under Section 66 of the Public Health Act, 1875. These powers can be conferred by an Order of the Local Government Board, made on the application of either the rural district council or the parish council, if there is one, and it is competent to any rural district council upon whom these powers have been conferred to delegate them to the parish council.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, since the Courts have held, in Ireland in the case of the Irish Provident Assurance Company and in England in the case of the Law Integrity Insurance Company, that certain so-called endowment policies are ultra vires the law and the articles of association, and that persons so insured are entitled to a refund in full, whether the Board of Trade will require this refund to be made without an action in each case; whether the Board have ascertained the number of such policies issued by each of those companies, the amount of liability on them, the ability and willingness of those responsible to discharge that liability; and whether the judicial decisions enable the Board to prevent the issue of such policies by these and other concerns?

The rights of policyholders can only be enforced by the Courts of Law, and the Board of Trade have no power to require a company to return premiums to its policy holders. The returns filed by the Irish Provident Assurance Company, Limited, and the Law Integrity Insurance Company, Limited, do not disclose the number of policies of the class referred to which have been issued by those companies, and the Board are not in a position to require particulars to be furnished. The decision in the case of the Law Integrity Insurance Company, Limited, will probably enable the Board to require a deposit to be made by companies issuing policies in the terms of the policies referred to in that case.

asked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to the representations which have been made by the corporation of Glasgow and many other rating authorities throughout Scotland in favour of the passing this Session of the Land Values (Scotland) Bill, introduced by the hon. Member for the Tradeston Division of Glasgow, and to the fact that that measure is based on the Bill of the same name which was introduced by the Government in 1907 and 1908, and passed through all its stages in this House in each of these years; and if he can now say whether the Government will give facilities for it in this House during the present Session?

I regret that facilities cannot be given this Session for this Bill.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if his attention has been called to the Board's Markets Reports, dated 9th October, 1912, stating the store markets for stock are quiet and slow and many stores were unsold; and if he could give the names of the markets where the stores are 10s. to £3 up in value since August?

:I have referred to the Market Reports for the two weeks ended on the 2nd and the 9th October respectively. In the week ended the 2nd October it was reported that "store cattle in forward condition are readily sold at high prices." The report for the week ended on the 9th October contained the statements to which the hon. Member refers, and I am informed that the slackness of the trade was in part, at any rate, due to the expectation that Irish stores would shortly be available. It was reported from Norwich that "one or two Irish dealers were taking orders for cattle to be delivered direct to the farms, and this tended to keep prices down." With regard to the second part of the question, the price of two-year-old shorthorn stores at the beginning of October showed a rise of 40s. since August at Norwich and Perth, and a rise of 20s. at York. The price of two and three-year-old shorthorns at Norwich and Perth was from £2 to £4 per head higher in September than the average of the three previous years. I am not in a position to give a complete list of the markets at which there has been a rise in the price of stores.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if ho will state how many inspectors, clerks, and other officials have been appointed by the Board during the last twelve months; how many of these passed any qualifying examination prior to their appointment; and what, in the absence of such examination, is the process by which such posts are sought and obtained?

The answer to the first two parts of the question is contained in the following statement. In the case of officers who did not pass Civil Service examinations prior to their appointment, the selection was made by myself from amongst the candidates who had applied for appointment:—

STATEMENT showing appointments to the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries during the twelve months from 17th October, 1911, to 16th October, 1912.
Grade of Officer.	Number Appointed.
Established Staff.
Assistant Secretary	1	Appointed under Clause VII. of Order in Council of 10th January, 1910, without examination.
Agricultural Commissioner for Wales	1
Superintending Inspectors	3
Inspector	1
Personal Clerk to President	1	A Second Division Clerk.
Second Division Clerks	13	All Second Division Clerks are appointed after examination by the Civil Service Commissioners.
Assistant Clerks	24	All Assistant Clerks are appointed after examination by the Civil Service Commissioners,
Women Typists	2	Appointed after limited competitive examination and temporary duty in the Department.
Non-established Staff.
Inspector	1	Appointed by the President on probation, but before these come on the permanent Establishment they have to pass a qualifying examination.
Assistant Veterinary Inspectors	4
Assistant Inspectors	6
Assistant Naturalists	2
Second Division Clerks	10	See above.
Emergency Officers for Temporary Duty
Inspectors	5	Appointed for foot-and-mouth disease work. Engagements now terminated.
Veterinary Inspectors	21
Commissionaires	9
Second Division Clerks	37	See above.

NOTE.—The statement does not include Boy Clerks or Messengers.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if his attention has been called to the suggestion that foot-and-mouth disease, poultry roup, and other diseases of domestic animals are carried by foxes; and whether he has any official information to this effect?

I am aware of the suggestion that foxes and other wild animals may carry infection from one place to another, but, so far as I can ascertain, no outbreak of disease has even been traced to this cause.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he can give any figures showing the number of outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in Germany in 1911, and how many animals died or were slaughtered on account of the disease?

The total number of fresh outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in Germany in 1911 cannot be given as the official statistics have not yet been issued. The number of animals that died or were slaughtered on account of the disease is not known. The following table shows the number of places (Gehofte) infected? with foot-and-mouth disease in Germany at the middle and end of each month in the year 1911:—

January	15	…	…	5,117
January	31	…	…	5,082
February	15	…	…	5,994
February	28	…	…	8,513
March	15	…	…	9,433
March	31	…	…	10,153
April	15	…	…	11,917
April	30	…	…	12,505
May	15	…	…	12,394
May	31	…	…	13,493
June	15	…	…	16,504
June	30	…	…	20,793
July	15	…	…	25,406
July	31	…	…	31,926
August	15	…	…	37,737
August	31	…	…	38,250
September	15	…	…	37,180
September	30	…	…	35,297
October	15	…	…	34,463
October	31	…	…	33,707
November	15	…	…	30,444
November	30	…	…	22,676
December	15	…	…	15,456
December	31	…	…	10,791

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether, on any occasion when the Irish Agricultural Department declared an exclusion of animals from Great Britain or England, the Law Officers of the Crown were consulted as to the legality of such Order under the Diseases of Animals Acts; whether the Acts confine exclusion to a prescribed area or place; what is the Section giving power to the Department, either in England or Ireland, to declare the sister island as a whole infected; whether, if such a declaration be false in fact, the Order is challengeable; whether the power to make Orders prohibiting the landing of cattle from any specific country outside the United Kingdom and prohibit the landing of such cattle, save under certain conditions, has -been extended to native cattle in either island, and, if so, by what Act; and whether Article 22 of the Foreign Animals Order, 1910, applies to British or Irish cattle?

I am unable to answer the first part of the question, which should be addressed to my right hon. Friend the Vice-President of the Irish Department. With regard to the remaining parts of the question, I would point out that the Board have not declared Ireland to be infected with foot-and-mouth disease, but have made Orders prohibiting and, subsequently, regulating the admission of Irish animals into Great Britain, and they have no reason to think that those Orders could be successfully challenged. Article 22 of the Foreign Animals Order, 1910, applied to all animals other than foreign animals, but its application to Irish cattle has to some extent been modified by the Orders referred to above.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer out of what fund is the compensation for cattle slaughtered in Ireland in consequence of the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease paid; what is the expenditure already incurred under this head up to the present date; and, if the Government of Ireland Bill becomes Law, out of what fund will such expenditure be met, and whether out of the pockets of the Irish taxpayers or otherwise?

Compensation is payable out of the Cattle Pleuro-Pneumonia Account of the Cattle Diseases Fund under the Diseases of Animals Act, 1894, and that fund consists partly of contributions from local rates and partly of monies provided by Parliament. When the Government of Ireland Bill becomes law, the existing system of providing compensation will continue unless and until the Irish Parliament think fit to alter it, subject, of course, to the modification that the Irish Parliament will as regards the provision of money be substituted for the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The amount of the expenditure already incurred under this head in connection with the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak is £15,847.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he will lay upon the Table of the House the Orders recently issued by his Department relating to foot-and-mouth disease, and the admission of Irish store cattle into Great Britain?

I have laid upon the Table of the House the Animals (Landing from Ireland) Amendment Order of 1912 (No. 12), dated 4th October, 1912, which I understand to be the Order to which the right hon. Gentleman refers, and I have arranged for copies to be circulated to Members with the Votes.

asked the Secretary for Scotland the educational expenditure on primary education in Scotland during the year 1911–12, distinguishing the Imperial Grant from that raised by school boards; and how the Scotch Imperial Grant is divided between primary and secondary education for the current financial year 1912–13?

In the absence of complete information in the case of a few school boards I am not able to state the exact amount of the expenditure by school boards on primary education in Scotland during the year 1911–12, but the sum of £2,782,000 may be regarded as a close approximation. This amount represents the net expenditure, i.e., the total expenditure less the income from fees. "With regard to the remainder of the question, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer which I gave on the 15th instant to the hon. Member for East Limerick.

asked the Secretary for Scotland, whether, under the superannuation scheme for teachers in Scotland, any years of service which a Scottish teacher may spend in England are deducted from the total years of service as computed for pension purposes, while on the other hand any years of service which an English teacher may spend in Scotland are included in the years of service as computed for pension under the corresponding English scheme; and, if so, whether any steps are being taken to secure equality as between the schemes in this respect?

Under Section 14 (5) (a) of the Education (Scotland) Act, 1908, the Scotch Education Department may pay retiring allowances only in respect of service as a teacher in Scotland. In the case of teachers who have given service in both Scotland and England, whether before or after the Act of 1908, pensions will be paid in respect of recorded service in Scotland from the Scottish Superannuation Fund in terms of that Act, while in respect of recorded service in England pensions will be paid by the English Board of Education under the j terms of the Elementary School Teachers | (Superannuation) Act, 1898, or any Amendment thereof.