asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether there is any and, if so, what approved society for governesses or persons in a similar position?

I am sending the hon. Member a list of approved societies, among which he will find several indicating by their names that they are specially designed for members of the teaching profession, and I believe most approved societies which admit women are willing to accept governesses and persons in a similar position.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether a person in receipt of a salary of £160 a year, and also drawing £1 interest on savings bank deposits, or £161 in all, is entitled to claim a certificate of exemption from the Insurance Commissioners; and, if not entitled to such exemption, will he be liable to pay Income Tax?

The question of insurance under the National Insurance Act in the case of persons employed otherwise than by way of manual labour depends, not on total income, but on rate of remuneration. Where a person employed in whole-time service is remunerated at a rate not exceeding £160 a year, the provisions of the Act apply irrespective of any income which he may derive from other sources. His liability to pay Income Tax does not affect, and is not affected by, his liability to be insured. Where, however, a person who is employed within the meaning of the Act proves that he is either: (a) in receipt of a pension or income of the annual value of £26 or upwards not dependent upon his personal exertions, or (b) ordinarily and mainly dependent for his livelihood upon some other person, he may claim a certificate of exemption, such certificate relieving him, but not his employer, of the payment of contributions.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland what sums of money were expended during the six years ended the 31st March, 1912, on the erection of vested schools that are wholly built at the public expense; what portion of this money was expended on vested schools under Roman Catholic management; and what portion on schools under Protestant management?

The total amount of the Grants sanctioned by the Commissioners of National Education during the six years ended the 31st March, 1912, towards the erection of vested schools under Roman Catholic management to be built wholly at the expense of the State was £10,035 13s. ld. The amount actually expended on these schoolhouses to the 31st March, 1912, was £5,465 1s. 10d. In no case has a Grant of the total cost of the erection of a school under Protestant management been sanctioned. Grants in excess of two-thirds of the estimated cost are sanctioned only in the case of schools in exceptionally poor localities where the Commissioners are satisfied that one-third of the cost of the building cannot be contributed locally, and a Grant of the total cost is sanctioned only in the poorest districts where even a small local contribution cannot reasonably be expected. Of the fourteen cases in which a Grant of the total cost has been sanctioned thirteen are in the poorest and most congested districts of the counties of Donegal, Mayo, and Kerry, and the fourteenth in an exceedingly poor district of the county Tyrone.

asked the Postmaster-General whether it is to be understood that forty-four is the total number of second-class engineers who, as the result of his reconsideration, are to be advanced to the class of assistant engineers?

As the result of a very full and searching inquiry into the claims of the second-class engineers to be advanced to the class of assistant engineers, I have been glad to find myself in a position to confer immediate advancement upon forty-four officers. I hope to be able to grant similar advancement to a limited number of other members of the second class as opportunities arise.

asked the Postmaster-General the cost to the Imperial Exchequer of the following Irish services in the years 1901, 1906, and 1911: In the Civil Services Estimates, in Class I., Surveys, Rates on Government Property, Public Works and Buildings, Railways, Other Services; in Class II., Department of Agriculture, etc., Congested Districts Board, Local Government Board, Public Works Office, Valuation, etc., Survey, Stationery and Printing, Other Services; in Class in., Law Charges, etc., Supreme Court, etc., County Court Officers, Dublin Metropolitan Police, Prisons, Reformatory and Industrial Schools, Other Services; in Class IV., Public Education, Science and Art (Universities and Colleges), Other Services; in Class VI., Superannuation, Other Services; and in Class VII., Sundry Services?

The particulars asked for are included in the following table, which sets out in detail the expenditure on Irish Services (other than reserved services) in the years 1901–2, 1906–7, and 1911–2, as far as possible in the form adopted in Appendix B to Command Paper 6154. The figures (which are partly estimated) are based on the Exchequer issues in the years ending 31st March, 1902, 31st March, 1907, and 31st March, 1912, respectively, but the classification is necessarily different in some cases from that adopted in the Parliamentary Papers 25(5 of 1902, 245 of 1907, and 190 of 1912:—

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War how many days' furlough in the year are allowed normally to privates and to non-commissioned officers, respectively, of the Royal Army Medical Corps; under what circumstances has such leave been curtailed this year and to what extent; whys it necessary that five signatures must be obtained to the pass even for only a day's leave; and can he simplify the procedure for obtaining leave and direct that in future adequate leave be granted to each man?

The grant of furloughs to soldiers of the Royal Army Medical Corps rests, as in the case of other branches of the Army, with the discretion of the commanding officer. Nothing is known at the War Office of any unusual curtailment during the present year, or of any necessity for obtaining five signatures in every case. Perhaps the hon. Gentleman could furnish me with the details of particular cases which he has in mind.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether, having regard to the great advantage of transparent lights showing the numbers of motor omnibuses and motors, which have been so very successful where they are used, he will now issue an Order making it compulsory upon all motors to carry transparent illuminators of all licence numbers?

The illumination of identification plates on motor cars by means of transparencies is permissible under the existing Order of the Local Government Beard, but I am not at present prepared to make their use compulsory to the exclusion of other methods of illumination.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture, if he can give the names of the local authorities who have issued Orders prohibiting the importation of Irish store cattle into their areas in England, Wales, and Scotland?

The local authorities for the following counties and boroughs have made regulations which, in effect, prohibit the movement of Irish store cattle into their respective districts:—

Similar regulations made by the local authorities for the counties of Forfar, Haddington, and Linlithgow, and the Burgh of Dunfermline, have been revoked.