asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been called to the fact that a large number of medical men on London panels are advertised as being available for patients at more places than one at one and the same time, whereas Regulation B (2) (a) of 5th December, 1912, requires that the lists of such panel doctors shall contain particulars of the days and hours at which they undertake to be in attendance at each place; and, if so, what action he proposes to take to ensure compliance with this condition?

I am informed by the London Insurance Committee that, with the exception of three misprints, which will be corrected in the revised edition of the list about to be published, the cases referred to in the hon. Member's question are cases in which the doctors concerned are either in partnership with other doctors on the panel or have engaged assistants. In these cases the particulars given include not only the hours at which these doctors can be seen personally, but also the consultation hours of their partners or assistants.

asked how many separate leaflets, circulars, or other papers have been issued by the Insurance Commissioners or the Treasury since the passing of the National Insurance Act, containing regulations or explanatory or other memoranda concerning the Act; and what has been the total cost of issuing them up to the present time?

As I have previously stated in reply to similar questions, the information asked for in the first part of the question would involve intricate calculations not necessary for any other purpose on the part of the Departments concerned with the production and distribution of the printed matter referred to. The total cost of the printing in connection with Part I. of the National Insurance Act up to the present time is approximately £140,000.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether 2,000 separate forms of circulars have been issued, to the number of 10,000,000 copies?

I cannot answer that without notice.

Cannot the right hon. Gentleman say how many separate circulars have been issued?

I cannot say. A large number of various circulars has been issued, some intended for all classes of persons and others limited to certain sections.

asked how many insurance committees have made adequate provision under the National Insurance Act for the treatment of sanatoria patients, how many have made partial provision, and how many have made no provision at all; and whether the Insurance Commission intends to withhold the whole or any portion of the allowance made to insurance committees who have failed in this duty or negligently performed it?

I am not aware of any insurance committees who have failed to make proper provision for the treatment of insured persons suffering from tuberculosis. A Return has been laid showing that up to the 30th April last, two months ago, over 19,000 persons had received sanatorium benefit, 10,239 of whom have been treated in sanatoria and other residential institutions.

asked whether the Secretary to the Treasury will expedite the giving of sanatorium institutional treatment to No. 895 A 0 52, of Society No. 214, who was granted three months' sanatorium treatment by the Lancashire Insurance Committee on 26th May, and was informed on 2nd June that he would be admitted to an institution as soon as there was a bed, and who in consequence got leave of absence from his firm for three months, of which two only are now left; and how many other cases within the jurisdiction of the Lancashire Insurance Committee are waiting for admission to a sanatorium for institutional treatment?

I am informed that the insured person referred to was recommended on the 2nd of this month for sanatorium treatment, and that he will be admitted to a sanatorium as soon as possible. The number of cases in the area awaiting removal to sanatoria is 105, who I assume are receiving domiciliary treatment.

What number on the list is this patient, and how long is he likely to be kept waiting?

I would have given the information with pleasure if I had been given notice.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he will inquire why Miss Selsey Allan Sawyer, No.2,842,029, an insured person, to whom four weeks' sick pay was due on the 9th June, has been unable to obtain payment of more than 15s. from the agent of the Prudential Society, H. Bell, of 47, Cambridge Street, Grantham, on the ground that he is short of money, although he obtained a receipt in advance from Miss Sawer for a full month's money; whether it is in accordance with the regulations to demand receipts in advance; and whether the agent being short of money is due to the withholding of grants by the Insurance Commissioners?

I have asked the society to make inquiries into this case as the hon. Member desires. The suggestion in the last part is in any event without foundation.

Has the right hon. Gentleman seen the correspondence, and can he trace any complaint whatever in the correspondence?

I have neither seen the correspondence nor do I know of any complaint that can be traced. I have not had notice of these matters.

Will the right hon. Gentleman take an opportunity to see the correspondence?

I will make inquiry.

asked whether the Secretary to the Treasury will say why the local medical committees formed for the boroughs of Poplar and Stepney who have applied for recognition under Section 62 in April last have not had any reply to their application; whether the district insurance committees are now transacting business without the presence of direct representatives of the medical profession in Poplar and Stepney; and whether, in view of the fact that the district committees have to draw up schemes. for allotment of patients, the Commissioners will ensure that the medical profession should be represented thereon?

The question of recognising a local medical committee for the whole county as well as local medical committees for the different Metropolitan boroughs is receiving the careful consideration of the Commissioners, but they are at present unable to recognise any local medical committee either for the whole county or for the different boroughs as properly representative of the doctors resident in the respective areas.

Are those district committees giving allotment to patients without any consultation with the medical representatives?

I cannot answer the question without notice.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if the rule of the National Amalgamated Approved Society empowering the committee of management to terminate the membership of any member guilty of wilful or material misstatement in his application for membership was sanctioned by the Insurance Commissioners; what facilities are afforded to persons dealt with under this rule for appeal against a decision of the committee; and if he will inquire into the circumstances in which the society referred to has refused an application for sickness benefit by an insured contributor named A. Wells?

The rules of the society, which were approved by the Commissioners, provide that the committee of management may expel a member on the ground not of wilful or material misstatement, but wilful and material misstatement. They further provide that such a member shall first have fourteen days' notice in writing, and shall have an opportunity of stating his case, either in writing or in person, as he may choose, and that he shall have an appeal to an arbitrator, and finally to the Commission. I am informed by the society that the person referred to was expelled, after due notice, on the ground that he had not disclosed on the form of application for membership the fact that he suffered from epileptic fits, that he has made no appeal against the decision, and that he was paid benefit from the end of February till the 2nd April, the last day in respect of which he sent any claim. If the hon. Member will inform me of any special circumstances which appear to make further inquiry desirable, I will see that it is made.

asked whether the Secretary to the Treasury will explain why Circular A.S. 73 says surplus maternity benefit money (unpaid to dependants, etc.) must be paid in cash when the mother leaves the hospital, while Circular A.S. 94 says that surplus sickness benefit money (unpaid to dependants, etc.) must not be paid in cash when the insured person leaves the hospital, having regard to the fact that the same Section 12 of the National Insurance Act and the same words govern both sickness and maternity benefit?

Neither sickness benefit nor maternity benefit can be paid to an insured person during residence in a hospital. The right to maternity benefit, however, accrues in respect of a single event, while the right to sickness benefit accrues in respect of periods of time. In view of this difference the Commissioners are advised that, any balance of maternity benefit, not otherwise disposed of, may properly be paid to the insured person after the woman leaves the hospital, while in the case of sickness benefit the right of a person in a hospital to receive any balances undisposed of necessarily lapses under the provisions of Section 12 of the Act at the expiration of the period in respect of which the benefit would have been payable.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether the Report of the Insurance Commissioners will be issued before the SecondReading of the National Insurance Act (1911) Amendment Bill?

I hope that copies of the Report will be available for hon. Members this week.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the representations made to him by approved societies and the medical profession, and in 'view of the fact that many Members of this House who have taken a special interest in health insurance would be excluded from any Standing Committee to which the Bill might be referred, he is now prepared to support the reference of this Bill to a Committee of the Whole House?

(Mr. Asquith): As at present advised I see no reason to depart from the intention of the Government to send the Bill to a Standing Committee.

Before the right hon. Gentleman comes to a final decision on this matter will he take into account the fact that this Act has had very special effect on a great many different constituencies, and that it is only fair that Members for those constituencies should have the opportunity of presenting the special reasons which affect their own constituencies?

There will be the discussion upstairs in Committee, and then on Report.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give us any guarantee that we shall have full and adequate time for discussion on the Report stage?

I am much too experienced a Parliamentarian to give any guarantee.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies has satisfied himself that the special meeting of delegates of the City of Glasgow Friendly Society, held on the 21st May last, for the consideration of complete amendments to the rules affecting the rights and financial interests of the members, was legally called; is he aware that the balance sheet of the City of Glasgow Friendly Society for the year ending December, 1912, shows that £50,485 ls. was collected from the members during the year, and that £25,511 15s. 7½d. has been expended in management, which means that upwards of 10s. of every £has been used for the management of the society; and will the Chief Registrar, in the interests of the members, take steps to see that this state of matters is remedied?

I am making inquiry into the matters to which the hon. Member refers, and I will inform him of the result.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his Department has been. making inquiries now for about a year?

I do not think that that is so in reference to this specific question, and am making imquiries now.

asked what particular condition in the Treasury letter of the 1st April, 1913, in reference to the Grant to the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society did that society require to be modified?

The society have, I understand, found difficulty in accepting the third condition in the form suggested by the Treasury. The matter is under consideration.

asked the number of Civil Service boy clerks who competed in, and the number declared successful as the result of, the assistant clerks' examination held on 20th April, 1913?

The numbers were 252 and 89, respectively.

asked if the Secretary of State for the Home Department will state when the Lunacy Commissioners inquired into the complaint regarding the treatment of Mrs. Haynes in Camberwell House, and the circumstances connected with her being certified as a lunatic; whether the inquiry included an interview with her husband, who alleges that his consent to her detention was obtained under false representations; and whether his attention has been drawn to a statement made by the secretary of Camberwell House that, so far as his knowledge goes, no such inquiry has ever been made?

The Lunacy Commissioners inform me that they made inquiries in July, 1910, after the discharge of Mrs. Haynes to her husband's care, and that they received a letter from Mr. Haynes saying that his wife had improved greatly, and making no complaint either as to the treatment of Mrs. Haynes in Camberwell House or as to the circumstances connected with her certification as a lunatic. More than a year later Mrs. Haynes called on the Lunacy Commissioners and made some general complaints with regard to what she alleged was her illegal detention in 1910. She subsequently asked to be supplied with copies of the detention documents in her case, which were given to her on 11th October, 1911. It was not until November, 1911, that any complaint was made by Mr. Haynes; but as Mr. Haynes had allowed more than a year to elapse without making any complaint, as he could have withdrawn his wife at any time from Camberwell House, as the papers in connection with the patient's reception were in order, and as it was quite incredible that Mr. Haynes did not know what he was doing when he signed the petition, the Commissioners considered it unnecessary to take any further action. The Commissioners cannot say whether the secretary of Camberwell House was aware of the inquiries they made of the superintendent or not.

asked if the Home Secretary's attention has been called to the case of John Bowler, who was recently convicted at Sheffield and sentenced to four months' hard labour for stealing 3d. from the tramway department of the Sheffield Corporation; and whether, in view of the previous good conduct of prisoner and the smallness of the amount stolen, he can recommend a reduction of the sentence?

I have made inquiry, and find that the prisoner was convicted of embezzlement on trial by jury. Three separate charges were proved of appropriating tram fares, and I see no reason for recommending any interference with the sentence passed on him. It is open to the prisoner to apply to the Court of Criminal Appeal for a reduction of sentence.

Will the right hon. Gentleman take into consideration the fact that the prisoner was convicted on the unsupported evidence of two young policemen who were on probation, and that the total amount of the embezzlement was only 3d.; and does not the right hon. Gentleman think that four months' hard labour is an atrocious sentence?

As to the first part of the question, that constitutes a material fact to bring before the Court of Appeal. As regards the second part, it is true that the amount was 3d., but it is obvious that as each case only amounted to one penny, and it was not necessary to go beyond the three cases, the mere fact that the amount was only 3d. does not enter into the merits of the case.

Does the right hon. Gentleman think that if it had been the case of a rich man instead of a poor one he would have got four months' hard labour?

Oh, yes; I am sure that if it had been a rich man who had embezzled his employer's money it is quite certain that he would have been similarly sentenced.

asked whether the Home Secretary can state the number of establishments in this country licensed for vivisection purposes or for research work involving experiments on living animals; how many persons are now in possession of licences and certificates authorising them to perform such experinients; how many dogs were employed for this purpose during 1912; what proportion this bears to the total number of animals so employed; and when the annual Return of vivisection experiments will be published?

The total number of registered places in Great Britain is 109. The number of persons holding licences is 568. Most of the holders of licences also hold one or more certificates. The total number of experiments performed during 1912 was 83,559. I cannot give the exact number of experiments on dogs–888 experiments were performed under the certificates which allow experiments on, dogs or cats, but the returns do not show how many were on either kind of animal. In addition to these, some of the 2,584 experiments performed under licence only, without certificate, may have been experiments on dogs. The annual Return is almost ready for publication, and will, I hope, be issued shortly.

asked if the Home Secretary's attention has been called to the case of a labourer killed near Washington, Sussex, in April by a foreign motorist; whether, notwithstanding a verdict of manslaughter, the accused escaped abroad; what precautions were taken to avoid his escape and who was responsible for their failure; and what steps the Government are taking with a view to bringing the accused to justice?

I have caused inquiry to be made into this matter. So far as I can judge, the facts ascertained by the police in connection with the accident in question were not of such a kind as would have justified them in arresting the motorist on a criminal charge before the conclusion of the inquest. As soon as the coroner's jury returned a verdict of manslaughter steps were immediately taken for the arrest of the accused, but he appears to have escaped from this country the same day. I am advised that neither the coroner nor the police can fairly be blamed for remissness in this affair.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this very foreign gentleman was the cause of the death of a woman about three weeks previously, though it is only fair to add that in that instance the verdict was "Death by misadventure."

I was not aware of the circumstances stated by the Noble Lord.

asked whether the attention of the First Lord of the Admiralty has been called to the fatal accident of a workman employed on the new dock works, Rosyth, as the result of a fall from the staging; whether the life-buoys were over 200 yards from the scene of the accident and covered with iron piping, preventing their use; and what action he proposes to take to have life-saving apparatus always at hand in case of similar accidents in the future?

My attention has been called to the fatal accident in question, and as the result of local inquiries, it has been ascertained that although a lifebuoy was hanging in its proper place 11 yards from the site of the accident, an old lifebuoy under some pipes 9 yards away was utilised instead. Lifebuoys are, and have been, maintained on the staging for a considerable time past.

asked whether the attention of the First Lord of the Admiralty has been called to the fact that the Government contractors at Redford Barracks now pay navvies and labourers a minimum wage of 6d. per hour; and if he can state how long the contract at Rosyth is?

I am informed that the Government contractors for Army works at Redford Barracks are now paying navvies and labourers a wage of 6d. per hour. The contract date for the final completion of works at present in hand at Rosyth is 31st May, 1917.

asked whether the First Lord of the Admiralty will consult with the War Office as to what is the proper rate of wages for navvies and labourers in the Forth district and induce the contractors for the Admiralty to refrain from continuing to be the lowest wage employers in the district?

I see no reason for consulting the War Office as proposed. The suggestion contained in the last part of the question, more than once made by my hon. Friend, is not in accordance with the facts. I may add that when my hon. Friend suggested on 24th March that as a result of a strike in the locality, 6d. per hour has now become the rate current in the district for competent workmen, I sought the advice of the Fair-Wages Advisory Committee as to the facts. I am now awaiting a further communication from them on the matter.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been drawn to an agreement signed between the trades unions and the Builders' and Contractors' Association, on 24th June, at Portsmouth, by which the wages of navvies and labourers are advanced a halfpenny per hour on and after 1st July, 1913; and whether his Department are taking any action to secure the observance of such agreement by the contractors employed in Portsmouth Dockyard in accordance with the Fair-Wage Resolution of the House of Commons?

I understand that an agreement has been arrived at as suggested in the first part of the question. Should the new conditions be applicable to the cases of the labourers engaged by contractors in the dockyard, and should any representations be made to me in the matter of compliance with the Fair-Wages Clause as an outcome of this agreement, I will have inquiry made.

Is it not the business of the Department to find out what are the wages in the localities and see that they are enforced in proper time?

The agreement which has been come to comes into operation to-morrow. I do not require to inquire, because the matter does not arise until to-morrow, and then I shall have to see whether it is applicable.

Are we to' understand from the observations of the right hon. Gentleman that the contractors in the dockyards are treated differently from contractors outside?

I will have to see whether they come under this agreement between the trade unions and the Builders and Contractors' Association.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that dissatisfaction exists in the Royal yards with regard to the probationary system introduced on the 1st June last with regard to the employment of skilled labourers; that the probationary period is regarded as opening the door to the employment of ordinary labourers for skilled work without extra remuneration; and whether he is in a position to make any statement on the subject?

Under the concessions to workmen which came into operation on the first day of this month, it was decided to retain the rate of 23s. a week for skilled labourers as a probationary rate, all men who had at that time been a, year or more on the rate being moved up to 24s., with a possibility of rising to a maximum of 28s., and a special rate maximum of 31s. The only statement I can make about the recent concession to the skilled labourers is that, as it stands, it is estimated to cost £19,000 a year.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give any precedent for paying skilled men at the same rate as unskilled men?

The hon. Gentleman had better give notice of that question.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been drawn to the rates of pay received by storehousemen employed in the works department of the Royal dockyards; whether he is aware that these men have heavy responsibilities and important duties to perform, and that special qualifications are required from them, that assistants are often required to take the position of seniors, and that while the assistant have a superior rating they are not able to reach the maximum pay of skilled labourers, while their average rate of pay is very little in advance of a skilled labourer's wage; and whether he can see his way, in view of the rise in the cost of living, to make some addition to the weekly emoluments of storehousemen as a whole?

The question of the assistant storehousemen in the various Departments is under consideration, but I cannot give any undertaking in the matter.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty on what date it is proposed to put down the Vote for his Department dealing with works and buildings?

Questions affecting the business of the House should be addressed to the Prime Minister, but I would observe that the House has already had some two and a half days' general discussion on Navy Votes, when my hon. Friend might have raised any points in Vote 10 to which he desired to draw attention. A further opportunity, may perhaps be afforded when the Consolidated Fund Bill, including Vote 10, is taken.

May I point out that while it is true that I had the opportunity referred to the officials of the House took care that I did not get the chance to use it?

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that Engineer Commander Moore, of Submarine E 5, left a mother in receipt of a small pension as a widow of a naval officer and a sister in receipt of a small allowance from the Admiralty, in the service of which she lost her health; that mother and sister were helped by the late engineer commander, who lost his life in the explosion on the submarine; that, though Miss Moore does not fulfil all the requirements of Article 2005 (a), her position is wholly exceptional and deserving of sympathetic treatment; and whether the Government can make her any grant under these circumstances?

Mrs. Moore has a pension from the Admiralty of £90 a year, and Miss Moore an annual allowance of £16. The question of an additional grant to Miss Moore or Mrs. Moore is receiving attention.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether an automatic fire-control system invented by a Mr. Pollen was in whole or part used by His Majesty's ship "Orion" at her recent battle practice; whether the good firing results obtained by that ship are attributable to the use of this system; whether it is intended to adopt the Pollen system or any other fire-control system in the British Navy; whether the Admiralty has co-operated with Mr. Pollen in the development of his system; and whether it is proposed to take any steps to prevent it being acquired by other nations?

I am informed that some portions of Mr. Pollen's apparatus were used, but they were not used in accordance with the Pollen system. The good shooting was not attributable either to the Pollen apparatus or to any employment of the Pollen sytem. It is not intended to adopt the Pollen system, but to rely on a more satisfactory one which has been developed by Service experts. In reply to the last part of the question, the Admiralty has given Mr. Pollen considerable assistance in the hope of obtaining a valuable system of fire control for the Navy. The results obtained with his system and the principles underlying it are such that it is not proposed to take any steps to prevent him making public use of all its essential features. This he can do without divulging official secrets connected with the Service system, and he will of course be precluded from disclosing Service secrets of which his connection with the Admiralty has given him knowledge, or from any infringement of the Official Secrets Act, which I have every confidence will, be respected. I should like to add by way of caution, that all these questions connected with fire control are of a highly technical character, and their discussion in the newspapers could not lead to any intelligible conclusion or be attended by any public advantage. So far as the relations between the Admiralty and Mr. Pollen are concerned, I shall be quite prepared on a suitable occasion if desired, to explain them fully to the House. So far as the technical aspects are concerned, I must decline on behalf of the Admiralty to take any part in their public discussion. I can only say that in coming to the decisions which I have stated to the House, and for which I accept full responsibility, I have been guided by the representations of my naval colleagues and the advice of the experts on whom the Admiralty must rely.

Is it not the fact that the First Lord himself invited the owners of this Pollen patent to negotiate with the Admiralty, and the sale not having been carried out are they not entitled to sell it to the best advantage?

I think if the hon. Gentleman will study the effect of my answer, he will see it covers very largely the point raised by his question.

asked if under the present Navy Regulations lads are liable to be flogged; if so, what are the offences for which this punishment may be given and by whom may it be ordered; and what were the number of cases in which this punishment was inflicted in 1912?

No, Sir. Flogging has been suspended as a punishment in the Navy for over thirty years.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the Admiralty have decided that the crew of the ship attached to the Portsmouth dockyard and employed on out-port work are to be relieved every two years; and, if so, will he undertake that the same privilege be given to the sister ship "Recovery" attached to the Devonport yard?

The Portsmouth Yard officers have made arrangements for relieving the crew of "Resource" (the vessel to which I presume the hon. Member refers) after two years' service in the vessel at an outport. It is being considered whether similar arrangements can be made in the case of "Recovery," but, as I stated in reply to the hon. Member on 29th May, the whole question of the hours, wages, and conditions of the Yard Craft Service generally is at present under the consideration of an Admiralty Committee.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty what steps, if any, have been taken to inform the warrant officers and men of the Navy about the change of conditions under which the rum ration will be issued as from 1st July; and what system the accounting officers of His Majesty's ships are to adopt to ascertain the wishes of the men, or if there is only to be an automatic change in the lettering on the ledgers?

The revised regulations have been promulgated to the Fleet by Circular Letter, a copy of which I have sent to my hon. Friend. From to-morrow men who desire to draw the spirit ration in kind must signify their wishes to the accountant officer or his representative, otherwise they will be credited automatically with the money allowance in lieu. I cannot give details of the exact procedure on board ship which will be followed in giving effect to the new arrangement, as this must be left to the discretion of the officers in command; but I would remind my hon. Friend that it is the intention of the Admiralty to watch closely the effect of the change of conditions, and with this object reports will be called for from the Fleet in six months' time.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty if he will state to whom the replies to annual petitions are to be sent, and when they may be expected?

As my hon. Friend is aware, the petitions as regards wages generally were dealt with in Admiralty order of 9th May, and the increases then announced came into operation on the first of this month. As regards the many other matters placed before me at the annual hearing of petitions, the branches of the office concerned with these are now at work upon them, and I hope that replies covering all outstanding points may be issued before the close of next month.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the public announcement of the representatives of the Government of South Africa and of the Ostrich Farmers' Association that the Plumage Bill is strongly favoured by the ostrich farmers of South Africa, he will now state whether the Committee of the Cabinet has come to any decision on the subject?

:The matter is still under consideration. Looking to the time of the Session, I am afraid it is doubtful whether legislation can be undertaken this year.

had given notice of the following: To ask the Prime Minister whether it is the intention of the Government to introduce legislation exempting all persons not liable to Income Tax from Increment Duty?

If the hon. Gentleman asks the question of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to-morrow he will get a full answer.

asked the Prime Minister if he will consider as to extending to the English Civil Service and also to Ministers of the Crown the regulation of the Colonial Service which prohibits all salaried public officers, whether or not their whole time is at the disposal of the Government, from speculating in the shares of or being connected with any company, occupation, or undertaking which might bring their private interests into real or apparent conflict with their public duties, or in any way influence them in the discharge of their duties?

:I see no reason to define more exactly the general rules which govern such matters and which are well known to all who serve under the Crown.

May I ask why it has been necessary to make those regulations with regard to officers serving under the Colonial Office?

They have been in existence for a great many years. I do not know exactly the circumstances under which they came into existence.

asked the Prime Minister if he will say when it is proposed to take the Second Reading of the Industrial and Provident Societies (Amendment) Bill; and whether it is intended to carry this measure into law during the present Session of Parliament?

I hope it may be possible to make progress with this measure, but I am afraid I cannot at present name a date for its consideration.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will now reconsider the Vote of Censure passed upon Lord Milner in 1906?

The Resolution to which the hon. Member appears to refer refrained from passing censure upon individuals.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will inquire further into the question of the repair of damaged aeroplanes; and will he forbid the use of those which have met with serious accidents and have been repaired, but which are only almost as good as new and may have undiscovered flaws in them?

All important repairs are passed by the Admiralty inspectors before the machine is taken over by the flying officer. These inspectors are practical flying officers, who are in close touch with all air work. The suggestion that machines are used which are unsafe is without foundation.

Does the right hon. Gentlemen appreciate the anxiety felt in using machines which have been once broken?

We all appreciate that, and the hon. Gentleman may be quite sure the matter receives attention.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the complaints of inefficiency of the telephone service in Nottingham since the Government took over the management; that it is of very common occurrence that no answer at all can be received over the wires; that charges of inattention at the central exchange are not uncommon; that it cannot be presumed from the fact that he has received no complaints from anyone other than the Member for East Nottingham that considerable dissatisfaction does not exist; that the normal time for receiving an answer has largely increased under Government management; that cases are not unknown in which it has taken an hour to get through to Leicester, which never happened in the company's time; that no rebate is allowed by the Government for periods in which subscribers are without service; and whether he will state what is the result of the inquiries he made on the Motion of the Member for East Nottingham?

Few complaints of inefficiency of the telephone service at Nottingham have reached me, and the special inquiry which I have made on the spot does not confirm the allegations in the question. Local calls are answered in less than five seconds on the average, and the returns show that it is not the case that the normal time of answering has increased under Government management. Calls to Leicester are usually effected within from fifteen to seventeen minutes. Three additional lines between Nottingham and Leicester are now being constructed, but, owing to great pressure of work in the Leicester engineering section, they will not be completed before the end of the year. Rebate of rental is being allowed to those subscribers whose service was interrupted for a considerable period after the severe snowstorm in January. The failure of the telephone call for the fire brigade on the occasion of the fire at Messrs. Jacoby's factory appears, I am sorry to say, to have been due to inattention on the part of a night operator, who has been suitably punished. Special measures have been taken to guard against a similar occurrence.

asked the Postmaster-General if the same operators are employed under the Government service as were employed under the National Telephone Company and under the same conditions; if he is aware that the present service in the House of Commons is not as efficient as it used to be, the delay in answering customers being infinitely longer; and if he can hold out any hope that within a reasonable time some improvement in the present public telephone service will be effected?

The whole operating staff of the National Telephone Company has been transferred to the service of the Post Office, but under improved conditions as regards pay, annual leave, and medical attendance. The telephonists, both male and female, in charge of the Private Branch Exchange in the House of Commons have been for some years on this duty, except that the night operating staff has lately been increased. Notwithstanding that the volume of traffic has increased lately, both the average time of answering and the percentage of effective calls have improved during the last twelve months.

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider the fact that, beyond extremely civil answers, which we always get from his Department, I personally have received no assistance except the alteration of my numbers? We receive very civil answers, but we get no further attention.

I can assure the right hon. Gentleman that my officers and myself are continually engaged in devising improvements in the telephone service, and very considerable improvements have been effected during the last twelve months. We are making a very large expenditure indeed this year—some millions of pounds—in providing further facilities, including new exchanges.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will give a list of the offices throughout the country in which inquiries are now being made by the telephone administrators with a view to having the telephone work done by male sorting clerks and telegraphists performed by women; whether he is aware that the proposals are the result of an order issued by two of the headquarter staff; whether, in consequence, the hours of attendance of the male sorting clerks and telegraphists at many small offices will be aversely affected; and whether he will give a definite instruction that no worsening of the duties now in existence is to be made consequent upon the substitution of females for males?

As I stated in reply to an analogous question asked by the hon. Member on the 19th instant, I am not aware of any inquiries tending in the direction stated, and in this case, also, I would suggest that he should send me a copy of the instruction which he has in mind.

asked the Postmaster-General if it is his intention to reduce at some future date the fee for telephoning between Manchester and Stockport; if he is unable to reduce the fee at the present time because by doing so he would create such an increase in traffic as to cause the present service, which is admittedly not so rapid as it should be, to become still more unsatisfactory; and whether he can state how long it will take his Department to make the service sufficient to carry the traffic at the present threepenny rate, and what further time it will require to make it sufficient to carry the increase anticipated at the twopenny rate?

I hope to be able to reduce the charge for calls between Manchester and Stockport when the construction of a new underground cable between those places as well as of a new telephone exchange at Stockport is completed. This work will occupy, I fear, fully a year. In the meanwhile, however, other circuits have recently been completed and more are being constructed, which should materially improve the service at the existing rate.

Has not this connection between Manchester and Stockport been in the hands of the Post Office for a considerable number of years?

Yes.

Cannot the right hon. Gentleman get it done in less than a year?

It is being pressed forward, but the mass of work in the engineering department of the Post Office is so great that I could not give any pledge.

asked the Postmaster-General if he can give any reason for the delay in telephone communication between Edgware, Stanmore, Bushey Heath, Watford, and London; is he satisfied with the existing telephone facilities between these places and London; and can he account for the usual delay of forty minutes on a Saturday to cover a distance of fourteen miles?

The delay, which I much regret, is due to extreme pressure of telephonic business on the London-Watford route. A new underground cable which will enable additional circuits to be provided between London and the exchanges mentioned is now being laid, but unfortunately the work has been retarded by a wayleave difficulty. I hope, however, that the cable will be completed in about a month or six weeks.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Official Receiver dealing with the assets of the Birkbeck Bank has declared the final dividend; and, if so, will he state the total sum lost to the depositors through the failure of the bank and the number of depositors affected by such loss?

The final dividend in the liquidation of the Birkbeck Bank has not yet been declared, as it depends on the result of certain legal proceedings which are now pending a decision of the House of Lords. The number of depositors affected by the failure of the bank is 73,000, but the total sum lost cannot yet be ascertained.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the British ships which leave San Thomé each month for the ports of the Congo and Angola are, or can be, registered for carrying labourers?

Possibly my hon. Friend refers to the conveyance of labourers on deck. British passenger steamers are sometimes allowed to carry deck passengers between ports abroad, but so far as the Board of Trade are aware no such permission has been granted as regards vessels running between the ports named. If my hon. Friend will give me particulars of any case he has in mind I will inquire into it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his Department will receive complaints from traders of any of the increases of rates on goods traffic of which the principal railway companies recently gave general notices; and, if so, whether he will state in what form such complaints are required to be submitted and what arrangements the Board of Trade propose to make for dealing with and hearing such complaints?

By Section 1 (3) of the Railway and Canal Traffic Act, 1894, any complaint under the Act must first be made to and considered by the Board of Trade. No special form is prescribed for such complaints; they are dealt with under Section 31 of the Railway and Canal Traffic Act, 1888, which empowers the Board to endeavour to settle amicably the differences between the complainant and the railway companies.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether, having regard to the consequences which ensued upon the authorisation by the Board of Trade of the form of notice which enabled the railway companies to give general notice of their intention to alter their rates on 1st January, 1893, and the general and indefinite character of the notices recently issued by the principal railway companies of their intention to increase rates on goods traffic as from 1st July next, the Board of Trade will require them to abstain from giving any effect to those notices, and to give further public notices specifying any particular rates which such railway companies may intend to increase, and the exact amount of the increases proposed to be made therein; and (2) whether the Order made by the Board of Trade on the 25th January, 1889, under Section 33 (6) of the Railway and Canal Traffic Act, 1888, respecting notice of intended increases of railway rates on goods traffic is still in force; and, if so, whether he is aware that the general notices recently given by the principal railway companies of general increases of rates which they intend to make on the 1st July next are not in accordance with the terms and provisions of that Order?

The Order of 25th January, 1889, is still in force; and notices of increased rates must be given in conformity with that Order. It is not for the Board of Trade, but for the Railway and Canal Commissioners to decide whether the Act and Order have been properly complied with.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in regard to the notices recently given by the principal railway companies of their intention to increase their rates on goods traffic as from 1st July next, subject to the statutory maxima, he is aware that in many cases it is difficult for agriculturists and traders to ascertain the maxima chargeable by railway companies, and that the form of the notices leaves such persons in doubt as to the extent to which their traffic may be affected by the carrying out of the railway companies' intentions; and whether he will take steps with the object of ascertaining and causing to be published precise lists of the rates which the railway companies intend to increase and the amounts of the increases which they propose to make in them?

There are no doubt some cases in which the existing rate is not sufficiently below the maximum to allow of the full increase of which general notice has been given, but I understand that it is not now proposed to make any increase in the class rates between places in England, and it is only in the case of class rates that this difficulty is likely to arise. The new rates should appear in the rate-books immediately.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, considering the fact that the number of masters and mates of foreign nationality employed in British-registered trading vessels is decreasing so slowly, only from 472 in 1906 to 397 in 1911, he will now, having regard to the difficulties that might arise in time of war, reconsider the question of bringing in legislation to prevent alien officers in future from acquiring certificates of competency under the British flag?

The position does not appear to me to indicate the necessity for legislation. I may point out that the number of masters of trading ships registered in the British Isles who are not British subjects number eighty-seven out of 7,995, or only 1.1 per cent.

asked the Home Secretary if, in view of the fact that the Act of Parliament regulating the rate of interest chargeable by pawnbrokers provides that such interest shall not exceed 25 per cent per annum, his attention has been called to figures showing that in the majority of cases of loans to the working classes the interest varies from 500 per cent. to 1,000 per cent. per annum; and that on an average the interest works out at over 200 per cent, per annum; and whether he will appoint a Select Committee of Inquiry or cause investigations to be made into the working of the Pawnbroking Act?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. My attention had not been previously called to the matter, and the records of my Department contain no information with regard to it. My hon. Friend has sent me an extract from a newspaper, from which the figures in the question are apparently taken, but I should be glad if he could furnish me with the evidence on which the article is based

asked the Postmaster-General, whether he is aware that the people of Gurteen, Ballinasloe, county Galway, suffer loss and inconvenience in consequence of their letters not being sent direct from the Ballymacward post office to the Gurteen post office, so that they would arrive at 7.30 a.m. instead of 9.15 a.m., as now, which makes it impossible for replies to be sent by the morning mail to Dublin; whether this delay is caused by the Duke de Stackpoole's letters being sent through Ballymacward instead of Glentane, Ballymacward being eleven miles from the duke's residence while Glentane is only three; and will he direct that a rearrangement of the postal service in this district should be made?

I am having inquiry made in the matter, and I will communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will state the number of promotions of assistant clerks to the class next above them in those departrnents of the Post Office where no second division clerks are employed during the last seven years, and the departments in which the promoted men had served as assistant clerks?

The figures are: Secretary's office, 2; Stores Department, 10 (including 5 officers who have not yet obtained the necessary Civil Service certificates). In each case the officer concerned was promoted in his own department. Two assistant clerks in the Engineer-in-Chief's office, and four in the Superintending Engineers' offices, have been offered promotion to third class clerkships in the Superintending Engineers' offices, but have declined or up to the present have not accepted promotion.

asked the Postmaster-General why the Enniskillen Post Office has been reduced in classification; if he is aware that, according to the latest Board of Trade Return, Enniskillen is the fourth dearest town in Ireland with respect to food and coal, that rents in Enniskillen are abnormally high, and that the Secretary to the Post Office stated before the present Parliamentary Committee that the scales of pay are based upon the units of work and cost of living; whether he is aware that the work disposed of at the Enniskillen Post Office has increased since 1908, and new duties involving additional responsibility have been thrown upon the staff; whether, seeing that the postmaster's salary has been increased within recent years from £220 to £270 annually owing to the increase of work at Enniskillen, he will explain why the scales arranged for the indoor officials under him are less than they were twenty years ago; and whether he will have full inquiry made into all the matters complained of, with a view to reclassification of the office if the complaints are well founded?

The reduction in classification at Enniskillen was made five years ago on principles settled after an inquiry by a Select Committee or Parliament. The increase in work which has since taken place at Enniskillen has not been sufficient to warrant a higher classification on the basis then approved, but, as the hon. Member is no doubt aware, the whole question of scales of pay for Post Office servants is now under the consideration of another Select Committee.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the demand notes for a voluntary rate of 8d. in the pound now being sent out by the collector of rates from the overseers' office of the township of Ashton-in-Makerfield; whether he is aware that demand notes so sent out are calculated to mislead ratepayers to believe that the amounts demanded therein have been officially levied; and whether he will take immediate action to have the demand notes issued at Ashton-in-Makerfield withdrawn and the amounts already collected returned to the ratepayers?