asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether a Royal Engineer telegraphist's service in the Post Office is, when he continues service therein after leaving the corps, treated, up to the point of ultimate retirement, as though it were service in a public office; whether military pensions in respect of such service are held in abeyance throughout the successional service; and, if so, whether he will now take such steps as may be necessary to discontinue such military pensions in retirement also, and to authorise the reckoning of the service as though it had been solely rendered in a public office throughout?

For purposes of starting pay, seniority and annual leave, Colour service rendered on Post Office duties by telegraphists attached to "K" Telegraph Company of the Royal Engineers is on their appointment to civil posts in the Post Office treated as though it had been service in the Post Office. Any military pension in respect of such service is held in abeyance during Post Office service following Colour service. I have no power to adopt the suggestion contained in the latter part of the question.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether it was found, on launching the "Burma," that the stability of the vessel was unsatisfactory without ballast; whether any protest was received from any person or officer responsible for the supervision or cognisance of the building of the "Burma." against the placing on board of this ballast until the responsibility for the necessity of such ballast and the price of the ballast had been fixed; whether correspondence took place with the builders or with any other persons in connection therewith; whether the cost of such ballast was £5 6s. per ton; will he state what the usual cost of such ballast is; the name or names of the officer or officers who assisted the Admiral-Superintendent of the Clyde district in connection with the building of the "Burma"; whether Captain Wonham at any time protested against the weight of cables and anchors; whether it had been decided by the Admiralty in January, 1909, to invite tenders for the construction of a new oil tank steamer and for letters to go out immediately; if so, why the order was not provisionally placed until 8th April, 1910; whether in April and May, 1909, the Admiralty were desirous of the oil tank steamer being completed as quickly as possible, and for that purpose instructed Captain Wonham to return the statement of requirements for the proposed steamer at the earliest possible moment; whether negotiations proceeded towards the end of 1908 and commencement of 1909 between Captain Wonham and the Director of Stores with a view to the offer to the Admiralty of an oil tank steamer with a view to purchase; whether specifications for such a steamer were handed by Captain Wonham into the Admiralty for the Director of Stores in or about March, 1909;and whether Captain Wonham's letter of 15th March, 1909, to the Director of Stores was received?

I have no information as to the stability of the "Burma" on launching, and no such protest as that referred to in the second part of the question was received. Certain communications passed between the Admiralty and the builders in connection with the fitting of the ballast, the price of which was £5 5s. a ton, this being considered a fair and reasonable price. Captain Wonham was appointed on the staff of the Admiral-Superintendent of the Clyde district for duties in connection with the "Burma," and though no criticism of the weight of the anchors and cable was received when he returned the statement of requirements which had been sent to him for any remarks or observations, he did subsequently point out that they largely exceeded Lloyd's requirements. The Admiralty had decided, in January, 1909, to invite tenders for the construction of a new oil tank steamer, but it had not been decided that letters were to go out immediately. The statement of requirements was sent to Captain Wonham in May, 1909, with a request that he should return it at the earliest possible moment. With regard to the three last paragraphs of the question, certain communications passed between Captain Wonham and the Director of Stores on the subject of an oil tank vessel. I further understand that certain specifications were brought to the Admiralty by Captain Wonham, in March, 1909, but no use was made of them, nor is there now any trace of them at the Admiralty. A letter, dated 15th March, 1909, was received from Captain Wonham by the Director of Stores.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is aware that the Army Ordnance foremen employed at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, had an increase of 1s. per week granted them in January of this year, and that up to the present the Naval Ordnance foremen have not yet received this increase, although on all previous occasions this has been paid them, the duties being identical; and, if so, whether he proposes to take any action in. the matter?

The matter is now receiving consideration.

asked the Secretary for War if he will state the average annual increase of salary received by each officer who has entered his Department by means, of the first division examination since 1st January, 1903?

The particulars are as follow:—

Date of Entry.					Average Annual Increase, including Temporary Allowances.
					£
1	…	…	…	…	27
2	…	…	…	…	27
3	…	…	…	…	27
4	…	…	…	…	15
5	…	…	…	…	32
6	…	…	…	…	28
7	…	…	…	…	38
8	…	…	…	…	33
9	…	…	…	…	33
10	…	…	…	…	15
11	…	…	…	…	29
12	…	…	…	…	52
13	…	…	…	…	39
14	…	…	…	…	50
15	…	…	…	…	75
16	…	…	…	…	80
17	…	…	…	…	150

Four clerks did not serve, or have not served, one year, and are excluded from the above figures. With effect from October, 1912, the initial salary was raised from £150 to £200.

asked the Secretary for War if he will state the total number of minor staff officers and second division clerks who have been on the permanent establishment of his Department at anytime since 1st January, 1903; the number of such officers who have been promoted to the first division, as recruited from the first division examination; and the immediate increase or decrease of salary involved in each of such cases of promotion, together with the length of service at the time of promotion?

Forty-seven minor staff clerks and 250 second division clerks, past and present, have been on the establishment for the period stated. None have been promoted to the higher division.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether the Medical Referee appointed by the County Court judge in the cases of R. Box and H. Hawkins, recently employed at Portsmouth, and who are claiming compensation for accidents, has reported upon them; and, if so, whether he will state the nature of the report?

In the case of R. Box the medical referee has confirmed the certificate of the certifying surgeon that the man is suffering from lead poisoning and the man's claim to compensation will be submitted to the Treasury. In the case of H. Hawkins the appeal against the certifying surgeon's certificate has been allowed by the referee.

asked the Home Secretary the results of a census recently taken of the religious creeds professed by the inmates of His Majesty's prisons in England, Wales, and Scotland?

The result of a recent census of the religious persuasion of inmates of His Majesty's prisons in England and Wales are as follows:—

	As stated by Prisoner on Reception.	As ascertained by personal Inquiry.
Church of England	13,891	12,957
Roman Catholic	3,278	3,522
Wesleyans	442	669
Baptists	96	209
Presbyterians	93	193
Methodists	87	191
Congregationaliats	41	99
Lutherans	15	32
Unitarians	11	18
Other Christian bodies	18	53
Jews	133	169
Other religious persuasions	11	12
No Religion (e.g., Agnostics, Atheists, Freethinkers, etc.	109	101
	18,225	18,225

asked the Secretary for Scotland what was the amount of the Education (Scotland) Fund paid to each county and burgh committee in Scotland for the year 1912–13; how much would each of these county and burgh committees have received if the amount available had been divided according to the original formula of the Scottish Education Department; how much would each of these county and burgh committees have received if the amount available had been divided according to the scheme in force in 1911–12; what sums were taken from certain counties and burghs; what sums were added to other counties and burghs under Section 1 of the minute of the Scottish Education Department of 10th June, 1912; and what was the rate of division under Section 17 (11) of the said minute in all counties and burghs?

To give in full the information asked for, which is largely of hypothetical interest, would involve great labour and elaborate calculations on the part of officers of the Scotch Education Department, and I do not think the value of the information would be equivalent to the labour involved.

asked the Secretary for Scotland what was the quantity and value of cod landed at harbours in the Moray Firth from 1st January to 30th April of the present year; and what number of boats were engaged in the fishing?

During the period from 1st January to 30th April of the present year, 71,746 cwts. of cod, valued at £31,623, were landed at Moray Firth harbours, of which 16,026 cwts., valued at £5,744, were caught by lines, and the remainder, 55,720 cwts., valued at £25,879, by nets. Twenty-seven steam, two motor, and 249 sailing boats were engaged in the net fishing, and 377 sailing boats in the line fishing.

asked the Secretary for Foreign Affairs in how many States of the United States of America there is Women Suffrage; and which are they?

The following States have Women Suffrage: Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, California, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Kansas, and Illinois. Women Suffrage on school questions exists in various forms in thirty-one States. Tax-paying women may vote on taxation questions in Montana, Louisiana, and Michigan. In Illinois women may also vote for State or municipal officers except Members of Legislature.

asked the President of the Local Government Board the ingredients, and their proportions, of which the sample called "malted tea" submitted to his Department has been found to consist; if the substance is unfit for human food; whether he will prevent its preparation in this country and sale as. such; and, if the preparation and sale are to be allowed, whether he will require the ingredients of which it consists to be declared on the cover of each packet?

The sample in question was found to consist approximately of 90 per cent. tea and 10 per cent. malt. There is no evidence that the mixture is unfit or human food, and the nature of the mixture was clearly indicated on the package in which it was contained.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that in the United States vaccination is invariably only enforced at school age; and whether, in view of the absence of any special small-pox incidence amongst the child population there, he will consider the advisability of extending the age for compulsory primary vaccination in this country from six months to five years?

There appears to be no general law as to vaccination for the whole of the United States of America, each State having its own legislation. Statistics as to age incidence of small- pox deaths can only be given for the special "registration area" in the United States of America, in which, in the years 1908–10, the proportion of deaths from small-pox at ages under five to deaths from this disease at all ages varied between 25.4 and 31.5 per cent. As regards the last point, the imperfect data available do not in themselves indicate the desirability of any change in the age of compulsory vaccination.

asked the Postmaster-General the average annual increase of received by each officer who has entered his Department by means of the first division examination since 1st January, 1903?

The average annual increases, including allowances, are as follows:—

		£			£			£
1	…	15	13	…	17	25	…	73*
2	…	47	14	…	47	26	…	15
3	…	53	15	…	15	27	…	23*
4	…	15	16	…	37	28	…	23*
5	…	57	17	…	15	29	…	23*
6	…	57	18	…	15	30	…	35*
7	…	15	19	…	15	31	…	Nil
8	…	15	20	…	18*	32	…	70*
9	…	15	21	…	15	33	…	50*
10	…	17	22	…	15	34	…	70*
11	…	41	23	…	18	35	…	70*
12	…	67	24	…	15	36	…	Nil
* The rate of increase in these cases is affected by a recent addition of £50 to the minimum of the scale for second class clerks (higher division), secretary's office.

Officers who have not yet served one in the Post Office, or who are no longer in the service of the Department, have not been inserted in the list.