asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware of the mischief and danger caused to compulsorily insured contributors through the Medical Benefit Regulations of 10th Janu- ary, 1914, Section 44 (2), which allows members to contract out with unqualified persons; and if he will take steps to advise the withdrawal of this Regulation?

The hon. Member is under a misapprehension. The Act has always conferred on insurance committees the power to allow insured persons to make their own arrangements with persons other than duly qualified medical practitioners, and no subsequent Regulations have had or could have had the effect of varying the terms of the Statute. The object of the Regulation in question is merely to indicate more definitely the procedure to be followed by insurance committees in such cases.

asked the hon. Member for St. George's-in-the-East, whether he is aware that Edward Shipsiders, of 46, Suez Street, Basford, Nottingham, who paid his insurance tax since the Act came into operation, has only received 10s. instead of 30s. maternity benefit for his wife's confinement; and whether he will investigate the case, in view to a full payment being made?

The hon. Member is misinformed. Under Section 42 of the National Insurance Act, 1911, the insured person in question in return for contributions to the value of £1 16s. 9d. has received £1 2s. 11d. in sickness benefit, and 15s. 4d. in respect of the claim referred to. In addition, he has been entitled to sanatorium and medical benefits, and remains so entitled for the year 1914.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, seeing that, by Section 61 of the National Insurance Act, provision is made for the payment of travelling expenses and for the loss of time to the county committees, he can afford the same payments for district insurance committees, who are mainly drawn from the working classes and some of whom have a considerable distance to travel?

The provisions of Section 61 of the National Insurance Act, 1911, and of Section 31 of the National Insurance Act, 1913, do not apply to district insurance committees.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if, on the occasion of the celebration of marriage in Ireland by a Protestant minister, without special licence, Marriage Licence Duty has to be paid, while no Licence Duty has to be paid when the celebrant is a Roman Catholic priest; and, if so, will he explain why this distinction is made?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and the second part, therefore, does not arise.

asked the Chief Secretary when the Congested Districts Board expect to be able to deal with the Blake Foster estate, Kinvarra, county Galway?

The Congested Districts Board are at present dealing with this estate.

asked the Chief Secretary if he can state whether the farm of Norman Grove, the estate of Miss Minnie Forster, Kinvarra, county Galway, has been acquired by the Congested Districts Board; is he aware of the state of congestion in the district; and will he call the attention of the Board to the urgency of doing something to relieve the people?

The offer of the Congested Districts Board for the purchase of the lands referred to has been accepted, but the property has not yet been vested in the Board. The Board are aware of the state of congestion in the district, and arrangements will be made for dealing with the lands as soon as practicable after they have been vested in the Board.

asked the Chief Secretary if the final Report of the Vice-regal Committee of Inquiry into Primary Education in Ireland has been formally presented to the Commissioners of National Education; and what steps are proposed to ensure that the recommendations of that Report will be carried into effect at an early date?

This Report has been submitted to the Lord Lieutenant and presented to Parliament. It has not yet been fully considered by either His Excellency or the Commissioners of National Educa- tion, and until it has been so considered it will not be possible to make any statement as to the action to be taken upon it.

asked how many managers of Irish national schools during the past year declined to accept the heating and cleaning Grant which the Commissioners make, and compelled their teachers to provide the necessary funds; if he will give the names of these managers and the schools which they manage; and what action the Commissioners of National Education have taken in these cases?

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that they are not aware of any cases in which the managers declined to accept the heating and cleaning Grant, and compelled their teachers to provide the necessary funds. In the case of 176 schools the managers have not yet submitted to the Commissioners their claims for the heating and cleaning Grant for the year ended 31st March, 1913, with the required information in regard to the expenditure on these services. It is probable that some of these outstanding applications will be received in sufficient time to enable the payment of the Grant to be effected before the close of the current financial year.

asked the Chief Secretary if it is a custom in many of the rural parts of Ireland to close the national schools for vacation during the busy agricultural seasons, when the attendance would be lean; if a number of managers decline to allow the teachers to take their holidays or vacations at these times of lean attendance; and if the Commissioners propose to issue a circular to managers and teachers to the effect that when managers refuse to allow principals of schools to close them for vacation at the times that are most conducive to the best interests of the schools the Board will intervene?

So far as the Commissioners of National Education are aware, it is the general custom of school managers in rural districts in Ireland to close the schools for vacation as far as possible at times when a number of the pupils would be likely to be required to assist their parents at farm work, and when, in consequence a small attendance might be expected if the schools were kept in operation. The Commissioners are not aware that a number of managers decline to fix the dates for vacations at the times most suitable for the interests of the schools, heaving regard to the probable attendance of pupils and other circumstances, and they do not consider it necessary to issue a circular to managers and teachers in the terms suggested in the question.

asked the Chief Secretary whether, in examining some of the test cases of undergrading submitted to them, the Commissioners of National Education calculated the total capitation Grant as part of the emoluments of the teachers concerned, alleging that since 1900 the principal was only entitled to a portion of this Grant, and, by this method of calculation, apparently proved that the teacher's claim was exaggerated if not altogether untenable; did the Irish Education Act of 1892 provide that the entire capitation Grant was to be paid to the principal teacher; by what authority did the Commissioners in 1900 set aside this provision of an Act of Parliament; and has the legality of this action of the Commissioners yet been tested in a court of law?

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that certain test cases of claims for increased remuneration were considered since 1911 by the Commissioners, and all the emoluments of the teachers from State sources were reviewed. The Capitation Grant referred to in the question is apparently the residue of the "School Grant" under Section 18 of the "Irish Education Act, 1892." This Grant is applied by the Commissioners in accordance with regulations made by them with the concurrence of the Treasury. Prior to 1900 the distribution of this residue between the teachers was left to the local managers subject to the approval of the Commissioners, but since 1900 this portion of the school Grant is distributed amongst the teachers, principals and assistants in accordance with the rules of the Commissioners made with the concurrence of the Treasury. There is no provision in the Irish Education Act or the Fourth Schedule of that Act that the whole of the residue of the "School Grant" is to be paid to the principal teacher.

asked the Chief Secretary the results of his communications with the local authorities in Ulster with regard to the hours and conditions of labour of children engaged as homeworkers in the linen industry?

A circular was issued in July last to local authorities throughout Ireland pointing out the powers given to them by the Employment of Children Act, 1903, of enforcing the statutory restrictions as to the hours of employment of children and their carrying of heavy weights, and of making by-laws regulating child employment at home. I have no information as to whether this has led to a more vigorous administration of the Act, but so far no by-laws have been submitted by any local authority for confirmation by the Lord Lieutenant.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will have inquiries made into the case of Henry Plant, late stoker in the Navy, who was invalided, on the 8th February, 1912, owing to the effects of vaccination; whether he is aware that Plant had to have his left arm amputated as the disease became much worse; and whether the Admiralty can see their way to grant this man a pension?

The disease for which this man was invalided was in no way connected with the vaccination. I am advised by the naval medical authorities that the vaccination ran a normal course, that Plant was subsequently admitted to Haslar Hospital for influenza, and that while there he was found to be suffering from an acute disease of the bone, which necessitated his being invalided from the Naval Service. As the disease was not attributable to the Service, and Plant had served for less than a year, he is not eligible, under the terms of the Regulations, for any award by way of pension or gratuity from Naval or Greenwich Hospital funds.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the weight of gun and carriage complete, weight of projectile, muzzle velocity and rate of fire, and range of the Horse and Field Artillery guns of the British, German, Russian, Austrian, French, and Italian armies?

The answer, so far as information is available, is as follows:—

asked the Secretary of State for War how many officers, non-commissioned officers, and men the strength fell short of the establishment in the Regular Army, Special Reserve, and Territorial Force, respectively, on each of the following dates, namely, 1st March, 1912, 1st March, 1913, and 1st March, 1914?

The information is as follows:—

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will give the establishment of officers in the Cavalry, Horse and Field Artillery, Garrison Artillery, Engineers, Infantry, and the Army Service Corps of the Regular Army, and the shortage at the present

time in the several branches, giving the number of the deficiency in each rank?

The information is as follows:—

asked the Secretary for War whether Messrs. Wheways, Green Lane, Walsall, and Messrs. Nosills, Green Lane, Walsall, are on the list of contractors for chain and cart gear goods?

The latter firm is not upon the War Office list. The former is, but does not at present hold any War Office contract, though it is believed it has on hand a small order of the value of a few shillings placed locally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Turkish bath attendants (shampooers) come under the provisions of the Shops Acts?

I am advised that, except in so far as any retail trade may be carried on, the provisions of the Act do not apply to Turkish baths and similar bathing establishments and the attendants employed therein.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture the total sum received or collected on account of fees for inspection of horses for exportation to the Continent, or any other money received in connection therewith, during the last year 1913?

£8,250 12s. 6d.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture the total amount of money expended on inspecting horses for exportation to the Continent by way of salaries, or any other expense, during the last year 1913?

During the year 1913 the cost incurred by the Board in respect of salaries and incidental expenses for officers engaged solely in the work of inspecting horses for exportation to the Continent amounted to £4,361 17s, 8d. It is impossible to say what proportion of the general administrative expenses of the Board and of the salaries of officers partially engaged in this work should be included.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is informed if the villages of Kisarka, Kalta, Kuteza, Selinitza, and Panarit, comprising about 640 houses in the Kolonia district, and the villages of Sternitza, Kakos, Moliut, Chepan, Prisht, Sevrat, comprising about 620 houses in the Frasheri district, have been either entirely or partly destroyed by the retiring Greeks; whether they are robbing the villagers of all their possessions; and if there are about 4,000 refugees now fleeing into Berat and the vicinity from their burning homes?

I have no official information on the subject.

asked the President of the Local Government Board the number of old age pensions payable in January, 1914, in the county of Leicester, and the number payable in the Bosworth Division of that county?

The number of old age pensioners resident in the county of Leicester on the last Friday in March, 1913, was 10,115, including 3,996 in the county Borough of Leicester. No later figures are available; but the corresponding figures for the last Friday in March, 1914, will in due course be published in the Report of the Commissioners of Customs and Excise for 1913–14. I cannot undertake to give figures for any intermediate date or for any sub-division of the county area.