asked how many local insurance committees have extended sanatorium benefit to dependants, how many have ceased giving this benefit to dependants, and how many are still giving it to dependants of insured persons?

In England sanatorium benefit has been extended to the dependants of insured persons by fifty-four insurance committees, of whom thirty-eight have now revoked the extension, and sixteen are still treating dependants. Apart from the last-mentioned areas, however, dependants of insured persons are receiving treatment in many other areas under comprehensive schemes for the treatment of tuberculosis. In Scotland twenty-four, and in Ireland twenty-three, insurance committees have extended the benefit to and are still treat- ing dependants. In Wales all the insurance committees have extended benefit to dependants who are receiving treatment under the arrangements with the Welsh National Memorial Association.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether trained nurses engaged in private work and receiving £2 4s. 6d. per week, together with the provision by the employer of board, lodging, and travelling expenses, are insurable persons under the Insurance Act; and, if such nurses are insurable, whether they are permitted to pay the full amount of the tax, including the employer's proportion?

The Commissioners have decided in a particular case that a nurse receiving £2 2s. a week, together with board, lodging, and an allowance of 2s. 6d. per week for washing, is remunerated at a rate not exceeding £160 a year, and is therefore insurable if employed under a contract of service, and the ordinary provisions of the Act as regards the payment of contributions apply.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give figures showing the estimated additional cost of the Land Valuation Department for the year ending 31st March, 1915, over and above the sum of £711,718, charged in the Estimate directly for the cost of such Department?

The total cost of the services to be rendered by other Departments to the Land Valuation Office in the year 1914–15 may be estimated at approximately £60,000. This sum is made up as follows:—

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether he is in a position to announce the removal of the restrictions on the export of fat cattle from Londonderry and the North of Ireland ports?

As has been explained in reply to previous questions by other hon. Members, the decision as to when and under what conditions the landing of fat cattle in Great Britain from any of the Irish ports may be resumed rests with the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries. The Department are in touch in the matter with the Board. It is regretted that circumstances do not yet allow of such an announcement as that referred to in the present question being made.

asked whether there have been any cases of teachers in national schools in Ireland who have not been dismissed for drunkenness, and, if so, who were the managers of these schools; whether there have been any cases of drunkenness amongst inspectors, and, if so, how many; and what steps are taken to prevent such persons from inspecting schools?

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that there have been cases of teachers who have given way to drunkenness, who have not been dismissed. The Commissioners do not think it would be in the interests of the public service to indicate the teachers in question, their schools, or their managers. Some few inspectors have been accused of intemperance from time to time and their cases have been suitably dealt with by the Commissioners No inspector in recent years has been dismissed for drunkenness.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Derry estate, in the Ballinrobe union, which was valued a year ago by the Congested Districts Board with a view to purchase, has yet been acquired; and, if not, will he state when this estate is likely to be purchased by the Congested Districts Board?

The estate of Mr. H. J. B. Clements, on which the townland of Derry is situate, has not yet been acquired by the Congested Districts Board, and they cannot say when it is likely that the property will be purchased by them.

asked what steps have been taken by the Congested Districts Board towards the purchase of the Black estate, near Ballina, county Mayo; and what is the cause of the delay in having the sale effected?

The Congested Districts Board have decided to make an offer for the purchase of this property, and it will be issued as soon as practicable.

asked whether the entire farm of Toormore, on the Clonbrick Ballydonlan estate, county Galway, will be distributed amongst the uneconomic tenants on the estate in the neighbourhood of the said farm; and, if not, how do the Estates Commissioners intend to deal with it?

If the hon. Member refers to the holding in the townland of Toormore on the Clonbrock estate, comprising about 114 acres, which is in the occupation of a judicial tenant, the reply to the first paragraph of the question is in the negative. An undertaking has been signed by the tenant for the purchase of the holding under the Land Purchase Acts, and it is the intention of the Estates Commissioners to make the advance applied for by him.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, seeing that the practice followed by him of refusing to disclose to this House the names of firms holding contracts for supply to the Navy, tends to deprive this House of the opportunity of ascertaining whether any of its Members are interested in contracts with the Government, he will consider the desirability of disclosing the names of firms holding contracts, whilst withholding the details of contracts?

"In pursuance of the Act 22 George III., chapter 45, no Member of the House of Commons shall be admitted to any share or part in this contract, or to any benefit to arise therefrom."

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will give a Return showing the number of officers, by ranks, exclusive of those on the Supplementary List, serving in the Special Reserve on 1st March, 1913, and also on 1st March, 1914?

The figures are as follows:—

asked the Secretary of State for War if his attention has been drawn to Army Order 91/Infantry/98, paragraph 7, published on 27th February; 1911; and if he will give the number of Special Reserve officers, by arms, serving on the Supplementary List on 1st March, 1914, as well as the number serving on 1st March, 1913?

The following is the list of Special Reserve officers, by arms, serving on the Supplementary List:—

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will give the number of Special Reserve Infantry officers serving with their units, by ranks, on the 1st March, 1914, and the number serving on the 1st March, 1913?

The following is the number of Special Reserve Infantry officers serving with their units by ranks:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that at an inquest on the body of Thomas Nain, aged twenty-five, a putter employed at the Rush Pit, Etherley, Bishop Auckland, Mr. Charlton, Home Office inspector, intimated that local inspectors inspecting mines following a fatal accident were not under any obligation to present a report thereon; that an impression prevails that a report should be presented with recommendations, if any, miners being of opinion that a Coroner's Court is too limited in its scope, ascertaining cause of death only, being powerless to enforce any remedy; and if he will issue instructions that full reports in future be presented under such circumstances?

Section 16 of the Coal Mines Act, 1911, requires that the representatives appointed by the workmen under the Section shall, after completing one of their ordinary inspections of the mine, forthwith make and sign a full and accurate report of the result of the inspection in the book kept at the mine for the purpose, but it is expressly provided in the Section that this obligation shall not apply in the case of a special inspection made for the purpose of ascertaining the cause of an accident. I understand that there has been some misapprehension on the point among the Durham miners, but that the miners' representatives in the county have now taken steps to explain to their members that reports are not required in the case of inspections after accidents, and that this is in accordance with the wishes-of the miners. The matter is not one in which I have any power to give instructions.

asked the Home Secretary the name of the counsel by whom Mr. R. D. Pritchard, now confined in Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum, was represented at the trial when he was found by a jury to be guilty of sending a threatening letter?

I can only refer the hon. Member to the report of the case contained in the Sessions Papers for 1901, at page 909.

asked the Home Secretary what was the maximum punishment to which Mr. Charles D. Pritchard, now confined in Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum, could have been sentenced for the act for which he was found guilty?

Ten years' penal servitude.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that at Oxford no woman probation officer has been appointed, with the result that any women who are from time to time placed on probation in Oxford are necessarily under the supervision of a male probation officer; and whether he will point out to the magistrates concerned, and to any other magistrates in whose Courts a similar arrangement obtains, the pressing need which exists for the immediate appointment of a woman probation officer to take charge of women's cases?

If the Noble Lord's question relates to the City of Oxford, he must be misinformed. A lady has been appointed woman probation officer every year since 1910, and has done most excellent work. There are some Courts, however, whore no woman probation officer has yet been appointed, and I will consider whether I should once more call their attention to the matter.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether the Local Government Board will reconsider the application of Terence Kenny, of 26, Cumberland Lane, Glasgow, for an old age pension, having regard to the fact that his brother Denis has been in receipt of the pension for four years and that he, Denis, is certified to be only three years older than Terence?

On 26th July, 1912, the Local Government Board for Scotland dismissed an appeal by Terence Kenny, of 26, Cumberland Place, Glasgow, on the ground that there was no evidence that he had attained the age of seventy. If on a fresh claim by Kenny a further appeal comes before the Local Government Board, it will be considered in ordinary course.

asked the Secretary for Scotland the number of persons in Scotland, aged seventy and over, who were in receipt of outdoor and indoor relief, respectively, on each of the dates 15th January, 1910; 15th January, 1911; 15th January, 1912; 15th January, 1913, and 15th January, 1914?

The numbers of sane persons in Scotland, aged seventy and over, who were in receipt of outdoor and indoor relief on the first four of the dates specified in the question, are:—

asked the Secretary for Scotland the approximate number of milch cows in Scotland during either 1912 or 1913?

The number of milch cows in Scotland, as returned on 4th June in the years 1912 and 1913, respectively, was as follows:—

asked the President of the Local Government Board what number of veterinary inspectors are employed by sanitary authorities in England and Wales for the purpose of inspecting byres and milch cows in their districts?

This information is given on page 59 of Part III. of the Annual Report of the Local Government Board for 1912–13. Over 315 authorities were there reported as having made arrangements for the veterinary inspection of milch cows in their districts.

asked the President of the Local Government Board the number of housing schemes submitted to the Board by local authorities during each of the last three years?

I assume that the hon. Member refers to applications for sanction to loans for the erection of houses under Part III. of the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890. I cannot readily state the number of such applications received in the year 1911, but the number of schemes for which loans were sanctioned in that year was twenty-seven. The number of such applications received in the year 1912 was 92, and the number of schemes for which loans were sanctioned was 80. The number of applications received in the year 1913 was 163, and the number of schemes for which loans were sanctioned 132.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether any county councils or county borough councils, in preparing schemes for treating tuberculosis, have submitted proposals for treating non-pulmonary tuberculosis; and, if so, which ones have done so?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The schemes submitted by the county councils of Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire, Lancashire, and Worcestershire, and the county borough councils of Brighton, Bury, Gloucester, Liverpool, Plymouth, and Southport specifically include provision for the treatment of non-pulmonary tuberculosis, and in the large majority of other cases the schemes are not expressly limited to the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to a case before the Aylesbury Petty Sessions of a man for using obscene language to the annoyance of the public, for which offence he was fined 20s., with the alternative of fourteen days' imprisonment; and whether the defendant was at the time of the offence and is still a member of the Aylesbury urban council: and, if so, what action he proposes to take in the matter?

My attention has not been called to this case. The matter is not one in which the Local Government Board have any jurisdiction.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when the Committee to investigate the working of the Prevention of Accidents Act, 1900, will be appointed: and whether the Committee will be empowered to investigate the various inventions that exist for the safer working of railway traffic?

I hope shortly to be in a position to announce the appointment of this Committee. It will, of course, be open to the Committee to examine inventions if they think fit; but I should, perhaps, point out that their inquiries will be directed to the safety of railway employés, and not to the general question of prevention of railway accidents.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the petitions from lighthouse keepers to the Board of Trade or subordinate authorities have resulted in any increase in wages and better conditions of employment?

The Board of Trade have conveyed to the three general lighthouse authorities their statutory sanction to the proposals made to them by those authorities after consideration of the petitions. As a result, the wages bill of the light-keepers and others in the employ of those authorities will be increased by an amount estimated at £3,340 per annum.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many ex-soldiers have applied through the Labour Exchanges for employment; how many were so assisted, and in what trades; and what number are still on the books of the Labour Exchanges awaiting employment?

The information asked for in the hon. Member's question is not at present available, and, in view of the very considerable labour that would be involved in obtaining it, I do not feel justified at the moment in undertaking to supply it I will, however, make inquiries as to the feasibility of obtaining a portion of the information desired by the hon. Member.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the case of Arthur Hine, of 52, Salisbury Road, Edmonton, who was employed in the Engineer's Department from April, 1913, to February of this year, and who was arrested on 22nd January on the charge of misappropriating certain stores the property of the General Post Office; whether his house was searched and only two candles and some oil rag, the property of the General Post Office, discovered; whether he was then, released and told that he would hear nothing more about the matter, and resumed work until he received notice of dismissal on the 5th February; whether Mr. Hine has requested without avail to be allowed an interview with the superintendent engineer; and what action he proposes to take?

My attention has been called to the case of Arthur Hine, who was employed in an unestablished capacity in the Engineering Department from the 13th June last to the 6th ultimo. He was found in the unauthorised possession of Post Office property, and his services were dispensed with in accordance with the usual practice in such cases. I do not see that any useful purpose would be served by an interview with the superintendent engineer; but if Mr. Hine is still desirous of such an interview, I have no objection to its being granted.