asked the hon. Member for St. George's-in-the-East, as representing the Insurance Commissioners, if an approved society in a case where a contribution card fully paid up has been lost can at once pay sick benefit to the member in question should he fall sick, without waiting for a settlement of the question of the lost card?

The loss of a card would only prevent payment at present if the payments on the member's other cards amounted to less than twenty-six. In the latter cases I do not consider a society would ordinarily be entitled to pay benefit if the card has never been surrendered to them. It is open to the member to stamp a fresh card in order to establish an immediate claim to benefit, without prejudice to any allowance that may ultimately be made in respect of the lost card if the circumstances are found to justify it.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury what is the method of calculating the shares of England, Scotland, and Ireland of the Road Improvement Fund; and will he give the total amount paid to each country, respectively, by Grant or advance up to the end of the last financial year?

Grants from the Road Improvement Fund are not allocated in rigid proportion to highway authorities in any prescribed area, but the Grants indicated to authorities in England and Wales, Scotland, and Ireland respectively work out in the following proportions:—

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will give the height of the main elevation of the new building of the British Museum, and if he will give the height of the central door of its principal front as well as the length, width, and height of the new entrance hall or main vestibule; and if he will ascertain the cost of the main elevator and also of its metal cage, including the porridge-spoon railings and the achievement of arms, in the new building of the British Museum?

The height of the main elevation is 78 ft. 4 in., of the central door 9 ft. 3 in. The new entrance hall is 48 ft. long, 51 ft. wide, 10 ft. high. The lift, including cage, the well railings, and coat of arms cost £1,195.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons have been assessed for Super-tax during the years 1912–13 and 1913–14 in respect of incomes of £10,000 to £15,000, £15,000 to £20,000, £20,000 to £25,000, £25,000 to £50,000, £50,000 to £75,000, and £75,000 to £100,000, respectively; and what are the aggregates of incomes over £10,000 assessed to Super-tax for these years?

Figures of the nature indicated by the hon. Member are not at present available for the years 1912–13 and 1913–14. Tables in continuation of that given on pages 130 of the Inland Revenue Report for 1912–13 will be published in due course in future Reports.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider the advisability of increasing the Increment Value Duty imposed by the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910, from 20 per cent. to 40 per cent. to begin from 30th April next, and to provide in the Finance Bill of this year for further similar increases in April, 1919, and April, 1924, until the duty has been raised to 80 per cent., and so that all persons interested will have due notice?

I am afraid that I could not answer a question of this nature in anticipation of my forthcoming financial statement.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Commissioners have taken any action recently to acquire the untenanted lands of Ballylin and Glenville, near Ardagh, county Limerick, on the Massey property, for the purpose of dividing them among the uneconomic holders in the locality; and, if so, will he say with what result?

The Estates Commissioners had a preliminary inspection made, and intimated the price they would be prepared to advance if the lands were sold to them under the Land Purchase Acts. Up to the present the owner has not instituted proceedings for sale, and until he does so the Commissioners will not proceed further in the matter.

asked whether the Estates Commissioners have taken any steps recently to acquire the untenanted lands of Kilgulvan, in the parishes of Knockaderry and Clonveagh, county Limerick, the property of the representatives of the late Major Sheehy, with the view of having them apportioned among the deserving applicants in the locality; whether this estate is in the Court of Chancery (Ireland); if so, to whom may the tenants on the tenanted portion of the property apply for the purchase of their holdings under the Land Act, 1909; and by whose instructions was the half-year's rent, now due, refused by the receiver unless the hanging gale is also paid up, as this is a departure from the old-time custom of the estate?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that no proceedings are pending before them for the sale of the property referred to, and they have no information as to the other matters referred to in the question. The estate cannot be traced in the records of the Land Judge's Court or the Court of Chancery.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if, in view of the dangers to navigation, he will say how near to any obsolete battleship at present moored in the Solent a passenger vessel has to approach when making a direct course at high tide between Portsmouth Harbour and Ryde Pier head?

Inquiries are being made into the matter.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether Messrs. Baxter and Thrippleton, dyers and finishers, of St. Ann's Mills, Kirk-stall, Leeds, are contractors to the Department; if he is aware that this firm are paying a less rate of wages than that prevailing at other firms in accordance with the agreement entered into by the workmen's associations; and if he will intimate to the firm that the rate current in the district must be adhered to?

The firm named are not contractors to the Admiralty, nor have they been named to the Admiralty by any contractor as sub-contractors.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty in what way the service of the naval ordnance clerks at the Royal Arsenal differs from those employed at the West India Docks and Deptford, which entitles the latter to London allowances and not the former?

It is considered that the cost of living and rents are lower at Woolwich than at Deptford and West India Docks, and the clerical staff at the former establishment are able conveniently to live nearer to their work than the clerical staff at the two latter establishments. It is on these grounds that London allowance is granted to the clerical staff at West India Docks and Deptford, but refused to those at Woolwich.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether Messrs. Baxter and Thrippleton, dyers and finishers, of St. Ann's Mills, Kirk-stall, Leeds, are contractors to the Department; if he is aware that this firm are paying a less rate of wages than that prevailing at other firms, in accordance with the agreement entered into by the workmen's associations; and if he will intimate to the firm that the rate current in the district must be adhered to?

This firm is not upon the War Office list of contractors.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India what pensions are given to officers of the Indian medical service; and whether any extra pension or allowance is occasionally given, in addition, to such officers for special services rendered?

The retiring pensions of the Indian medical service range from £300 per annum after seventeen years' service to £700 after thirty years, with an additional pension of £125 on retirement after three years' service as colonel, £250 after five years' service as colonel, or £350 after three years' service as surgeon-general. Officers of the Indian medical service are also eligible, under certain conditions, for good service pensions at the rate of £100 a year as rewards for distinguished or meritorious service; these, however, are not tenable with the additional pensions above mentioned.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture what use the sites offered in the Forest of Dean for building workmen's cottages hitherto have been put, and what is the estimated annual value of such sites; how many years' purchase of such estimated annual value is asked for such sites; whether the price asked was settled by the Woods and Forests Department on their own initiative or after consultation with the Treasury; has any land been sold to individuals in the Forest of Dean by the department for workmen's houses; and, if so, at how many years' purchase of the estimated annual value?

The sites which I recently offered to the rural district councils of East and West Dean for building workmen's cottages, which are, I presume, the sites to which the hon. Member refers, are a part of the open and unenclosed area of the Forest of Dean, and they have hitherto been put to no other use other than the growth of trees. I have not had the annual value estimated, but offered them, subject to Treasury sanction, at what I was advised was their "fee simple" agricultural value. That value was settled on my initiative with the advice of my officers. The offers were made subject to the approval by me of the building schemes of the councils and of the type and number of the houses to be erected. Land in the Forest has, in numerous instances in the past, been sold to individuals without restrictions as to the use to be made of it, and in some cases workmen's cottages have no doubt been erected The price charged for the land so sold was generally much higher than that which I recently asked of the councils, but varied considerably according to the position of the land and other circumstances. The sales are far too numerous to permit of details being given in answer to a question in the House, but the prices do not appear to have been arrived at by estimating the annual value and calculating a certain number of year's purchase on that value.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether the 100 swine injected with the serum are under the full control and observation of the staff of the Board, or is it in the hands of the veterinary surgeon connected with the premises; and whether he can say if the serum was British or had been imported from Rotterdam or other foreign institute?

Two veterinary inspectors of the Board have been charged with this work, and the whole conduct of the experiments is in their hands. The serum was obtained from Hungary, and its quality was tested at the Board's laboratory before use.

asked the Prime Minister whether he can make any statement as to when it is intended to take the Second Reading of the Established Church (Wales) Bill?

I am not in a position to make a statement at present.

asked the Postmaster-General what measures are actually being taken to provide for the development of the telephone system in London; what are the names and sites of the new exchanges being planned for; when will the respective buildings be ready to receive telephone equipment; what is the capacity in subscribers' lines of each exchange in course of construction; and when were the orders for the exchange equipments placed?

The following exchanges are being provided:—

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Consul has been unable to start for San Salvador owing to the disturbed state of the country; whether he is aware that British missionaries are travelling unarmed with perfect safety in this region; and whether he will consider the advisability of suggesting to His Majesty's Consul that he should, if possible, proceed to San Salvador accompanied by a missionary well known to the natives?

The British Vice-Consul at Boma left for San Salvador on 17th March, and should have arrived there about 24th March. He was unable to start before owing to the difficulty of obtaining porters.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether a Blue Book will be issued bringing the statistics in Cd. 4954, Statistical tables and charts relating to British and foreign trade and industry, 1854–1908, up to date?

The preparation of a new volume on these lines will shortly be undertaken.

asked the President of the Local Government Board the number of people over sixty-five who are receiving either outdoor or indoor relief under the Poor Law?

The number of persons over sixty-five who are in receipt of relief is not separately tabulated and cannot be stated.