asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for the last two financial years for which the figures are available, how many persons declared their aggregate incomes in order to avail themselves of the ninepenny rate of Income Tax because their incomes did not exceed 2,000; and how many persons declared their incomes as being over £2,000 and not over £3,000, in order to get the benefit of the shilling rate of tax?

Definite statistics are not available, but the numbers for the years 1911–12 and 1912–13 are estimated as follows:—

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in the opinion of the Commissioners, the expression "person interested" in any land in Section 30 (2) of the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910, is limited to persons or corporations to whom the ownership of the property has actually passed; under what circumstances it is suggested that the wording of the Land Clauses Consolidation (Scotland) Act, 1845, operates as a statutory purchase and sale changing the ownership of the property, while identically the same words in the English Act do not have that effect; and whether, in view of it having been decided that the effect of service of notice to treat is that the particular lands are fixed, and that neither party can get rid of the obligation, the one to take, the other to give up, the Commissioners will reconsider their opinion that undertakers in England are not persons interested within Section 30 (2) of the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910, and, therefore, not entitled to be supplied with copies of the provisional valuation?

While the Commissioners do not interpret the expression "person interested" in the restricted sense suggested by the hon. Member, they cannot as at present advised depart from the view which I explained to the hon. Member on the 16th instant. I cannot, within the limits of an answer to a question, argue the points of law which arise.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he can give the amount raised in rates during the last year for which figures are available in each province of Ireland, and also in the counties of Down, Armagh, Antrim, Tyrone, Fermanagh, and Londonderry?

The amounts raised in rates during the year ended the 31st March, 1913, the latest date for which the County figures are available, are as follows:—

asked the Chief Secretary whether he can give the rateable value of each province of Ireland, and also of the counties of Down, Armagh, Antrim, Tyrone, Fermanagh, and Londonderry?

The rateable valuations of the areas referred to are as follows:—

asked the Secretary for Scotland when the Minutes of Evidence in connection with the Report of the Departmental Committee on North Sea Fisheries will be published?

The oral evidence is in print, and it is hoped to publish the volume shortly.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he will give the number of households and of persons, distinguishing adults from children and males from females, in receipt of outdoor relief in September, 1913, in the borough of Warrington?

The number of persons was 658, of whom sixty-three were men, 216 were women, and 379 children. These 658 persons represent 239 "cases" of relief, i.e., either families relieved or persons relieved singly.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether any local authorities, in preparing schemes for the treatment of tuberculosis, have made provision for treating children; if so, if he will state how many local authorities have already done so; how much of the £100,000 allocated for children's institutions has been spent; how much has been promised; and how much of it has not yet been allocated?

In almost every case schemes prepared by local authorities for the treatment of tuberculosis relate to the whole population; in thirty-one cases it has been expressly stated that the scheme will provide for children; and in eighteen cases some provision for children has already been made. At the present moment, no portion of the £100,000 provisionally allocated for separate institutions for children has actually been spent, but about £30,000 has been conditionally promised, and proposals which would involve further Grants of from £30,000 to £40,000 are now under consideration.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the imports of intoxicating liquors into India have increased from the value of £1,092,551 in 1911 to £1,243,265 in 1913; whether he can give the figures for each of the last ten years; and whether any steps are being taken to check the growing importation?

submitted the following particulars:

asked the Postmaster-General if the windows in the Department controlled by him are cleaned only once in three months; and, if so, will he see that this condition of the windows be remedied at once?

The windows in King Edward's building are cleaned inside once in three months, and outside twice a quarter. In the rest of the General Post Office the windows are cleaned inside and out twice a quarter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been drawn to the case of Florence Palmer, a shop assistant, aged twenty-one, who was this week brought, before the Lichfield magistrates for theft; is he aware that her maximum weekly wage was 5s., her hours being eleven and a half per day, and that her employer made deductions which sometimes reduced her net earnings to 1s. 6d. a week, upon which she had to board, lodge, and dress; and does he propose to introduce a Bill this Session to remove such conditions of employment; if not, would he secure facilities for a private Member's Bill dealing with this state of affairs?

I have no information with regard to the particular case to which the hon. Member refers, and I would remind him that the Truck Acts, which deal with deductions from earnings, are administered by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary. I am afraid that I cannot hold out any prospect of legislation this Session to deal with the conditions of employment of shop assistants.