asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state for the periods, respectively, of 1st April, 1912, to 31st March, 1913, and 1st April, 1913, to 31st March, 1914, the total receipts of the Insurance Fund from various sources; the total sums issued to approved societies for the payment of benefits to their members and for administrative expenses, respectively; the total sums issued to insurance committees for administrative expenses, sanatorium benefit, medical benefit, and the sickness and maternity benefits of deposit contributors; and the amounts invested by the Insurance Commissioners and the approved societies, respectively?

The particulars for the period from the 15th July, 1912, to the 11th January, 1914, the date to which the National Health Insurance Fund is made up, were given in the reply to the Noble Lord on the 18th February. The details for the period from the 15th July, 1912, to the 12th January, 1913, and for the year ending on the 11th January, 1914, are shown separately in the following statement:—

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) when the Department will contract the scheduled area in county Tipperary; whether the fair of Thurles can be held on the 5th proximo and the fair of Templemore on the 17th proximo; and whether he can state the dates of the last outbreaks of disease in the county Tipperary?

I regret I cannot at present state when the Tipperary scheduled district will be contracted. The situation has altered adversely owing to an outbreak of the disease having been confirmed on 26th instant at Finnahy, near Upperchurch, a locality about eight miles from Thurles and much the same distance from Templemore. In the circumstances it is not practicable to hold out hope that fairs can take place at Thurles and Templemore on the dates named. The last two preceding outbreaks in the county were confirmed on 10th and 7th instant, respectively.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Congested Districts Board will take into consideration the application for the construction of a slip at Strand's End, near Cahirciveen, in view of the assistance that will be thereby given to the tenants on all the adjoining estates?

The Congested Districts Board have not received any application for a boat slip at Strand's End, near Cahirciveen. Numerous applications have been received for a slip alongside Cahirciveen Pier, and the Board offered a contribution of £70, about half the cost, if the county council agree to carry out the work.

asked whether the Congested Districts Board have yet purchased the M'Clintock estate, situate at Cool-bock, Riverstown, county Sligo, Sligo Union; and, if not, whether he can say when they intend to do so?

The Congested Districts Board made an offer for the estate referred to which has not been accepted up to the present.

asked what action the Local Government Board has taken or proposes to take with regard to the alleged insubordination of Wardmaster Colwell, Kells Union?

Colwell was suspended from duty by the guardians for alleged impertinence. In such eases the Local Government Board held an inquiry on oath before confirming or removing the suspension, and in this instance instructions for holding such an inquiry had been given. Colwell then, through his solicitor, tendered an apology for his conduct, which, however, the board of guardians have declined to accept. Accordingly, the inquiry will be held in due course into the whole circumstances of the case.

asked the Chief Secretary the number of appeals lodged by pension officers against the decisions of local sub-pension committees in the county Cavan during the past twelve months; and, if so, can he say in how many cases the appeals were successful, and the number of cases dismissed?

Three hundred and twenty-two appeals were received by the Local Government Board from pension officers against decisions of pension committees in Cavan county during the year ended 31st December, 1913. Of this number 181 were upheld by the Local Government Board; in 140 cases the Board differed from the pension officer, and the remaining case was not proceeded with as the claimant died shortly after the lodgment of the appeal.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the secretary of the Westmeath County Council has furnished to the Local Government Board form 24 and form 25 under the Public Bodies Order, 1904, as prescribed by Article 25, for the half-year ending 31st March last; and whether he can state the balances shown in table A, table B, and table C in form 24 to the credit of the Westmeath county at large and several unions and district councils in the county on the 31st March last?

The forms in question have not yet been received by the Local Government Board.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty at what precise hour on 19th March was the order to Admiral Bayley to proceed with the Third Battle Squadron from Arosa to Lamlash despatched from the Admiralty; what members of the Board of Admiralty were at the time aware of its despatch; was the order sent by wireless telegraphy; when was the order received by Admiral Bayley; and when was Admiral Bayley's acknowledgment received at the Admiralty?

I have nothing to add to the full information that has already been given to the House.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether steps were taken on board His Majesty's Ship "Hibernia" of the Third Battle Squadron on 21st March to ascertain the views of the lower deck with regard to Home Rule or to service against Ulster?

I have no knowledge of any such steps being taken.

asked the Prime Minister what was the outbreak anticipated in Belfast referred to in telegram No. 34 from General Sir Arthur Paget to the Secretary of State for War?

Sir A. Paget's views on this subject are indicated in his letter No. 6 in the White Paper. I have no further knowledge of what was in his mind.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the cancelling of the arrangements for embarking field guns on board His Majesty's ship "King Edward VII." was due to any change in the prospective weather conditions between 20th and 21st March?

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Brighton yesterday.

asked the Secretary of State for War, what is the approximate cost of an Army horse rug; how it is proposed that yeomen who ride their own horses shall provide the necessary rugs for the annual training out of the grant of 1s. provided by the Army Council; and whether associations are at liberty to make a further grant out of their funds to men who provide their own horses if the association considers that the amount allowed by the Army Council is inadequate?

The Army horse rug costs about 9s. It is thought that many men riding their own horses are in possession of a rug, the use of which during the fortnight would be sufficiently covered by the shilling. Associations are at liberty to make such arrangements in these cases as they may find necessary, out of their own funds.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that at a mounted parade with guns of the 3rd London Brigade, Royal Field Artillery Territorial Force, on 4th February last at Putney, the horses supplied had to travel nine miles each way before the parade, some of the horses having been worked the same morning; that there was hardly a draught horse among them suitable for horsing guns; and that 11 horses out of 48 were condemned after the parade as being quite unsuitable for the work or cruel to use for that purpose; and will he have an inquiry made into this case with a view to preventing horses of this description being so used?

Inquiry is being made into this matter.

asked the Chairman of the Petitions Committee what was the total number of petitions received from Wales in 1912 against the Established Church (Wales) Bill; how many of those petitions were rejected; what was the number of signatures appended to the rejected petitions; and whether any petitions were subsequently received and passed from any place or places whose petitions had been rejected; and, if so, what was the number of signatures so received?

During the Session 1912–13 1,105 petitions against the Established Church (Wales) Bill were received from Wales. Of these one petition was rejected, namely, that from Llanbadrig, presented to the House on 11th July, 1912, which contained 380 signatures. A petition was subsequently received from the same place (Llanbadrig), and was presented to the House on 5th February, 1913. It contained 389 signatures, of which 387 were passed and two were omitted as being in the same handwriting. While no other petitions were rejected, the Committee reported that some of the signatures to 351 petitions out of the total number of 1,105 were in the same hand-writings, and therefore such petitions transgressed the rules.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if there have been any and, if so, what instances in recent years in which troops have been used in connection with industrial disputes except for the reason that the police force available has been insufficient, and after disorder and violence have actually arisen?

During the past ten years and, I believe, during a much longer period, troops have never been used to aid the civil power unless the police force available was insufficient, and, with one exception, not until disorder and violence had actually occurred. The exception was the railway strike of 1911, when troops were moved as a precautionary measure to centres where they would be immediately available if disturbances should occur, and were employed to guard the railways in places where the police force was insufficient.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the number of officers employed in His Majesty's prison, Princetown, and the number of dwelling-houses provided for their accommodation?

There are 223 officers at Dartmoor who are entitled to quarters. The number of married quarters provided is 165, and there is accommodation in the prison for forty-three bachelors, making a total of 208. The remainder receive allowances in lieu of quarters, and additional accommodation is being provided.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he can give the Returns of the number of cattle, sheep, pigs and goats in Belgium in 1904, 1912 and 1913, respectively; and the number per head of the population in those years?

The following table shows the number of cattle and pigs in Belgium on holdings of approximately two and a half acres and over on the 31st December, 1904 and 1912, and the number per thousand of population in those years. The figures for 1913 are not yet available:—