asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that during the last financial year approximately 46,000 tons of benzol and 40,000 tons of kerosene used for propulsion of motor vehicles was so used without any payment of duty, thus resulting in a loss of approximately £250,000 to the revenue of the Road Board; and what steps he proposes to take to prevent a repetition of this loss?

I am aware that benzol and kerosene are to some extent used for the propulsion of motor vehicles, though I have not previously seen anything like so high an estimate of the amount so used as is suggested in the question. As I stated in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Cavan on the 5th instant, the question of the taxation of these articles, if and when they come to be ordinarily and generally used for supplying motive power to vehicles, will not be lost sight of.

asked the hon. Member for St. George's-in-the-East, as representing the Insurance Commissioners, if he will take into consideration the circumstances relating to the case of the late Mr. A. G. Boyden, a State member of the Hearts of Oak Benefit Society, as typical of an apparent defect in the application of the National Insurance Act; is he aware that Mr. A. G. Boyden died in the Hampstead General Hospital on 3rd February last; that at the time of his death there was a balance of unexpended sickness benefit due to him; that his father, Mr. A. W. Boyden, of 139, Huddleston Road, London, N., as next-of-kin, who had been himself an ordinary member of the society for about twenty years, applied for payment of the benefit due, intending to hand it to the hospital; that he was thereupon asked irrelevant questions by the society as to his earnings and his son's contributions to the support of the home; that he was then told that the committee would consider his claim, and was subsequently informed that it had been dismissed as he was not dependent on his son for support; that thereupon he interviewed a member of the committee, who told him they sympathised with his claim, and that it had been referred to the Insurance Commissioners; that the Commissioners ruled that the right to any balance of benefit, although accruing to the member, was not payable to his legal representatives in the event of death, but remained in the hands of the society; will he say by what statutory or other authority funds belonging to a deceased person are withheld from his legal representatives; and, if the Insurance Commissioners have a discretion, will he advise them to alter the existing ruling, or, if they have no discretion, will he consider the desirability of introducing legislation to amend a provision which appears to many insured persons to be harsh and inequitable?

The ruling of the Commissioners referred to in the question represented what they were advised to be the legal effect of Section 12 of the Act of 1911, and Section 15 of the Act of 1913, which they have no power to alter. My right hon. Friend is not satisfied that an amendment of the law is desirable, but the point will be noted for careful consideration in the event of legislation being introduced.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury how much has been paid annually to England out of the Imperial purse under the Voluntary Schools Act. 60 and 61 Vic, c. 5; and what equivalent was allocated to Ireland for this sum?

The expenditure on account of Aid Grant to Voluntary Schools (England and Wales) was:—

Financial Year. £ 1897–8 617,662 1898–9 617,306 1899–1900 621,471 1900–1 624,056 1901–2 618,200 1902–3 619,556

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that an old woman named Nancy Boyle, of Green-hill, Toomebridge, county Antrim, appeared in person before the Ballymena sub-committee of the old age pensions committee, on the 30th March last; that the sub-committee declared themselves satisfied that she was over seventy years of age, and recommended that she should receive a pension; and that the two local district councillors for Toome made a declaration on oath that she was over seventy years of age, and the local parish priest pledged his word to the same effect; and, seeing that this woman is living in hunger and in poverty and that there is no objection to her receiving a pension except that evidence of age, conclusive enough to satisfy the pension officer, cannot be procured, whether, under all the circumstances, he will communicate with the Local Government Board with a view to her claim being admitted?

The facts are as stated in the question. The Local Government Board disallowed the claim after full consideration, and have no power to reopen the case. It is open to the claimant to make a fresh claim if she can obtain any further evidence of her age.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether the Board has yet considered the suggestion made to them by the London County local pension committee in January, 1913, that the Board should issue an instruction requiring the boards of guardians in the administrative county of London to notify the pension officer concerned immediately upon an old age pensioner receiving poor relief, whether given on account of his need for indoor medical relief or of destitution, and, if so, what decision has been arrived at; and, whether the Board has considered or will consider the possibility of issuing a similar instruction with regard to boards of guardians outside London?

I have had this suggestion under consideration. I contemplate the issue of a circular to boards of guardians on the subject shortly.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he will state how many elementary schools in Exeter now charge fees; what are the names of such schools, and what is the amount collected as fees last year in each school; by what right fees are allowed in each case; and whether all fee-charging schools, or any of them, in Exeter are voluntary schools?

There are five public elementary schools in Exeter which charge foes. I append a table giving the names of the schools, the amount collected as fees in the last school year in each school, and the Section of the Act of 1891 under which fees are charged:— Name of School. Amount of Fees received in the last School year. Section of Act of 1891 under which Fees are charged. £ s. d. 2. Exeter, Episcopal Charity (Church of England) 153 15 10 Section 4 (1) 16. Exeter, St. John's Hospital (Church of England) 271 5 0 Section 4 (1) 19. Exeter, St. Sidwell's (Church of England) (Boys' and Girls' Departments only) 33 8 10 Section 4 (1) 11. Exeter, Practising (Church of England) 89 18 3 Section 2 6. Exeter, Mint Lane Wesleyan 28 17 7 Section 4 (1)

At the practising school the fees were reduced in 1905. At the Mint Lane Wesleyan School the fees were increased in 1892, on the grounds of an advanced curriculum and to provide increased staff and equipment. The answer to the last part of the question is in the affirmative.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he will state for each year since 1902 the total number of elementary schools in England and Wales, the number of council schools, and of voluntary schools, respectively, in receipt of Grants; the numbers of new council and of voluntary schools, respectively, opened; the numbers of council and voluntary schools, respectively, closed; the number of council schools transferred to voluntary managers; and the number of voluntary schools transferred to local education authorities?

The annexed tables give the best information which is available, compiled in the main from the Board's published statistics. The hon. Member will observe that for the years before 1911 the increase in the total number of schools shown in columns 2, 3, and 4 is not fully accounted for in columns 5–11. The two main causes of the under-statement are: firstly, a discontinuity in the statistics due to a change in the method of calculation between 1904 and 1906; secondly, incompleteness in the published records of changes, due to the fact that in some cases schools may have been opened, closed, or transferred after the figures were made up for the statistical year in which the particular change took effect. The figures given for 1902, 1903, and 1904 relate to the school years ending during the 12 months preceding the date given in column 1. The figures for 1st January 1906, relate to the school years ending during the 16 months from 1st August, 1904, to 31st December, 1905. For subsequent years the figures in columns 2, 3, and 4 show the number of schools existing on the date given in column 1, and the figures in columns 5–11 relate to the 12 months preceding that date.

— Number of Schools. Council Schools opened. Voluntary Schools opened. Council Schools closed. Voluntary Schools closed. Council Schools Transferred to Managers. Voluntary Schools Transferred to L.E.A. Schools included in Column 10 of which part only was transferred. Council. Voluntary. Total. 1. 2. 3 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 31st August, 1902 … 5,878 14,275 20,153 — — — — — — — 31st August, 1903 … 5,975 14,238 20,213 59 54 14 46 5 28 — 31st August, 1904 … 6,162 14,150 20,312 41 1 3 18 8 104 — 1st January, 1906 … 6,800 13,713 20,513 237 44 52 70 6 326 — 31st July, 1906 … 6,990 13,537 20,527 97 16 29 72 — 112 4 31st July, 1907 … 7,231 13,365 20,596 178 9 55 89 — 100 1 31st July, 1908 … 7,426 13,196 20,622 184 21 61 101 — 79 2 31st July, 1909 … 7,651 13,048 20,699 287 34 142 109 — 98 8 31st July, 1910 … 7,841 12,924 20,765 247 47 113 119 1 53 1 31st July, 1911 … 8,052 12,795 20,847 193 16 55 71 — 77 3 31st July, 1912 … 8,199 12,704 20,903 134 19 39 59 — 52 1 31st July, 1913 … 8,359 12,610 20,969 158 20 39 75 — 41 2 Totals 1,815 281 602 829 20 1,070 22

asked the total amount paid to England per annum under the Education Act of 1902?

Grants paid by the Board of Education for education of all kinds since the coming into operation of the Education Act, 1902:—

£ 1903–4 … … … 10,726,138 1904–5 … … … 11,704,799 1905–6 … … … 12,083,708 1906–7 … … … 12,649,970 1907–8 … … … 12,746,737 1908–9 … … … 12,948,997 1909–10 … … … 13,084,470 1910–11 … … … 13,599,534 1911–12 … … … 13,750,029 1912–13 … … … 13,782,350 1913–14 … … … 13,828,953

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Protector of Immigrants in Trinidad is about to retire; whether this gentleman stated before Lord Sanderson's Commission that scarcely any complaints were made to him by coolies; and whether, in filling the position vacated by this gentleman, he will endeavour to secure an official in whom the coolies would have confidence?

I have received no information as to the date at which the Protector of Immigrants will retire, though in view of his age he will no doubt do so before very long. My hon. Friend no doubt refers to Commander Coombs' state-

ment that complaints by coolies grew less and less every year, a gratifying testimony to the general contentment of the immigrant population of the Colony, which I hope his successor may be able to confirm.

asked the Secretary for Scotland what post Mr. Vivian Phillips fills at, the Scottish Office; what is the annual remuneration; and whether the appointment was made after examination?

Mr. Vivian Phillips is private secretary to the Secretary for Scotland. The salary attached to the post is £300 per annum. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether the late President of the Local Government Board stated in this House on the 5th June, 1012, that during 1911 the London County Council and the borough councils and the Local Government Board combined struck off 1,444 milk shops because of the un-suitability of the premises for milk and dairy purposes; and whether he will state by what procedure and under what powers the above bodies acted in these cases?

The procedure appears to have been under the special powers in regard to the registration of dairymen and the removal of dairymen from the register which are contained in Section 5 of the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1908.

asked the Postmaster-General how many examinations have been hold for second-class engineerships since the 1st January, 1907; how many candidates sat at each examination; how many passed; the number of appointments that were made as the result of each examination; and if he will state which of these examinations were qualifying and which were competitive, and, in the case of the latter, if the long-service Post Office engineers were allowed to compete at these examinations?

Eight examinations have been held for second-class engineer-ships since the 1st January, 1907. Five of these were competitive examinations, for which a limited number of candidates were nominated by the universities. The results of these examinations were as follows:—

1907–9 sat, 8 qualified, 6 received appointments.

1908–14 sat, 12 qualified, 8 received appointments.

1909–15 sat, 11 qualified, 5 received appointments.

1910–13 sat, 11 qualified, 7 received appointments.

1911–8 sat, 7 qualified, 5 received appointments.

Officers already in the Post Office service were not eligible to take part in these competitions. Three qualifying Civil Service examinations were held for the purpose of affording members of the redundant class of sub-engineers an opportunity of qualifying for the position of second-class engineer. The results of these examinations were as follows:—

1909–144 sat, 67 passed, 65 received appointments.

1910–87 sat, 30 passed, 30 received appointments.

1911–56 sat, 27 passed, 27 received appointments.

asked the Postmaster-General whether paragraph 148 of the Holt Committee's Report sets up a Boundaries Commission to decide areas for postal wages; and whether the staff is to be represented on such a Commission?

The hon. Member asked a similar question last week, and I am afraid I can add nothing to the reply then given. The whole matter is under consideration.

asked the Prime Minister whether, seeing that it is now more than three months since the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster vacated his seat in this House, he can say now when it is proposed to take steps to secure that this office shall be represented in the House?

There are recent precedents for the Duchy not being represented in the House, but I hope my right hon. Friend may be back here shortly.