asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that two properties at Eastbourne, passing under the will of the late Comtesse de Noailles, were sold by auction on the 30th May, 1912, and the conveyances were lodged under the provisions of the Finance Act in July, 1912, nearly two years ago, but the devisees have not yet been informed whether there is any Increment Duty payable or no; when the devisees will receive this information; and what steps he proposes taking in the future to prevent such delays?

In this case part of the property is agricultural land, and the relative valuations cannot accordingly be completed until the decision of the test case before the Courts. I am advised, however, that it may be assumed, pending the issue of a formal notification, that no Increment Value Duty will be payable. I anticipate that delays of this kind will not occur when the original valuation now in progress has been completed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that, as a result of a reorganisation, outdoor officers of Customs were made assistants of Customs in 1896 and received on promotion to the grade of second-class examining officer thirty-two days' leave; that assistants promoted subsequently received twenty-four days' leave, increasing to thirty days' on attaining a salary of£200, that those officers of Customs and Excise who were formerly second-class examining officers of Customs and who entered the service as assistants were informed by the Board's Order, No. 12317/1898, that the staff of the Department were liable to reorganisation, and that no claim of compensation could be admitted if such reorganisation should reduce the number of appointments or of promotion in the Department; that the interpretation of paragraph 255 of the Hob-house Committee's Report by the Board of Customs and Excise in General Order, No. 5/1913, paragraph 3, is a breach of the conditions imposed by their honours on those officers; and whether, having regard to the precedent of the ex-outdoor officers of Customs on promotion to the grade of second-class examining officer and to the above-mentioned conditions of service, he will reconsider his former decision and grant to the officers concerned the thirty days' leave to which they are entitled on attaining a salary of£200, calculated at the salaries and increment in force prior to the amalgamation, or grant to them suitable compensation for the deprivation of leave at£200?

The statements in the first three parts of the question as to the conditions in 1896 and 1898 are correct. As regards the remaining parts of the question, I have nothing to add to my reply to the lion, and gallant Member's question of the 15th ultimo on the same subject. The precedent of the ex-outdoor officers referred to is not applicable to the case of second-class examining officers under amalgamation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the total payments of the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway Company for rates, taxes, Government duty, and insurance tax absorb more than one-third of the year's profits; and, if so, whether His Majesty's Government proposes to take any and, if so, what action in order to reduce this burden?

I am unable to state whether the circumstances are as suggested. As regards the latter part of the question, I would remind the hon. Member that the Finance Bill contains proposals for the relief of local rates under which railways, along with other ratepayers, will derive substantial benefit.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what return he proposes to give under the Finance Bill, Clause 10, to those tenants for life of settled estates who have paid Settlement Estate Duty?

It is not proposed to make any payment to the tenants for life of settled estates, but it is provided by Clause 10 of the Finance Bill that the amount of any Settlement Estate Duty paid in respect of a property shall be set off against the Estate Duty on the first occasion on which that duty becomes payable by the operation of the Clause.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether under the new financial proposals rural districts containing few or no first or second class roads will lose the amount they now receive for the maintenance of the other roads in their area?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. No Exchequer Grants are payable at present to rural district councils in aid of the maintenance of roads. The Finance Bill does not affect the provisions of the Local Government Act, 1888, under which county councils may, if they think fit, contribute towards the cost of the maintenance of any highway which is not a main road.

asked whether local municipal authorities will receive the Grant in aid of the upkeep of main and second-class roads, as proposed in the Finance Bill, 1914, for roads passing through county boroughs?

Councils of county boroughs will receive Grants in aid of roads on a basis to be proposed by the Road Board.

asked what will be the approximate amount of the Grant to local authorities in England and Wales on account of public health services during a full year under the Budget proposals; and how much these authorities will lose by the discontinuance of the present Government subventions?

The approximate amount of the Public Health and General Purposes Grant to local authorities in England and Wales in a full year will be£3,200,000. This Grant will go to county councils and sanitary authorities. The only existing Grant specifically in aid of public health services is the Grant in aid of the cost of sanitary officers, amounting to about£180,000 a year. In addition, urban and rural district councils receive about£386,000 in Grants under the Agricultural Rates Act, 1896. These Grants will be discontinued.

asked whether, under the Finance Bill, all existing educational Grants will be abolished, and whether all the substituted Grants are to be paid through local educational authorities; and, if so, what provision is being made for those institutions for higher education that are not provided by a local education authority?

So far as concerns the Grants paid by the Board of Education, the answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second and third parts of the question, Grants to institutions for higher education which are not provided by a local education authority will continue to be paid direct to the responsible body.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much real property has been transferred in satistion of Estate Duty, Settlement Estate Duty, or Succession Duty under the provisions of Section 56 of the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by the Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for North Down on the 23rd February last. No further land has been transferred under the arrangement in question since that date.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if a British subject residing in Ceylon, who owns a farm in Devon making£40 per annum, is liable under the Finance Bill to pay Income Tax on that amount, seeing that the salary he is receiving in Ceylon, together with the income from the farm, is not of sufficient amount to make him liable to pay Income Tax if his earnings and residence were in this country?

The Finance Bill does not alter the provisions of the existing law, under which liability to Income Tax would arise in respect of the farm in the circumstances stated, unless the owner were entitled to the relief afforded by the proviso to Section 71 (1) of the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is the intention of the Government to give effect to the recommendation of the Royal Commission on Local Taxation, 1894, to enable boroughs to make one rate for all purposes?

Consideration will be given to this recommendation in connection with the Government's proposals for rating reform.

asked whether any and what part of the money to be found for improved education under the financial scheme of this year's Budget will be devoted to further assisting university education in the great manufacturing cities where universities have been founded?

It is intended to utilise part of any additional money available in the year 1915–16 for substantially assisting university education. I am not yet in a position to give any details.

asked the Prime Minister whether it is the intention of His Majesty's Government that all classes of Irishmen should be represented in the proposed Irish House of Commons; and, if so, whether provisions for the representation of the minorities in three Southern provinces of Ireland will be included in the Bill to amend the Government of Ireland Bill?

As regards the first part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the Debates on the Government of Ireland Bill. As regards the latter part, I am not prepared to anticipate the provisions of the Bill referred to.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that members of the National Volunteers have been recently addressed in various parts of Ireland by hon. Members representing Irish constituencies as to the object for which they have been enrolled; "whether he is aware that at such meetings members of the Volunteer Force were informed that, in the event of an attempt being made by the House to alter or repeal the Government of Ireland Bill, it would be their duty to make government in Ireland impossible, indifferently whether they had to meet the British Army or Government, and whether he will make representations to the leaders of Nationalist opinion to refrain from endeavouring to bring such open and forcible pressure on the present Government of Great Britain?

As regards the first two branches, my attention has not been called to this matter otherwise than by the hon. Member's question. As regards the last branch, I am not aware of any such pressure as is referred to, and see no necessity for representations as suggested.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the arming, equipping, and maintaining of both the Irish National Volunteers and the Ulster Volunteer Force has been held by the Lord Chancellor of England to be illegal; whether such illegalities will cease on the passage into law of the Government of Ireland Bill; and, if not, whether he will give the Clause of the Government of Ireland Bill that will make it illegal for a Volunteer force or forces to be maintained in Ireland, with or without the consent of the Irish Government, provided no public moneys are voted for their maintenance or laws passed for their regulation and discipline?

asked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to the statement by the Lord Chancellor that the Ulster and Nationalist Volunteer Forces are both of them illegal and unconstitutional; whether the Government concur in this view; and, if so, what steps they propose to take in the matter?

I have seen the statement of the Lord Chancellor referred to, and I assume that it was an accurate statement of the law. My Noble and learned Friend went on to point out the reasons which, in his opinion, had justified the Government in taking no action in the matter. I hope that in the near future the activities of these forces may be directed to the common good of Ireland. As regards the latter part of the question, the hon. Member will find that the matter is sufficiently dealt with by Clauses 2 (3), 4, and 38 of the Government of Ireland Bill.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he will give the number of Imperial troops now serving in Ireland and the present strength of the Royal Irish Constabulary; and whether he has now been able to form an estimate of the enrolled strength of the Irish National Volunteers and the Ulster Volunteer force, respectively?

The strength of the Regular Forces in Ireland is, approximately, 24,400, and the strength of the Royal Irish Constabulary is 10,460. The police estimate the numbers of the Irish National Volunteers and of the Ulster Volunteers to be about 80,000 and 84,000, respectively.

asked the Prime Minister if it is intended to give an opportunity for Debate on the Vote for the payment of Members' salaries?

As I have repeatedly stated this is a matter for arrangement through the usual channels.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make arrangements for the publication of full reports of the proceedings in Committee upstairs on the Unemployment and Health Insurance Amending Bills, so that there may be a complete record up to date of the proceedings of this House in connection with national insurance?

I will bear in mind the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will state, approximately, the cost of the administration of the Old Age Pension Act for 1913, including the share of the expenses of the Post Office Attributable to this Act?

The estimated cost in 1913–14 was£513,589.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury (1) whether he is aware that the firm of R. Somerville and Company, of Creech Mill, near Taunton, contractors to the Stationery Office, pay about the lowest wages of any firm in the trade in the United Kingdom; that the rate paid to general workers is 11s. 6d. per week; that the day-shift men work seventy-two- hours and the night-shift men sixty-eight hours per week; that other firms in the South pay their general workers 25s. a week, the hours being sixty-six day-shift and sixty night shift; whether he is aware that the firm referred to recently dismissed sixteen men for joining a trade union; whether he will make inquiries into the matter with a view to securing observance of the Fair-Wages Clause; and (2) whether he is aware that the following firms, contractors to the Stationery Office, are not observing the Fair-Wages Clause: A. Cowan and Sons, Penicuik, general workers' wages 15s. per week, district rate 21s.; Hele Paper Company, Cullompton, Devon, wages 15s. and district Rate 25s.; Ilford Paper Mills Company, Ilford, wages 18s. and 19s.; T. H. Saunders and Company, High Wycombe, wages 18s. and 19s.; J. Allen and Sons, Ivybridge, Devon, wages Us. 6d.; Reed and Smith, Cullompton, Devon, wages 11s. 6d.; J. Cropper and Company, Kendal, wages 11s. 6d; R. Fletcher and Son, Stoneclough, Lancashire, wages lls. 6d; and C. T. Hook and Company, Snodland, Kent, wages lls. 6d.; and whether he will have inquiries made into the matter and, in the course of the investigations, receive representations from the National Union of Paper Mill Workers?

Inquiries are being made into the questions raised, and the Controller is prepared to receive representations from any trade union concerned.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he can state the total cost of the administration of the National Insurance Act for 1913?

The information asked for will not be available until the audited accounts of the expenditure of approved societies and insurance committees to the llth January, 1914, have been received and tabulated.

asked what was the proportion of men established to men employed in His Majesty's dockyards, in the following years:—1905–6, 1906–7, 1907–8, 1908–9, 1909–10, 1910–11,. 1911–12, 1912–13, and 1913–14?

Taking the numbers for all Home establishments, the proportion is approximately as follows:— 1905–6, 18.8 per cent.; 1906–7, 21.3 per cent.; 1907–8, 21.3 per cent; 1908–9, 18.5 per cent.; 1909–10, 17 per cent; 1910–11, 15 per cent.; 1911–12, 16.3 per cent.; 1912–13, 16 per cent.: 1913–14, 14.9 per cent. I may say, further, that more than 1,000 men were added to the establishment during the year 1913–14, and that it is contemplated to add some 1,500 more during the present financial year, and to make further additions subsequently.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what were the respective number of recruits, whether boys or adults, accepted for the Navy, Marines, Naval Volunteers, and the Royal Naval, Reserve in year 1913–14?

The information, asked for is as follows:—

asked the Secretary of State for War the respective establishment for all ranks authorised by Parliament for the Army, Army Reserve, Special Reserve, and Territorial Force, as the case may be, forming the Home and Colonial establishment other than the Regular Force (regimental) on the Indian establishment for the year 1913–14; what were, in that year, the number of effectives of all ranks; and what has the total Estimate authorised and expenditure in that year on all Army services ( i.e., including not only personnel, but horses, armaments, works, etc.)?

The figures are as follows:—

The amount provided in Army Estimates (original and supplementary) for 1913–14 was£28,416,000. The amount expended will not be known for some months. The above statistics are on the same basis as those furnished to my hon. and gallant Friend on 9th April, 1913.

asked the Secretary of State for War what were the respective numbers of recruits accepted for the Army, Special Reserve, or Territorial Force, as the case may be, forming the Home and Colonial establishment for the year 1st October, 1912 to the 30th September, 1913?

My hon. and gallant Friend will find the information asked for on pages 56, 112, and 124, respectively, of the last issue of the General Annual

Return. Recruits accepted for the Regular Army go to feed not only the Home and Colonial establishments, but also the establishment of the British Army in India, and they are not accepted for the former separately from the latter.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether the pension scheme for Government employés at Woolwich Arsenal and Enfield Small Arms Factory has been finally approved by the Government actuary and obtained the assent of the Treasury; and whether its terms will be now promulgated?

The War Deparment is still in communication with the men about this scheme.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office the reasons which prevented the civilian labourers of the Army Ordnance Department at Carrickfergus from receiving the minimum wage of 20s. granted to similar labourers in Dublin on 1st April, 1907; and the grounds upon which a further increase to a minimum of 22s. has become necessary in England but not in Ireland?

These differences follow the differences in rates of wages which in practice prevail in the districts in question, in accordance with the Fair-Wages Resolution of the House. The question of the future minimum in Ireland is under consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that a classroom for forty scholars built on the rule of 10 square feet per scholar gives less space for the scholars than a class-room for sixty or eighty scholars built on the same rule, owing to the fact that the portion of the class-room required for teacher's desk, cupboards, blackboard, and other demonstration purposes is practically the same in either case; whether, in the new building rules now under consideration, he will provide that any reduction in the size of a class-room owing to the reduction in the size of classes shall only take place in regard to that portion of the room which is occupied by the scholars; or whether, if the total floor space of the class-room is to be measured technically on the basis of square feet per child, he will provide that class-rooms intended for not more than forty scholars shall be built on the basis of 12 square feet or more per child instead of 10 square feet, so that scholars in small classes shall have as much space for their desks and gangways as scholars in larger classes, and that the space reserved for the teacher and furniture shall remain the same?

I am aware of the facts mentioned in the first part of the question. In the preparation of the new edition of the Building Regulations, which I hope will shortly be issued, the point referred to has not been lost sight of, but, as at present advised, I do not think it will be necessary to prescribe 12 square feet for a class of forty scholars.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action is being taken on the Report of the Indian Inquiry Commission?

The Indians Relief Bill, which is based on the Report, passed the Committee stage of the Union House of Assembly on 12th June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will issue as a White Paper the valuation draft Ordinance which has recently passed in the provincial council at Capetown, and which provides far the separate valuation of land in Cape Colony?

I do not propose to incur the expense of reprinting the Ordinance, but I shall be glad to place copies in the Library.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he can state in respect of the total population of England and Wales the estimated average duration of life in the years 1904, 1909, and 1914?

The term "average duration of life" is ambiguous. The average age at death of the persons who died in 1904 and 1909 (the figures for 1914 are not yet available) could be calculated only approximately, because the deaths were not abstracted in single years of age, but only (except as regards the first five years of life) in age groups. Comparison of the average ages at death in different periods is, however, misleading, because they depend not only on the mortality at different ages, but also upon the age constitution of the population. The term "average duration of life" is sometimes used to denote the "expectation of life at birth" of a life table. Life tables are not constructed by the Registrar-General upon the mortality of a single year, but two life tables based respectively upon the mortality in England and Wales in the ten years 1901–1910 and in the three years 1910–1912 are in course of preparation. These tables show, provisionally, that the expectation of life at birth, based upon the mortality in the ten years 1901–1910 was 48.53 years for males, 52.38 years, for females, and 50.42 years for persons, irrespective of sex. On the mortality in the three years 1910–1912 the expectations were 51.50 years for males, 55.35 for females, and 53.38 for persons.

asked the President of the Local Government Board the number of Metropolitan borough councils in the London County Council area which have appointed health visitors and inspectors to visit families in respect of complaints as to overcrowding and verminous conditions, and the number of such officers, and the number of relieving officers in the same area; and if there is any arrangement for the co-operation of these officials in their work.

Twenty-two of the twenty-nine councils of Metropolitan cities and boroughs have appointed health visitors under the Health Visitors (London) Order, 1909, and every council has appointed sanitary inspectors. Altogether there are in London 298 male sanitary inspectors, twenty-nine female sanitary inspectors, sixteen women who are part-time sanitary inspectors and part-time health vistors, and twenty-one whole-time health visitors. The number of relieving officers is 309. The extent to which co-operation of these officials is maintained varies in the different localities. The Local Government Board have recently addressed a circular letter to the mayor of each Metropolitan borough and the chairman of each Metropolitan board of guardians advocating further cooperation and suggesting the calling of conferences at which the public health and Poor Law authorities and the voluntary agencies should be represented, and the question of formulating schemes of co-operation discussed. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the circular.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture what was the shrinkage in 1913 of the arable area, and of agricultural horses, cattle, sheep, and pigs, respectively, as compared with 1912?

Acreage of arable land and number of agricultural horses, cattle, sheep, and pigs, as returned on the 4th June, 1912 and 1913, in England and Wales, with the difference in 1913 as compared with 1912—

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture how many outbreaks of swine fever occurred during the first five months of this year; how many pigs were slaughtered in consequence; and how these figures compare with those for the same period in 1912 and 1913, respectively?

Number of outbreaks of swine fever confirmed in Great Britain, and number of swine slaughtered as diseased, or as having been exposed to infection in the twenty-two weeks ended 30th May, 1914, and in the corresponding periods of 1912 and 1913:—

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the case of the late Mr. George Wallis, postmaster of Coalville, whose health was permanently impaired by the insanitary condition of the premises in which the Post Office employed him; whether he is aware that the late Postmaster-General, after neglecting to fulfil a definite promise to Mr. Wallis to transfer him to a more suitable locality as regards climate, eventually granted him a special allowance a few months before his death; and what steps he proposes to take to compensate the widow, in view of the fact that Mr. Wallis's death is directly attributable to the conditions of his employment?

I am satisfied that the case of Mr. Wallis received the fullest and most sympathetic consideration from my predecessor. The question whether the widow is entitled to any further compensation is under consideration and I will communicate further in the matter with the hon. Member.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that all telegrams coming to Boyle or leaving Boyle have to pass through Sligo; and whether he will make arrangements to establish a direct service?

Telegrams from Boyle have two outlets—one to Sligo, and the other to Carrick-on-Shannon. The cost of a direct wire to Dublin would be considerable and not justified by the amount of the traffic. I am informed that the present service is carried on without delay; but if my hon. Friend will give me particulars of any telegrams which have been delayed, I will have further inquiry made.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture what was the reduction in the demand for and supply of statutory small holdings in 1913 as compared with 1912; and what are the reasons in the opinion of his advisers for such reduction?

The following table sets out particulars of the supply and demand for small holdings in the years 1912 and 1913:—

With regard to the latter part of the question, I would refer the hon. Gentleman to pages 5 and 6 of the Annual Report for 2913 (Cd. 7328).

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total amounts paid in 1911 for mining royalties and wayleaves separately, on coal mined in France, Belgium, and Germany, respectively?

I regret I am unable to supply the information asked for by the hon. Member. An attempt was made last year by the Board of Trade with the assistance of the Foreign Office to obtain identical information in reply to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for North-East Lanarkshire, but it was found that neither the German, the French, nor the Belgian Government could supply the figures.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether he will state the total cost to the Exchequer of the Committee appointed to inquire into Agricultural Credit, Ireland?

The cost of the inquiry to date, so far as defrayed from the funds of the Department, is£1,314.

asked the Secretary for Scotland when he expects to receive the Report from the Local Government Board regarding the housing conditions in Greenock?

The Commissioners appointed by the Local Government Board for Scotland to hold the inquiry are now engaged in drafting their Report, and I expect to receive it shortly.

asked the Prime Minister, as representing the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many livings are in the gift of the Duchy in the West Riding of Yorkshire; and what is the amount of income of each benefice and the nature of the security in each case?

There are seven Duchy livings in the West Riding of Yorkshire, of which the following are the particulars:—