asked the Prime Minister whether he is now in a position to inform the House of the details of the Government proposals in regard to increasing the provision made for the dependants of our soldiers and sailors on active service, both by way of separation allowance during absence and of pension in case of death or incapacity resulting from the performance of their duty to the country; if he cannot state the details now, when he will do so; and, in the meantime, whether the Government accept the principle of a greatly increased scale of allowance and pension, so that such dependants may be properly supported by the nation as of right and no longer depend upon charity, of including in such benefits parents where in fact dependent on their sons, and of imposing the necessary financial burden on the richer classes of the community by way of graduated taxation or otherwise?

had given private notice to ask the Prime Minister whether, looking to the fact that there are already many hundreds of widows and that before the War is ended there will be many thousands of widows created by this War, he can give an assurance that, either by raising the scale of pensions or by granting funds to the Royal Patriotic Fund Corporation for the purpose of supplementing where necessary the Government pensions, widows created by the present War will be at least as well provided for as the 4,500 widows who now receive pensions on account of the loss of their husbands in the Transvaal war?

I will reply to this question and to one of which the right bon. Member for Fulham has given me private notice together.

Will the right hon. Gentleman expedite as much as possible his announcement about pensions to widows, because the Royal Patriotic Fund have no money at their disposal for supplementing Government pensions except that which is given for immediate relief?

With regard to pensions to widows, there is at present a fund, but it is a matter of very great difficulty, and we have been considering it most carefully for some days. I hope in two or three days at the outside we may be able to announce our decision.

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider the suggestion which I brought to the notice of the authorities of the War Office for continuing to a widow for, at any rate, a certain period after the decease of her husband the allowance to which she is entitled as a wife?

We are considering that sympathetically, and I hope we may be able to make some announcement in regard to it. I would rather not commit myself definitely at present.

Can these facts be circulated amongst the different recruiting depots? I find at the meetings I have attended that it is a difficult matter to get even from the military members what is the exact position of the soldier in regard to these matters.

I will undertake to circulate, both in the Army and the Navy, the exact scale of the new allowances, and I think it is desirable to put the new scale side by side with the old scale.

From what date will these allowances come into force?

From the 1st of October.

Where there are more than four children in one family, will the rate be precisely the same as in the case of four?

For this purpose four is treated as the maximum.

Is any provision made for those who may be permanently injured?

That comes under the category of pensions, and also temporary disablement. All those matters fall under a different category.

I wish to know whether, in consequence of the increase now made, it will make any difference to the allowances made to Civil servants, and to those approved by municipalities who have adopted a similar line of action?

I am dealing now only with the Army and Navy.

What is meant by "hard cases"? Is it the intention that the old age pension committee in each district shall inquire into them?

That is so as regards allowances. I do not want to create any misapprehension. I said the new scale of allowances would date from 1st October, but it is possible that the Post Office, owing to administrative difficulties, may not be able to deal with them until the 12th of October.

The right hon. Gentleman said "soldiers at the front," I presume the scale refers to all men, Territorials and new recruits, directly they are embodied?

Yes, when they are separated from their wives.

Will the right hon. Gentleman have this new scale specially printed and placed in the Vote Office, in order that Members may have them?

Yes, Sir, I will have that done. What is more important, however, is that it should be sent to the recruiting depots.

Has any consideration been given to the question of paying increased wages?

That is quite another matter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has yet come to any decision as to the appointment of a receiver and manager of certain companies whose shareholders and directors are mainly German, and who hold contracts with the British Government?

The powers of the Board of Trade in this matter are set out in the Trading with the Enemy Act just passed. The necessary steps are being taken by the Board of Trade to put the Act into operation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the fact that many men are out of employment who might be suitably employed upon the police duties of watching, etc., now being performed by special constables, he will arrange to have some of this work done by paid men and so reduce the amount of distress that is due to the War?

The special constables are, generally speaking, a volunteer and unpaid police force. In my circular of 17th August I suggested to police authorities that in certain cases steady and trustworthy workmen who were unemployed might be employed as special constables at a small daily fee, rather than be allowed to come on the rates, but I understand that in most cases the men best suited for the work of special constables are not to be found among the unemployed.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he thinks, in view of the excellent conduct of the entire population, these special constables are necessary?

I agree with my hon. Friend that happily so far they have had very little work to do in suppressing disorder.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether pensioned officers of the police force are being employed on extra duties rendered necessary by the present state of the War; whether they are being paid a salary in addition to their pensions; and whether he will arrange that some of this work may be performed by men who are in distress by reason of unemployment due to the War?

The answer to the first two questions is in the affirmative. Police pensioners have been employed to take the place of constables who have gone to the front because of their experience of police duties. Unemployed men who possess the necessary qualifications for employment in the police may apply to be received as-recruits in the ordinary way.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can state the salaries paid and the terms of the engagement of those members of the Press Bureau whose services are not honorary?

I am informed that there are six naval officers attached to the Press Bureau. Of these one receives £535 a year, and the others between £200 and £300 a year each. There are nine military officers, of whom one receives £750 and the others £400 a year each. The civilian staff of clerks and typists, nine in number, are paid at rates ranging from 18s. to £3 a week. There are a few messengers employed at ordinary rates. In all cases the appointments are for a temporary period only, not exceeding the duration of the War.

Can my right hon. Friend say whether these salaries are in addition to the Service salaries or include them?

I understand they are the total salaries.

Does the right hon. Gentleman consider 18s. a week a living wage for a typist?

I said the staff of clerks and typists, but I think that includes very junior clerks.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the Prudential Assurance Company have issued a circular to their agents instructing them to press for, and insist upon, the payment of industrial insurance premiums on a threat of the policy being lapsed; and whether, in view of the provisions in the Courts (Emergency Powers) Act, any steps can be taken to safeguard the interests of industrial policy-holders?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply. The circular referred to was issued before the Courts (Emergency Powers) Act was passed. It is most desirable, in the interests of the insured themselves, that premiums should be paid punctually and arrears avoided as far as possible, but the Act has been passed to secure special consideration for genuine cases of hardship due to the state of war, and the industrial insurance companies will, I have no doubt, co-operate to this end.

asked whether, in view of the conflicting evidence with regard to the use of dum-dum bullets and to atrocities alleged to have been perpetrated in the War, he will ask the United States Government if it would, in the interests and hope of their immediate cessation, if the persistent rumours of their occurrence be true, set up a committee of inquiry into the whole subject?

His Majesty's Government would have no objection to an investigation by a committee of inquiry such as my hon. Friend suggests, and would even welcome it; but, in view of the reply which President Wilson is reported to have given to representations from Germany on this matter, it would not appear to be of any use for them to make any proposal to the Government of the United States on the subject.

Are we to understand that my hon. Friend has evidence that the United States Government would be willing to undertake such an inquiry, and that the Government would give every facility?

Yes. If we had any evidence that the Government of the United States would undertake such an inquiry, we should welcome it extremely, and I think I may say that we should give it every possible facility.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if, in order that the accommodation of hospitals and infirmaries may be available as far as possible for the reception of civilian patients, the War Office, before sending wounded soldiers to these hospitals and infirmaries, will avail themselves of those hospitals which since the commencement of the War have been specially equipped and are ready for the reception of military patients?

The War Office authorities are making every effort to prevent the present military exigencies from interfering with the needs and comfort of the civil population. No institution under the control of the Local Government Board has been utilised for the accommodation of military patients, nor will use be made of the unions or infirmaries to the detriment of the poor of the districts which they serve. Any beds in civil hospitals which have been used for the sick and wounded from overseas have been voluntarily placed at the disposal of the War Office by the authorities of these hospitals, and no demand has been made by the military authorities for the use of beds which might possibly be required for the civil population. The War Office is already availing themselves of specially equipped hospitals provided by the generosity of private individuals. Lists of these have been sent to the different commands, and General Officers Commanding-in-Chief have been requested to make use at their discretion of the accommodation thus placed at their disposal. About 12,000 beds have been offered.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether, in consequence of the inability of the War Office to utilise the offer of the Automobile Association to raise a corps of 5,000 motor volunteers, a modified offer was made to the French Government and by them accepted with enthusiasm, subject only to enrolment here; whether the War Office has received a request from the hon. Member for Brentford for permission to enrol such corps for service with our Allies; and, if so, when the reply of the War Office may be expected?

I was not aware of the fact that the French Government had accepted such an offer. A letter was, I find, sent to the hon. Gentleman yesterday stating that the enrolment of a corps of motorists in England for service with the French Army could not receive consideration except on the application of the French Government through the usual diplomatic channel.

If such request comes from the French Government, will facilities be given by our War Office?

Oh, yes, of course.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Messrs. Jackson, Government contractors, are building huts at Burford Camp, Wilts, for the Colonial contingent, and that, of about 1,000 employed, part of the men, about 400 at least, are crowded into one building, no beds provided, and insufficient sanitary accommodation; and whether he will send down one of the inspectors to inquire into the matter?

This firm is building huts at Bulford Camp on behalf of the War Office, but is responsible for the housing of the men employed. I understand that my right hon. Friend the President of the Local Government Board will send an inspector to inquire into the matter.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether a large number of the British General Staff have been billeted in London hotels where the employés are to a large extent Germane or Austrians; if so, whether the War Office has had its attention called to any cases of the conversation of such officers being improperly overheard or of their correspondence being secretly opened; and whether any steps can be taken to avert these dangers?

A few staff officers have been billeted at London hotels. No cases of conversation being improperly overheard or of correspondence being tampered with by German or Austrian waiters have been reported to the War Office, and, if any waiters of those nationalities are still in the employment of the hotels in question, the hon. Member may rest assured that the officers billeted are on their guard against the dangers to which he calls attention.

Will the hon. Gentleman take steps to ascertain from the proprietors of the different hotels in London what the nationality of their staff may be, and whether they are employed by any alien enemy?

I am afraid the War Office have quite enough to do already.

I beg to ask the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Admiralty if he can now state the decision which has been arrived at by the Scottish life offices in regard to the insurance premiums of insured sailors now serving with the Fleet?

I have received the following letter from the chairman of the Associated Scottish Life Offices:—

"As you are aware, the questions raised in your letter of 4th instant to the chairman of the Life Offices Association, London, have been under the consideration of this association. I have now the pleasure to inform you that it has been decided to recommend that in the case of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and of the Royal Naval Reserve no extra premium shall be charged for active service in respect of policies upon the lives of persons insured before the declaration of war. The question of granting the same concessions to the Royal Fleet Reserve has been carefully considered, but the managers cannot see their way to recommend it. They are of opinion that the concessions already made by the offices are all that can possibly be expected of them in justice to the main body of their policy holders. The managers have considered the suggestions contained in your letter as to what might be done in the case of insured members of the Royal Fleet Reserve and others who are not prepared to pay the extra premiums required. They are of opinion that it is impracticable to lay down fixed rules such as you suggest. The circumstances of the cases are so various that offices must be left to deal with their policy holders according to the circumstances of the particular case. The managers are sure that the offices would desire to show every consideration in such cases."

May I ask whether the letter read represents the industrial or ordinary life offices?

The Associated Scottish Life Offices.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War what number of Roman Catholic chaplains are already serving with the Expeditionary Force abroad, and whether it is intended to send more?

There are at present twelve Roman Catholic chaplains with the Expeditionary Force, and the Secretary of State does not at present see his way to send more, but, as soon as possible, any necessary additions will be made. In cases of extreme necessity French priests would no doubt be available for ministering to our Roman Catholic soldiers in France and Belgium.

Arising out of the last part of the answer, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether it is the opinion of the War Office that the Expeditionary Force is going to remain in France and is not going to fight its way into Germany?

No, Sir, I am pleased to say that is not the opinion of the War Office. I have said in the middle part of my answer that necessary additions may be made in certain eventualities, and no doubt that would be one.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman, as he has referred to the French priests, whether he is under the impression that the average English Catholic soldier speaks French and that the French priests speak English?

No, I do not think all of them do by any means, but I think both probably understand more than may be expected. I said, however, that only in extreme urgency would the services of French priests be utilised, and I might add that the Roman Catholics have proportionately a larger number of chaplains with the Expeditionary Force than any other communion.

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell the House the number of Catholic soldiers for whom these twelve priests have to administer?

No, I am afraid I cannot give the number.

asked the Post-master-General whether the Government have yet been able to relieve the burden on the commercial community resulting from the prohibition of the use of code?

I have been in communication with the cable companies, and I hope to arrive at an arrangement in the course of to-day which will substantially reduce the cost of cabling to countries outside the European system. As soon as the negotiations are completed I will issue an announcement to the Press.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the suspension of the Parliament Act Bills for at least one year, he will set up a Committee consisting of Members of all parties in both Houses to inquire into the working of federal systems in other countries with a view to the preparation of a comprehensive measure applicable to the United Kingdom that would supplement the Government of Ireland Bill?

I am afraid that this is not a practicable suggestion.

I have to state to the House that the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has received from His Majesty's Minister at the Court of Belgium a despatch dated the 17th instant, stating that he has had the honour of being received in audience by His Majesty the King of the Belgians, and that, in obedience to the King's Command, he presented to His Majesty a copy of the Address adopted by the House of Commons on the 27th ultimo. He had received a reply thereto in these terms:—

Before I deal with the points I wish to put to the Attorney-General, perhaps I might mention to the Prime Minister the question of the allowance to soldiers' wives. The Prime Minister told us this afternoon that the maximum would be 22s. for four children. As a matter of fact I have just heard the Secretary of State for War in another place intimate that there would still be 2s. for each additional child. I think it very essential in the public interest that the two statements should be put right as soon as possible. The points I desire to mention to the Attorney-General are two that arise out of the debate of Thursday last. Some little time ago, I asked the Prime Minister whether the Law Officers of the Crown could be authorised, under the very peculiar circumstances of the time, to make a statement for the benefit of the commercial community regarding the law as to contracts with aliens. An enormous number of contracts were entered into by the commercial community of this country, in London, Manchester, and so forth, prior to the commencement of the War, and it is quite impossible for anybody to advise these merchants as to what the law is on the subject. There has been no decision of any kind in any Court at all, certainly for sixty years, and there are only one or two decisions under American law some sixty years ago. I asked the Prime Minister whether it would not be possible, under the very exceptional circumstances, that the Law Officers of the Crown should make a statement, in order, seeing it is quite impossible for the Courts to give an exact decision to our merchants and commercial communities until the War is over, that the position should be made as clear as possible.

"I say candidly that I have always advised that reinsurance treaties are dissolved."

Give other people a chance: remember that we are up in a quarter of an hour!

I will not be much longer. I know the hon. Member wants to raise an important point, but this is a very important point, and I have been asked to raise it by the commercial community. I do ask the Attorney-General if he can give to the House his views in face of what hon. Members and myself consider are the contradictory opinions that are floating about?

Both matters to which the hon. Member referred are important, and I will try to deal with them clearly. Let me take the second matter first, because I recognise that that is an important and immediate question in the minds of many persons concerned with insurance in this country. I understand a treaty of insurance to be an arrangement which may be made between an English company and a German company by which premiums and risks and losses may be shared as between them on the terms arranged during the period of the treaty. The peculiarity of such a treaty is, at any rate in most cases, that one of the parties to it can bring into the common enterprise a new risk without consulting the other. Understanding a treaty of reinsurance in that sense, it is the intention of the new Proclamation, and I think it is the effect of the new Proclamation, that even although the treaty of reinsurance had been entered into before the War began, still no premium paid after the outbreak of the War can be shared during the War, and no loss arising after the outbreak of the War can be shared during the War under that reinsurance treaty if one of the parties is bound by the Proclamation and the other is an enemy. I think that is a clear statement and an accurate statement. If it be a fact that the new Proclamation does not make that arrangement abundantly clear, it will be possible to take steps to make it clearer under a further Proclamation. I make the statement now in order that those interested may consider whether the principle I have enunciated is not clear, definite, and reasonable, and if not we shall do our best to promulgate it without delay.

I gave notice to the Under-Secretary for War, who unfortunately is not in his place, that I would ask him to-day to relieve public anxiety with regard to the treatment of recruits now coming in by making a statement as to the measures taken by the War Office to relieve the causes of complaint. The points upon which these complaints rest chiefly may be summarised thus: First, there is no proper feeding and no accommodation, and consequently there is overcrowding, there is insufficient sanitary arrangements, no means of washing, no clothing, and no other necessaries. Then, to complete this, there is no pay, so that there is no means for a man to provide these things for himself. I have heard from every part of the Kingdom complaints of the same kind, coming from sources of such authority that they are no ordinary complaints put forward by men suffering from slight inconvenience. Therefore I think it behoves the representative of the War Office in this House to make a clear and definite statement of what those measures are which have been, as I understand, taken by the War Office to amend this state of affairs, in order to allay the very natural anxiety existing throughout the country, not only in the case of men who may become recruits hereafter, but of the friends and relatives of all those who have already given up their time and are prepared to give up their lives to His Majesty's service. I must express some surprise that in response to the notice which I gave yesterday there is nobody here on behalf of what is now the public Department most in the public eye. I was present a short time ago in another place when the Secretary of State for War himself made a statement. There was nothing in that statement to meet the complaints which had been made, and justly made. It was a valuable statement, but it is not for me to discuss that here. It is here in this House, which represents those men who are now coming forward in thousands to serve in the ranks of His Majesty's Army, that I consider a statement should be made to satisfy the country that due and proper preparation is made to deal with the influx of recruits. Under the circumstances I will not pursue the subject further, as it is idle for me to continue.

In the first place, I should like to associate myself with the statements made by my hon. and gallant Friend who has just spoken. To-day I received a couple of letters which bear out every word of the charge he has preferred. One of the letters I received was most amusing, because the writer says that when they were first taken to Alder-shot they were paraded and lectured by the colonel about the first point they should observe, and that was to keep themselves clean. This soldier writes to a friend of mine to ask how it is possible to carry out the injunction of the colonel if they are there, as they have been, for several days without soap, without towels, without brushes, without combs, in fact without any of those things absolutely essential to carry out the injunctions that have been given. They have been there ten days without any change of underclothing. He said he was quite prepared to rough it a bit, but the thing that touched him most was this, that the arrangements were so incomplete that his wife and children who had been left at home had not been able to draw a single halfpenny, and for no other reason that he could get than because the man's wife had not got his regimental number, and was informed that until she had the number it was absolutely impossible for any pay to be given. It seems to me that making the fullest allowance—and I think every Member of this House, no matter what side he sits on, will recognise that there has fallen to the War Office an exceptional amount of work during the last few weeks—but making the fullest allowance the organisation might be such that great groups of men should not be placed down at Aldershot and exposed to all the inconvenience and annoyance, not only to themselves, but also to the pain of having to carry in their memories the sufferings imposed upon those they left at home.

I am sure my hon. and gallant Friend will acquit me of any want of courtesy in the fact that I was unable to be present earlier. I have been engaged in very important business, and I understood that the matter to be raised by the hon. Member for Brentford (Mr. Joynson-Hicks) was likely to occupy some time. I understand my hon. and gallant Friend wishes me to make a statement as to the steps which have been taken to relieve the congestion and remedy the defects of the arrangements made by the War Office to deal with the great rush of recruits which have been sent to various centres. In the first place, I may inform the House that the War Office have opened ten large new camps at the following places: Salisbury, Codford St. Mary, Tring, Shoreham, Shorncliffe, Lulworth, Wool, Wareham, Bulford, and Grantham. All these new camps are equipped with tents, and blankets are served out to each of the recruits. Of course, it is the desire of the War Office that each recruit should have two blankets. At present we have not been able to give every soldier two, but every soldier has one, and we hope to give him two, and in the winter it may be desirable that they should have three. I think the ten camps I have alluded to will accommodate approximately 100,000 men. We have 100,000 at Aldershot. Most of the tents are now supplied with boards below, and where there are no tent-boards there are waterproof sheets. Another step taken by the War Office in order to partially stop the tremendous inflow of recruits is the raising of the height by three inches. This was designed to improve the standard of the physique of the Army, and has had the additional effect of diminishing the number of men qualified to join the Colours. I think the House is aware that while we were receiving 33,000 recruits a day as the maximum, we are now getting 8,000 or 9,000. [An HON. MEMBER: "What about the food?"] There is no difficulty about the food. [HON. MEMBERS: "Yes there is!"] I understand that the complaints which have reached my Noble Friend are that there is insufficient food, but I may say that there is a plentiful supply of the best food.

If they can get at it!

It is true that there have been difficulties in supplying food. I should like to be allowed to read the following letter which I have received from a Member of Parliament:—

"Nothing of the sort has occurred where I have been soldiering for over a month. We had an average of Over 2,000 men in barracks at Hilsea, where there was accommodation for about 500. I was in command of a battery there, and never had one single complaint about the accommodation or food or cleanliness from a single man. I went round dinners myself on several occasions and the men seemed more than pleased, and certainly there was no case-of dirt or vermin that I heard of. Naturally they had to rough it, but there was no complaint of that. You are welcome to read this in the House of Commons. Don't let any man in the House of Commons imagine for a moment that we are dissatisfied in any way with Lord Kitchener's regime."