asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether Royal Fleet Reserve men and Royal Naval Reserve men serving in the R.F.A. "Petroleum" are allowed to make out allotments to their wives, thus allowing the wives to claim separation allowance; and, if so, whether any allotments have been declared by these men and separation allowances paid?

The scheme of Navy separation allowances extends only to naval ratings, Marines and Reservists, borne on the books of His Majesty's ships and paid at naval rates of pay. All men serving in the R.F.A. "Petroleum" receive mercantile rates of pay and consequently, although the full facilities for declaring allotments are open to them, separation allowance is not issuable in respect of them.

asked the Home Secretary how many alien enemies were permitted to reside in the prohibited areas of England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, respectively, upon the 1st. December, 1914, 1st January, 1915, and the 1st February, 1915, respectively; and how many of these were men of military age?

This information could not be obtained without taking a special census for each of the dates named, and that would involve an expenditure of time and labour which I do not feel justified in imposing on the police at a time when so many other urgent duties fall upon them. I may refer the hon. and learned Member to the answers which I gave to the questions by the hon. Member for the Brentford Division on the 23rd November last and the 4th instant, which showed that in the prohibited areas on the East and South Coasts there were at the beginning of November 771 males and 2,190 females, and on the 1st January 695 males and 2,302 females. In comparing these two sets of figures, it must be noted that Turkish subjects in all the areas, and persons resident in the prohibited areas in Cornwall and from Aberdeenshire to the North of Scotland, are not included in the first and are included in the second.

also asked (1) what general principles determine the issue of permits to alien enemies to reside in prohibited areas; and is the Home Office or, if not, what department of State responsible for formulating such general principles; and (2) what instructions, if any, have been given since the outbreak of the War by the Home Office to the registration officers of the various prohibited areas with respect to the issue of permits to alien enemies to reside in such prohibited areas; and upon what dates were such instructions given?

The general principles in this matter were settled by conference between the War Office and the Home Office. They were summed up in a circular to Chief Constables, dated the 14th September, in which the following passage occurs: "The general principle is that it is desirable on naval and military grounds that alien enemies should be removed from prohibited areas. Permits allowing them to remain should not be granted, except in cases where there are special circumstances involving considerations of humanity or of public interest, to which weight can be given without damage to naval or military requirements." The Chief Constables had previously been instructed in circulars of the 5th and 11th August, that the greatest care should be exercised with regard to the issue of permits, and that the military authorities should be consulted in all doubtful cases. They were, further, required to forward particulars in regard to any alien enemy permitted to reside in a prohibited area to the War Office.

asked the Under-Secretary for India whether his attention has been called to an alleged hardship inflicted on the officers of native contingents now at the front, that whereas the officers of English Cavalry regiments now fighting in France (or Belgium) are supplied with rations and horses (with their food) free officers of Indian regiments have to pay daily 7s. odd for their rations, also for horse-hire and for food for the horse; whether he will explain why there has been this treatment of officers of native regiments; and whether he will take steps to place them upon the same footing as officers of British regiments in regard to horses and rations?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave yesterday to a similar question by the hon. Member for Nottingham East, of which I will send him a copy.

asked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been directed to the increased rates of insurance and freights; and whether it is intended to consider their modification as factors in the rising prices of food and other supplies?

All these matters are receiving careful consideration.

asked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to the case of John Ershine, a soldier who has been invalided home from the front with an ulcerated leg, and in consequence those responsible for distribution of the funds in connection with the Sailors' and Soldiers' Families Association refused to have anything to do with him; whether he is aware the man in question has been sent to Alloa workhouse; and if he intends taking any action in the matter?

If the hon. Member is referring to John Erskine, late of the South Wales Borderers, his case is at present under the consideration of the Chelsea Commissioners.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether his attention has been called to the case of Mrs. Mary Phillips, of 3, Little Glentworth Street, Limerick, whose son, Private William Phillips, No. 5,458, 5th Battalion Royal Munster Fusiliers, made his mother an allowance from his pay, whose complaint is that she receives only 6s. 4d. per week, which is altogether inadequate to support herself and her other children; whether, according to the regulations, this widow is entitled to a further allowance of money; and whether consideration will be given to this and other cases of a like nature1?

According to the regulations, Mrs. Phillips is not entitled to more than the amount of support her son actually gave her before enlistment, after allowing for the cost of his own maintenance. There is nothing to suggest that the pension officer has failed to assess the allowance rightly; but in accordance with the recommendation of the Select Committee, an opportunity of appeal will be provided in this and other cases.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether his attention has been directed to the case of Mary O'Connor, of 6, Punches Lane, Carey's Road, Limerick, Ireland, a widow, whose only son, Private Denis O'Connor, No. 5,443, 2nd battalion Royal Munster Fusiliers, 1st division Expeditionary Force, who is only receiving 5s. weekly, which is not enough to keep her, with a view of having her case more favourably considered; whether inquiry will be made as to a promise made by the Great Southern and Western Railway Company of Ireland to grant half the wages of her son to this poor widow during her son's absence in the Army; and whether this promise has been carried out?

The allowance of 5s. a week was a provisional assessment, as Private Denis O'Connor made no allotment to his mother prior to his embarking for service oversea. His declaration has since been received, arrears of allotment have been paid up, and Mrs. O'Connor is now being paid at the weekly rate of 9s. 1d. applicable to her case. The question of the employers' contribution is not a matter in which the War Office can intervene.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether he is aware that established civil servants who have joined the forces, and who are exempt from the National Insurance Act, are being compelled to stamp insurance cards contrary to the regulations issued by the National Insurance Commissioners; and whether he will make inquiries and have the matter put right?

Men enlisting for the period of the War and members of the Territorial Force who were not insured in civil life before enlistment or mobilisation have one month within which to elect whether they will be insured or not during service. Precise instructions were issued by Special Army Order of 12th December that all soldiers in the above categories then serving who had not already exercised the option should be given until 3rd January to decide.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether any in- structions have been given that when billeting troops first consideration shall be given to those people who have lost lodgers through enlistment and who, in consequence, have rooms vacant?

All such cases which have been represented have been referred to the local billeting officers for consideration.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether members of Territorial units at Home and in the Expeditionary Force have been ordered to take off the Territorial badge T; if so, why; whether the abolition of the badge is intended to affect in any, and what, manner the obligations of such members, and whether a careful record will be kept of all units and their numbers who are treated in this way?

No instructions to this effect have been issued from the War Office, but if the hon. Member will furnish particulars of any specific cases where such instructions have been given I will have inquiries made.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether a man who joined a Territorial regiment which camped in July, 1914, gets proficiency pay from the date of mobilisation if he joined on 4th August, 1912, and attended a, fifteen days' camp in July, 1913 and 1914; whether a man who so joined on 4th August, 1912, a unit which would have camped in August, 1914, does not get proficiency pay, even though he had attended a fifteen days' camp in 1913 and had sent in his name for camp in 1914 and was prevented from completing attendance by mobilisation; and, if so, whether this state of affairs will be rectified?

The effect of the Regulations is as stated. The issue of proficiency pay depends upon attendance actually given before mobilisation.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office how many officers and non-commissioned officers were employed in the Army Pay Department and Army Pay Corps, respectively, before 1st August, 1914, and the numbers at the present date?

The strength of the Army Pay Department and Army Pay Corps on 31st July last and at the present time is as follows:—

	Army Pay Department	Army Pay Corps.
On 31st July, 1914.	183	575
Present date	538	4,587
	(including 314 Acting Paymasters, and 12 Assistant Paymasters awaiting gazette).

asked whether any and what promotions have been granted in the Army Pay Department and Army Pay Corps since the War began; and whether any vacancies have been permitted to lapse without being filled up?

Since the War began the following promotions have been granted, or are awaiting promulgation:—

Army Pay Department.
1	promotion to staff paymaster.
7	temporary promotions to chief paymaster.
14	temporary promotions to staff paymaster.
Army Pay Corps.
22	promotions to assistant paymaster.
22	promotions to warrant rank.
6	temporary promotions to warrant rank.
18	promotions to staff-sergeant.
59	temporary promotions to staff-sergeant.

In accordance with Army Orders 70 and 158 of 1910, 1 staff paymaster and 9 staff-sergeants have been absorbed, owing to excess of establishment.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether officers of the New Army and of Territorial units are allowed any, and what, sum in lieu of quarters if they are living for purposes of public duties in quarters of their own and are not billeted?

When officers are not billeted or allotted public quarters, they may draw lodging and fuel and light allowances at the rates appropriate to their rank. The rates for a captain are 2s. 3d. a day for lodging, and 6d. a day for fuel and light in winter.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether, in view of the increased necessity for tillage in consequence of the War, the Estates Commissioners are imposing on recipients of parcels of untenanted land any condition to till a portion thereof; and, if they have not power to do this directly, whether they can see their way to allotting parcels of such land only to persons who will undertake and are likely to practice tillage, and recommending tillage in every case with which they and their inspectors have to deal?

While the Estates Commissioners have no power to allot land otherwise than in accordance with the Land Purchase Acts, which contain no provisions for restricting the use of such lands on the lines indicated in the question, it is the practice to recommend tillage when the circumstances of the case render that course desirable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to a case which was tried at the Middlesex Sessions on Saturday, 6th February, 1915, at which the wife of a soldier of the Scots Guards, home wounded from the front, was sentenced to four months' imprisonment for obtaining £2 15s. from the Soldiers' and Sailors' Families Association at Hornsey; whether the woman in question was asked to refund the money by weekly payments before being prosecuted; and if he can see his way clear to reduce the sentence?

My attention was called to this case before my hon. Friend's question appeared on the Paper. I find that the Court reduced the sentence of four months to one month, but the exceptional and distressing circumstances attending the case, and the fact that the prisoner bore a good character prior to this conviction, have led me to the conclusion that the case is one in which without questioning the decision of the Court I should be justified in recommending His Majesty as a special act of clemency to remit the remainder of the sentence.

asked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to an interdict granted by Lord Anderson in the Court of Session on the 2nd February on the application of the Glasgow Insurance Committee ordaining the Scottish Insurance Commissioners to cancel any directions given by them for laying the National Health Insurance (Drug Accounts Committee) Regulations (Scotland), 1914, before both or either of the Houses of Parliament; whether the application was made and granted on the ground that no petition against the Order was possible in this House because the Government was to occupy the whole time of the House; whether, under the Order of 3rd February, the opportunity to petition against Orders and Regulations laid upon the Table of the House has been taken away; and, if so, whether the Government will propose an Amendment to the Order of the 3rd February whereby the right to petition against Orders and Regulations laid upon the Table will be restored?

My attention has been called to the matter referred to. I must not be held to accept the statements made in the second branch of the question, but the grounds on which the application was made and granted are, I believe, accessible to my hon. Friend. As, under the Order of 3rd February, no opportunity would arise of discussing petitions against such Orders and Regulations, the Government will endeavour to make some arrangement that time should be given and when discussion is necessary and desirable.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he will give a reference to any Treasury Minute, with its date and the statutory authority for it, disentitling purchasers of land in Ireland, while paying interest in lieu of rent, from borrowing money from the Board of Works for buildings, drainage, or other improvements of their holdings; the number of landholders now disabled by this cause from improving their holdings; whether some of them have been, without any fault of theirs, for ten years in this condition; and whether he will take any steps either to have the sales completed or the restriction removed?

Purchasers of land in Ireland while paying interest in lieu of rent are not debarred either by Treasury Minute or by Statute from borrowing from the Board of Works for improvements, but until their holdings are vested loans can only be matte to them as occupiers under Section 31 of the Land Law (Ireland) Act, 1881, and the rules approved by the Treasury provide that such loans shall not be granted for less than £35 or, in ordinary circumstances, for more than three times the valuation of the holding. Tenant purchasers whose valuation is below £11 13s. 4d. cannot, therefore, obtain loans until their holdings are vested. I understand that the number of such cases existing could not be stated without a detailed examination of each case, and that the holdings in pending cases of land purchases are being vested with all the dispatch possible in present circumstances.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he will state the estimate of expenditure for 1914–15 and for 1915–16, respectively, made by each of the local councils and other bodies spending public money in Ireland; the increase or diminution in each case; and the net aggregate increase in the whole of Ireland for the latter financial year?

The Estimates for the year 1915–16 will not be available for some months, and I am accordingly unable to give the comparative figures asked for by the hon. Member.

asked the Chief Secretary if he will say by whom, and under what scheme, the Erasmus Smith property in Ireland is now administered; the counties in which it is situated; the schools that benefit by it, with the amount in each case; the revenue from the property in each county, and the total; the purpose to which the surplus is applied, with the authority for this application; and who are entitled under the scheme to check the accounts and challenge the administration?

The Erasmus Smith property in Ireland is administered by a Board of Governors constituted under Charters of Charles II. and William IV., which, together with Acts of Parliament of 10 Geo. I., 21 and 22 Geo. III., cap. 27, 25 Geo. III., cap. 55, and 31 and 32 Vic., cap. 62, also constitute the scheme of administration. The property is situate in the counties of Tipperary, Limerick, Galway, and Sligo, and I am informed by the Governors that, in accordance with the Charters, grammar schools are maintained at Drogheda, Galway, and Tipperary; professorships, fellowships and exhibitions are provided at Trinity College, Dublin, and fixed payments are made to the King's Hospital, Dublin, and Christ's Hospital, London. The surplus revenue is, likewise in accordance with the Charters, applied in payments for supplemented exhibitions in Trinity College, Dublin, and in the maintenance of twenty schools in eleven different counties in Ireland. The revenue of the foundation for the year ended the 1st May, 1914, amounted to £6,027 7s. 7d., but the detailed allocation thereof in the form asked for could only be furnished at the expense of considerable time and labour. Under the Charters and Acts of Parliament the Governors have full power to examine and allow the accounts submitted in accordance therewith, their practice being to have such accounts duly audited before submission. For an indication of the parties entitled to challenge the administration I must refer the hon. Member to the several Acts and Charters.

asked the Chief Secretary if he will state the number of assistants and of junior assistant female teachers now employed in national schools in Ireland, with the average salary paid in each class; whether the employment is uncertain, depending not on merit but on a fixed average attendance of pupils; whether more than three-fourths of the girls with natural aptitude for teaching are deprived of that career by this cause; and whether any corresponding class of public servants in the United Kingdom, with employment uncertain, is so poorly paid?

I am informed by the Commissioners of National Education that the numbers of women assistant teachers and junior assistant mistresses serving at the 31st December, 1913, the last date for which figures are at present available, were respectively 4,239 and 2,356. The average annual salary of the former when last computed in respect of those serving on the 31st December, 1912, was found to be, approximately, £68 14s., exclusive of fees for special subjects and for evening school instruction, while junior assistant mistresses receive, as a rule, a salary of £24 per annum, with an additional annual grant after two years' efficient service of £4. Payment of salary is, in accordance with the rules of the Commissioners, continued only when an average attendance of pupils of at least forty in the case of assistant teachers, and of thirty in respect of junior assistant mistresses is maintained; but grants are not withdrawn until after the expiration of two consecutive quarters of inadequate attendance, and if the reduction of attendance is due to epidemic sickness in the locality or to other exceptional causes, the grants may be continued for a further definite period. With regard to the last parts of the question, I would point out to the hon. Member that the number of teachers employed and the salaries paid to them must be determined by the educational needs and circumstances of the country, and cannot be governed by the numbers of persons whose abilities would fit them for the profession if they were allowed to adopt it.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether Mary Brady, number on pension officer's register 8,640, Dundalk district, Carrickmacross station, county Monaghan, was awarded an old age pension at 5s. per week on 2nd April, 1914; and, if so, whether she is now in receipt of this pension and, if not, will he state the reasons?

This woman was granted a pension of 5s. a week by the Carrickmacross pension sub-committee on 7th April. 1914, but on appeal her claim was disallowed on the grounds that she failed to show that she was seventy years of age.

asked the Chief Secretary on what grounds Eliza Fay, of Kinaderry. Welshtown, county Donegal, was deprived of the pension which had been granted to her by the Ballybofey (county Donegal) sub-committee; and, if on the ground of means, were the Local Government Board aware of the fact that the farm which she assigned to her son was subject to debts which exceeded the value of the farm, and that the consideration for the assignment was the payment of these debts by her son?

Elizabeth Fay's claim for an old age pension was disallowed on the ground that her means exceeded the statutory limit. The Local Government Board were aware of the assignment of the farm to claimant's son.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has considered the expediency of establishing a branch of the Board of Trade in Ireland, having regard to the fact that, under the present arrangement, it is difficult to obtain correct statistics of exports and imports and other information necessary to traders and the community?

The collection of statistics of imports and exports is a matter for which the Board of Customs and Excise is responsible, and I do not think that the adoption of the course suggested by the hon. Member would affect these statistics.

asked the right hon. Member for the Stroud Division, as representing the Charity Commissioners, whether the Charity Commissioners have received letters dated 13th October, 1914, 24th October, 1914, and 7th November, 1914, from the clerk to the parish council of Wilby, Suffolk, making inquiries concerning the parochial charities of Wilby; and, if so, why no answer has been sent to any of these communications?

(replying for Mr. C. P. Allen): The three letters mentioned by the hon. Member were received by the Commissioners. They were not answered because they merely renewed a demand as to which explanations had been repeatedly made to the writer in letters and at interviews since the 20th January, 1903, that the Commissioners had no power to comply with it.

asked the hon. Member whether he is aware that, by a communication dated 11th February, 1908, the Charity Commission stated that the charities of Wilby, Suffolk, would be apportioned as to two-sevenths to ecclesiastical purposes and as to five-sevenths to non-ecclesiastical parochial purposes, and that the parochial property as to this five-sevenths would be transferred to representative trustees to hold; why this arrangement has not been carried out; whether it is intended to accede to the request of the parish council that, in accordance with the the Local Government Act, 1894, trustees should be appointed with the object of obtaining for the poor of this parish the benefit of the ancient parochial endowments?

The purport of the Commissioners' letter of the 11th February, 1908, is not as stated in the hon. Member's question. The letter explained that the Apportionment Order which the Commissioners would be prepared to make would (so far as the net income of the Town Lands Charity was concerned) constitute two-sevenths of that income a separate ecclesiastical charity and give representation to the parish council as regards only the one-seventh of that income which was applicable for the poor. This arrangement the Commissioners carried out by their order of the 2nd April, 1908. The Commissioners then had, and now have, no power to modify the trusteeship or the mode of application of the remaining four-sevenths of the net income of the Town Lands Charity which have since the 20th January, 1903, been under the jurisdiction of the Board of Education.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture what was the total production of wheat in the United Kingdom during the years 1911, 1912, 1913, and 1914, respectively?

The quantities are as follows:—

1911	…	…	8,039,182 quarters
1912	…	…	7,175,288 quarters
1913	…	…	7,087,050 quarters
1914	…	…	7,804,043 quarters

As the final figures for Scotland and Ireland for 1914 are not yet available, the total quantity for that year is subject to slight revision.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what were the amounts of wheat, including meal and flour, imported into the United Kingdom in the half-year, 1st July to 31st December, of each of the years 1911, 1912, 1913, and 1914, respectively, from Canada, British-India, Australia, and other British Possessions, respectively, and in the aggregate; and from the United States, Russia, the Argentine Republic, and other foreign countries, respectively, and in the aggregate, with the total aggregate, for each such half-year?

(a) Imports of Wheat.
—			From 1st July to 31st December.
			1911.	1912.	1913.	1914.
			Thousand cwts. (000's omitted).
British Possessions—
Canada	…	…	8,341	11,964	13,871	22,008
British East Indies	…	…	11,758	17,058	12,181	9,336
Australia	…	…	8,943	4,749	5,232	3,523
Other	…	…	—	—	—	—
Total—British Possessions	…	…	29,042	33,771	31,284	34,867
Foreign Countries—
United States	…	…	7,755	11,552	17,394	21,134
Russia	…	…	7,737	5,909	3,255	1,152
Argentina	…	…	5,833	9,137	1,729	1,002
Other	…	…	3,011	983	539	162
Total—Foreign Countries	…	…	24,336	27,581	22,917	23,450
Total—All sources	…	…	53,378	61,352	54,201	58,317

(b) Imports of Wheat Meal and Flour.
—			From 1st July to 31st December.
			1911.	1912.	1913.	1914.
			Thousand Cwts. (000's omitted).
British Possessions—
Canada	…	…	1,767	2,104	2,178	1,396
British East Indies	…	…	42	7	1	—
Australia	…	…	254	491	231	87
Other	…	…	—	4	1	—
Total—British Possessions	…	…	2,063	2,606	2,411	1,483
Foreign Countries—
United States	…	…	2,754	2,319	3,114	3,048
Russia	…	…	2	—	1	96
Argentina	…	…	12	67	68	3
Other	…	…	669	645	547	164
Total—Foreign Countries	…	…	3,437	3,031	3,730	3,311
Total—All sources	…	…	5,500	5,637	6,141	4,794

The following statements give the information desired by my hon. Friend:—

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether any estimate has been formed of the area of arable land in Ireland recently submerged in water for want of arterial drainage, and the amount of damage caused to the land and to livestock; whether the Department has brought under the notice of the Treasury the amount of taxation of Ireland which should be applied to the work of drainage; and whether any promise has been obtained that this will be done?

The Department do not deal with the question of arterial drainage, and are not, therefore, in a position to supply information upon the subjects referred to in the question.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland), if he will state, for purposes of comparison, the estimated cost of living of an average working-class household in Ireland in January, 1914, and in January, 1915, respectively, having regard to the retail prices of staple foodstuffs, clothing, fuel, rent, rates, and the other items of expenditure in which differences appear?

The Department do not collect statistics of retail prices of foodstuffs, clothing, rents, rates, etc., and are, therefore, not in a position to give the comparative estimates referred to.