asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) whether he can make a statement, without prejudice to the military interests of the Allies, showing how many German colonies still remain in German possession, specifying the names of such colonies and saying whether they are being attacked by any of the Allies; and (2) whether he can make a statement,, without prejudice to the military interests of the Allies, showing how many German colonies have been captured, surrendered, or taken since the War began, giving the names of those colonies and stating by what forces they were taken; and how they are now held and administered?

I am not in a position to make any general statement on the subject. Statements respecting the progress of His Majesty's arms in the several theatres of war are in each case communicated to the Press as soon as the public interest permits.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, looking to the fact that the wives of men employed at the war signal stations do not receive separation allowance, the Admiralty will grant the men an increase in their food allowance?

Separation allowance is payable in all cases except those in which men are living with their wives in official quarters. The question whether in the latter cases some increase in the amount of the provision allowance is desirable is at present being considered, but I can give no undertaking in the matter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can give information as to the constitution, functions, and procedure of the Commission Internationale de Ravitaillement; and whether its operations are such as to put an unnecessary restriction on the supply of British goods to the Allied Governments?

The Commission Internationale de Ravitaillement (International Commission for the Purchase of Supplies) was established in August, 1914, as a result of an agreement with the French Government, its object being to co-ordinate the purchase of food supplies, munitions of war, and military and naval equipment by the two Governments; to prevent harmful competition in the same markets and a consequent inflation of prices; to place the French Government in communication with firms who are capable of carrying out orders satisfactorily and at a reasonable price, and to spread the orders in such a way as to distribute employment, and thus accelerate delivery. The scope of the Commission has since been extended to cover purchases made on behalf of the other Allied Governments. The Commission consists of delegates of these Governments and of representatives of the Admiralty, War Office, Foreign Office, Board of Trade and Board of Agriculture. Articles intended for the use of an Allied Government are not in every case actually purchased by the delegates on the Commission of the Government concerned, but, if the export of such articles is prohibited by Proclamation, application for permission to export them must be made to the Commission before the order is placed. Upon receipt of a written statement from the Ministry of War or Marine or other Department concerned that the articles are really required by their Government the Commission give special consideration to the application, and permission to export is then only withheld if it is within the knowledge of His Majesty's Government that the export of these articles would cause detriment to the supplies of the Allied Governments considered as a whole. No restriction is, of course, placed upon the supply, either directly or indirectly, to the Allied Governments of articles the export of which is not prohibited. Applications for permission to export goods of which the export has been prohibited by Proclamation and which are required not for Government use but for ordinary industrial purposes do not come within the scope of the International Commission, but should be addressed to the War Trade Department, 4. Central Buildings, Storey's Gate, Westminster, S.W.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is willing to state what is the percentage on the net profits which is paid to the managers of the Admiralty coasting-trade office at Newcastle?

They are to be paid at the rate of £100 per annum for each vessel, together with 7½ per cent. on the net profits, and they are themselves to defray the management expenses in respect of all office charges and clerical staff. This arrangement is subject, however, to the condition that the total clear remuneration of each of the two managers shall not exceed the rate of £2,500 a year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give the total amount of wheat and other cereals exported and imported by Austria and Hungary separately, or Austria-Hungary as a whole, in the years 1912 and 1913, and the first six (or seven) months of 1914?

The following statement gives the information desired by my hon. Friend, so far as the particulars are available:—

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether, in the case of a man whose wife is living with another man, but whose child is living with his mother, the Government Grant can be made to the mother or to anyone else who is looking after the child?

Yes, Sir. This is the practice, the amount admissible being the motherless rate for a child.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he will consider the advisability of allowing carriage builders the opportunity of tendering for War Office requirements, wherever the chassis bought by them for civilian purposes are requisitioned for the Army?

Motor vehicles requisitioned are usually taken over complete with bodies, but, where necessary, orders for bodies are made after competitive tendering. Any applications to tender from carriage builders will be duly considered.

asked the Under-Secretary for War if he can state definitely whether the Volunteer training corps, if continued, will be recognised by the War Office; and, if so, under what conditions?

All corps which have become affiliated to the Central Association of Volunteer Training Corps and have thereby accepted the conditions framed for such corps by the Army Council are already recognised. This recognition will be extended to corps so affiliating in the future.

also asked if it is proposed to publish any official Report of the statement made by the Secretary of State for War to the Lords Lieutenant of the country on 12th February with respect to the conditions of membership and training in Volunteer training corps?

There is no intention to publish a Report of the proceedings of this meeting.

further asked the Under-Secretary for War whether, in view of the uncertainty that at present exists as to the position of Volunteer training corps, he will say if it is the wish of the War Office that such corps should be disbanded, or, if continued, should be confined to men who are not of military age, or are the organisers of such corps at liberty to enrol all suitable applicants who show, to the satisfaction of the organisers, that they have a good and sufficient reason for not enlisting in the Regular or Territorial Forces?

The Army Council has granted recognition to a number of Volun- teer corps, and certainly has no wish for their disbandment or the discontinuance of the movement. While considering that such corps are primarily for veterans, the Council hold that there is no objection to younger men becoming members of these corps if they think they have good reason to abstain from joining the Army and undertake to enlist if specially called on to do so.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether a request has been forwarded to the War Office from the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce that an expert mechanic, named Horace Gee, may be allowed to return to his work at Redditch, he having enlisted; whether he is aware that the services of Gee are required to make needles and parts of machines for making boots, there being at the present time a shortage of these needles and parts, and that his former employers have stated that they are quite unable to keep the boot trade supplied without the services of Gee, and that they have 30,000 machine needles and awls under order which they are unable to supply; and, seeing that this shortage is likely to have a prejudicial effect in the rate of production of boots for the Army, whether the War Office will give Gee permission to return?

The hon. Member has shown me privately a letter which he has received from the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce on the case referred to. My Noble Friend is unable to intervene in the matter, as the shortage of machine needles and awls is not having the prejudicial effect on the rate of production of boots for the Army which the hon. Member suggests.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the many statements that have been made as to the treatment of British prisoners in Germany, he will state to the House the steps that the Government have taken to secure for them satisfactory conditions of internment?

The Papers which it is hoped to lay on the Table at an early date will show the steps which His Majesty's Government have taken to endeavour to secure proper treatment for British prisoners of war in Germany.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can now see his way to recommend an increase of pay to dockyard draftsmen?

The conditions of service of draftsmen and of the other members of the drawing office staffs are still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can state, with regard to the ballots held in the border parishes under the Welsh Church Act, the number of ballot papers issued in each parish and the number of votes given in each parish for and against the parish coming within the Act, and the number of those who did not vote?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I have given to his oral question to-day.