asked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to the case of the British Broken Hill Proprietary Company which produces, in large quantities, concentrates of lead and zinc at Broken Hill and disposes of the same to smelters, and whose mine is now closed down, with a large number of men out of work, owing to the contracts with practically the only available smelters, who are a German concern, being incapable of performance for the time being; and whether the Government will introduce legislation which would enable the company (and other concerns similarly situated) to cancel their existing German contracts and enable them to contract with other parties who, in the event of such legislation being passed, would be willing to lay out the large capital sums necessary for properly treating such concentrates in England or elsewhere out of Germany?

I am aware of the case referred to, which is under consideration. No statement can at present be made with regard to it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that various industrial co-operative societies are upon the contractors' list of the War Office; whether he will ascertain from the War Office whether any of such societies in fact hold contracts with the War Office; and "whether such industrial societies pay no Income Tax in respect of profits on these or any other contracts they may hold with public departments in respect of profits earned by them in trading with the public as apart from their own members?

As regards the first two parts of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply on this subject given on the 8th instant by the Financial Secretary to the War Office in answer to the hon. Member for Dundee. For the rest, whilst it is true that industrial co-operative societies do not themselves pay Income Tax, members of such societies with incomes exceeding £160 a year are liable on their shares of the profits.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether similar medical arrangements to those in force at the Crystal Palace with respect to invalids suffering from cerebro-spinal fever are, or will be, made in the case of invalids similarly affected in the Royal Naval Hospital, Chatham?

The Crystal Palace and the Royal Naval Hospital, Chatham, are not comparable establishments. The former is a training establishment for sound men, the latter a hospital where sick men are treated; consequently patients suffering from cerebrospinal meningitis and contacts with such cases are at once removed from the first, whereas patients and contacts are received into the latter. Naturally every possible precaution is taken at the Royal Naval Hospital, Chatham, to prevent the disease spreading to any other patient. They are, of course, treated in the infectious not the general hospital.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether, with a view to greater economy, he will consider the advisability of holding an inquiry into the billeting system and into the billeting allowances paid to householders?

This question is under consideration and it is not proposed to hold any formal inquiry at present; but my hon. Friend may be assured that due regard will be had to economy.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if his attention has been called to the practice of the War Office to withhold separation allowances when a soldier has been sentenced to imprisonment or detention for a term exceeding 28 days; whether he is aware that the effect of this is usually to east the charge upon the local relief committee, which has, in effect, to pay the separation allowance out of moneys raised for the relief of industrial distress arising from the War; and whether the practice in question will be reconsidered?

It has been decided that separation allowance shall continue in these cases so long as the soldier remains in the Army.

asked the Under-Secretary for War if he will explain why Mrs. Fowles, Ivy Cottage, Little Budworth, is only receiving 5s. 6d. a week allowance from the War Office and 3s. 6d. a week allotment from her son, Trooper Harold Fowles, No. 145, Cheshire Yeomanry, seeing that the man and his mother were promised that the allowance would be 12s. a week from the War Office?

I have inquired into this case, and find that the payment is in accordance with the amount of dependency assessed by the local pension authorities, and that the claimant was stated to have been satisfied with the award.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether railway expenses for the return to their homes were allowed to men stationed at Witham, Essex, who had recently joined the Colours, upon their being granted a few days' leave at Christmas time; whether it was found impossible to allow more than a certain number to have leave at Christmas time and during January; whether those who have been granted similar leave on and after 1st February have been refused their railway fares to their homes; and, if so, on what ground is this privilege denied to those who were compelled to take their leave later than others?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave on this subject yesterday to the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydvil, a copy of which I will send to him.

asked the Under-Secretary for War if he is aware that there are several men of the Hornsey battalion National Reserve attached to the 10th Service Company 7th Reserve; Battalion, Middlesex Regiment who, before the War, had signed the National Reserve Class I. card, but have not been called up for foreign service, although they are still willing to go abroad, and who have not yet received the promised gratuity either at the foreign or Home service rate; and will he cause inquiries to be made with a view to removing the grievance felt by these men?

I have no knowledge of this particular ease, but, before making inquiries, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Chertsey on the 4th instant.

also asked the Under-Secretary for War the rate of daily pay now in force for men of the 10th Service Company, 7th Reserve Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, how it is made up, and does it include any allowance for lodging?

These men are entitled to the same rates of pay and allowances as other men of the same arm and rank in the Territorial Force. If the hon. Member has reason to believe that they are not receiving the amount to which they are entitled and will furnish me with particulars I will make inquiry if necessary.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he can inform the House as to the quantities of potatoes imported into this country in the years 1909, 3910, and 1911; and, of those imports, what quantities were imported in each of those years from Germany, and the value of those imports?

The following statement gives the particulars desired by my hon. Friend:—

asked the Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that Admiral Chilcott and Colonel Stratton, both invalids of over sixty-five years of age, who were sent from Nauheim to Giessen en route for the concentration camp at Ruhleben, but were too ill to proceed there, were sent back to Nauheim and are still detained at that place; and whether, as on the grounds that they were military prisoners of war they were not permitted to leave Germany with other British persons of over fifty-five years of age, steps can be now taken for their early release in exchange for invalid military prisoners in this country?

The German Government refused to include Admiral Chilcott and Colonel Stratton among those who were released as being over the age of fifty-five on the ground that they were retired officers and possibly capable of performing some military duties. On 10th December His Majesty's Government proposed that these two retired officers should be included among those to be released as certified incapacitated for military service. The German Government refused this suggestion and stated that the release of these officers should form the subject of special negotiation. His Majesty's Government informed the United States Ambassador on 20th January that any reasonable proposal on this matter would be entertained. His Majesty's Government at the same time pointed out that they could not offer prisoners of the same category in exchange as such individuals had not been detained in this country, but that they were prepared to exchange for

asked the Postmaster-General what number of complaints have been received as to undelivered letters and postal packets or parcels during the last six months, and how the figures compare with the corresponding period of 1913–14; and whether the withdrawal of postal servants for service in the War and the filling of their places by temporary labour have been responsible to any appreciable extent for these losses?

No statistics are available, but it is believed that the number of complaints for the last six months was higher, at all events in relation to the number of postal packets sent, than that for the corresponding period of 1913–14. The employment of a temporary force to fill the places of postal servants withdrawn for military or naval service has no doubt accounted to some extent for this increase, but the failure of a postal packet to reach the person for whom it is intended does not necessarily imply that a Post Office servant is in fault.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has received a communication from the honorary secretary of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce giving particulars of the difficulty of reissuing licences for the export of goods; whether he can state what measures have been taken to enable Irish shippers to have their consignments forwarded within a reasonable period to foreign ports after all the legal requirements have been complied with?

I have received the communication referred to, and am causing a reply to be sent to it, of which I will forward a copy to my hon. Friend. It is hoped that the new arrangements made to deal with licences will lead to greater expedition in the consideration of applications.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he contemplates the closing of the telegraph office at Lochavich, in the parish of Kilchrenen, in Argyllshire; and, if so, whether he proposes to withdraw the service from this parish solely on the ground that the service is not a remunerative one, without regard to the necessities of the district and the poverty of the people?

The conditions upon which the telegraph service to Lochavich. Argyllshire, can be continued are now under consideration, and I will acquaint my hon. Friend with the result of the inquiry as soon as possible.