asked at what time the decision of the Cabinet to give naval support to France was conveyed to the French Ambassador at London on 2nd August; and whether he can state at what time on the same day the demand of the German Government for a passage-way through Belgium was presented at Brussels?

I cannot at this distance of time say precisely at what hours various communications were made, unless they were stated or recorded in the papers at the time. In any case there is no connection between the two points since, as the White Paper clearly shows, the German Government were asked by His Majesty's Government whether they would respect the neutrality of Belgium so long as no other Power violated it, and declined to give an answer, a considerable time before the question of naval support to France was even discussed.

Is it not a fact that the demand made by the German Government on Belgium was the first indication of Germany's intended action?

It certainly was-an indication. The first indication of Germany's intended action was that we addressed a request simultaneously to the French and German Governments some time—they are both reported in the documents—in the preceding week. The French Government at once replied in the affirmative that they would respect the neutrality of Belgium, but the German Government said they could not give an answer.

Is any record kept at the Foreign Office of the exact hour when telegraphic communications are sent off?

Of telegrams, yes; but if I make a communication to an Ambassador the date but not the hour is recorded.

If the decision of the Cabinet was arrived at on the morning of 2nd August and the German demand was not made until that night at seven o'clock, would it be correct then to say we only departed from our neutrality because of the violation of the neutrality of Belgium?

That is a hypothetical question and the hon. Member must give notice of any further questions.

asked whether the scheme propounded to the German Government by which quartermasters of the United States could keep in touch with British prisoners so as to ensure their receiving fair treatment has been accepted by the German Government; and, if not, will he make further representations?

The reply of the German Government has not yet been received, and I cannot say what it will be. On its receipt His Majesty's Government, if necessary, will certainly consider what further steps can be taken.

asked the Prime Minister whether, having regard to the hardships and sufferings British prisoners of war are exposed to in Germany, His Majesty's Government will enter into negotiations with Germany for arranging with a neutral country to take over these prisoners and intern them until the end of the War?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. No steps could be taken to carry out such a suggestion till it had received the fullest consideration.

asked the Solicitor-General whether he can state on what grounds of public policy the Press Bureau has excised from the notes of the military critic of the "Daily News and Morning Leader," quotations from the Reports of Sir John French, which had been already published and circulated throughout the world?

I have tried, but cannot ascertain, what is referred to in this question. The dates and the details must be furnished before I can be in a position to answer it.

asked the Solicitor-General whether he can state whether the Press Bureau has refused to allow Press publication of the fact that five social democratic members of the Duma have been sentenced to imprisonment in Siberia; and, in such case, whether he can state the reason for this decision?

The statement referred to in the question has, so far as I know, only been inserted in the German wireless message and the "Daily News." I struck it out of the German wireless because, upon the information before me, it was inaccurate, and was intended to create mischief between ourselves and our Allies.

Are we to understand that the statement in the "Daily News," which has been refused publication, is correct?

I am not prepared to answer for the accuracy of the "Daily News."

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that Indians acting as assistant surgeons (military) while on service in India are paid an allowance of Rs. 30 and Rs. 50 per month, and that in the present War these men at the front are deprived of this allowance; and, if so, will steps be taken in order that the allowance named shall be paid to Indians acting as assistant surgeons during the War?

I presume that the hon. Member refers to the general field allowance of Rs. 30 a month, and the special charge allowances of varying rates granted for special duties. All military assistant surgeons at the front receive the former allowance and all those who are eligible receive the latter. A few claims in respect of special allowances are being held over pending verification.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that there are a number of Indians acting as assistant surgeons at the front and that these officers have a large and continuous military medical experience, including that of the present War; and whether, in view of these facts and the consequent shortage of medical men who must obtain their degrees in Great Britain before they can obtain the rank of commissioned officer, steps will be taken to promote to commissioned rank the assistant surgeons who have obtained certificates through examinations in India?

Vacancies occurring at the present time in the commissioned-ranks of the Indian Medical Service are being made good by the grant of temporary commissions to medical men, Indians and others, having a professional qualification that is registrable in the United Kingdom. It is not considered desirable or necessary to lower the standard of admission.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that cases exist of the wives of soldiers on active service not having received one-third of their husband's pay, although that sum has been stopped by the wish of the husband from what he receives; and whether, on information being given to him of individual cases where this hardship exists, he will take steps to have it redressed without delay?

I am not aware of such cases. I will certainly make inquiry if it is desired, but the best and quickest remedy is to apply direct to the paymaster concerned, and I hope that the hon. Member may be willing to adopt that course.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the fact that the War Office was informed during last October that Lieutenant Baron von Ow-Wachendorf, then residing in London, was an officer in the German Army and had served his military training in German South West Africa the previous year and that he ought to be interned; in view of this information, will he say why this officer was not interned; and why the War Office have allowed him to be exchanged and to return to Germany?

No information relating to the Baron's previous military career or training reached the War Office. The answer to the second part of the question has been given in reply to a question put to the Foreign Office to-day by the hon. and gallant Member for the Maidstone Division. He was repatriated under the agreement for the mutual exchange of Consular officers.

Would the right hon. Gentleman accept my statement contained in the question as correct, if I privately supply to him the name of a well-known general officer who gave this information to the Intelligence Department of the War Office on 15th or 16th October?

Of course, I will accept any statement which the hon. Gentleman assures me is within his knowledge. I shall be glad to receive the information, and, if necessary, make inquiries.

As there are no fewer than three military men in the German Consular service belonging to Cape Town alone, will the War Office address a remonstrance to the Foreign Office with regard to the number of foreign military men employed by Germany as Consular officers?

I think that is a question which ought to be addressed to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War (1) whether he is aware that certain Army officers have as much as three months' pay overdue to them; whether steps will be taken to expedite payments; and (2) whether the Chancellor of the Exchequer is aware of the delay which Army officers sometimes experience in receiving their pay, and that four different Government officials or Departments have to be notified of the actual rates of Income Duty payable by officers; and whether, in connection with his forthcoming Budget, he is considering whether a simplification of collection or deduction can be made, thus obviating the present delays both in payments to officers and in payment of Income Tax?

No cases of prolonged delay such as my hon. Friend mentions have come to my notice, but if he will give me any particulars he has I will have inquiry made.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether his Department has considered the advisability of utilising the Island of Lundy, in the Bristol Channel, for the internment of German prisoners; whether he is aware that the present buildings thereon could accommodate as many as 1,600 prisoners, and that the old buildings formerly used as houses for quarrymen could in a few weeks be made suitable for several thousand prisoners; and whether he car say if the price at which this island could be acquired is less than is being paid for chartered vessels accommodating similar numbers?

The advisability of using Lundy as a place of detention for prisoners of War has been considered and it was decided to be unsuitable. The question of cost was consequently not gone into and no comparison is possible between the relative cost of interning prisoners on the island and on ships. Such a comparison would in any case be unnecessary as the ships are being given up.

asked whether leave has been refused to any men of the 18th Hussars, stationed at Tidworth, unless they would consent to be inoculated against cerebro-spinal meningitis; and whether this method of compulsion which has hitherto been applied to induce submission to anti-typhoid inoculation is now being extended to other inoculations with the consent of the War Office?

I have made inquiries and can obtain no confirmation of the hon. Member's suggestion with regard to the 18th Hussars. With regard to the second part of the question I have already explained the circumstances in which privilege leave has been withheld in the case of men who have not undergone inoculation and are not accompanying the drafts overseas. The adoption of another form of inoculation is not contemplated at present.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether sergeant instructors who are employed in instructing the New Army from regiment to regiment are thereby deprived of promotion, increased pay, and pension; and, if so, will he see that these non-commissioned officers are fairly treated, considering their value and usefulness to the New Army?

If the hon. Member will indicate to me more clearly to what men this question refers I will see that their case receives consideration.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether he can state the number of parcels apparently intended for soldiers and sailors for which the Post Office can find no owner, and whether it would not be possible and desirable to distribute the contents of these parcels and of any other derelict parcels containing articles suitable for the purpose, either to soldiers and sailors in the field or to British prisoners of War interned in Germany?

About 9,000 parcels which are intended for soldiers and sailors are at present lying unclaimed. The suggestion which the hon. Member makes as to the disposal of these parcels is one which had already occurred to me, and which is, I think, well worthy of consideration. I hope to obtain the consent of the Treasury to the small sacrifice of revenue entailed and to carry out an arrangement for thus benefiting soldiers and sailors or other British prisoners of war, in consultation with a committee which I understand has been set up by the War Office and Foreign Office to arrange these matters.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs a question, of which I have given him private notice, namely: Whether the report is correct that a large military force sailed on Friday from Japan for China, escorted by a squadron of warships; whether he can state with what objects this force is being sent, and whether its dispatch is in connection with the demands made upon China by Japan?

My hon. Friend's question has not reached me. I was at a Cabinet Meeting the whole of the morning. It may possibly have gone to the Foreign Office, but it has not reached me, and I cannot give an answer without notice.

It was delivered at the Foreign Office this morning.

I could not be there; I was busy.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether any, and, if so, what progress has been made by the Congested Districts Board in the negotiations for the purchase of estates in the parish of Dromod, county Kerry?

If the hon. Member will furnish the names of the owners of the estates in which he is interested, inquiries will be made.

asked whether the Congested Districts Board or the Estates Commissioners have recently taken steps to purchase the two townlands on the Warden Estate, near Sneem, which had been withheld from sale?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Prime Minister whether, during the present Parliament, the Government intends to proceed with the Amending Bill to the Government of Ireland Act?

I cannot make any statement at present.

asked the Postmaster-General whether it is proposed to institute a new system at the Manchester telephone exchange known as the split duties system; whether he is aware that the result of its adoption would be that girl telephone operators would commence duty at 8 a.m. and, although at liberty for a rest period in the middle of the day, would not be released from duty till 9 p.m.; and, seeing that this would involve hardship to girl operators living at some distance from the exchange, who would require to leave home at an unreasonably early hour and would not be able to return till very late in the evening, whether he will see that no alteration will be made in the present system without further consideration?

There are no proposals in hand at present for altering the duties of telephonists at Manchester. A new scheme of duties for the supervising telephone staff at Manchester has been prepared, but its introduction has been postponed.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether it is intended that poor rate shall be levied on that portion of any agricultural holding which is in military occupation and thereby rendered unfit for agricultural purposes, and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?

Assuming that the military occupation is of a temporary character the matter seems to be one for agreement between the rateable occupier and the War Office. I have no power to take any action with respect to it.

I think that we shall be able to arrive at a form of words which will satisfy all parties in this matter. I suggest that we negative the Amendment inserted in the Lords, and that the following words should be inserted, "Provided that where, apart from the above provision, the marriage would not have been solemnised elsewhere than in a place of worship of a particular denomination, nothing in such provision shall be construed as authorising the solemnisation of the marriage elsewhere than in such place of worship." That leaves the law exactly as it stands so far as the church or place where the marriage is solemnised is concerned. We do not wish to alter the law at all. All we wish to do is to change the venue of the marriage for the convenience of the sailor. I am informed, in fact I have taken means to ascertain, that this Amendment will commend itself to the hon. Gentleman the Member for Sheffield (Mr. James Hope), to the Church of England, and also to my hon. Friend the Member for Somerset (Mr. King). That being so, I hope that we shall be able to proceed with this Bill with unanimity.

Is this to be substituted for the Lords Amendment.

Yes.

I should like to say that the suggestion of the Civil Lord of the Admiralty undoubtedly meets the objections I held yesterday, and I am very glad to find myself in such remarkable and unprecedented agreement with the hon. Member for North Somerset (Mr. King).

I reciprocate that sentiment. I should like, however, to ask whether it commends itself to the right hon. Gentleman who moved the Amendment in another place. It does not at all accomplish the object he had in view. I hope that the Bill will be accepted as we send it up to another place.

May I ask my right hon. Friend whether in any case this does not apply to marriage under the Scotch law? In Scotland it does not matter whether anybody is married in a church or not. We marry people in Scotland in a businesslike fashion. I want to be perfectly clear that neither the original nor the substituted words affect Scotland.

No, I think my hon. Friend can rest assured that we do not intend to interfere with the business arrangements of marriage in Scotland.