asked the Prime Minister how many able-bodied men between the ages of eighteen and thirty-eight are now working as clerks in Government offices other than the War Office and Admiralty?

The labour and time involved in making this return would be considerable, and I trust the hon. Member will not press for it.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can see his way to grant an increase of wages to additional hired writers (temporary clerks) employed in His Majesty s dockyards?

The matter is under consideration.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether the men of the Expeditionary Force are receiving the same rum ration as before; and, if not, what is the reason for the change?

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Dumfries-shire on the 20th instant.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that a number of officers in the Indian Medical Service now serving in France with the field ambulances of the Indian Expeditionary Force are drawing unemployed pay; and whether he will take steps at an early date to discontinue the arrangement under which many officers on active service are classed as and paid as if unemployed.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply to a similar question by the hon. Member for London University.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether there are a number of lieutenants in the Territorial Royal Army Medical Corps serving abroad; and whether it is intended to extend the order, under which lieutenants in the Regulars, Royal Army Medical Corps, are to be promoted to be captains, to the Territorial Royal Army Medical Corps?

The position of these officers is under consideration.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office what pension or payment is allowed to the parents of an unmarried soldier who is killed on active service in those cases where the parents were dependent on him for support, and how the amount is assessed?

If the parents were receiving dependant's allowance, it continues for twenty-six weeks after the notification of the soldier's death. The question of pension will be determined by the new Statutory body referred to in the recent Report of the Select Committee.

also asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he will have inquiries made into the case of Mrs. Sarah Draper, of 269, Padiham Road, Burnley, whose son, Ernest Draper, joined the Army Service Corps (Motor Transport Section), No. 046361, about three months ago; and whether he will ascertain why Mrs. Draper has not yet received any Government allowance, and why the letters she has written on several occasions to the paymaster of his regiment have not been acknowledged?

I will make inquiries into this case and let my hon. Friend know the result.

asked if any appointments as dentists to the proposed camp at Park Hall, Oswestry, have been made; and, if so, who are the dentists appointed, and by whom have the appointments been made?

No appointments have been made by the War Office, but the local military authorities have full power to employ local dentists should their services be necessary.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the Bengal Chamber of Commerce memorialised the Government of India for an inquiry into the state of the Volunteers in India and urging that compulsory military training is necessary; whether any communication to the like effect was received from the Burma Chamber of Commerce; and, if so, what action has been taken, or is contemplated, upon either or both memorials if received?

The Secretary of State has received no official information on the subject. I have, however, seen in the Press copies of letters thereon addressed by the Committees of the Bengal and Rangoon Chambers of Commerce to their respective local Governments.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what the average advances in the prices of meat were found to be by the Advisory Committee of the National Federation of Meat Traders (Incorporated) appointed at the special request of His Majesty's Government to deal with meat prices?

I am sending my hon. Friend copies of the notices issued to the Press from time to time, in which the conclusions of the Advisory Committee of the National Federation of Meat Traders' Associations are stated.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that a company has been registered as The Official Press Service, Limited; whether its publications are issued by the Government or if they are in any sense official; if not, whether he has any power to compel the company to change the title; and, if not, whether he can take any steps to prevent the public being in any way misled by such title?

A company was registered in October, 1911, under the title of Official Press Service, Limited. The publications of the company are not issued by the Government, nor are they in any sense official. The company, I am told, issues a sheet which contains advertisements and is distributed in grocers' shops. Under the Companies Acts, the Board of Trade have no power to compel a change of title, but I do not think that there is any great danger of the public being misled into thinking that the sheet emanates from the Press Bureau or in any other way has an official character.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture the average product of cereals, hay, and root crops per acre in Wales, Ireland, and Scotland during the last ten years, and the number of cattle, horses, sheep, and swine maintained per 1,000 acres in each of these countries during the years 1900–1 and 1914–15, respectively; and whether, having regard to the facts thereby disclosed, the Government will proceed forthwith to materially enlarge the powers of the National Council of Agriculture of Wales so as to constitute, with the Agricultural Commissioner for Wales, a separate and independent Welsh Board of Agriculture equipped with funds fully adequate for the due discharge of its functions?

The figures asked for by the hon. Member are shown in the following tables. The second part of the question is a matter for argument.Average yield per acre of cereal, hay, and root crops in Wales, Ireland, and Scotland, respectively, during the ten years, 1905–14:—

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the amount raised during the last financial year by Income Tax and the amount raised from Super-tax; what is the amount raised by what is termed breakfast-table duties; and what is the total amount raised

I fear that, in accordance with the usual practice, I cannot see my way to give the information asked for in the first and second parts of the question in anticipation of my financial statement. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friends the Presidents of the Local Government Board and the Board of Education.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can state when a further payment may be expected by the depositors of the National Penny Bank?

The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me to reply to this question. A further payment will be made to the depositors of the National Penny Bank, Limited, immediately sufficient cash has been realised. I am unable at present to fix any definite date for a further distribution, but the realisation of the assets is proceeding satisfactorily.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that thesalaries of the panel doctors in the county and city of Cork are several months in arrear; whether he is aware of the complaints of this delay and as to the manner in which the Irish Insurance Commissioners discharge the duties of their office; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?

I am informed by the Irish Insurance Commissioners that a settlement of the accounts of the doctors referred to for the year ended on the 31st December last is in process of being made, and will be completed as soon as possible after the necessary information is available.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the Secretary of State intends to persevere with the proposal to set up an Executive Council for the United Provinces and to press forward the measure by all constitutional means in his power; and, if so, when?

The Secretary of State has nothing to add to the statement which he authorised to be published on 20th March, and to which I referred in my answer yesterday to the hon. Member for North Somerset.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the Government of India has to some and, if so, to what extent prohibited the export of wheat; whether such action has had the result of reducing the price at which the poor can purchase that product in India; and what are the arrangements made for financing exports by the Government of India of this commodity?

The Government of India have prohibited the export of wheat from India on private account up to 31st March next, and has arranged to buy and ship wheat on Government account for sale in this country. Their action has been followed by a fall in the price of wheat in India. The arrangements for financing the scheme are under consideration.

asked the Postmaster-General if his attention has been called to the hardship that frequently arises in some branches of the Post Office service from the compulsory retirement on the ground of age of men who are otherwise well qualified to continue in the service; and whether, in view of the importance of retaining in civil employment the largest possible number of men who are outside the military age, he will consider the desirability of modifying the regulations on this subject?

Applications from Post Office servants to be allowed to remain after the age of sixty are receiving favourable consideration so far as is consistent with the interests of the service.