asked the Prime Minister if he can state, approximately, the value of land and other property in the United Kingdom that is owned by alien enemies?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to his somewhat similar question addressed to me on the 29th April, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether we have two million men of military age engaged in making munitions of war, or whether this number includes workers of all ages and sexes?

The figure quoted represents an estimate of the number of male work people of all ages engaged on Government work.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether any use has been, or is being, made of the Admiralty yacht "Enchantress" and of the royal yachts for the purposes of the War; and whether a large number of similar vessels have been bought or hired for various purposes of the War?

His Majesty's yachts, with the King's approval, and the Admiralty yacht "Enchantress," are being kept available as hospitals for wounded officers in case of need. In accordance with the mobilisation arrangements of the Admiralty, these vessels were paid off on the outbreak of war and their officers and men joined the fighting fleet.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been drawn to the statement of the chairman of Messrs. Spillers and Bakers, millers, that they were under large obligations to the Services for their food supplies; and what are the particulars of any contracts which may have been given to this firm by his Department?

I was not aware of the statement referred to. The firm have received from the Admiralty, since the beginning of the War, six contracts for flour, totalling to about 1,600 tons, and two orders for biscuits totalling 220 tons These quantities form only a small proportion of the total quantities purchased during the period in question. The flour was bought on ordinary competitive tenders. The biscuit was ordered under the terms of a contract made before the War, the price being determined by the market price of flour at the time the order was given.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that Messrs. Crampton, of Portsmouth, who are contractors to the Admiralty, are paying their joiners 2s. 3d. per week less than the district rate of wage; that this firm has been paying the lower rate for nine months; and whether he will take steps to compel this firm to observe the provisions of the Fair-Wages Clause and pay arrears of wages or otherwise strike it off the list of Admiralty contractors?

I understand that this matter has been settled.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that the proprietor of the Queen's Hotel, Queenstown, overlooking the harbour and the Navy anchorage, is a German and cannot speak English properly; and whether, having regard to the presence of enemy submarines off Queenstown, he will take immediate steps to have this German removed?

A German, naturalised in 1905, has for some years managed the Queen's Hotel, Queenstown. His wife is English. He has been under supervision since the outbreak of war, but up to the present there has been nothing against him. Nevertheless the suggestion contained in the closing part of the question will be considered.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that the firm of Vickers, of Barrow-in-Furness, Government contractors, are engaging French women for work; whether he is aware that the firm in question have the names of many women on their books who reside in the Barrow and Dalton-in-Furness district; if he can state the reason of the influx of French women workers before the local women have been employed by the firm; if he is aware that the firm have put off about twenty platers' helpers because of the firm having no work for them to do; and whether he will cause inquiries to be made about the matter?

The Admiralty have received no information on this subject. I will make inquiry into the matter.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the grant of separation allowance to the wife of a sailor is dependent on the husband making an allotment; whether the Admiralty has power to compel a man to make an allotment; whether a man for any reason can deprive his wife both of the allotment and the separation allowance; and whether the rule of the Admiralty in this matter is at one with the rule of the War Office?

The grant of separation allowance in the Navy is dependent on the sailor making allotment, but the Admiralty has no power to compel him to do so. The War Office has power to deduct compulsory sums from the soldier's pay in support of his family, but for the reasons which I gave in yesterday's Debate I am not at present disposed to ask the House for similar powers.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if the Board can see their way to improve the rates of pay and prospects of the sick berth staff of the Navy?

Improvements were made in the conditions of service of the sick berth staff as regards pay and advancement in 1911, as a result of the Report of the Committee on the Naval Medical Service, and they also shared in the general increase of pay in 1912. It is not in contemplation to make any general change in the conditions of service of the sick berth staff, which, as indicated, have already been carefully considered and considerably improved in recent years; but particular points will, as they arise from time to time, be fully gone into.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if, in future casualty lists of the Royal Naval Division, casualties in the Royal Marine Brigade will be shown separately, together with the name of the corps to which Royal Marines are attached?

Arrangements have been made for this to be done.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will advise the amendment of the Admiralty Regulations so as to provide thereunder for every man and boy in His Majesty's naval service being supplied with a copy of the Bible or New Testament if he desires one?

Every boy under training in the Royal Navy who attends church on board receives a Prayer Book, and, when kitted up for sea, a Bible, if he so desire. All stokers and marine recruits on entry are given a Bible, if they desire it. There are a certain number of ratings who do not fall within the categories mentioned, but with these exceptions there is no reason why every man in the Royal Navy should not, under ordinary conditions, possess a Bible provided at the public expenses. Over and above this, more than 100,000 Now Testaments have been sent to His Majesty's ships since the outbreak of the War by various religious societies and private individuals, and the chaplain of the Fleet is constantly sending largo numbers of copies of the New Testament given by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge and the Scripture Gift Mission to ships as requests are made by the chaplain or the commanding officer.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what is the practice of the Admiralty with respect to the supply of good secular literature to men and boys in His Majesty's naval service?

A seaman's library is provided for each ship containing from 200 to 600 books according to the complement of the ship. This library is intended for recreation purposes, and consists of a selection of books, mainly fiction. The catalogue is periodically revised at the Admiralty in order to bring it up to date and to include fresh books. Special libraries are maintained at the boys' training establishments, and the selection of books is made by the local officers with special reference to boys' requirements. Small weekly packets of periodicals, such as weekly illustrated papers and popular magazines are also distributed to ships of the Fleet.

asked if any and what steps were taken in respect of the house-to-house canvass, made some months ago, as to those who were willing to serve in His Majesty's Forces, and how many were asked to join the Army as the result of such information; and whether married men were asked to join before a similar request was made to unmarried men?

As a result of the distribution of forms to householders by the Parliamentary Recruiting Committee, about 300,000 names of men willing to be enlisted were submitted. All of these have been, or are, being asked to join. I cannot say whether unmarried men were applied to first. As I have said, all men who expressed themselves as willing have been called upon.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War what number of supernumerary brigadiers remain at present to be absorbed; what number of officers have been brought back from the front having been recommended for a brigade; whether they may, after all, not be selected for a brigade; what duties they perform in the interval of being recommended and being appointed; what is the length of this interval in the case of each officer brought back from the front when recommended; and whether any officers have been recommended and not selected but passed over?

It is not considered advisable to publish these details.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War when the "Gazette" notifications will be made of the promotions in the 2nd Dragoons consequent upon the promotion of the lieutenant-colonel to be brigadier-general?

They will be made as soon as possible.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether, in reference to the refusal to accept forty-five years as the limit of military age, he will allow such alien enemies between forty-five and fifty as are medically certified to be incapable of military service to leave this country, exceptions being made only in cases where the released might give important military information to the enemy?

This question cannot be considered until such time as Germany agrees to the mutual exchange of civilians, irrespective of age, who are incapable of military service.

asked the Under Secretary for War whether, in view of the grant of an outfit allowance of £37 10s. to all British officers of the Indian Army employed at Home, the same allowance may be made to officers of British units serving in India who were taken into employment from leave in this country, seeing that they had in the same way to provide themselves afresh with uniform and field equipment?

I am afraid that I cannot add to the answer on this subject which I gave to the hon. Member for the Isle of Wight on the 1st March.

asked the Under-Secretary for War if the machinery recommended by the Committee which recently considered the question of invalided and discharged soldiers has yet been set up; and if he can give details as to its operations in the future?

I am not in a position to make any statement on this subject at present.

asked whether the bulk of the dispensing for sick and wounded soldiers is done by men who are not qualified chemists; whether numbers of chemists have offered their services to the Army as pharmacists and have been refused; and whether there are vacancies for such men, and upon what terms?

The dispensing of the Army is mainly done by non-commissioned officers who have qualified as Army dispensers after the authorised course of training. Others holding certificates of the Pharmaceutical Society or diplomas issued by the Societies of Apothecaries, or possessing other satisfactory evidence of being competent dispensers, were enlisted under the Special Army Order of 4th August. A number of chemists and dispensers have also enlisted in the ordinary way, and at present there is no need for more.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether wounded soldiers on their return from the War are discharged before convalesence; and and whether, when this takes place, he will consider the propriety of continuing their Army pay until the period of convalescence is completed?

A wounded soldier considered to be permanently unfit for further service is brought before a Medical Board and may be discharged from the Service before complete convalescence is attained. He can, however, remain in hospital as a free patient until it is considered advisable that he should leave, and during this period he draws any pension or disability pension awarded him. All insured soldiers while suffering from disability are entitled, on discharge from the Service, to full benefit under the National Insurance Act except that, as provided by the Select Committee on Pensions, sickness and disablement benefits are reduced by 5s. a week for men who are drawing the total disability pension at the new rate.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether wounded soldiers who have received their discharge may be allowed to wear their uniform during the continuance of the War?

This suggestion has been carefully considered, but the Army Council do not think it is desirable to adopt it.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if Messrs. Gurteen and Sons, wholesale clothiers, of Haverhill, are or have been engaged in the manufacture of Army clothing; whether his attention has been called to the low rate of wages alleged to be paid thereon; and, if so, whether he will ascertain as to the satisfactoriness or otherwise of the rates of wages which are in fact paid by the firm and see that these are in consonance with the Fair-Wages Clause?

Messrs. D. Gurteen and Sons, of Haverhill, are engaged in the manufacture of Army clothing. My attention has been called to the wages alleged to be paid by this firm, and an inquiry into the matter is now proceeding.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War what measures are being taken to deal with outbreaks of fire in the London area in the event of a Zeppelin raid; and what steps have been taken to utilise the proffered services of the various Volunteer Corps in this connection?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. I am not prepared to state the measures devised for dealing with the contingency referred to or to say more than that those measures are the outcome of most careful consideration by all the authorities concerned. It is not, I am informed, possible to utilise the various Volunteer Corps in this connection.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the bulk of the dispensing for sick and wounded soldiers is done by men who are not qualified chemists; whether numbers of chemists have offered their services to the Army as pharmacists and have been refused; and whether there are vacancies for such men, and upon what terms?

The dispensing of the Army is mainly done by non-commissioned officers, who have qualified as Army dispensers after the authorised course of training. Others holding certificates of the Pharmaceutical Society or diplomas issued by the Societies of Apothecaries, or possessing other satisfactory evidence of being competent dispensers, were enlisted under the Special Army Order of 4th August. A number of chemists and dispensers have also enlisted in the ordinary way, and at present there is no need for more.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether men who have joined a local fortress company and are billeted at their homes are entitled to receive separation allowance; and, if not, why this is so, seeing that if they are billeted a mile or two from their homes the separation allowance is paid?

Men who have not in fact been separated from their families are not entitled to separation allowance. A revised scale of allowances for men living at their own homes is in course of preparation.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that, as promotion is granted to officers of the General Reserve when called up for service during a national emergency after meritorious service only, the result has been to place these officers, many of whom have had experience and service of some length, junior to officers of the New Armies, many of whom have seen no service and have had only a military career of a few months; and what steps are being taken to deal with promotions of officers in the General Reserve?

It is impossible to avoid officers who receive promotion in the New Armies receiving in some cases higher rank than officers senior to them serving with units at the front. This is the natural consequence of having to raise a large number of new units—the promotion takes places on different rosters.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether he is aware that the Brighton Corporation have made the following arrangements with various military bands for dates between 20th June and 4th September; and, if so, will he have such cancelled and place these bands at the disposal of the commanding officers of the New Army so that they may head the route marches of the regiments they may be attached to, or send them to the front to cheer and encourage with their music those who are engaged in fighting, instead of playing to persons at home: 2nd Dragoon Guards, 20th June to 10th July; 11th (Prince Albert's Own) Hussars, 12th July to 24th July; 2nd Battalion Suffolk Regiment, 26th July to 7th August; Rifle Brigade, Winchester, 9th August to 21st August; and Royal Artillery Mounted Band, 23rd August to 4th September?

The War Office is not aware of what arrangements have been made by the Brighton Corporation for the engagement of military bands during the summer. Army bands are allowed, under certain regulations, to accept outside engagements, and as long as these regulations are not contravened it is not proposed to interfere in the matter.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether he will arrange that medical practitioners who have undertaken to look after the health of troops during the War will be allowed pay while incapacitated through temporary illness contracted in the performance of such duties; and whether, if these medical officers become totally incapacitated through illness contracted while performing these military duties, he will arrange that they receive compensation for loss of health and practice.

I understand the hon. Member to refer to civilian medical practitioners who have not received a commission. Proposals to meet such cases are under consideration.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that Constable Green, of Portland Town station, after twenty-five years' service retired on a pension and offered to re-engage as a pensioner; whether his services were refused and he enlisted in the National Reserve; whether, whilst refusing fit men like ex-Police Constable Green, the authorities have been re-engaging men who left the police service ten and twelve years ago; whether, in spite of Lord Kitchener's expressed disapproval of the police authorities recruiting men of military age, the Metropolitan Police have continued to enrol young men; and if he can state how many men have joined the Metropolitan Police since the War began and the number enrolled since 1st January?

Constables who on completion of twenty-five years' service have retired since the outbreak of War are not accepted for vacancies reserved for pensioners. To make good the wastage due to invalidity or retirement, which, including notices of impending retirement, aggregate 994 since the outbreak of war, 977 men have been enlisted; 445 of these since the 1st January. Unless normal wastage is replaced it would be impossible for the Commissioner of Police to comply with the many requisitions for men made upon him by the naval and military authorities. Every such requisition has up to the present been complied with, and in addition a large number of members of the force have since the outbreak of war been permitted to join the Colours.

asked the Home Secretary whether women who have married Germans and thus become of German nationality will be repatriated to the land which is theirs only by marriage?

Subject to the conclusions of the Advisory Committee, the general rule will, I think, be that British-born women married to German subjects will not be removed from this country against their will.

asked the Home Secretary if he will state the total number of German subjects naturalised since the War?

For the period from the 4th August to 30th April the number is 125. In addition to this number 147 British-born widows have been readmitted to British nationality.

asked the Home Secretary whether, seeing the Sunderland German Consul Ahlers, who was sentenced to death but escaped on a technicality on appeal, is living at No. 1, Southbank Terrace, Surbiton, adjoining the main line of the South-Western Railway, under the name of Anderson, he will now have him interned?

I am communicating with the military authorities in regard to this case.

asked the Home Secretary why 170 aliens were allowed to settle in the house of one Father Hopkins, at Alton, fourteen miles from Aldershot, and the reason given for their coming to live close to a military camp; why these premises last month were surrounded at night by two squadrons of Cavalry and a detachment of Infantry armed with ball ammunition, seeing that fifty constables, in addition to the military, were present to remove these men from Father Hopkins' premises; will he say whether armed resistance was expected from these aliens; and what is the police record of Father Hopkins?

The aliens at Beech Abbey, Alton, were seamen who had been serving in British ships, and in dealing with whom, when they were thrown out of employment at the outbreak of War, Father Hopkins' establishment at the Abbey was of the greatest assistance to the Government. Some time ago the military authorities formed the opinion that it was no longer desirable to keep the aliens there, and, having decided to remove them, took such steps as they thought proper for the purpose. I have no reason to think that armed resistance was expected. As regards the last sentence of the question, I know of nothing which would afford any ground for refusing the resources which Father Hopkins was able and ready to place at the disposal of the Government in the emergency.

asked the Home Secretary whether, when the Governor of the Bank of England urged him to naturalise Baron Schröeder, he was informed that Baron Schröeder's son had joined the German army, notwithstanding the son had been educated at Eton and Oxford; whether he is aware that the Baroness Schröeder is now providing comforts to the German troops; and will he, therefore, now cancel the order of naturalisation and intern the Baron?

The answer to all three parts of the question is in the negative.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state why persons of German nationality who have been interned have not been allowed to communicate with their friends; and if assurance can be given that the wives, many of whom are of British nationality, are provided with sufficient means of support?

I understand that interned Germans are allowed to communicate with their friends. If my hon. Friend has in mind any case in which he thinks such communication has been prevented, he should refer the case to the War Office. The wives of interned Germans can, if in necessitous circumstances, obtain relief under the Poor Law, and in the case of women of British and neutral origin grants in aid of the Poor Law Funds are made from the Exchequer.

asked the Home Secretary if he is in a position to state whether any further concession can be made to sugar-using manufacturers now that the supply of Mauritius crystals is becoming exhausted?

The Royal Commission on the sugar supply is in communication with the sugar-using manufacturers on the subject.

asked the Home Secretary if he is aware that a young labourer named William Thompson was recently sent to prison by the Blyth magistrates for six months for having in his possession a primitive machine capable of transmitting but not receiving wireless messages, that there was not the least evidence that this man had any motive hostile to the country, that he said the instrument was used in experiments for directing the movements of a model yacht from the shore by aerial waves, and that the magistrate said the prisoner's ability was a danger to the country; and if he will consider the case with a view to a reduction of the sentence?

I have seen only a newspaper report of the case. The prisoner appears to have been guilty of a direct and serious contravention of one of the Defence of the Realm Regulations, and it is necessary that such offences should be dealt with severely; but if any representation is made to me by the prisoner or his friends showing extenuating circumstances in his favour it will of course be my duty to consider it.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that the Chief Commissioner of Police prohibited the May-day demonstration organised by the trade unionists of London; and if he can give reasons why the demonstration was prohibited?

This meeting was not prohibited. The committee who had it in contemplation abandoned their project, as I understand, because they were not allowed special facilities for holding it in Hyde Park. In view of the terms of the resolution to be moved and the proposed presence of alien enemies on the platform, the meeting was clearly one for which facilities could not be given.

asked the Home Secretary whether a woman who has satisfied the police authorities as to her competence and character will be given a licence to drive a taxi-cab in London?

The Commissioner of Police informs me that he cannot, in present circumstances, recommend the grant of a licence to a woman. The answer to the question is in the negative.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether the Government propose to take any action or make any suggestions with reference to the municipal elections this year, with a view to avoiding contested elections at the present national crisis, or is it intended to trust to local arrangements to avoid party contests in those elections?

I have been making inquiries with a view to ascertaining what is the general desire with respect to the postponement of local elections. But I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has received a letter from the Dublin Steam Packet Company asking for protection of the Holyhead and Kingstown mail steamers; if so, has he forwarded the letter to the Admiralty; and what is the Admiralty reply?

I received such a letter from the company, and referred the matter to the Admiralty. The purport of the Admiralty reply has been communicated to the company, but it would not be in the public interest to publish it.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether, in cases where crops are damaged by incendiary bombs from hostile aircraft, farmers' losses will be made good out of national funds, as in the case of house property?

Claims for damage to crops are being dealt with on the same lines as claims for damage to house property. In neither case is there a claim to make good all loss, but such relief is given as may be considered necessary.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give the House any information about the British officers condemned to solitary confinement; and whether the conditions, especially at Cologne, have been in any way improved in consequence of the report made to the German Government through the American Ambassador as to the treatment of the submarine prisoners in this country?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the report by the United States Consul-General at Cologne on the treatment of the thirteen British officers interned at that place which appeared in the Press this morning. The reports on the remaining four officers have not yet been received. On three occasions I have communicated with the United States Ambassador in London asking him to inform Mr. Gerard by telegraph that, in view of Mr. Lowry's report, the thirty-nine officers should no longer be subjected to special treatment. The only answer yet received is that the German Government will send the thirty-nine British officers back to their former quarters as His Majesty's Government desist from the special treatment of the German submarine crews.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is now prepared to advise the total stoppage of trading with the enemy in China, which is demanded by practically the entire British community in the Far East; whether he is aware that the mass of British sentiment in this country favours the policy; whether the majority of the few merchants still supporting the continuance of this trading are, or are not, either of German origin or connected with German trading concerns or possessing German interests; and whether he will now consider the advisability of adopting a change in the existing regulations?

The matter has been under consideration, and action will be taken as soon as we are assured that similar measures will be taken by the Government of Japan.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that at a meeting of German merchants and traders in Shanghai a resolution was passed pledging those present to do all in their power to injure British trade; and whether, considering the British community has guaranteed that the suspension of all trading with the enemy in China will in no way injure the bulk of British trade, he will now respond to the feeling of the community that there shall be no more commercial favours shown to the Germans in the Far East.

The answer to the first part of the question is, as already stated, in answer to a question by the hon. Member for Wirral, on 9th March, in the affirmative. As regards the second part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I have given to his preceding question.

asked the Attorney-General whether he is aware that previous to the riots which occurred in London and else where last week various newspapers had published inflammatory articles inciting to lawlessness, and had put out such placards and headings as "Hunt them down," "Now for a vendetta." and "Down with the swine"; and whether he has considered prosecuting those responsible for these incitements to robbery, violence and destruction of property?

This matter is under consideration.

asked the Solicitor-General whether the Leicester Territorials shared in the heroic action of the Canadian troops in the recent fighting to the north of Ypres; and, if so, whether permission will now be granted for a full descriptive account of that action to be published?

I have no knowledge of the matter mentioned in the first part of this question. I informed the hon. and gallant Member on the 11th instant that no such descriptive account as he refers to had then been submitted to the Press Bureau. None has been submitted since. I cannot grant permission to publish that which does not exist.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the conditions increasingly imposing laws mainly of an engineering character and of the importance of engineering in the industrial and martial preventative, constructive, and aggressive expression of the whole Empire, he is prepared to consider immediately the introduction of an emergency Bill appointing a chief engineer of the Imperial affairs, in the form of a Minister of Engineering supported by a powerful college or department, whereby he shall be directly responsible to Parliament in the correlation of all matters dealt with by the British professional engineers, forming the essential basis of a greater portion of legislative work, and so bringing the services and responsibilities of these engineers beyond the committee rooms?

I do not think this proposal is feasible.