asked the Minister of Munitions how many businesses have been acquired under the Defence of the Realm (Amendment) (No. 3) Act; and what was the nature of the arrangement on which they were acquired, the cost of each, and the total amount of the expenditure involved?

So far it has not been found necessary to put in force the powers conferred by the Act to acquire any businesses.

asked the Minister of Munitions what measures have been taken to start the manufacture of munitions in Dublin; and whether he is aware that many commercialists in the city are desirous to co-operate in providing for the wants of the Government in this direction?

An Armaments Output Committee was formed in Dublin on 3rd June. Specifications and drawings were then forwarded. Arrangements for the supply of raw material have been made and a deputation from the Dublin Committee have visited Woolwich.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he will state the reasons why the question relating to an Army recruit's condition as to marriage, which was included and numbered nine on the old style attestation form (A. F. E 501), has been omitted from the attestation form now in use?

If the hon. Gentleman refers to the attestation form for recruits for the Regular Army, the answer is that the question regarding the marriage state has not been omitted; if he refers to the Territorial attestation form the answer is that the question was omitted as the result of representations made by Members of this House.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether, with a view to publishing after the War a permanent roll of honour he will take steps to secure in connection with every battalion a complete record of the names and addresses of officers and men, adding particulars of those wounded or killed, and showing for each battalion whether it has served at the front?

This information will be available without any further arrangements being made.

asked the Under-Secretary for War how many officers and men, respectively, have been invalided from the Army, including, if possible, the British troops in India, since the War began; and what are the approved organisations, with their addresses, dealing with the problem of finding work for them?

As regards the first part of the question, I must refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer given by the Prime Minister to the Member for East Northants on the 24th June. The care of disabled officers and men, including provision for their employment, will be one of the functions of the statutory Committee to be set up under the Naval and Military War Pensions Bill.

asked the Under-Secretary for War why sums of money are being spent providing housing accommodation on private premises for soldiers and recruits while the military barrack at Mullingar, which accommodated 2,500 men last year, is empty and has been so for several months; and, if that building is to be discontinued as a barrack, can he say to what use it is to be turned?

Military considerations, which necessitate the concentration of troops in larger formations, such as brigades and divisions, wherever possible, do not permit of the occupation of the barracks at Mullingar to their full extent of about 1,760 men at present. The barracks will, however, be fully utilised at a later date when circumstances admit.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether he is aware that there is a desire that men who have been rejected as unfit for military service should be provided with a badge or armlet in order to show that they have offered their services to their country; and will he take steps for the provision of such badges?

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the replies given to the hon. Member for Dulwich on the 14th September, 1914, and to the hon. Member for York on the 24th February, 1915.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether he can state if the War supplies being purchased in Canada are still being obtained through the Canadian Government; and, if the services of other buyers have also been obtained, whether he can state in round terms the proportion being purchased by the Canadian Government?

Munitions of war and forage are purchased through the Canadian Government and represent in value about 80 per cent. of the total purchases made in Canada since the outbreak of war.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether, although acting-paymasters in the Army are performing the work ordinarily entrusted to commissioned officers, commissions are not granted to them; and whether the rule against granting such commissions can now be reconsidered?

Acting-paymasters are not given commissions in the Army Pay Department, unless they are required to proceed abroad for duty with the Expeditionary Force; but they are free to join combatant arms if they so desire and are found eligible. No doubt my right hon. and learned Friend will agree that it would be undesirable to grant commissions to acting-paymasters who are merely performing clerical work at home. I am afraid that I can hold out no hope of an alteration of our policy.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that the Dublin Mercantile Association passed a resolution asking for the establishment of a fully-equipped permanent depot in Dublin to accept tenders and goods; and whether, in view of improved facility and economy, the War Office will agree with the request?

The position is unaltered, and I regret that the War Office cannot at present reconsider its decision in the matter.

asked the Home Secretary whether any War news is supplied to the convicts in His Majesty's prisons; and, if not, whether, in view of the quantity of Government War work now being carried out in the gaols, he will consider the advisability of informing the convicts from time to time of the progress of the War and of the sacrifices made by the Army and Navy?

Instructions were issued in September last that a weekly communication as to the progress of the War should be made to all prisoners, and these instructions have been regularly acted upon since that date. This concession has been greatly appreciated, and, in the opinion of the authorities, has had an excellent effect both on conduct and industry.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he has taken or proposes to take any steps to facilitate the investment by local authorities of funds in their hands or otherwise available to them, whether already invested or not, in subscribing to the War Loan?

I should desire to facilitate in every way possible the investment by subscription to the War Loan of any funds which a local authority may be able to make available for that purpose. So far as the consent of the Local Government Board may be necessary to such investment, whether under the Municipal Corporations Act, 1882, the Local Government Acts of 1888 and 1894, or otherwise, local authorities may take it that such consent will be given, and I should not expect them in the circumstances to await the completion of the formal procedure which some of these Acts require before that consent can be given. Where any difficulty arises owing to the shortness of time available for decision, I will, within the limits of my powers, do my best to help local authorities to put matters straight.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the quantities of blotting and filter paper and other unsized papers largely composed of cotton exported from the United Kingdom to Holland, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden during the six months of the present year and the first half of 1914, respectively?

Blotting paper, filter paper, and other unsized cotton papers not being separately enumerated in the official export list are not separately recorded on exportation, but are included under the general heading of "Paper, unenumerated and articles thereof." The quantities of the exports and re-exports from the United Kingdom included under the heading mentioned to the countries and during the periods specified were as follows:—

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture, whether any steps have been taken by the Board of Agriculture to induce the county council or other authorities to undertake the reclamation and cultivation of land in their areas with a view to increasing the food supply?

Soon after the outbreak of war the county councils were invited by the Development Commissioners to consider the preparation of schemes for the reclamation and cultivation of areas then waste and uncultivated. I would point out, however, that the preparation of these schemes was urged from the point of view of providing work for the unemployed rather than to increase the production of food. The latter question is now being considered in all its aspects by a Committee appointed by the President of the Board, and no undue delay will arise in drawing up a report.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary of the Board of Agriculture whether, in view of the necessity of conserving the meat supply of the country and the steps that are now being taken by his Department for the prevention of the slaughter of young animals, he is prepared to issue an instruction to the manufacturers of vaccine lymph in this country that the use of calves for that purpose must be discontinued?

The Board are not disposed to use their powers under the Slaughter of Animals Act to interfere with the necessary operations for the preparation of vaccine lymph.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture if the agricultural returns made on 4th June are sufficiently tabulated, will he state what is the number of cattle in England and Wales below the age of one year, and the number of lambs; and what was the number of similar animals for the three preceding years?

The agricultural returns to which the hon. Member refers are not yet tabulated, and the figures for the current year therefore cannot yet be given. The figures for the last three years are as follows:—

• Cattle under one year: 1,266,443 (1914), 1,141,281 (1913), 1,142,089 (1912).
• Sheep under one year: 7,269,809 (1914); 7,010,390 (1913), 7,260,545 (1912).

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he is aware that an application for an old age pension by Mrs. Hannah Graham, Spencer Street, Holywood, county Down, was granted by the old age pensions sub-committee on the grounds of their local knowledge that the applicant was of the statutory age, although she could produce no evidence to prove such; that the pensions officer, Mr. Greenacre, appealed against their decision although he had no evidence to prove she was not the statutory age; that the Local Government Board upheld his appeal without asking the pensions sub-committee I for any further report; that the Local Government Board persist in declining to review the case, although the pensions sub-committee appointed a further three members, who had not previously interviewed the old lady, to visit her, and that they unanimously reported in her favour; and that the Rev. Mr. White, curate of Holywood, Dr. Donnan, medical officer of health, Holywood; Mr. William Rodman, one of the oldest residents of Holywood; and Mr. Jonathan Jefferson, Poor Law guardian, Holywood, have all sent in written statements expressing their belief that this old lady is over seventy years of age; if the pensions officer, although requested by the sub-committee to attend their meeting on the 7th May regarding this case, declined to attend on the ground that, as the Local Government Board had upheld his appeal, the case was not before the committee; whether instructions will be given to the Local Government Board to grant the pension which applicant has been deprived of for some months, and if the Local Government Board will also be directed to take the pensions committee in future into consultation before acting in such a manner; if, as a protest against the Local Government Board's procedure in this case, the Holywood old age pensions subcommittee have sent in their resignations to the local pensions committee (Down County Council); and what steps will be taken to safeguard in future the interests of bonâ fide applicants for an old age pension?

The facts of the case are generally as stated except that the Local Government Board have no information regarding the alleged non-attendance of the pension officer at the committee meeting on the 7th May last. The onus of proof that the statutory age has been attained rests upon a claimant, and it was impossible for the Board to allow Mrs. Graham's claim in the absence of proof. The hon. Member admits that no evidence to prove her age could be produced beyond statements of belief. It is open to pension committees when forwarding to the Board papers connected with appeals to attach statements of their views and this is done by many committees. Such expressions of opinion always receive consideration; there is no statutory power enabling the Board to reconsider their decision on an appeal when once given and the Holywood Sub-committee have been so notified several times.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the provision on railways of fly-overs and fly-unders as a means of clearing the main lines of local and goods trains, and so avoiding accidents, was first proposed by Dr. Biddle in the year 1878; whether this expedient has been adopted on certain lines and has been found of service during the War; whether he will grant a Return of the places at which it has been adopted; and whether its adoption is encouraged by the Board of Trade?

Works of this character are in use on a number of railways, but I am unable to say when or in what circumstances they were first introduced. I do not think that the Return suggested would be of sufficient utility to justify the labour involved in preparing it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, when an application under Section 105 of Part II. of the National Insurance Act, 1911, is made by an association of workmen to make arrangements as to the payment of unemployed benefit, any steps are taken to examine the rules of such association and to satisfy the Board that such rules are reasonable and equitable as between the workman member and the association as a condition precedent to the granting of such application; whether the Board are aware that sums paid by them to an association which has made such an arrangement in respect of unemployed benefit of a member of such association have been impounded by the association to pay arrears in the following order: Fines and general levies, local levies, contributions; and that, in consequence of such impounding of the workman's unemployed benefit, he has been left wholly penniless and the object of the Act has been defeated; and whether he will take steps to prevent a continuance of these practices?

The Board of Trade examine the rules of the associations in order to see, among other things, that the rates of unemployment benefit payable by the association satisfy the statutory conditions. The arrangement does not of itself preclude the association from making deductions from payments of benefit on account of sums due from the individual member to the association in accordance with its rules, though naturally if such deductions were carried to a point which would nullify the general objects of the arrangement, the Board of Trade would consider whether the arrangement should be continued. If my hon. Friend will bring to my notice any particular cases in which it appears that hardship has been occasioned they will be looked into. I should add that a workman, even if he is a member of an association which has such an arrangement, is nevertheless entitled to obtain his unemployment benefit under Part II. of the Act direct from a Labour Exchange or other local office of the Unemployment Fund instead of through the

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he will state the number of births registered, the number of certificates of exemption from vaccination received, the percentage of exemptions to births, and the percentage of children ultimately unvaecinated, for the years 1906 to 1914, inclusive?

The figures are as follows: