asked the Prime Minister whether he will consider the establishment of a scheme of national insurance for loss or damage to buildings, effects, and farming stock inflicted by enemy aircraft or from bombardment?

As I stated yesterday, this matter is under consideration.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he will state the amount of money expended in the first six months of the War upon the camps containing interned civilian aliens; and, if possible, the cost of such camps to 30th April?

I regret that the form in which the Army accounts are kept does not enable me to give these figures.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether it is in order for the officer commanding the Devon and Cornwall provisional battalion, stationed at Tavistock, to refuse leave to all men not inoculated, whilst granting men who have been inoculated a weekend pass each week?

I am informed that it is not the case that all men who have been inoculated are granted a week-end pass each week in the battalion in question. As I have already explained to the House on previous occasions, men who have not been inoculated are only granted leave in special circumstances.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether in the case of quarters of beef frozen hard any other inspection is possible than for good average appearance and quality together with boring for bone taint; whether this work is usually done for meat-importing firms by butchers at about 50s. or £3 a week; what grounds there are for paying seven and a half guineas a day for the work of a £3 a week man; whether the actual inspection of frozen meat must be after it is thawed and cut up and it is possible to examine the glands; whether any adequate arrangements exist at the various barracks and camps for this to be done by qualified persons; whether in these sort of matters, it is the practice of his Department to describe arrangements as satisfactory until some disaster like the White City reveals them to be quite otherwise; and whether he will ask two competent medical officers of health to report on the War Office arrangements for meat inspection, both at home and at the front, and make any recommendations they feel to be necessary?

The scope of the inspection is well understood. All meat imported is examined and certified as free from disease at the port of shipment. Before issue to the troops it is passed by a board of officers, which includes an officer of the Army Service Corps. The parts of the question concerning remuneration are answered in my reply to the next question.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the duties of Messrs. Perfect and Company—namely, the supervision of the discharge, storage, inspection, and distribution of frozen meat for the troops—are, with the exception of inspection, duties usually performed by the cold storage companies for their respective customers; whether he is aware that undertakings like the Port of London Authority, the Union Cold Storage Company, the Central Markets Cold Storage Company, etc., always undertake this work as part of the duties paid for in the first management rate; and that an importer making his storage arrangements hands his ship's documents to the refrigerator company and, to dispatch foods to the provinces, makes an order on the same company; whether the inspection while the meat is still hard frozen can be anything else than a mere examination for good average quality and boring for bone taint; and whether he will explain the reason for the sums paid to Messrs. Knowles and Wells?

I am informed that their work is much greater and more complex than that usually performed by cold storage companies, comprising, as it does, the arrangements for receipt and storage of cargoes and the dispatch of the meat to troops all over the United Kingdom and in France. These duties involve intricate arrangements and accounting, but they are carried out to the complete satisfaction of the responsible military authorities. The scope of the inspection is well understood.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether during January last and at various times since the outbreak of war, the Government purchased a quantity of more or less damaged beef; whether in January a gang of men were taken from London to Liverpool to cut the same up; whether parts were used by the Army, parts sold to outsiders, and parts condemned; whether this beef was bought at the same price as good sound beef; if not, how did the price of the parts sold to outsiders compare with the price originally paid for the goods; whether there was any insurance on the beef; and, if so, who were the persons who respectively represented the Government and the underwriters in settling the claim; how much beef bought by the Government between 4th August and 31st March was rejected as unfit after purchase, and resold or condemned on the Government's account; and whether the owners were compelled to make good any deficiencies in this respect?

The Government has never purchased damaged meat, as all meat bought is subject to rejection. The instance presumably referred to was part of a shipment of Government meat returned from France. The meat was in a sound condition when loaded, but became partly damaged whilst on board. The question of liability for this damage is at present under consideration. Men were sent from London to cut this meat, in order that such portions which were fit for consumption could be saved. No part was issued for Army purposes. Parts were placed on the market and sold. The portions unfit for human consumption were condemned, and sold for industrial purposes. The beef was sound when purchased, and was paid for as such under contract by tender. It was not insured. Except for the case mentioned above and seven quarters of beef returned by mistake from a unit, no meat has been sold between the 4th August, 1914, and 31st March, 1915. A few instances have occurred of small quantities of meat being condemned, and in the majority of these cases the value has been recovered from the seller.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether the question of giving pensions to dependants (other than wives) of soldiers killed on active service has yet been decided?

This matter was dealt with in the second Report of the Select Committee on Pensions, etc., and I am not in a position to make any further statement at present.

asked the President of the Board of Education how many provided and non-provided elementary schools, respectively, have been commandeered in England and Wales for military purposes since 4th August, 1914?

The following is a table showing the number of provided and non-provided elementary schools, respectively, which have been commandeered in England and Wales for military purposes since the 4th August, 1914:—

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he can give figures showing the amounts of damages assessed for losses sustained by private persons in the riots occurring in May; the amounts for compensation likely to fall on the rates in various localities under the Riot Damages Act, 1886; and the amount of increase to the rates which will be required in any locality?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. As regards the Metropolitan area I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave in reply to his question on the same subject to-day. As regards the rest of the country I have no information, and in view of the heavy burden of work falling on the police authorities at the present time. I do not think I should be justified in asking for special returns.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, under the new commandeering arrangements respecting Australian meat supplies, the Government, to avoid waste of money and time, will dispense with the insurance of cargoes?

No insurance, marine or war risks, is paid on any Australasian meat purchased on behalf of His Majesty's Government.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether Lord Castletown has offered his untenanted lands for sale to the Estates Commissioners which adjoin his Granstown demesne, Queen's County, and are situated in the parish of Aghaboe, comprising parts of the town-lands of Oldglass, Coolacurragh, Granstown, Shanavaghey, and Court Curragh; if so, can he say what steps have been taken to acquire the same; can he say whether Coolacurragh farm has been disposed of with the approval of the Commissioners; and, if so, in what way?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and the second accordingly does not arise. An agreement, signed by the owner and tenant, for the purchase of 133 acres of Coolacurragh has been lodged with the Estates Commissioners, but has not yet been considered by them.

asked the Chief Secretary if he will state the number of students in Trinity College, Dublin, Magee College, Derry, University College, Dublin, and University College, Galway, who, taking Irish as a subject, matriculated either directly or through the intermediate system in 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913, and 1914, respectively; and the number of prizes, scholarships, studentships, degrees, and other distinctions awarded to or conferred on, and the number of passes with honours and passes won in Irish by, each of those groups of students in each of those years?

The information asked for is not in my possession, and I can only refer the hon. Member to the authorities of the several colleges in regard to which it is sought.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware of the number of cases in Ireland where present tenancies were technically broken by eviction of the tenants and their reinstatement as future tenants prior to the passing of the Land Law (Ireland) Act, 1887, in which the son-in-law or assignee by way of family settlement of such tenants in occupation of the holdings at the passing of the Irish Land Act, 1909, are still excluded from getting fair rents fixed by the restriction of Section 65 of that Act; having regard to the persons that that Act was expressly enacted to benefit, whether it was his intention at the time that the assignees of those persons by way of family settlement or where marriage formed a portion of the consideration should be excluded from the benefit, as Section 65 is held to exclude them; and, if not, whether he will introduce this Session a short Bill to amend Section 65 of the Land Act of 1909, giving such excluded future tenants the right to enter the Land Courts and get fair rents fixed, or allow such a Bill to be introduced by an unofficial Member with a view to its adoption if found to be non-contentious?

The provisions of Section 65 of the Irish Land Act, 1909, limited the benefit of its operation, in the event of the evicted tenants being no longer alive, to persons who would have been entitled, under the will or as one of the next-of-kin or issue of such tenants, to the holding or any distributive share therein. I did not at the time of the passing of that Act, nor do I now, consider that there is any case for extending the benefits of the Section to the small number of sons-in-law or assignees by way of family or marriage settlements of such tenants who are not already covered by it, and the answer to the last part of the question is accordingly in the negative.

asked the Home Secretary what is is the practice with respect to the supply of Bibles to persons in England or Wales undergoing penal servitude or imprisonment, or detained as habitual criminals or in Borstal institutions?

The prison rules provide that every prisoner or inmate shall be furnished with a Bible and prayer book, approved for the denomination to which he belongs, and this rule is carefully observed.

asked the Home Secretary how many young persons within the meaning of the Children Act, 1908, were received into prisons in England or Wales in 1914?

The number of such young persons received in prison on conviction during the year ended 31st March, 1915, was eight—six males and two females.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether the Board will require guardians of unions to supply copies of the Bible to all the older children in Poor Law schools, not being Roman Catholics or Jews, as their own personal property?

I would refer the hon. Member to the concluding portion of the reply given to him on the 19th ult.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will lay upon the Table of the House all the correspondence that has passed between his Department and the City of Dublin Steamship Company with reference to the carriage of theatrical scenery across the Channel, and reports, if any, made by officers of his Department on the subject?

As my predecessor informed the House on the 11th March, the managing director of the company was asked to explain a statement alleged to have been made at an interview that the difficulties in regard to the conveyance of theatrical scenery arose in connection with the carriage of the mails and would be disclosed only to the Postmaster-General. In his reply the managing director repudiated this statement. No other correspondence has taken place with the company on the subject.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will lay upon the Table of the House all the correspondence that has parsed between the Board of Trade and the City of Dublin Steamship Company and the London and Northwestern Railway Company, and all reports, if any, made to the Board by any of its officials on the question of the carrying of theatrical scenery across the Channel?

It would be contrary to custom to lay upon the Table of the House the correspondence in question or the reports which have been made by the Board's officers.