asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that the increased Income Tax on rents is being passed on to tenants in many parts of the country by heavy increases in rentals which yield the taxpayers a profit on their war taxation; and if he will consider the propriety of putting an end to this practice?>

I have no official information as to the existence of such a practice other than that given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary for Scotland in his reply on the 4th March last to the hon. Member for the Blackfriars Division. I entirely concur in his observations in condemnation of such action on the part of landlords. I have, however, no power to prevent landlords from raising their rents when they are in a position to do so.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury, whether he will consider the advisability of providing that, in the cases of civil servants who have accepted Commissions in His Majesty's forces for the period of the War, deductions shall not be made from their civil pay exceeding for the following ranks, second-lieutenants 2s. 6d. a day, lieutenant or captain 1s. 6d. a day?>

I fear I am not prepared to alter the existing regulations on this subject, under which a civil servant holding a Commission receives the balance of his civil pay after deducting his Army pay, Army allowances not being deducted from civil pay.>

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether any opportunity will be afforded to men of the Military Home Hospitals Reserve to be included in drafts for the Expeditionary Force at an early date?

It is intended to send volunteers from the Home Hospitals Reserve to serve with the Expeditionary Force.>

asked the Prime Minister if he will state when the Government scheme of insurance against injuries caused by air raids is likely to come into force; and which Government Department will be responsible for its production?>

My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade is considering the possibility of initiating some such scheme, and hopes to announce his decision at an early date.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total cost of the Land Valuation Department, including the cost charged upon other estimates, in each year since the creation of that Department; and what is the estimated total cost in the current year?>

As regards the total estimated cost up to the 31st March, 1915, I would refer the hon. Member to a reply given by my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on the 1st April, 1914, of which I am sending him a copy. The actual cost for 1914–15 amounted to £760,000, as compared with the estimated cost of £843,614. The corresponding estimated figure for the current year is £676,000.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that the colliery board of the Arigna coal mines, county Leitrim, have threatened to close the mines; and whether, having regard to the exceedingly high prices of English and Scotch coal and the likelihood of a famine for want of fuel in Ireland during the coming winter and the want of employment in the district, inquiries will be made and steps taken to prevent the closing of these mines?>

I am not aware that the Arigna Colliery Board have threatened to close down the mines, but I understand that certain questions have arisen in regard to their management which it is suggested might lead to that result. I do not think that I can usefully intervene in the matter.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that, when a teacher is entitled to promotion in the month of August, the Commissioners of National Education date his promotion from the April following instead of from the April previous; whether this rule obtained under the results system; and, if not, can he state why this change was made under the new system?>

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave on this subject to the hon. Member for West Donegal on 20th May, 1914, and to the hon. and gallant Member for East Down on 9th July, 1914.

asked the Chief Secretary how much of the Parliamentary Grant for the medical and dental inspection and treatment of Irish National School pupils was expended in the year ended the 31st day of March, 1914, and how much in the year ended the 31st day of March, 1915; and whether he can state the names of the places and institutions which have grant-aided dental clinics?>

The amounts of the Parliamentary Grant for the medical and dental inspection and treatment of Irish National School pupils expended in the years 1913–1914 and 1914–1915, respectively, were £498 7s. 3d. and £801 2s. 8d. Dental schemes are aided by the Commissioners of National Education in connection with the following schools and institutions:—

• Rathgar and Terenure, County Dublin (Women's National Health Association).
• Swords, County Dublin (Swords and Dona-bate Nursing Association).
• Carnalway National School, Kilcullen, County Kildare.
• Dunlavin (2) National School, County Wicklow.
• Bangor, County Down (Urban District Council).
• Milford National School, County Armagh.
• Newbridge, County Kildare (Women's National Health Association).
• Bushmills and District, County Antrim.
• Sion Mills National Schools, County Tyrone.
• Athgarvan National School, County Kildare.
• Orthopædic Hospital National School, Dublin.
• Randalstown and District, County Antrim (Women's National Health Association).
• Kingstown, County Dublin (Women's National Health Association).
• Tyrellspass (2) National School, County Westmeath.
• Bray Urban District, County Wicklow
• Edenderry National School, Portadown, County Armagh.
• Sexton Street Convent National Schools, Limerick.
• Fethard National School, County Tipperary.
• St. Andrew's National School, Malahide, County Dublin.
• Abbey Boys' National Schools, Celbridge, County Kildare.
• Lough Cutra National Schools, County Galway.
• Howth and Baldoyle, County Dublin (Women's National Health Association).
• St. John's Convent National Schools, Fox-ford, County Mayo.
• Killiney and Ballybrack Home Improvement Association, County Dublin.
• Roscrea, County Tipperary (Women's National Health Association).
• St. Monica's, Usher's Quay, Dublin (Women's National Health Association).
• Gordon, Clanbrassil Street, Dublin (Women's National Health Association).
• Blackrock, County Dublin (Women's National Health Association).
• Ringsend, County Dublin (Women's National Health Association).
• Dundrum, County Dublin (Women's National Health Association).
• Antrim, County Antrim (Women's National Health Association).
• Valencia Island, County Kerry.
• Quay Street Monastery N.Ss., Sligo.
• St. Vincent de Paul's N.Ss., Limerick.
• Newport, County Tipperary.
• Green Lanes National School, Clontarf, Dublin.
• Castlecomer, County Kilkenny (Women's National Health Association).

In addition to these the Children's Aid Society for Ireland established a dental clinic for the treatment of children attending National Schools in Belfast, and received grants from the Commissioners in respect thereof for the last financial year. The question of the transfer of this clinic to a new committee is at present the subject of correspondence.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Report of the Commissioners of National Education for the year ended the 31st day of March, 1914, was submitted to His Excellency the Lord Lieutenant, but returned for revision; whether the revised edition has been submitted and accepted; if so, when will it be printed and circulated; whether the Commissioners have yet forwarded to His Excellency their promised comments on the constitution and procedure of the Dill Committee; and whether these comments will be printed in a White Paper for general circulation?>

The Annual Report of the Commissioners of National Education for the year 1913–14, which included the observations promised by the Commissioners on the constitution, procedure, and report of the Viceregal Committee of Inquiry into Primary Education, was forwarded for submission to the Lord Lieutenant in September last. The character of these observations was such, however, that His Excellency felt compelled to express the hope that the Board would reconsider the paragraphs containing them. This the Board were not prepared to do, and the Report has, accordingly, not been presented to Parliament.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the Local Government Board have intimated to the Galway County Council that the reductions to be made in respect of land purchase liability from the Estate Duty Grant payable in county Galway for the half-year ending March 31st, 1915, amounted to £793 13s. 10d.; whether he is aware that the Irish Land Commission refused to supply the county council with a list giving the names and addresses of the tenant purchasers in the county who were in arrear; if he will state whether any, and, if so, what steps are being taken to enforce payment; whether any, and, if so, how much of the amount deducted from the county council Grants is regarded as a total loss; and if he will arrange for the Irish Land Commission to furnish the county council with a list of the defaulters at the end of each half-year in future?>

The answers to the first and second parts of the question are in the affirmative. In all cases of arrears legal proceedings for the recovery of the debt are taken as promptly as possible, and if these proceedings result in failure to recover the defaulter's holding is sold. The outstanding arrears in county Galway, after the last draft had been made on the Guarantee Fund, amounted to £5,189, and of this sum £3,837 had been recovered and credited to the fund by the 31st ultimo.. A sum of £1,352 is accordingly still unrecovered, of which £493 is deemed by the Irish Land Commission to be uncollectable. With regard to the last part of the question, I am as yet unable to add anything to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for East Limerick on the 11th ultimo, but the matter is not being lost sight of.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that Mary Gaffney, of Keeloges, Largydonnel, county Leitrim, was deprived of her old age pension in September last, and that the pension officer refused to submit her application to the Ballyshannon Subcommittee for the restoration of the same; and whether she will be allowed an opportunity of proving her claim and having the pension restored?>

Mary Gaffney was granted a pension of 5s. a week by the local pension sub-committee, to begin on January 1st, 1909. On September 1st, 1914, it was determined, on a question raised by the pension officer, that she had not been entitled to any pension since. January 1st, 1909, as she was not the statutory age at the time. Also she was fined at Kinlough Petty Sessions for making false statements as to her age. The Local Government Board have no information as to the alleged refusal of the pension officer to receive a fresh claim. Pension officers are not under the control of the Board, as they are under the jurisdiction of the Board of Customs and Excise, London. It is open to Mary Gaffney to make a fresh claim at any time, when the matter will be again investigated.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that John Mulvey, of Ballinaghera, Drum-shambo, county Leitrim, was awarded an old age pension by the Carrick-on-Shannon Sub-committee on March 10th last, and that, on appeal by the pension officer, it was disallowed; and whether, having regard to the fact that Mulvey is a poor man and over the statutory age inquiries will be made and his pension allowed?

John Mulvey's claim was disallowed on appeal on the 18th ultimo, as it was not proved that he had reached the statutory age, and the Local Government Board have no power to reopen the case.

asked the Chief Secretary if he will state the cost per annum to the ratepayers of the county of Galway for extra police in the protection of Mr. E. Shaw Tener, agent to the Marquess of Clanricarde; whether he is aware that Mr. Tener motors through the country without any protection, except that the police precede him on his journey by an hour or thereabouts whenever he leaves either Portumna or Loughrea; and whether Mr. Tener is entitled to, or requires, police protection under the circumstances, in view of the cost involved to the ratepayers of the county of Galway?>

The answer to the first part of the question is £44. For obvious reasons I am not prepared to indicate what is the precise nature of the protection afforded by the police to Mr. E. Shaw Tener. I am satisfied as to the continued necessity for such protection.