asked the Prime Minister whether an opportunity will be given to the House to discuss the scheme for allowances to dependants of deceased sailors and soldiers recently presented to Parliament before the scheme is put into operation; and, if so, whether he will intimate when such discussion can take place?

An opportunity for discussion will arise on the Vote of Credit next week.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he will state what regulation debars young men privates in the Regular Army from being appointed to a commission in the New Army; and will he take steps to prevent young men recommended for such commissions by their superiors from being debarred from promotion?

I take it my hon. Friend is referring to the temporary commissions. If so, I would refer him to the answer I gave on the 19th October to the hon. Member for the St. Augustine's Division of Kent.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether a British subject, born in one of His Majesty's Dominions and residing in this country, if a man of colour, may be rejected on this ground only from enlisting in the British Army, or whether all men of military age who are British subjects and fit to serve are entitled to enlist?

There is no regulation debarring a British subject from enlisting in the British Army on account of his colour, and, on the other hand, the fact of a man being a British subject and of military age and fit to serve does not in itself entitle him to be enlisted.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War if he will state the names of the officers composing Sir John French's staff, their Army rank, the regimental units, if any, to which they belong, and the positions they hold on the Staff?

No, Sir; I cannot undertake to make public the composition of the General Headquarters Staff of the Army in France.

asked the Under-Secretary for War if he is aware that pioneer Infantry battalions at the front are discharging similar duties in making roads and trenches to the corps of Engineers and also to the labour battalions, yet the pioneers only receive pay at the rate of 1s. 2d. per day, while the Engineers receive 1s. 10d., and the labour battalions 3s. a day for the same work; and if, having regard to the dissatisfaction which exists on this account, he will put the pioneer battalions on an equality with the Engineers or labour battalions?

Though these three classes of men may on occasion be employed on similar work, according to the exigencies of war, they are different in their qualifications and training, and I am not prepared to disturb the rates of pay for which they enlisted.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that previous to the War quantities of sugar were imported from Germany to Limerick and other ports in the West and South of Ireland, but that, under the present arrangements, the freights from London or Liverpool or Dublin to the West of Ireland produce a loss to the Clare and Limerick people of some £14,000 a year; and whether arrangements will be made for sending a vessel of 6,000 tons or thereabouts which could discharge, either in whole or in part, a sufficient cargo of sugar at Limerick?

:I regret that I am unable to take the action suggested by the hon. Member.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Metropolitan Electric Supply Company has circulated a notice to its customers that in future an entirely new minimum quarterly charge of 13s. 4d. for the supply of electricity will be imposed; and, inasmuch as its customers do not always consume 13s. 4d. worth of electricity in the quarter, will he take steps to prevent this encouragement of extravagance in the consumption of electricity for the benefit of dividends at a time of national crisis when economy is essential?

I have seen a copy of the notice referred to by the hon. Member. The company are within their rights in issuing the notice, as the Orders under which they supply electricity, and which were confirmed by Parliament, authorise the company to make a minimum charge of 13s. 4d. per quarter. The provision is one which is quite commonly inserted in Orders. Electric supply bodies, whether local authorities or companies, are under the obligation to maintain a general supply sufficient for the use of all consumers, and the object of the provision is to ensure to them a reasonable return for the expenditure involved.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether any agreement has yet been come to between the Irish Insurance Commissioners and the medical association with regard to the working of the National Insurance Act, and, if so, on what terms; and, if not, what is the cause of the delay in completing the agreement?

The adjustment of details in regard to the proposed scheme of medical certification in Ireland is proceeding through conferences between the Irish Insurance Commissioners, the medical profession, and the approved societies, and I understand that satisfactory progress is being made.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the salaries due the 31st July, 1915, to the late panel doctors of the City of Cork are still unpaid; if so, what is the cause of delay; and whether the present difficulty with the Irish medical profession is mainly due to the dilatory way in which the business of the Department has been conducted?

I am communicating with the Irish Insurance Commissioners, and will inform the hon. Member of the result.

next asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether there is any binding rule as to the qualification of magistrates to act in the election of clerkships of Petty Sessions; and, in view of the dissatisfaction which has taken place in Ireland owing to the objections to local justices voting in such elections, will the point be made clear and the proper law of the case set out?

The qualification of justices to take part in the election of a Petty Sessions clerk is laid down by Section 7 of the Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act,. 1858, which provides that the justices of the Petty Sessions may in case of a. vacancy nominate some proper person to fill the office. I am advised that the question as to whether any particular justice is a justice of the Petty Sessions is a mixed question of law and fact, and has been the subject of several judicial decisions. These and various opinions of the Law Officers as to the elements necessary to constitute the qualification have been communicated to each Petty Sessions district.

likewise asked the Chief Secretary whether any steps have been taken to carry through the scheme under the Labourers Acts which have been on hand for the past four years; if so, how many cottages will be erected; and how soon may the work be put in hand?

I will endeavour to obtain for the hon. Member the information he desires if he will indicate the rural district for which he wishes it to be supplied.

asked for what reason the holding of Thomas Meany, Coolnahila, has been excluded from the sale of the Barrington estate at Coolnahila, Murroe, county Limerick; and will some steps be taken to see that this man is not compelled to pay his old rent whilst his neighbours on the same property are enjoying the privilege of large reductions?

I am informed that the Estates Commissioners could not make an advance under the Land Purchase Acts for the purchase of the house and small garden of which Mr. Meany is in occupation as a monthly tenant, and that this plot was not included in the lands purchased by them.

further asked whether there is any scheme being put into operation in Ireland for the reduction in the Government offices there of the staff; and, if so, will the number, names, and salaries attached to these posts be given?

An endeavour is being made in Ireland to meet the wishes of the Committee on Public Retrenchment that, pending their Report on the various Government Departments, vacancies, whether in higher or lower grades, should be left unfilled except in very special cases where it would be to the serious detriment of the public service to leave them unfilled. It is further the intention to avoid, wherever possible, filling the places of Civil servants and others in the employment of the Government who have joined the Forces of the Crown. Otherwise I know of no scheme such as is referred to by the hon. Member.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in view of the recent campaign in favour of food production in Ireland, he could see his way to get into communication with owners of large paying tracts, with a view of turning these tracts into tillage lands and help the cause of the Empire as well as give additional labour?

The appeal of the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland to put more land under tillage with a view to greater food production this season has been addressed to all owners and occupiers of land alike whether of large or small holdings. Many of the larger grazing tracts can be brought under tillage only after they have been divided into holdings, provided with farm buildings and a dwelling-house, and worked by an occupier with sufficient capital. Consequently tracts of this type cannot be brought under tillage at such short notice as is indicated in this question.

asked the Chief Secretary what steps, if any, have been taken with a view to the reduction in certain crimeless districts in Ireland of the police force; and whether, in view of the small amount of work performed by county inspectors and district inspectors of police, he will, for the sake of economy, compel one man in such rank to do the work of at least two-men now engaged in such positions?

As I stated in reply to a question by the hon. Member for North Westmeath on the 26th October, the strength of the Royal Irish Constabulary has been much reduced through the stoppage of recruiting as from the 10th April last and the enlistment of about 500 members in His Majesty's Forces. The inspectors of the force, of whom twenty have already joined the Army—and others are about to do so—have, owing to the War, additional and important duties to perform in assisting the naval and military authorities, and I am not prepared to adopt the suggestion in the latter part of the hon. Member's question.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether he is aware that every dairy farmer in Ireland has in his herd a certain number of cattle known as wrong ones— that is, cows who have gone wrong in their dugs or paps; whether he is aware that all such cattle are sold off in the months of November and December in order to make room for heifers, etc.; and, in view of the fact that such cattle cannot be prevented from becoming in calf, will the Exportation of Cattle Order as applying to these in calf be relaxed in these particular cases so that these cattle, useless; to the farmer for dairying purposes, can be got rid of as heretofore?

The Department are not aware that every dairy farmer in Ireland has cattle affected in the manner described in the question. A number of dairy cattle have, no doubt, abnormalities of the udder, and the Department have been, and are, prepared in specific instances to consider applications for the exemption of such animals from the provisions of the Maintenance of Live Stock (Ireland) Order of 1915 in so far as slaughter in Ireland is concerned.

also asked the Vice-President whether he is aware that dissatisfaction prevails throughout Ireland at the dismissal of dairy inspectors; and, in view of the necessity which exists for such officials in order to protect and help on the Irish butter industry, will the question be reconsidered and, if necessary for the sake of economy to reduce the staff of the Department, will he consider the advisability of reducing the number of those who are less useful, and not take away from the dairying industry, which is the staple industry of Ireland, men who are essential to its well-being?

The Department have received a number of communications expressing dissatisfaction at the reduction of the staff of instructors in dairying, and asking that the two instructors who had received notice of termination of their engagements should be retained. The curtailment of expenditure from the Department's Endowment Fund for the year 1915–16 affects all branches of agricultural work financed from that fund. Before deciding on the unavoidable reduction of staff the entire agricultural work of the Department was carefully reviewed so that the least possible injury to the several industries concerned might be occasioned by the loss of the services of officers to be dispensed with. The Department regret that they are not in a position to reconsider the reductions in the dairying or other staff which have been rendered necessary by the financial effect of the War.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture if he has any further information respecting the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Somersetshire; if he will state the limits of the scheduled area within which the movement of animals has been prohibited; whether farmers and stockholders within the scheduled area were immediately warned of the presence of the disease; what other steps have been taken to prevent the spread of infection; and if fox hunting has been stopped or in any way restricted in the district?

Perhaps I may refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave yesterday to a question on this subject by the hon. Member for the St. Patrick's Division of Dublin. That reply afforded information on the subject to which the hon. Member refers, up to 11.30 yesterday morning. Since then a fresh outbreak has been confirmed in the vicinity of Bristol, and nothing can at present be traced to connect it with those in the neighbourhood of Monkton Combe. Another outbreak has also been confirmed in the neighbourhood of Limpley Stoke, which may be considered as one of the Monkton Combe series. The total number of outbreaks in the Bath district amounts, therefore, to twenty-five; and the total number of outbreaks altogether to twenty-six. It would be impossible within the limits of a reply to a Parliamentary question to state the limits of the scheduled district in detail, but it embraces an area of approximately 15 miles around Monkton Combe, and includes a large portion of Somersetshire, a portion of Gloucestershire, a portion of Wiltshire, and practically the whole of the city of Bristol. The whole of the outbreaks in the Bath district have occurred within the scheduled district, and in that portion of it in which the movement of animals has been entirely prohibited since the 21st ult. The terms of the Prohibition Order were telegraphed to the local authorities concerned, whose duty it is at once to publish it in such manner as seems to them best; fanners and stock-owners affected are thus apprised at the earliest moment of the requirements of the Order. The steps taken to prevent the spread of infection include the prohibition of movement of animals within the scheduled district and the slaughter at the earliest possible moment of all animals affected with the disease and those which have been in close association with them. Local circumstances, however, have prevented the slaughter being carried out in the Bath district as rapidly as usual on account of a complete dearth of butchers and of the labour required in connection with the disposal of the carcasses of slaughtered animals. The military authorities have now, however, come to the Board's assistance in the matter of labour, and it is anticipated that the necessary slaughter will now be rapidly completed. Masters of Foxhounds and Hunts affected hare been requested by the Board to avoid hunting in any portion of the scheduled district so long as the movement of animals therein is entirely prohibited.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much oil was imported into Scandinavian countries from all sources in 1913, 1914, and up to date in 1915, respectively?

The following statement shows the quantities of mineral and vegetable oils imported into Norway, Sweden and Denmark in the periods specified, so far as the particulars are available:—

The above particulars have been complied from the annual and monthly trade returns of the countries named, the particulars for 1914 and 1915 being somewhat less complete than those for 1913. Satisfactory particulars of the imports of fish and animal oils into these countries are not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give the statistics in dollars of imports into the United States from Holland and Scandinavian countries for each available month of the present year, with figures of the previous year for comparison?

The following statement gives the information desired by the hon. Member:—