asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what rate is to be fixed for the abatement and reduction of Licence Duties to holders of licences for the consumption of beer and spirits on and off the licensed premises who are affected by the Order of the Liquor Traffic Central Control Board?

The repayment to be made to a licence-holder whose hours of sale of intoxicating liquor, whether for consumption on or off the premises, are restricted by an Order made by the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic), will, when Clause 17 of the Finance (No. 3) Bill becomes law, be one-fourth of the duty payable by him in respect of his licence; but if, owing to the cessation of the War, the restrictions upon his hours of sale are removed before the expiration of the year for which his licence is in force, the repayment will be a proportionate part of one-fourth of the duty.

asked how the area round the London docks has been selected in which extra hours are allowed to licensed victuallers for the consumption of beer and spirits; whether the local authorities were consulted in defining the area by the Liquor Traffic Control Board; and whether the needs of carmen and others engaged in the transport trade in East London will be similarly considered?

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me to reply to this question. My right hon. Friend is informed by the Central Control Board that the licensed premises which have been permitted to sell intoxicants for two hours in the early morning were selected by them after hearing the views of a deputation of the London committee of the National Transport Workers' Federation, which represents all sections of the London transport trade, and after full inquiry into the needs of the case.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that after an employers' recruiting meeting was held in Dublin a number of the employers, including the Government, instituted a process of slowly dismissing and gave notice of dismissal to their employés, the Government dismissing one man, aged forty-one, with over ten years' service; if he can state whether this was done on the advice of the Recruiting Committee; and if he will withdraw the notices served on the Government employés in Ireland?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and to the second part that no Government employé has been dismissed for the reason suggested. It is not intended to withdraw the circular letter which invited Government employés to undertake voluntarily to enlist as and when they could be spared from the duties of their Department.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty if he will state the amount of the annual salary paid to the Admiralty chartering agents of colliers, also the rate of commission1 paid them on coal shipped, and the total amount paid both as salary and commission since the outbreak of War?

The remuneration payable to the Admiralty agents—fixed under an agreement commencing on 1st January, 1911, and renewed on 30th January, 1913—is a salary of £2,500 a year, together with a commission upon the amount of coal shipped. The agreement in question was drawn up at a time when it was not contemplated that coal consumption on so large a scale would be called for by transport and other services. The basis of the commission payable has therefore been under consideration, and negotiations are now in course of progress with the agents in connection with the matter. If my hon. Friend wishes to have it, I do not doubt that I shall be in a position shortly to state the precise amount paid to the agents for services rendered.

asked the Under-Secretary for War how many of the foreigners employed in the Censor's Department are of neutral and how many of Allied nationality?

I stated in reply to the hon. Member on the 7th December that there were 235 persons of foreign birth. In his present question he uses the term "foreigners." The number of foreigners is 201; of these 137 are of Allied nationality, and 64 of neutral nationality.

asked the Under-Secretary for War for how many men is there accommodation at the new camp at Ripon; and what accommodation there is for drill and extended training?

There will be accommodation at the Ripon hutments for nearly 40,000 men when they are completed. I am informed that there are ample areas of grass land round Ripon for drill and extended training, and that useful brigade training has been carried out in all directions within a few miles of Ripon.

asked the Under-Secretary for War how many Cavalry horses are quartered in the camp at Richmond (Yorks); and how many have died there during the last two months?

I am informed that no Cavalry horses have been quartered at the Richmond hutments, Yorkshire, and none have consequently died there.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether the Army Council has caused inquiries to be made as to whether the first cost and the price of repairs of artificial limbs can be reduced for the benefit of those men who are partially disabled in the War?

The Army Council has made careful inquiries into the whole question of artificial limbs, which are provided and repaired at the public cost for men who lose limbs in the War.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether he has made inquiry into the case of Corporal Michael M'Geehan, No. 10,928, 6th (Service) Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment; and whether the Chelsea Commissioners will now accede to his application for a disablement grant, in view of the fact that this man was medically examined, and passed as sound on enlistment, and that he is now totally disabled for work in this country?

I am having inquiry made into this case, and will in due course let my hon. Friend know the result.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether he is aware of the conditions under which soldiers and sailors going on and off leave have to travel; whether he is aware that they are packed into carriages, corridors, lavatories, and every available space, and left in a standing position from six to eight hours at a time; whether he is aware that first-class carriages on the same trains are almost empty; and if he will take steps to prevent a repetition of this, especially with soldiers travelling at night?

I would gladly do anything in my power to improve the conditions mentioned, but with the heavy demands on the railways and the present shortage of railway staff, fuller accommodation could only be provided if the numbers of soldiers granted leave were decreased. The matter has been considered and it has been decided that the men would prefer going on leave in the present circumstances rather than that the numbers should be reduced considerably to ensure more comfortable travelling. It is impossible to give full satisfaction both to those Members of this House who urge a large increase in the numbers of those granted leave and also to those who, like my hon. Friend, desire considerable improvements in the accommodation afforded. The present position is a compromise between the two sets of considerations and, with the exception of filling up the first-class carriages, I see no method by which the situation can be alleviated.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether whether an application has been received by the military authorities at Omagh or Buncrana for the release from military service of Patrick Boner, of Drumkeen, county Donegal, who enlisted in November in the Irish Fusiliers at Stranorlar, on the grounds that he is not of military age, and for other reasons; and whether any action has been taken?

I am calling for a report on this subject.

asked the Under-Secretary for War on what date the order to mobilise was issued; and by what date had we landed in France 150,000 men fully equipped?

The answer to the first part of the question is 4th August, 1914, and to the second part, as soon after that date as possible.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether his attention has been called to the claim for separation allowance in respect of the adopted child of No. 17,774, Private T. M'Dermott, 5th Royal Irish Fusiliers; and can he state to what extent the weekly allowance has been increased?

As I have already informed the hon. Member, the weekly allowance in this case has been increased to 17s. 6d.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office what pay and allowances of their respective rank and appointments the hon. and gallant Members for Central Finsbury, Wilton, West St. Pancras, Southport, Rutlandshire, Altrincham, Christchurch, Newark, Watford, Horncastle, Faversham, and Ripon are now drawing as members of His Majesty's Forces?

The pay and allowances of the hon. and gallant Members referred to are those laid down by the Royal Warrant for pay and the regulations for the allowances of the Army. If the hon. Member wishes to know the actual sums payable in each case, they are as follows:—

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office what further developments have been arranged with respect to the examining and receiving depot in Dublin?

I would refer my hon. Friend to my full reply to his question on 9th December.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that special constables in the East London section have served since August, 1914, without remuneration; and whether, seeing that it is provided by Act of Parliament that special constabulary receive payment and that police pensioners recalled for duty are paid at a weekly wage of 45s., it is intended to make any payment this winter to special constables in poor districts?

The special constabulary force was enrolled upon an honorary basis, and there is no intention of altering this.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has under consideration the immediate closing of the post office in the New Cut, Lambeth, after an existence of nearly thirty years; whether the returns of that office have increased very considerably during the last twenty years; whether he has received any protests against the proposed action of his Department; and, if so, will he postpone further action in the matter until after Christmas, in order to allow sufficient time in which to obtain the views of all interested parties?

With a view to economising public expenditure, it is the policy of the Department to reduce the number of post offices wherever it is practicable to do so without restricting unduly the facilities available to the public. In accordance with this policy, arrangements had been made for closing the New Cut Sub-post Office. There are three other offices within a radius of 500 yards of the New Cut office, and if that office were closed no difficulty is anticipated in dealing satisfactorily with the business elsewhere. It is the case that the business transacted at the office has considerably increased in the course of the last twenty years, and that the proposal to close the office has given rise to a number of protests. In view of requests which have been made to that effect, the question has been suspended until after Christmas.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he can state the total sums raised and proposed to be raised under the heading of general rates in England and Wales by city and borough councils and by urban and rural district councils, respectively, in each of the years 1913–14, 1915–16, and 1916–16?

I am unable to give the desired information for the last-mentioned two years. The latest complete returns as to the rates raised by local authorities in England and Wales are those for the year ended March, 1914. The sums raised during that year from public rates by the authorities mentioned in my hon. Friend's question, as published in Command Paper 7753, are as follows:—

asked the President of the Local Government Board if he will state the rates made in the county boroughs and London for the years ending March, 1914, 1915, and 1916?

I shall be happy to send my hon. Friend a statement giving the desired particulars, so far as they are at present in my possession.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture what official was responsible for the erroneous diagnosis of a supposed case of foot-and-mouth disease amongst Irish cattle at Fishguard which led to the recent temporary stoppage of imports of cattle to England from the South of Ireland; whether this suspension of the Irish cattle trade was decided on on the report of one officer merely or whether, before this action was taken, any corroborative opinion was procured; whether, in view of the admitted possibility of erroneous diagnosis, the Board of Agriculture will now take steps to secure that injury to large interests in both countries will not in future be done on mere suspicion; and whether compensation will be paid to the persons who were put to expense and loss by the error referred to?

The facts are as follows: One of the Board's senior veterinary inspectors warned the Board on the afternoon of the 30th November that an animal showing lesions suspected to be those of foot-and-mouth disease had arrived at Fishguard in a cargo from Cork. He communicated by telephone with the chief veterinary officer, and satisfied him that the symptoms were suspicious of the early stages of the disease, and that the animal, together with those in contact with it, ought to be detained for further examination. One of the Board's superintending veterinary inspectors proceeded on the same night to Fishguard, and examined the animal on the 1st December, but he also was not convinced that foot-and-mouth disease did not exist in its early stages. He again examined the animal, therefore, on the 2nd December, and was then able to state definitely that foot-and-mouth disease did not exist. The procedure to be adopted in these cases was fully discussed with the Irish Department in 1913. The hon. Member will doubtless admit that definite evidence of any contagious disease does not appear immediately, and that it might prove utterly disastrous to the trade of Ireland to allow uncontrolled movements of animals which have been in contact with a suspicious animal until the suspicion therefrom has been definitely removed. It is true that procedure of this kind, resulting as it does in a temporary stoppage of imports of cattle, may prove of some inconvenience to the cattle owners concerned; but, on the other hand, my Department has also the duty of safeguarding the interests of the stock owners in Great Britain; and a temporary stoppage on suspicion does infinitely less harm than might ensue if there were any risk of passing an animal really affected. I cannot admit any general claim to compensation for trade losses caused by action taken under the Diseases of Animals Acts. The Statute provides only for compensation in respect of an animal slaughtered by the Board in connection with the outbreak of disease. Prohibition of movement on suspicion of disease must be an element in all effective action in certain cases of contagious cattle diseases, and I know of no case in any country in which compensation therefor is or ought to be given.