asked the Prime Minister what is the date of Mr. Charles Master-man's appointment to his present duties; whether any notice is required to terminate the agreement; and what is the amount paid to him up to September, 1915?

Mr. Master-man undertook the duties which he is continuing to discharge in September, 1914. If his services were no longer required, they could be dispensed with without notice. As to the final part of the question, I must ask my hon. Friend to rest satisfied with the assurance I gave the other day.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that for the past twelve months all trustee stocks have been unsaleable at official minimum prices; and whether, that being so, he will extend the 7½ per cent. reduction for the purposes of Estate Duty valuation of estates where the death occurred subsequent to the fixing of the minimum price?

No, Sir. I am unable to accept the suggestion that further retrospective effect should be given to the arrangement referred to.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty what pay and allowances are now being drawn by the hon. and gallant Member for Morley as a member of His Majesty's Navy?

My hon. Friend receives no remuneration, but only allowances to cover the cost of travelling.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether it is intended in the interests of economy to discharge those men now serving with the Forces at home who are unable through physical infirmity to take their places in the fighting line; and whether, if it is desired to retain for garrison duty men not fit for the fighting line, special care will be taken to retain only those men whose state of health is such as to enable them to perform garrison duties efficiently?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to an oral answer given to-day by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the hon. Member for South-West Manchester.

asked the Under-Secretary for War how many officers are employed in the War Office or on Army staffs of districts who are under forty years of age; how many of that number have been so employed continuously since the commencement of the War; and is it proposed that those presumably efficient officers should, in the interests of the public and for their own good, be sent on active service to the front where their experience can be utilised to the advantage of themselves and the country and so that their present duties may be taken over and in future be discharged by officers who have been disabled in the War and prevented from continuing on active service, but yet are fully capable of discharging effectively Staff and Departmental duties?

I am, of course, in sympathy, as is everybody at the War Office, with the object the hon. Member has in view and every opportunity of furthering it is taken. But I cannot undertake to have energy and time directed from other more pressing work to the compilation of the comprehensive return suggested.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether he is aware that some recruits who enlisted in the 3/2 Lovat's Scouts, stationed at Aldershot, in September, on being called upon to join the Army on the 27th of that month, were sent to join the 2/2 Lovat's Scouts then at Thetford, and that as a result the recruits received no pay until the 16th October; whether he is aware that the food rations of squad Q of the 2/2 Lovat's Scouts, now stationed at Diss, have on several occasions been insufficient, some of the men receiving only some soup, plum-duff, and two potatoes for dinner, and that some of the troopers of the 2/2 Lovat's Scouts have been confined to camp for from four to six weeks in consequence of delays in the issue of clothing and equipment and the operation of the rule forbidding men to leave camp unless clothed according to regulations; and whether steps will be taken to prevent such irregularities in the corps in future?

A report is being obtained.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that some Germans who were evicted by the town authorities of Yarrow-on-Tyne as undesirables had been allowed to take up their abode under the arches of a viaduct on one of our railways in the North, and that, notwithstanding many protests by local residents in that vicinity, are still permitted to retain possession of their abode under those arches; and whether he will take steps to have them removed from that zone?

The question does not contain sufficient details to enable me to identify the incident with anything which is known to have taken place. If the action was taken by the town authorities, it would presumably be a matter upon which inquiry should be addressed to the Home Office.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether farmers in England, Wales, and Scotland are now allowed to sell their hay in the open market for whatever price they can there obtain; whether a similar privilege has been or will immediately be granted to farmers in Ireland; and, if not, will he say why this course is not to be adopted?

The restrictions which have been in force in England, Wales, and Scotland have now been removed. It would hardly be reasonable to remove them in Ireland at the same date as has been adopted for the rest of the United Kingdom, as the scheme began to operate at a later date in Ireland than elsewhere, but the question is under consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can see his way to provide that soldiers returning home on any than the first occasion in any year shall be allowed to travel on the railway free, and thus enjoy a privilege possessed by the munitions workers?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the detailed statement which was circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT yesterday, giving the arrangements as regards free warrants for soldiers proceeding on furlough.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is now in a position to give the House complete information as to how war pensions should be applied for; and whether he can arrange for the publication of the same for all Services in some handy form?

Mr. FORSTER:

APPLICATIONS FOR NAVAL WAR PENSIONS.

OFFICERS.—Disability and service pensions are awarded in the ordinary course of routine without special application.

A claim for a wounds or injury gratuity or pension must be made within five years after the officer was wounded, and should be addressed to the Secretary of the Admiralty.

Applications for pensions to widows, compassionate allowances to children, or allowances to other dependants should also be addressed to the Secretary of the Admiralty.

Such pensions and allowances commence from the day following the date of death of the officer—except in the case of warrant officers, in which the pensions commence from the date of cessation of the period of continued separation allowance and allotment—provided application be made within twelve months. Otherwise they take effect from the date of application.

MEN.—Pensions to men are awarded in the ordinary course of routine, without special application. Payment begins normally immediately after the man's discharge from the Navy or Marines (or discharge from hospital, if later).

When there is reason to suppose that a case has been overlooked, or that the award is not in accord with Regulation, application should be made in writing to the Accountant-General of the Navy, Admiralty, S.W.

There is no limit of time within which an application for an award must be made.

Pensions to the widows and children of seamen and Marines are awarded in the ordinary course of routine, without special application. Payment begins normally immediately after the cessation of separation allowance, or when there is no separation allowance, from date of death.

Where there is reason to suppose that a case has been overlooked, or that the award made is not in accordance with Regulation, application should be made in writing to the Director of Greenwich Hospital, Admiralty, Whitehall, S.W.

Applications for allowances to other dependants of seamen and marines should be addressed to the Accountant-General of the Navy.

APPLICATIONS FOR MILITARY WAR PENSIONS.

OFFICERS.—Disability and service pensions to officers are awarded in the ordinary course of routine, without special application. Claims for wounds pensions and gratuities and pensions for widows and other dependants should be made in writing to the Secretary, War Office.

OTHER RANKS.—Pensions of all kinds are awarded in the ordinary course of routine, without special application. Payment begins normally immediately after the man's discharge from the Army (not from hospital), or in the case of widows and other dependants immediately after the cessation of separation allowance.

When there is reason to suppose that a case has been overlooked, or that the award made is not in accordance with regulation, application should be made in writing, in the case of soldiers, to the Secretary, Royal Hospital, Chelsea, and in case of widows or dependants to the Secretary, War Office.

TIME LIMITS.—Under the preamble of the Royal Warrant for Pay, payments not claimed within a period of twelve months are forfeited, unless exceptional circumstances are shown, satisfactorily explaining the delay. A delay in claiming pension for more than one year thus invalidates the right to receive more than one year's arrears of the pension, but does not affect the claim to have the pension granted.

An officer's claim for a wounds or injury gratuity or pension must be made within five years after he was wounded.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state what proportion of the total value of £3,095,832 of coal exported last month was exported to neutral countries?

The value of coal, coke, and manufactured fuel registered as exported to neutral countries in November last amounted to £1,109,742, or nearly 36 per cent. of the value of the total exports to all destinations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can make a statement as to the present attitude of Roumania towards the Allies; and whether there is any probability of Russia being able shortly to co-operate with the Anglo-French forces at Salonika in the endeavour to rescue Serbia from the control of Bulgaria and of the Central Powers?

The relations between Roumania and the Allies are of a perfectly friendly character. I am not in a position to make any statement as to the military plans of Russia.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the total revenue derived from dog licences, the number of dogs for which licences are paid, and the number of dogs (sheep-dogs, etc.) exempted?

The answer is as follows:—

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether the Fair-Wages Clause was inserted in the contract held by Mr. Joseph Latter for keeping clean part of the road encircling Regent's Park; and, if so, if he is aware that this contractor is paying from 4s. to 7s. per week less than the standard rate of pay; and whether he will communicate with the Crown Estates Paving Commissioners on the matter?

The contract held by Mr. Joseph Latter with the Crown Estates Paving Commissioners contains the usual Fair-Wages Clause. The Commissioners are not aware that less than the standard rate of wages is being paid, but will make inquiry into the matter.