asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider the advisability of remitting the tax on men servants who have lost a limb in serving their country?

My right hon. Friend has noted this proposal, but he doubts whether its adoption would achieve the object which he presumes the hon. Member has in view.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if it is the intention of the Government that whatever reasons hold good before the tribunals in cases of exemption of single men from military service will hold good in the case of married men who have attested and whose cases are heard before the tribunals?

As the Military Service (No. 2) Bill stands at present, single men may receive from the Military Service Tribunal virtual exemption; the local tribunal can at present only give postponement to attested married men. Any disability of the attested man arising from this discrepancy will be removed.

asked the Prime Minister whether officers holding temporary commissions who have been invalided out by a medical board after serving during the present War would be liable to enrolment under the Military Service (No. 2) Bill; if so, whether they will be enrolled as officers or reduced to the ranks; and whether single men who have been honourably discharged on medical grounds from the Army during the present War would be liable to enrolment under the Bill?

Individuals invalided out of the Service, whether officers or men, would primâ facie be eligible for exemption under Clause 2 (1) ( c ) of the Bill.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Report as to the result of the Lord Derby recruiting campaign in Manchester was to hand when the Military Service (No. 2) Bill was introduced?

I do not know to what Report the hon. Member refers. My Noble Friend had all the returns of men attested and enlisted before his Report was made.

asked the Prime Minister how many recruiting areas had failed to send returns giving details as to the canvass, etc., of married and single men under the Derby recruiting scheme when the Derby Report was compiled?

This information is not available at the War Office.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether recruits who came forward voluntarily under Lord Derby's scheme were not allowed to attest unless they consented to be vaccinated and re-vaccinated; if so, whether he can state the numbers who were not attested in consequence of such restriction; and if he will state whether vaccination is obligatory upon men compulsorily attested when called up?

In certain recruiting stations the option of joining the Territorial Force was given to attesting recruits, but in the majority of recruiting stations only one attestation form was provided and that was the form for the Regular Army where vaccination is compulsory. The figures asked for are not available. In reply to the last paragraph the point will be dealt with during the Committee stage of the Bill.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the wearing of the armlet by attested men could be made compulsory, in order that men who have refused to come forward may be known?

I do not think it would be practicable to do what the hon. and gallant Member suggests.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether, when any important contract is to be given out, all firms on the War Office list are asked to tender; and, if not, on what principle the selection is made of those who are asked to tender?

The general practice is that in the case of important contracts all firms noted on the War Office lists for the article in question are invited to tender, provided that they are considered capable of undertaking further orders. This rule is, however, necessarily subject to exceptions. For example, where the list of firms is of inordinate length in relation to the value of the contract only a selected number are invited to quote, the less competent firms, and those that tender infrequently or at exorbitant prices, being omitted.

I may point out, however, that where the War Department requires nearly all or more than all the available production of an industry, purchase by open tendering is an uneconomical procedure, as it tends to disturb the market and to inflate prices without producing any effective competition. In these cases, which are increasing in number, the Department purchases by direct negotiation with the particular firms, endeavouring to arrange equitable prices on the basis of cost of production.

asked the Minister of Munitions (1) whether he is aware that four licensed houses in the vicinity of the Enfield Small Arms Factory, including one known as the "Swan and Pike," situated on the Banks of the River Lee, which was owned by a public authority, namely, the Lee Conservancy Board, and was let on lease to the Home Counties Public House Trust, Limited, have been compulsorily and summarily acquired, both as to the freehold as well as leasehold interests, by the Liquor Control Board; what is the total sum which has been or is yet to be paid out of public moneys in respect of such forced acquisition; has any complaint been made since the commencement of the War with respect to the manner in which either and, if so, which of these houses has or have been conducted or as to the accommodation afforded; was any proposal made by the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic) to take over the management of these houses or either and, if so, which of them during the continuance of the War; why it was considered necessary to acquire the freehold; and what were the circumstances which were considered to warrant the special powers conferred by recent War legislation and put in force by a body not immediately responsible to Parliament and an expenditure of a large sum of public money unnecessarily made at a time when the Government is urging thrift upon all classes of the community; (2) whether he is aware that thousands of the employés at the Enfield Lock Small Arms Factory have been fed and catered for at the "Swan and Pike" Inn, Enfield Lock, without complaint of any kind up to the 22nd December last; and, if so, why and upon what grounds was it considered necessary to serve a ten days' notice to acquire the premises and the freehold and other interests therein; whether the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic) commandeered the owners' valuers after a full disclosure by the owners of their case; whether the Board endeavoured to induce the manager and staff of the Home Counties Public House Trust to leave their then employment by the promise of greatly increased wages; whether the Board agreed to the valuation of certain costly fixtures, including a dining-room and coffee stall, and at the last moment, when the trust company were unable to remove such articles, seized them; whether, after giving notice to take over the premises at 3 p.m. on 4th January, they entered into possession three hours before and then only paid for such fixtures as they chose and seized the remainder without payment, taking advantage of the recent improvements and alterations without compensation and confiscated the lease and goodwill, though they had previously promised compensation; whether he is aware that by such action the trust have been deprived of some £11,000 to £12,000; and will he state why this action has been taken towards a company not carrying on business for profit but in the interest of the reform of the public-house system; and (3) whether, since the commencement of the War, the responsible officials at the Small Arms Factory at Enfield Lock have made any complaint as to the want of accommodation or as to the management in so far as it affected employés of the factory at the "Swan and Pike" public-house at Enfield Lock; when any such complaint was made and its nature; whether the managing director of the Home Counties Public House Trust, Limited, the lessees of the house in March, 1915, made inquiry from the authorities at the factory whether there was any need of increased catering facilities and was told by them that there was not; whether he is aware that in the month of July, 1915, the accommodation was voluntarily increased by the trust company and completed after considerable delay on the part of the factory authorities in supplying the gas required and affording facilities for drainage rendered necessary by the provision of further sanitary accommodation; is he aware that thousands of Government employés were being fed weekly and to their complete satisfaction; was the sanction of the War Office asked for the compulsory acquisition of these premises; and, if so, upon what grounds?

The four houses mentioned have been acquired compulsorily by the Board. With the exception of a dry canteen established within the factory gates, they afford the only means of catering for the factory employés, who have been largely increased in number by reason of the War. The Board have taken over the houses with a view to their development and regulation under unified management similar to that of a workers' canteen, so as most effectually to meet the special conditions arising out of the War. No allegation is made of misconduct or default in the case of any of the licensees. The object of the Control Board in acquiring the houses was to remodel the whole undertaking so as to establish a system conducive to the best efficiency of the workers. The compensation will have to be assessed by the Defence of the Realm Losses Royal Commission, and it is not possible to estimate the amount beforehand. With regard to the "Swan and Pike," this house has recently been extended and improved and appeared to be efficiently managed. But the Control Board, while recognising the value of the work done by the Home Counties Public House Trust, considered that to make an exception in favour of a single house would be fatal to the scheme and would be open to a charge of partiality.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will state the results of his investigation into the records of the men whose names appear on the manifestoes of the "No-Conscrpition Fellowship"; whether proceedings have been taken against any of them since the beginning of the War; if so, with what result; and whether any of them have shown signs of favouring the enemy?

It would be contrary to the public interest for me to make a statement with regard to any such inquiry as the hon. and gallant Member refers to.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the curtailment in the number of trains and of travelling facilities on British railways, he would arrange that passengers should be permitted to travel by any route to and from a destination at the fare hitherto charged for the shortest route?

I understand that in some cases where it has been found necessary to discontinue the running of certain trains instructions with regard to the inter-availability of tickets have been issued by the railway companies. It is not, however, considered practicable to make any general regulation on the subject.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he proposes to act upon the recommendation of the Coal Supplies Committee that inquiries should be made into the possibilities of compelling British ships to trade between home and foreign ports in the interest of the coal industry?

The question of controlling the trading of British ships between foreign ports has already been dealt with, and as a result British ships have been required since 1st December to obtain a licence before they can carry cargo between foreign ports. As I informed the hon. Member on 22nd December, one of the main considerations in determining whether licences can be granted is the need of tonnage for the United Kingdom.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that Charles Dolan, of Garvagh, Beagh, Dromahair, county Leitrim, was granted an old age pension of 5s. by the Manorhamilton sub-committee in November and on appeal by the pension officer was disallowed on the ground of inability to prove his age; whether he is aware that proof and affidavits of Dolan's age have since been furnished; and whether the Local Government Board will send their inspector Mr. Mark Beresford, to see this man so as to enable them to arrive at the facts of the case?

The case referred to is at present being investigated by the Local Government Board.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that John Mulvey, of Drumnafinla, Ballinglera, county Leitrim, was granted an old age pension of 5s. by the Carrick-on-Shannon (No. 1) sub-committee on the 10th of March last, and was, on appeal by the pension officer, disallowed on the ground of means; and whether, having regard to the fact that Mulvey has no means whatever, further inquiry will be made and his pension allowed?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his question on this subject on the 14th June last.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War, having regard to the fact that practically all the records of nearly 40,000 men of three regiments, including the earliest records of the Royal Fusiliers, were destroyed by fire in the recent fire at Hounslow Barracks, whether he will consider the advisability of seeing that all regiments deposit their records not in actual use at the Public Record Office, which is a building designed for the purpose?

The Report of the Court of Inquiry on the fire has not yet been received, and I am not therefore in a position to say whether any change of system is called for. It is, however, believed that all old regimental records of historical value were some years ago transferred from the depots to the Public Record Office.