asked the Prime Minister whether he has any official information showing that arrangements have been made to ship cotton to Germany viâ Sweden, and that the first shipment will be made on 1st February, with subsequent regular sailings of vessels by native-born Americans and flying the American flag; and, if so, will he say if any arrangement has been made by the British Government whereby this arrangement may be carried out?

The answer to both questions is in the negative.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can state the amount of the interest on the National Debt, including the loans to our Allies, Exchequer Bonds, and Treasury Bills, for the financial year ending 31st March, 1916?

It is not possible at this date to state exactly the amount of interest that will be paid in the financial year ending the 31st March next. The total Estimate for National Debt services as given in the White Paper No. 344 of 1915 was £67,085,000, and it is not anticipated that that amount will be exceeded.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury the total clearances of spirits from London bonded warehouses, Customs and Excise, for the months of November, 1914, and November, 1915, and the total amount for the eleven months ending 30th November, 1915?

The quantities cleared for home consumption are as follows:—

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Belgian Refugee Committee paid the fare from Cookstown to Dublin for a Belgian refugee, who is now acting as strike-breaker in a decorative glass-workers' establishment in Dublin; whether he is aware that two Government Departments helped to supply this man to a firm whose employés were engaged in a struggle for better wages; and if he will take steps to prevent a repetition of such action on the part of a Government Department?

I am informed that the Belgian Refugee Committee supplied this man with a travelling warrant from Cookstown to Dublin in order to enable him to take up the employment which he had secured. With regard to the remainder of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his previous question on this subject, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty the weekly amount now being paid by the Admiralty for pensions and permanent disablement through injuries, etc., received during the War?

The approximate weekly expenditure on account of pensions to widows, etc., of officers and men, and of wounds and disability pensions to officers and men, attributable to service during the War, is £5,580.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the men of the third-line Yeomanry now being urged to volunteer to serve abroad as Infantry drafts for any regiment could be allowed to serve together as Infantry units in order to get over their objection to being permanently separated from their present comrades?

New Infantry units will not be formed, but men would have the opportunity of serving together as they would be drafted to Infantry units in batches.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the importance to recruiting of a knowledge that all ranks are treated equitably and required to share equally the burdens of active service, the Army Council will institute an inquiry into the growing practice of placing stalwart and healthy young officers and soldiers, physically fit for foreign service, upon such duties as adjutant, assistant adjutant, assistant quartermaster, orderly room clerk, store clerk, mess committees, canteen stewards, pay clerks, and waiters in units for Home service only; and whether the Council will consider the advisability of excluding men under forty years of age from such employments unless they have earned consideration by War service or by wounds received in action?

Strict orders have been issued on this matter. As far as possible all officers employed in Home service units are unfit for foreign service. When any such officers become fit for service abroad they take their turn to go abroad as soon as they can be relieved.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War, whether, in view of the cost last winter of providing billets for troops in empty factories, breweries, stores, and private houses at the rate of 3d. per head for sleeping space on the bare floor, the Army Council will consider the expediency of placing competent officers with business capacity and knowledge of contracts upon the administrative staffs of commanders-in-chief in the military districts of the United Kingdom?

The billeting rates have been revised as from the 1st September, 1915, and the rate for empty buildings is now 1d. per man per night. But except for quite short temporary periods troops are not billeted on premises of the kind referred to. If such premises are required for the accommodation of troops the owners are paid compensation on the basis of the loss incurred by them by reason of the military occupation. With regard to the latter part of the question, a number of inspectors with special experience in these matters have been appointed and there are also professional valuers attached to the several commands whose expert knowledge and skill is of great assistance in effecting the most economical arrangements, whether by hiring or billeting, for the accommodation of troops.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Regimental Sergeant-Major William O'Mahoney, 1st Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers, holder of eight first-class certificates, who had thirteen years' service, was killed at Gallipoli, in action on the 11th of February, 1915; and, seeing that this man's father, Mr. Humphrey O'Mahoney, has made several applications to the War Office for his effects, including small book and postcards, without effect, whether he will see that his request be immediately complied with?

Instructions have now been given for the immediate issue of the effects to the man's father.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he can state the weekly amount now being paid by the War Office for pensions and permanent disablement as the result of the War?

About £20,000 a week to soldiers and £15,000 a week to their widows. About £420 a week to officers and £4,000 a week to their widows.

asked the Minister of Munitions whether he is aware that the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic) have recently issued an Order restricting the sale of intoxicants in the Shorncliffe area to the hours 12 noon to 2.30 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., with additional restrictions as regards the sale of spirits and with other prohibitive conditions; whether he is aware that the area affected by the Order includes the towns of Deal, Walmer, and Sandwich and the Petty Sessional division of Wingham, of which the latter is a completely rural district, and that in these portions of the area there are no munition works and a very small body of military forces; whether he is aware that in these portions of the area there has been no excessive drinking of late, and that neither the police nor the military authorities have had any trouble from this cause; whether he is aware that Deal, Walmer, and Sandwich have suffered and are suffering from the absence of visitors occasioned by the War, and will be further injured by loss of trade if the Order of the Central Control Board remains in force; if he will say what interested parties in the localities above mentioned were consulted before the Order was issued, in accordance with the undertaking to that effect by the Central Control Board; and whether he will take steps to cancel the Order in so far as it applies to the portions of the Shorncliffe area above mentioned?

The places named are necessarily included in the restricted area by reason of their proximity to Shorncliffe, Folkestone, and Dover. This necessity would outweigh the considerations mentioned in the question.

asked the Minister of Munitions whether his statement of the 9th December last, on behalf of the Central Control Board, to the effect that in future the Board will not make any Order affecting any new area without consulting interested parties in the locality, including, amongst others he named, the licensed trade, was intended to foreshadow any change of practice on the part of the Board; and, if so, what steps are being taken to ensure that all the interested parties he named will be consulted equally and without distinction at future inquiries?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative; the second part of the question consequently does not arise.

asked the Minister of Munitions whether his attention has been called to the recent further advances in the rates of freight charged for the conveyance of iron ore from Spain and Algeria and manganese ore from India, inevitably adding to the cost of the production of steel alike for munition, naval, and commercial purposes, and to the fact that the economic effectiveness of the reduced supply of tonnage now available is diminished by the delay in discharging steamers; and whether he can take any steps which would prevent such delays being accentuated by the prospective transfer of 1,000,000 men from industrial purposes to military service?

My right hon. Friend is aware that rates of freight generally have advanced, and that this has affected the conveyance of iron ore as well as other articles. I understand that the matter is receiving the careful atention of the Board of Trade with a view to the best possible use being made of the supply of tonnage available.

The Port and Transit Executive Committee recently appointed by the Prime Minister is investigating the whole question of delay at ports. Daily reports are received as to the exact position at each of the principal ports, but the situation is very difficult owing to the heavy imports now arriving and the limited accommodation available. Every endeavour will be made to prevent the undue depletion of the necessary labour supplies.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether three of the four staff inspectors of technical institutes and evening schools are gentlemen named, respectively, Kahn, Schwartz, and Zimmern; if so, will he say what is the nationality of these inspectors; and what salary do they receive, respectively?

Mr. Zimmern has retired from the service of the Board. Both the other inspectors mentioned are British subjects. They each receive a salary of £900 a year.

asked the Home Secretary if, when the power to deport has been exercised against persons who are subjects of States now allied with Great Britain, and who have not committed any offence known to British law, and consideration has been given, before putting such persons en route for their own country, to the fact that many persons of foreign but not of enemy nationality have become resident in this country because, owing to their opinions, they would have been subject to heavy penalties, including in some instances penal servitude or possibly even death, if they had remained in their own country?

If an alien had become resident in this country for any such reason as is indicated in the last part of my hon. Friend's question, full consideration would certainly be given to this circumstance before the power to deport was exercised in his case. So far as I am aware, no such case has arisen.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the difficulties of medical men living in the country districts, who frequently have to drive themselves long distances after dark in order to visit their patients, he will consider the desirability of exempting the cars of medical practitioners from the new Lighting Order?

I think there must be a misunderstanding as to the effect of the Order. I will send the hon. Member a copy. The use of headlights is prohibited in certain areas, but the limits of size and power for sidelights have been fixed so high as to allow a good driving light for doctors and other motorists who have to use country roads at night. The Order was settled in consultation with expert motorists, and has been generally accepted.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the necessarily darkened state of the London streets and the consequent danger to pedestrians, he will consider the advisability of arranging that, at certain dangerous crossings such as the south side of Trafalgar Square, a green or red lamp should be exhibited at night time; and that at all crossings where such lamp is exhibited the speed of the traffic should be restricted to four miles an hour?

In view of the reduction of lighting, the Commissioner of Police has given special attention to the increased risk to pedestrians at congested crossings, and the control of the traffic is made as effective as possible. The suggestion of the hon. Member of the use of red or green lamps would, in the opinion of the Commissioner, lead to confusion without securing greater safety. A speed limit could not be enforced owing to the difficulty of proof, but under Section 1 of the Motor Car Act, 1903, the Police take action in cases of reckless driving whatever the speed of the vehicle.

asked the Secretary for Scotland if he has received any report of the conviction of Peter Petroff, a Russian subject, who has been convicted at Glasgow for an alleged offence under the Aliens' Registration Act and sentenced to two months' imprisonment without the option of a fine; if he is aware that the alleged offence consisted of having failed to reregister after a two days' absence from Glasgow to visit a place not far away, and that he did go to the police station at this place immediately on his arrival there, and that his failure to reregister on his return to Glasgow was because he had been informed by the Russian Consul that it was not necessary to do so in such circumstances; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?

I am informed that this case has been appealed to the High Court, and the matter being sub judice I cannot make any statement in regard to the conviction.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury what is the present amount at par of tithe rent-charge in England and Wales; how much of it is attached to benefices so as to entitle the owners to relief from part of the rates under the Tithe Rent-charge (Rates) Act, 1899; how much of it is in ecclesiastical ownership outside the scope of that relief, and how much of it is in non-ecclesiastical ownership; and what is the value of £100 tithe rent-charge for the present year?

The total amount of tithe rent-charge charged on the land of England and Wales by the general commutation of tithes made under the Tithe Act of 1836 was £4,054,405, of which £680,039 was payable to clerical appropriators and their lessees, £2,412,104 to parochial incumbents, £766,206 to lay impropriators, and £196,056 to schools, colleges, etc. The total amount of tithe rent-charge has been reduced by redemption or merger from £4,054,405 to £3,683,297, but the Board have no particulars of the amount of tithe rent-charge payable at present to clerical incumbents. The value of £100 tithe rent-charge for the present year is £83 2s. 6¾d.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he has received any of the protests from Ireland against the withdrawal of the Education Grants; whether he will consider the advisability of reconsidering Ireland's case in this matter; and if he will restore the Grants?

I would refer the hon. Member to the latter half of the reply given on my behalf by my right hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries on the 13th instant.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, whether Irish administrative bodies continue the practice of sending copies of their minutes to the Irish Local Government Board; if so, will he now say how many of those bodeis have adopted resolutions calling for the repeal of the National Insurance Act so far as regards its application to their districts; and what action it is proposed to take towards meeting their wishes?

The reply to the first paragraph of the question is in the affirmative. Without an exhaustive search through all the weekly minutes of local authorities in Ireland Which have been received, roughly speaking some 5,000, it would not be possible to say how many local bodies had adopted the resolution. I do not propose to take any action in the matter.

also asked how many officers and men of the Royal Irish Constabulary are now connected with the crimes special branch, and where they are stationed; whether several of the men connected with that branch, after committing and procuring the commission of crimes for which innocent persons were punished, have been helped out of the country to escape the law; what extra pay and allowances are made to each rank so connected in addition to the ordinary pay and allowances of that rank; and if this money is included in the annual Estimates, will the Chief Secretary say in what Vote?

The performance of crime special duty devolves on the force at large, but one county inspector, one district inspector, one head constable, one sergeant, and two constables are specially employed on this work at headquarters, and thirty-three sergeants and constables in various counties. There is no foundation for the allegations in the second part of the question. The county inspector receives an extra allowance of £250 per annum, the district inspector £150, and the men of other ranks 1s. 6d. per diem each, as shown in the Estimate for the Royal Irish Constabulary presented to this House.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the changes which are taking place in the Money Order Department, he can arrange for transfers to take place to some other office than the Savings Bank Department, seeing that so many of the staff are resident in North or East London, and further, whether it is possible to grant transfers to other branches of the Civil Service?

A few of the women clerks who are being displaced in the Money Order Department, are being transferred to the Accountant-General's Department; but the majority must be transferred to the Savings Bank Department, where there is urgent need of staff. In view of the pressure at present existing in the Savings Bank, it is not possible to agree to the transfer of the women clerks in question to other branches of the Civil Service.

asked the Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government has instructed His Majesty's Minister at Peking to recognise the new Chinese Emperor and Empire?

No annoucement has yet been issued proclaiming the new Emperor and Empire, and no instructions as to their recognition have been issued. The matter is, however, under consideration.

asked the Lord Advocate whether his attention has been called to the growing practice in Scotland of sheriff clerks, or their deputies, intimating to persons in their jurisdiction who are desirous of preventing publication of the amount of the estates of deceased relatives that this can be accomplished by payment of a sum varying with the amount of the estate to the London Press Agency; that this intimation by the sheriff clerks, or their deputies, is usually accompanied by notice that £1 1s. is their charge for the information; and will he say whether these charges have the sanction of his Department?

I have nothing to add to the answer given to my hon. and learned Friend by me on 21st December last.