asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he can give any information as to the closing of Marlborough gate, Portsmouth Dockyard; and if he can promise that if this gate is closed that accommodation for the bicycles of all men living in this neighbourhood will be provided in the dockyard?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to a question by him on the same subject on the 1st March.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is aware that certain firms of German origin producing paint and anti-fouling composition have been discarded by the British Admiralty; and, if so, will he give their names?

The answer to the first part of my hon. Friend's question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, I understand the constitution of the firms in question is being inquired into. It will be for the Board of Trade to deal with publication if, and when, they are closed down.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War (1) whether he is aware that Territorial soldiers who under the Military Service Act, 1916, have signed for Imperial service have been transferred from the 2nd Provisional Battalion (Queen Victoria's) to a battalion of a London regiment stationed at Warminster, Wilts; as they desire to remain with a battalion of their own regiment, whether he can see that their wishes are respected; and (2) whether a considerable number of men of the 45th Provisional Battalion who signed for Imperial service have been sent to the 2/5th Royal Warwickshire Regiment, although many expressed their desire to transfer to the second or third line of their original units and to other units of the same arm, in accordance with the option given in the War Office letter of 28th December, 1915; if so, will orders be given that these men be allowed to exercise their option according to the terms of War Office letter of 28th December, 1915?

asked if the 84th Provisional Battalion, 1st and 2nd 7th Hampshire Regiment, Territorial Force, has been attached to the 2/6th Royal Warwickshire Regiment, and if this has been done with the approval of the men concerned who under the terms of their enlistment are to serve with their own unit only; and whether such men who object to this will be released from their engagement or be transferred to their own unit?

I would refer the hon. Gentlemen to the written answers I gave yesterday to the hon. Members for North Somerset and for the Ealing Division.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether it is proposed to transfer any members of the Territorial Force who have volunteered for foreign service to corps other than their own; whether it is necessary to secure the consent of the members affected to this course; and whether, having regard to the natural desire of men so placed to serve in the corps they have themselves chosen, he can give an assurance that such a proposal will be made in as few cases as possible?

I would refer the hon. Member to the written reply I gave yesterday to the hon. Members for North Somerset and the Ealing Division.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the son of unnaturalised foreigners, born in this country, is liable to service under the Military Service Act if within the age limits?

The answer is in the affirmative.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that those who, though in ill-health, come under the Military Service Act in the counties of Carnarvon and Anglesey are compelled to report themselves at Wrexham, 100 miles away; and whether, in view of the physical condition in which some of these men are and the danger to their health and lives, he can arrange for them to be medically examined at some centre in the two counties?

Any men who are in the condition mentioned by my hon. Friend—that is, obviously unfit—should be rejected by the recruiting officer at the primary medical examination. It is necessary that recruits should be examined by medical boards, and that the decision should not be left to local practitioners.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he is aware that hardship has been caused to attested men who, on receiving Army Form W 3195, have given up their appointment or business in order to join for service on the date named, but have subsequently been sent home again to await orders; and whether the Government are contemplating making any provision for men in such a case, since their former means of livelihood has gone and has not been replaced by another?

In order to avoid this hardship all attested men were recently advised in the Press that arrangements have now been made by which they could receive a medical examination by the Army Medical Board at any time settled in consultation with the recruiting officer, provided they were prepared to pay their own expenses. If only found fit for garrison service at Home or for sedentary work, they would know definitely that they would not be likely to be called up for Army service without at least two months' notice. If found unfit for any of the categories of service, they would know defi- nitely that they could return to their civilian occupation permanently. If more men will take advantage of this opportunity, and have their medical fitness decided beforehand, it will save them the serious sacrifice of giving up their appointments in order to join the Service and then being returned home. It would also assist local tribunals in the decision of claims which come before them when men appeal on grounds of business responsibility and personal ill-health. It also prevents undue congestion when the men are actually called up. I trust that this answer will bring home to the attested men the advantages of making use of the opportunities provided.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if he has received a report of the proceedings of the Keighley Rural Local Tribunal, in which the chairman said that if the Local Government Board did not like their proceedings they must get another tribunal; and, seeing the manner in which this tribunal are treating applicants for exemption who come before them, will he advise the appointing body to replace the members of this tribunal with men who will carry out the law and the instructions of the Board?

My right hon. Friend is making inquiry respecting this matter.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he can make a statement as to the constitution of and conditions of entry into the new Officers' Training Corps which have recently been formed or are now being formed?

No new Officers' Training Corps have been formed. Possibly the hon. Member is referring to Cadet units, and, with his permission, I am sending him a printed Paper which will, I think, fully explain to him the position.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if Private No. 18,508, 6th Battalion King's Shropshire Light Infantry, has been examined by the medical authorities overseas, and if he has been passed as fit for service at the front; if so, will he say if it is the practice of the Army medical authorities to pass men as fit for foreign service who are known to be subject to epileptic fits; is it within the knowledge of this soldier's superiors that he has had fits while on service and has suffered injuries in consequence; and, in view of the danger to himself and his fellow soldiers of this defect, will instructions be given at once that he must not be sent on service to the front?

If my hon. Friend will be good enough to furnish me with this man's name, I will have inquiries made.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he is aware that Sergeant Alexander Samways, Royal Field Artillery, was billeted last month at Mrs. Woods, 9, Abercromby Avenue, High Wycombe, and fell ill there; that the military doctor was sent for and after three days said Samways was suffering from pneumonia; that, notwithstanding, no assistance, attendance, or supervision was arranged for; that there was no ambulance to take the patient to the hospital; that the doctor refused to order any conveyance or to be responsible for the same; that the matron of the hospital sent two miles at her own expense to bring the patient in to the hospital; that the patient, while at Mrs. Woods and when suffering from delirium, was allowed to go out scantily clad and run about in the wet; that the doctor had been out of practice for sixteen years and was heard to say that he knew how to deal with shirkers; if another lad had died under somewhat similar circumstances ten days previously; that the sister at the hospital said that the sergeant's life would have been saved had he been sent earlier to the hospital; and if he will inquire into the whole matter so that the sick in billets may be more carefully looked after in the future?

I have already sent the hon. Gentleman a full explanation in regard to this case.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he will state what accommodation for troops there is in the barracks at Mill Hill; if troops have been billeted in Finchley and neighbouring districts while these barracks have been unoccupied; and, if so, for what reason has the expense of billeting troops been incurred when barrack accommodation is available close by?

There is accommodation at Mill Hill Barracks for 1,157 all ranks. The barracks have never been unoccupied, though the numbers necessarily fluctuate according to the influx of recruits. There are no troops now billeted at Finchley.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the training ground for the troops now at Fovant Camp, Salisbury Plain, has, in consequence of the continuous bad weather, become nothing but a muddy marsh and is a source of very considerable danger to the troops; and, having regard to the deaths which occurred last year in the battalions quartered in this camp owing to similar conditions, will he consider the advisability of immediately causing extensive and effective drainage works to be carried out and abandon the use of the camp for troops either until such works are carried out or wholly?

I have obtained a report from the medical officer at Fovant, who states that no training ground there is in a condition even remotely approaching that of a muddy marsh; that all training grounds are on certain ground and dry rapidly; and that there is nothing in the condition of the training grounds that constitutes danger in any degree to the health of the troops. Four deaths occurred at Fovant last year—one from diabetes, one from nephritis, one from brain tumour, and one from bronchitis—but none of these were due to the condition of the training ground. Extensive drainage works are not necessary. Measures which have been taken will render the conditions of this training ground as good as obtains elsewhere. The ground at Fovant is good sandy subsoil, and dries up remarkably quickly.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that men who have been discharged from service at the front through either wounds or sickness are being subjected to annoyances owing to their being mistaken for shirkers; and whether some medal or badge other than the usual armlet can be given to them to protect them from such occurrences?

If there have been such occurrences as are mentioned in the question they are extremely regrettable, but I had not previously heard that any members of the public were being guilty of causing annoyance to men who have given honourable and faithful service to their country. I fear that if the khaki armlet does not protect a man from accusations of shirking it is unlikely that any medal or badge would do so, and I cannot undertake to introduce any other form of badge.

asked the Prime Minister whether it will be a condition of recognition by Government that no man of military age who has not either attested or been rejected, or discharged as unfit for further military duty, shall be a member of a Volunteer Training Corps?

The question of the eligibility of certain classes for enrolment is one of the many matters, in regard to Volunteers, now under consideration by the Army Council.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he will take steps to see that British troops in Egypt who are entitled to the Colonial allowance receive it in accordance with the Regulations, seeing that they do not now receive anything in kind, as their rations are precisely those given to warrant officers, who receive the allowance in pay?

I have no reason to think that any troops in Egypt, entitled to Colonial allowance, are not receiving it in accordance with the Regulations.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office what is the cost of pensions for the financial year 1915–16, and what will be the cost of the present pensions in 1916–17?

It is roughly estimated that the cost of pensions arising out of the present War for the year 1915–16 will amount to £2,600,000, and for the year 1916–17, assuming the War to last throughout the year, to £10,000,000. There is, in addition, a charge of nearly £5,000,000 for pre-war pensions.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office why the men of the 64th Provisional Battalion, Territorial Force, stationed at Cromer, have to refund the sum of £1, which is being stopped in instalments from their pay?

I will have inquiries made, and will let my hon. Friend know the result.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War what is the status of men who are transferred from the Amy to munitions work; whether such men are regarded as soldiers after the term of service for which they enlisted in the Army has expired; and whether a soldier who is transferred to munitions work two months prior to the termination of his engagement is subject to War Office control after the two months has expired?

Soldiers temporarily released from military service for employment on munitions work "remain in possession of all their rights and privileges as soldiers." They are not regarded as soldiers after their term of Army service has expired. A soldier temporarily released to munitions work two months prior to the termination of his engagement is not subject to War Office control after the two months has expired and his discharge has been carried out.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the total number of members of the Metropolitan Police Force who have been engaged during the months of January and February of the present year in visiting licensed premises, either in plain clothes or as disguised workmen, for the purpose of detecting cases of treating or other breaches of the Order made by the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic)?

I regret that I cannot supply the hon. Member with figures of the nature suggested in the question.

asked the Minister of Munitions whether the licence to sell intoxicating liquors at the Hotel Metropole has been transferred for the period of occupation of the premises by the Ministry of Munitions; and, if so, to whom has the licence been transferred?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Minister of Munitions if the Rees Roburto Manufacturing Company is a controlled establishment; if so, will he say why the men have not been supplied with badges or certificates; if he is aware that the manager gave the men a bogus certificate signed by himself saying that that was a sufficient certificate of exemption, and that some of the workmen, who believed that they were exempted under the Military Service Act, 1916, by this manager's certificate, have not in consequence appealed for exemption to the local tribunal and are now being arrested as deserters; and what action he proposes to take in the matter?

Badges have not been issued to the workpeople at one of the establishments of this company because the company did not apply for them. I am informed by the company that no such certificates as those described in the question have been issued, and that the only documents given by them to their workpeople were statements which they could produce to a local tribunal in support of their applications for exemption from military service. I understand that some of the workpeople employed by this company, having failed to obtain exemption, have been summoned to the Colours, but I have been unable to obtain confirmation of the report that any of them have been arrested. I am in further communication with the company on the subject.

asked the Minister of Munitions if he is now able to state why the Sheffield Committee on War Output recently assumed the right to monopolise the supply of petrol for the city; and what action he has taken in the matter?

I understand that upon a particular occasion arrangements were made that the Munitions Committee at Sheffield should be consulted as to the distribution of a shipment of petrol. It was not intended that the arrangement should extend beyond that occasion, and I an communicating with the committee upon the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether an officer in the British Army, when temporarily holding a post of rank superior to his own, at present receives the pay attached to that post, and, if he is killed in that post, his widow receives the higher pension attributable to it; whether an officer in the Indian Army has the same rights; and, if not, whether, in view of the fact that many Indian Army officers are now serving in superior positions but cannot be permanently promoted in rank, the Indian Government can see its way to allow to such officers, whilst fighting in the present War, pay and pension rights based on the same principle as that adopted in the British Army?

On the 25th February a communiqué appeared in the newspapers stating two concessions which, with the concurrence of the Army Council, I had sanctioned for the purpose of accelerating the promotion of officers of the Indian Army during the War, in view of the exceptional rapidity of promotion at the present time in the British Army. I would refer the hon. Member to the first of the two concessions mentioned in the communiqué.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he has received from the European Association a letter urging the appointment of a competent Commission to make full inquiry into the state of the Volunteer system in India, and pressing for the immediate institution of a measure of compulsory military training for Europeans; and what answer he has returned?

I have not received any letter or memorial on the subject. I understand that the Government of India have been addressed, but have not been informed what action they propose to take. I will again make inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many districts of Great Britain have announced their desire for a public warning in the case of a visit of a Zeppelin, and how many are opposed to that course?

No calculation has been made on these lines, and as local conditions vary widely, it would serve no useful purpose to count the expressions of opinion on the one side and the other.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether there are any difficulties placed in the way of the transfer from the Navy to the Royal Naval Air Service of suitable men intending to become practical and efficient fliers?

No difficulties are placed in the way of the transfer of a suitable man from the Navy to the Royal Naval Air Service whose services from the former can be spared. But, of course, as my hon. Friend will see, it may well happen that a skilled rating, for example, may, in the opinion of those best able to judge, be better serving his King and country at this time in the position which he now occupies than by transferring to another, whether Royal Naval Air Service or any other, branch.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether it is proposed to transfer the members of the Anti-Aircraft Force employed in coast and inland defences to the Royal Garrison Artillery; whether that transfer will necessitate a change from the present uniform to khaki; and if, in view of the expense and loss occasioned by such a change, he will consider whether such loss can be prevented and arrangements made for a gradual change, or some slight modification in the existing uniform, which will obviate the cost which otherwise will occur?

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Shoreditch on the 2nd March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he can state what is the present position of the Carl Zeiss optic glass factory at Mill Hill; has the factory been closed and have the persons formerly employed there been interned; has the Government taken over the building; and, if so, to what use has it been put?

I understand that the Carl Zeiss optical instrument works at Mill Hill are a controlled establishment engaged entirely on Government work. I would refer the Noble Lord to the Ministry of Munitions for further information. As regards alien employés, I am informed that before the War there was a staff of forty-eight persons, of whom nine were Germans, and now there are fifty-two persons, of whom three are Germans, who, after full consideration of all the circumstances, have been exempted from internment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the recommendations in the Report of the Royal Commission on Venereal Diseases with respect to the examination of prisoners; whether it is his intention to carry them into effect; and whether he will give an undertaking that no female prisoner or female person detained in a Borstal institution shall be locally examined except by a woman doctor?

The compulsory examination of all prisoners to the extent suggested by the Royal Commissioners would, under present conditions, be impracticable. These recommendations cannot be dealt with apart from the other proposals of the Commission; but the whole subject will receive careful consideration, and it is impossible at present to say what course may be taken with respect to the prisons.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the delay caused to postmen on their rounds by being kept waiting at doors before letters can be delivered; and whether, therefore, he will consider the possibility of taking steps to cause owners of cottage property to insert letter-boxes in all front doors?

Although it would be to the advantage of the Post Office that every house should possess a letter-box, I am not in a position to compel owners or builders to provide them. It is probable that postmen are sometimes delayed by waiting for their knock or ring to be answered, but I have no reason to believe that the loss of time is serious.