asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he has received any report of the gallant conduct of the Notts and Derby Regiment during the recent fighting in Dublin?

No, Sir; but the gallant conduct of all the troops engaged in the recent fighting will, no doubt, be placed on record in Sir J. Maxwell's Report on the operations.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War how many women or girls are in custody in connection with the Irish rebellion; and whether any of such girls

are, or appear to be, under the age of sixteen years?

The War Office have no information on this point.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the Young Men's Christian Association institutes and recreation huts provided by the churches at Chatham, Rochester, and neighbourhood for the use of the troops

have been closed by military authority at 8 p.m., namely, one hour before public-houses, the reason assigned being the prevalence of infectious disease; and whether he will state the reason for such discrimination?

This is a matter which rests entirely in the discretion of the General Officer Commanding, and I have no information as to what action he may have taken.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether it has been possible to meet the desire of the Portuguese to arrange for a representative of their army to be present with our troops in France or Flanders?

It is hoped that arrangements may be made for a representative of the Portuguese army to proceed to France a few weeks hence.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he will ensure that no exemption is given by Government Departments to men employed by local authorities except at the request of the local authorities?

Individuals in the employment of local authorities have the right to apply for exemption to a tribunal. I was not aware that such men were being given exemption by Government Departments, and I do not quite see how this could be done. Perhaps my hon. Friend will give me some further information.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether attested and unattested men who are passed medically fit for Home service only and who have not already joined the Colours will not be called up until all men passed for general service, and not exempted from service, have been called up?

My hon. Friend has perhaps not realised that Home-service men are required in units at home to release fit men for service abroad. In these circumstances I am unable to give any undertaking in the sense he suggests.

asked the Prime Minister whether, under the Military Service Bill, the position of those Territorial officers and men now serving at Home who have not undertaken the Imperial Service obligation will be in any way affected?

Yes, Sir; the married men of military age will come under its provisions.

asked the Under-Secretary of State whether, in view of the group system of enlistment being again opened, and also in view of the Military Service Bill becoming law in the immediate future, he will suspend the calling up of the groups of married men who have been ordered to report themselves on the 27th instant until all younger men have been dealt with?

Military requirements necessitate calling up these groups, and it is not possible to suspend action.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether S. Minor and W. Rees, of Mountain Ash, were both proceeded against as absentees under the Military Service Act, 1916; whether, after various prosecutions and other costly proceedings, they were found medically unfit; if so, on what grounds; and why was no medical examination of these men made before these expenses were incurred?

On the information given, I cannot affirm that it was unnecessary or inadvisable to proceed against the men in question as absentees.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he will state the amount of the salary and expenses now being paid to Recruiting-Lieutenant George E. Draper, now operating in the county of Sligo?

This officer is paid at the rate of 8s. 6d. a day. If not accommodated in quarters or drawing rations in kind he would receive, in addition, the following daily allowances: Lodging, 2s.; fuel and light 7d. (winter), 4d. (summer); ration, 1s. 7d. When travelling on duty he would also receive detention allowance at rates varying according to the period of absence and the distance from his permanent station.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he can give any information about Daniel Huxstep, No. 22143, 3rd Company, 3rd Royal Berks, Labour Battalion; whether he is now at Cosham Camp; whether he has been called several times before his colonel; if so, for what offence; and whether it is thought advisable on economic and military grounds to continue to maintain this man as a soldier?

I am informed that No. 22416 Private Daniel Huxstep is now under arrest awaiting decision and application for trial by district court-martial for refusing to obey an order; but, as I am stating in reply to another question put to me by my hon. Friend, I cannot undertake to inquire whether individual soldiers have or have not been guilty of infractions of discipline.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether Henry Sara was removed from Parkhurst Prison, Isle of Wight, on or about the 29th April; if so, was he taken to Hurdcott camp; where he is now; how many days has he suffered imprisonment; what is the average cost per diem of maintaining this soldier in the Army and removing him constantly from place to place; where Sara has been of any military or other value to the nation since he became a soldier; and what action it is proposed to take in order to end the waste of money and labour in his case?

The War Office are not in possession of information of what happens to individual soldiers from day to day, and I cannot therefore answer the questions raised in the early parts of the question. The latter part of the question suggests that military punishment should only be imposed if it can be shown to be financially worth while. My hon. Friend will see on reflection how impossible it is to adopt such a criterion.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he has any information about John Daniell, Ernest W. Roe, and Basil Robert, who are or were recently at Horfield Barracks as conscientious objectors; whether they have been subject to military punishment; and in what units, if any, have they been placed?

I have no information about these three men, and I cannot undertake to make inquiries as to whether individual soldiers have or have not been guilty of infractions of discipline.

asked the Minister of Munitions whether the Labour Exchanges are the duly authorised medium through which applications for employ- ment on munitions work should be made; and, if so, whether the Labour Exchanges have been instructed to refuse such applications on the ground that an applicant is unskilled?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part of the question, Labour Exchanges are not authorised to refuse any applications for employment, and, in point of fact, out of an average of about 1,640 persons placed in munitions work by the Exchanges every day more than two-thirds are unskilled. My hon. Friend may possibly have in his mind applications made to Labour Exchanges for enrolment as W.M.V.'s. Such enrolment is limited to certain skilled occupations for which there has been for some time an unsatisfied demand.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many old age pensioners, male and female, separately, there were at the end of 1915 in receipt of 5s., 4s., 3s., 2s., and 1s. per week; how many applications have been declined because of income, etc., each cause being given separately; how many have voluntarily forfeited their pensions because of employment and additional income; how many have forfeited their pensions and gone into the workhouse; the total amount paid in old age pensions; and the total cost of the administration thereof during 1915?

The total number of pensions payable on the 31st December, 1915, was 982,384, of which 364,464 were to men, and 617,920 to women; the numbers payable at the several rates being: 5s. 4s. 3s. 2s. 1s. 928,085 19,540 19,986 9,697 5,076

I have no information as to the second, third and fourth parts of the question. With regard to the rest of the question, the account of the Old Age Pension Vote is not kept with reference to the calendar year, and exact figures for the year 1915–16 are, I am sorry to say, not yet available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the smack "Irene," official number 94,595, was lost in foggy weather on the 13th March, 1916, after collision with the ss. "Mattawa," belonging to the Canadian Pacific Railway Company; that two of the crew of three were lost; and that the evidence at the inquest on the body of the master of the "Irene" challenged the sufficiency of the piston fog-horn and bell sanctioned by the Board of Trade; whether the Board of Trade has intimated a decision not, as at present advised, to hold a formal investigation; and whether he will reconsider this decision and hold an inquiry?

I am aware of this collision and the fatalities which unfortunately resulted from it, and I have seen a report of the inquest on the skipper of the "Irene," from which it appears that some questions were raised as to the efficiency of the fog-horn on the smack. The question whether a formal investigation should be ordered in this case is being considered.