asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether the Commission on National Insurance now sitting at the House of Commons is an official body; and whether his Department has any responsibility for its proceedings?

The Treasury has no official cognisance of or responsibility for this inquiry, which has, I understand, been instituted by the Faculty of Insurance, an association of various societies operating under the National Insurance Act. I am informed that the meetings take place at the House of Commons for the convenience of certain Members of the House who are members of the body conducting the inquiry.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether a court-martial took place to inquire into the loss of the battleship "King Edward"; and, if so, whether he can state in full the verdict of the court-martial?

It does not seem necessary or desirable to say more than that the Court found that His Majesty's ship "King Edward VII." sank at about 8 p.m. on Thursday, the 6th of January, 1916, from the effects of an external explosion. The Court Was of opinion that Do officer or man of the ship was to blame for her loss, and that the conduct of all was in accordance with the best traditions of the Service, and the organisation and discipline were of a very high order; and the Court acquitted the captain, officers, and ship's company of blame accordingly.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that the civilian clerks in the regimental pay office at Hounslow have had no increase of pay during the War; whether they forwarded a petition for such to the regimental paymaster, who supported it, but whether this never got beyond the paymaster of the Eastern Command; and whether the Army Council will consider whether some slight increase should be given to these men, having regard to the fact that they are almost the only Government Department that has had no increase?

I imagine that the hon. Member refers to clerks who were engaged at rates in excess of those now given. These clerks were taken on since the outbreak of War, and are considered to be adequately paid without increase.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether Alfred John McIntyre, of Darwen, after having declined on conscientious grounds to accept non-combatant service, as ordered by the tribunal, and having, as a consequence, been arrested and sentenced to two years' imprisonment, was granted a retrial on 7th July, and was then given exemption from military service conditionally upon his case being referred to the Pelham Committee for ascertainment of approved form of national service in lieu of military service, and yet, notwithstanding this decision, was taken back to Walton Prison, Liverpool, and is still there, and is consequently precluded from getting into communication with the Pelham Committee; and, if so, whether he will order his immediate release?

I am making inquiry into this case.

asked the Secretary of State for War under what circumstances the local representative of the Board of Agriculture, in cases in which his appeal to the local Appeal Tribunal under the Military Service Act has been unsuccessful, is permitted to procure the exemption of men from service in the Army, and the reversal of the local Appeal Tribunal's decision by means of direct instructions from the War Office to the local recruiting officer, ordering that men whose cases have been decided by the tribunals appointed under the Act shall not be called up for service?

Where the Board of Agriculture consider that the food production of the country is endangered either by men being called to the Colours or by their continuing to serve with the Colours, arrangements are made whereby men either continue in the Reserve or are transferred thereto. Every case is carefully considered on its merits.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to the case of R. W. Maling, a gentleman farmer, of Beal, Northumberland, whose appeal for exemption from military service was refused by the local Appeal Tribunal; whether he can state in what circumstances instructions were subsequently sent from the War Office to the local recruiting officer ordering that this man should not be called up; whether he is aware that the reversal of the tribunal's decision by a secret procedure which renders nugatory the machinery and procedure established by Act of Parliament has occasioned dissatisfaction in the neighbourhood; and whether he is aware that the local military representative has resigned his office on the ground that he is unable to perform his duty in the case of poor and uninfluential persons if it is open to rich and influential persons to procure by secret procedure a reversal of the tribunal's decisions?

This case was brought to my notice by the Board of Agriculture. Mr. Maling was farming a large arable farm which needed supervision. The only person other than Mr. R W. Maling who could give such supervision was his brother, who lived some ten miles away. The farm was understaffed. The Department concerned has no information as to whether those for whom the Board of Agriculture make application are rich and influential or the reverse.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the case of Private Horace Wright, No. 7986, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, who was called up at the outbreak of the War, went through the engagement at Mons, where he was severely wounded, and after being in hospital was discharged from the Army as unfit for any further service; whether he is aware that since he left the hospital toe has been called up for medical examinations at Rotherham, Sheffield, and elsewhere, though totally unfit to undergo such examination, and that he received papers from the military authorities calling him up for service and commanding him to report himself at Rotherham; whether he is aware that the journey from Dinnington to Rotherham involved a great strain on the man, and that he practically fainted whilst at Rotherham, and afterwards collapsed on his return home; and whether steps will be taken to render impossible any repetition of this?

Inquiry is being made and the hon. Member will be informed of the result in due course.

asked the Minister of Munitions if he is in a position to make a statement on behalf of the Government about the extra rates of wages to be paid to all those men and women who will be called upon to work on August Bank Holiday?

This question has been carefully considered by a Committee under the chairmanship of my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Education, in consultation with representatives of the workmen and of the employers. The Committee recommended as follows in regard to all persons engaged on munitions work:"(1) IN CASES WHERE AGREEMENTS EXIST.Workmen employed on any holidays in August or later (including August Bank Holiday) in respect of which there are standing customs or agreements for the payment of special rates, shall be paid at such special rates.Note.—This to be understood subject to the fact that where special rates of pay have already been given in respect of days of holidays already postponed, no further special rates shall be paid on any further postponement of the holidays.(2) CASES WHERE NO AGREEMENT EXISTS.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether it is upon orders or advice from the Colonial Office that the public authorities in Toronto have seized all the documents of the Canada India League in that city and have detained Mr. E. W. Jackson in connection therewith; whether he is aware that this league was established to promote better feeling and wider knowledge in Canada concerning India; and whether, in view of the need for all parts of the Empire being drawn together in present amity, he proposes to take any action?

No, Sir; but I am certain that the Canadian Government have not taken action in the matter without good reason.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that a motion was brought forward last month in the Ceylon Legislative Council by the Hon. H. Creasy, a prominent European member, asking for an inquiry into the cases decided by the courts-martial; whether he is aware that Mr. Creasy said that he was convinced that many of those who had been convicted under courts-martial were innocent, and that the new Governor, Sir John Anderson, has now consented to examine into all such cases of alleged wrongful conviction as might be brought to his notice; and whether steps are being taken to bring evidence before His Excellency demonstrating the need of inquiry into other features connected with the late riots?

I am aware that Sir John Anderson, in the course of the discussion on Mr. Creasy's motion in the Legislative Council gave an undertaking to inquire personally into any cases brought to his notice, in which it is alleged that innocent persons have been convicted of offences connected with the riots. I have no doubt whatever that Sir John Anderson will make any inquiry which he thinks necessary into any other matters which are brought to his notice.

asked the President of the Board of Trade and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture what, if any, has been the increase in the rates of wages paid to agricultural labourers in 1916, as compared with the rates of wages paid in July, 1914?

Full information as to the rise in the rates of wages of agricultural labourers since the beginning of the War is not yet available, but, so far as returns have been received, the rise in cash rates would appear to have been, on the whole, about 25 per cent. This takes no account of any change in the value of allowances in kind, and owing to the rise in prices the cash value of these allowances has probably increased by more than the above percentage.