asked the Secretary to the Treasury if the claims of the Family Grocers' Association of Dublin for rebate on licences have yet been considered; and, if so, what are the Government proposals?

As the hon. Member is aware, my right hon. Friend received a deputation on this subject last week. He fears that he has not yet had time to make the necessary inquiries and to consider fully the representations then made.

asked the Secretary to-the Admiralty what percentage of, respec- tively, the officers and men of H.M.S. have, during the last eighteen months died and been under medical treatment otherwise than for purely trivial causes respectively; whether these percentages are upon the increase; and whether he will consider the advisability of providing that this vessel should now have a change of station?

I am much obliged to my hon. and gallant Friend for informing me personally of the vessel to which he refers. The percentage of deaths during the eighteen months ending 30th March, 1916, was: Officers, nil; men, 0.66. As regards the percentage of those who were under medical treatment during that period, it is not possible to separate the trivial from the more serious cases, but the percentage of all sick cases treated on board is 2.24. Statistics regarding hospital cases are not available. The information as to sickness for the last quarter available shows a decrease in percentage as compared with the two preceding quarters. With regard to the last part of the question, the vessel will be moved to another station when circumstances permit.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, in view of the fact that all warrant writers have been confirmed in their rank at the normal time, thus proving their efficiency and capacity to perform the duties of assistant paymaster, Royal Navy, and taking into consideration the fact that at least 234 chief writers are recommended for warrant rank, whilst many writers entered for the period of War have now had about two years' practical experience in naval accountancy and clerical work, whether he will consider the desirability of increasing the number of warrant writers?

Further warrant writers are not required at present, but the position will be considered again next year.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, in view of the fact that a, number of warrant writers have practically similar seniority in the Service to commissioned writers promoted in October, 1915, and April last, whether it would be possible to increase the numbers of commissioned writers by promoting the warrant writers previously referred to, and thus remove any injustice and hardship to these officers, who have served as long as those already promoted, but who are otherwise debarred from attaining the higher rank under existing regulations owing to reaching the age for retirement before vacancies will occur?

There is only one warrant writer on the active list of similar seniority as warrant writer to those promoted to commissioned writer in October, 1915, and April last, the next warrant writers on the list being two years' junior as officers. The warrant writer in question will have an opportunity of reaching commissioned rank before retirement, and no reason, therefore, is seen for increasing the number of commissioned writers to meet his case. It should be borne in mind that in promotion to commissioned warrant rank, seniority in warrant rank is taken into consideration and not seniority in the Service.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty, whether the percentage of continuous service engine-room artificers has been increased since 1st May, 1916; whether it is the custom or practice to differentiate in different ports in the length of service necessary before a continuous service engine-room artificer can be promoted to chief engine-room artificer; if so, will he do his best, after inquiry, to abolish such differentiation; and can he state whether the promotion of temporary engine-room artificers and Royal Naval Reserve engine-room artificers to the chief rating has retarded the progress of the continuous service engine-room artificers to the above rating?

The percentage of advancement of long-service engine-room artificers to chief engine-room artificers for the period 1st May, 1916, to 31st October, 1916, was approximately at the rate of 4.8 per annum. As regards the second part of the question, the qualifications for advancement are the same for all engine-room artificers, and at all the ports the men are advanced by port roster, but the practical working of the method varies somewhat at the different ports. Proposals to remedy this were under consideration, but had to be postponed owing to the outbreak of war, and existing conditions do not admit of the matter being proceeded with at present. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that a number of soldiers are working on a contract at the Dartmouth Naval College for Messrs. G. Wallis and Son; and will he state the rate of pay this firm is paying for the labour of these men?

I am aware that a number of soldiers are working on a contract at the Dartmouth Naval College for Messrs. G. E. Wallis and Sons. They are being paid the current rates of the district.

asked the Secretary of State for War why a demand for the recovery of 9s. 6d., forfeiture of nineteen days' pay in respect of Private J. Grey, 9th Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders, has been sent to his father, especially in view of the fact that four days before the receipt of this demand the father was notified that a son had been killed in action, two days later he was notified that a second son had been killed in action, and, two days later still, received this demand for the recovery of 9s. 6d. on account of one of these sons?

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

asked the Treasurer of the Household whether he can give any further particulars as to recent arrangements with regard to co-ordinating funds raised in this country on behalf of British prisoners in Germany; whether any restrictions are placed upon efforts made in this direction; and will he indicate the best course to adopt by friends and relatives desiring to send money, food, and comforts to such prisoners?

I have asked the Secretary of the Central Prisoners of War Committee to send to my hon. Friend the information for which he asks.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will instruct the recruiting officer at Kilmarnock to desist persecuting Robert Climie, the son of the secretary of the Aryshire Trades Council, by repeatedly entering frivolous appeals-before the tribunal, all of which are dismissed, seeing that, as the military representative is a local civilian, it is believed that there is political persecution Behind his conduct?

Inquiries are being made, but I must not be taken in, the meantime as accepting the allegation contained in the question as correct.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the statement in Command Paper No. 8390 of the number of men who have joined His Majesty's Forces since the outbreak of war to the 15th October, 1916, includes men who returned from Great Britain to Ireland for the purpose of enlistment; and, if so, how many of such men are included in the total?

No information is available regarding the number of persons who may have returned from Great Britain to Ireland for the purpose of enlistment.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he will supplement the information given in the Command Paper by procuring a Return setting forth the numbers of men from each province of Ireland who were released from military service for one reason or another after they had been accepted and their names added to the total of enlistments; the number of men from each province and area who, having been fully accepted and trained, were sent abroad to the trenches; the casualties, according to regiments or battalions; and the number of enlistments in Belfast and in Dublin, respectively, of men canvassed for and domiciled in Great Britain?

The production of the return which the hon. Member suggests would involve enormous labour, and I do not see my way to ask that it may be compiled.

asked the Secretary for War whether record offices in Ireland possess complete figures showing the number of soldiers of British birth who have been transferred to Irish Infantry regiments; and, if so, whether he will state the number of men so transferred since August, 1914?

This information is not available, and I fear it could not be obtained without a prohibitive expenditure of labour.

asked the Secretary of State for War if James Jackson, a conscientious objector now confined in Calton Gaol, Edinburgh, has had his ease considered by the Central Tribunal, and, if so, with what result; and, if he has been adjudged a genuine conscientious objector, why he has not been released from prison for work under the Home Office scheme?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. The case of James Jackson was reviewed by the Central Tribunal who found him to be a genuine conscientious objector, and he was released from prison and sent to work of national importance under the committee on the employment of conscientious objectors on 9th November last.

asked the Secretary of of State for War whether the Government have considered the advisability of serving the troops with the body-shields that are now on exhibition in London; if he will say whether the shields have been tested by the War Office; and, if so, with what result?

I understand that the question of testing some of the body shields, which are now on sale, is being considered by the Ministry of Munitions.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will publish the Army Order dealing with posthumous honours, and whether he is aware that mis- apprehension exists on this matter; whether the Order deals only with the manner in which decorations awarded before death are to be handed to the next-of-kin; and whether the rule remains as before the Order was issued—that is to say, forbidding the bestowal of any honour or decoration other than the Victoria Cross after death has occurred?

The Army Order was published on the 28th October. I am sending the hon. and learned Member a copy. I am aware that some misunderstanding has arisen and a communiqué appeared in the Press on the 17th November in which it was made plain that the Army Order relates only to those officers and soldiers who had been awarded a decoration during their lifetime, but who died before actually receiving the insignia. The answer to the third and fourth parts of the question is in the affirmative.

asked whether a number of men, who on medical grounds ought not to have been enlisted, are now being discharged on Army Form B 204, "Application for discharge of a recruit not likely to become an efficient soldier"; and whether the discharge of a man on this form disqualifies him for any pension from the Government, although his infirmities have been in many cases aggravated by his term of military service?

Instructions that no men were to be discharged on Army Form B 204 came into force on 14th October, 1916. A man discharged on Army Form B 204 is not disqualified from having a claim to pension considered.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is now able to report the result of the inquiry held by Brigadier-General Burney and other officers respecting frauds upon Reservists called to the Colours in the county of Durham during the present year; and whether adequate steps have been taken to cause an investigation of the cash and bank accounts of the local recruiting officers by an independent firm of auditors for the period of two years commencing 1st August, 1914?

I should like to take this opportunity of making a statement at some length with regard to the frauds which have occurred in connection with recruiting. Firstly, in regard to Sunderland, the Court of Inquiry, of which General Burney, C.B., was president, were of opinion that men called up and medically rejected had undoubtedly been sent away without the pay to which they were entitled, in spite of the fact that the money due to them had been charged against the public in the pay lists. Suspicion fell upon an individual who was not a soldier, and therefore was not under military law. Legal advice was obtained, with the result that it finally proved impossible to secure conviction owing to insufficient evidence. Two individuals, whose actions seemed to be unsatisfactory, were discharged, and the office was subjected to a thorough reorganisation. Further, the cash books of the office at Sunderland were found to be in an unsatisfactory condition. This matter was at once reported to the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief. I should add that the Court of Inquiry decided that, so far as it could discover, there was no evidence of any complicity on the part of any officers in the misapplication of public money.In spite of the devoted and splendid work which has been performed by the overwhelming majority of the recruiting staff I think it is desirable to add that unhappily Sunderland has proved to be no isolated case of fraud in connection with recruiting. The Headquarters Recruiting Staff are fully alive to the need for rigorous investigation. This was begun about five months ago, and is still proceeding throughout the country. As a result, several soldiers and civilian clerks employed in recruiting offices have been convicted of various offences. Other prosecutions are pending, and further cases are now under investigation. Cases of forgery in connection with recruiting and medical classification have been proved. One forger has been sentenced to a year's imprisonment; two other men have been sentenced to six months' imprisonment. Sentences of four months' imprisonment have been obtained against men convicted of fraud and forgery. Convictions have also been obtained in connection with impersonation, sentences of six months being imposed. There have also been several cases in which the improper use of influence has been suspected and in which the officials concerned have been dealt with by removal.

asked the Minister of Munitions whether he is aware that the undertaking contained in Form A.R.M.W. 3a as to the minimum rates of pay to be paid to soldiers who are released from the Army for munition work is calculated to cause jealousy and dissatisfaction amongst the other workmen in the cases where such soldiers will receive from the employer higher rates of pay than the district rates authorised by the Committee on Production; and whether, in the circumstances, he will make arrangements so that all payments and allowances over and above the district rates of pay are paid as a special reward for such soldiers' services by the military or munition authorities direct and not by or through the employer?

We have not found that the payment of the minimum rates provided for under the Army Reserve Munitions Workers' Scheme have caused dissatisfaction amongst other workmen. My hon. Friend will remember that the Army Reserve munitions worker has placed himself entirely at the disposal of the Minister of Munitions to be transferred to any locality where his services may be required, without regard to his personal convenience or the rates current in his home district. It is usually customary in establishments to which war munitions volunteers have been transferred to pay each volunteer weekly by means of two separate envelopes, one envelope containing the volunteer's earnings at the district rate, and the other any allowances due to him from the Ministry of Munitions. It is important that this distinction between the payments should be clearly understood.

asked the Minister of Munitions whether the Sutton Harbour Company at Plymouth have any contract with the Ministry of Munitions; and, if so, can he state the nature of such contract?

So far as I have been able to ascertain, no direct contracts have been placed with the Sutton Harbour Company by the Ministry. Certain minor services have been performed by the company for the Ministry in connection with the actual receipt and dispatch of munitions at the Ministry of Munitions Inspection Bond at Bayly's Wharf, Sutton Harbour.

asked the Minister of Munitions if he will consider the advisability of establishing a clearing house, to replace the unsatisfactory Labour Exchanges, so as to absorb the available female labour before increasing the waiting lists?

There is already a national clearing house linked up with smaller clearing areas covering the whole of the country in connection with the Employment Exchanges, which I can assure my hon. and gallant Friend have by no means been found unsatisfactory by the Ministry of Munitions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will lay upon the Table Papers giving the names of the buyers of German properties in Nigeria recently sold by auction and of the persons on whose behalf the purchases were effected, together with the amended conditions of sale, including any Amendments of the proposed Nigeria Ordinance?

As soon as we are in possession of the names of all the persons on whose behalf the purchases were effected, I shall lay on the Table Papers giving the names of buyers of the properties together with the Amendments of the proposed Nigeria Ordinance.

asked the Home Secretary what are the conditions of the Irish prisoners at Frongoch Camp; how many are in hospital and how many are undergoing punishment for trifling offences; if the commandant has yet been removed; and when the prisoners are likely to be released?

Upon the first and last parts of the question I can add nothing to the numerous statements which I have already made in this House. With regard to the second part, I am informed that on 17th November there were eight men in hospital, fifteen awaiting trial by a military Court, and four in cells undergoing punishment. The answer to the third part is in the negative.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether Regulations will shortly be made with the object of guaranteeing to the public on demand the supply of bread of such quality as is considered by the experts advising the Board of Trade to be made from flour so milled as to retain the ingredients most necessary for wholesome nutrition; and whether the experts of the Board of Trade have advised him that considerable economy in the quantity of wheat required would be achieved by the use of such whole-wheat flour instead of the white flour now generally used in the manufacture of bread?

An Order relating to the manufacture of flour and bread was made on Monday last. I am advised that the substitution for the kind of flour commonly used in this country of the flour provided for by the Order will effect a substantial economy in the quantity of wheat required, even after due allowance is made for the loss in offals available for animals and the consequent reduced production of meat. As my right hon. Friend stated in this House last week, it will be possible to provide for the maintenance of the meat supply by importation of feeding stuffs from places less distant than Australia, from which an important part of our wheat will be obtained this year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether Regulations are about to be issued by which the importation of white or chemically-blended flour will be prohibited?

I hope very shortly to be in a position to announce definitely the procedure proposed in regard to imported flour, in view of the Order made on Monday for regulating the manufacture of flour in this country.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the difficulty experienced by farmers in obtaining feeding stuffs of all kinds for their herds and artificial manures for their farms; and whether he will take any steps to regulate the supply and control the issue of these essential sources of food production?

Since the beginning of the War the Board have been employed continuously in investigating complaints on the matters referred to, and removing difficulties of supply and transport. I believe that this work has been of the greatest assistance to farmers, and it is not proposed at present to supplement it by assuming responsibility for production and distribution. I shall be glad to hear from the hon. and gallant Member, or from any other hon. Members, of any special difficulties that are being experienced.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the secretary of threshing machines available for threshing the last harvest owing to w of engines and necessary drivers; a whether he can take any steps by providing State-owned machines or assisting war agricultural committees to provide them, and, by arrangement with the War Office, the requisite skilled labour to remedy this scarcity, and so enable farmers to obtain seed for the next crop, bedding, and fodder?

The Board are aware that there is in some parts of the country some scarcity of labour for threshing, but the backwardness of the threshing season appears to be due more to the bad weather which we have had since the harvest than to lack of labour or machines. With regard to labour, it may not be generally known amongst farmers—and I am grateful to my hon. and gallant Friend for this opportunity of publishing it more widely—that the War Office are prepared to release soldiers for threshing, and that in several parts of the country, notably in Norfolk, teams of soldiers are working very satisfactorily at this job. As to the provision of State-owned threshing machines, the State cannot obtain the machines at the present time any more easily than they can be obtained by private owners who need them.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will enumerate all the ordinary and nominal duties of British Consuls, Vice-Consuls, paid and unpaid, Consular agents, and Consular inspectors at ports and at inland places; and will he define the duties of Consuls-General and also of commercial attaches as far as the Consular service is concerned?

It is not possible within the limits of a reply to a Parliamentary question to detail in full the multifarious duties and services performed by a Consular office, but I am prepared to furnish to the hon. Member a printed Memorandum in which those duties are shortly summarised. Should the hon. Member require further information, I would suggest that he consult the "General Consular Instructions," a copy of which will be found in the Library of this House. Much valuable information on the organisation of the Consular Service will also be found in the "Fifth Report of the Royal Commission on the Civil Service," issued in the year 1914 (C.B. 7,748). With regard to the latter portion of the question, I would say that the duties of a Consul-General are similar to those of any other Consular officer. Consuls-General are stationed at the more important posts. The duties of the commercial attaché differ from those of a Consular officer in that they are exclusively concerned with the furtherance of British trade.

asked what variations exist between the conditions and objects of the general Consular service and the Eastern services?

It is quite impossible to give the information asked for within the limits of a reply to a Parliamentary question. The methods of recruitment for the Near Eastern and Far Eastern Services differ from those for the general service in many respects. I am prepared to communicate printed Papers to the hon. Member setting forth the existing conditions of entry in each service. It is probable, however, that changes in these Regulations may be introduced after the War. The conditions of pay and pension differ for the various branches of the service, and for details I would refer the hon. Member to the Estimates laid before the House and to the Pension Acts. The objects of all the different branches of the service are the same, namely, the furtherance of British trade and the protection of British interests generally and of individuals in particular.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he will give the number of head constables and sergeants of the Royal Irish Constabulary having forty years' service and being sixty years of age; and if he will consider the advisability of retiring these men on pension, owing to the delay in promotion occasioned by permitting them to serve, thereby removing a source of discontent?

There are twelve head constables and six sergeants of the Royal Irish Constabulary who have completed forty years' service in the force and are sixty years of age and upwards. Under the Police (Emergency Provisions) Act, 1915, members of the force are prevented from retiring on pension during the continuance of the War without the consent of the Inspector-General, except on medical certificate. It is considered desirable in the interests of the public service that men who are fully capable of perforating their police duties should not be pensioned during the present crisis.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if the Report on she housing conditions in Dublin is yet completed; and will he say what are the Government proposals with reference to loans for housing in Dublin?

I am not aware of the proposals to which the hon. Member refers. Otherwise I can add nothing to my reply of the 16th November to the hon. Member for Dublin County (North).

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether any complaints have reached the Local Government Board as to the attitude assumed by the pension officer stationed at Granard towards both committee and applicants there; and will he see that this gentleman is transferred to some other district?

So far as I can ascertain, no complaints have been made against the officer in question.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether, in the case of the man John Kiernan who lost three years of his old age pension owing to the false statement of a pension officer as to his age, he is aware that this man was illiterate and unable to prosecute his claim in a proper form; and, seeing that the total loss is £40 to him, will some restitution be made to compensate him for the loss?

When Kiernan preferred a claim to an old age pension in 1914 he produced no evidence of age, and in order to help him the pension officer arranged for a search to be made of the 1851 Census Returns, and the particulars of Kiernan's family were traced in those Returns. Unfortunately, through a clerical error, Kiernan's age as entered in the Returns was given to the officer as 4½ instead of 8 years, and as a result the grant of his pension has been delayed, though not for quite so long a period as is suggested by the hon. Member. In the special circumstances the pension money will be made good from the date from which it would have been payable if the error in transcription had not occurred. But I must add that there is no foundation whatever for the suggestion of falsehood on the part of the pension officer.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he can state for each of the last three years for which figures are available the number of students in training as elementary school teachers who have been admitted to a third year of training abroad in accordance with Appendix J (1) of the regulations and the number in accordance with Appendix J (2)?

The numbers of students who have been admitted to a third year of training abroad under Appendices J (1) and J (2) of the regulations for the training of teachers for elementary schools have been for each of the last three years:

asked the Parliamentary) Secretary to the Board of Education whether he can state, for the last three years for which figures are available, the number of departments in public elementary schools in which fees were charged; the total amount of fees paid; and the total number of children in respect of whom fees were paid?

The number of departments in public elementary schools (including higher elementary schools) in England and Wales in which fees were charged, the total of the fees paid, and the total number of children in respect of whom fees were paid in the statistical years 1911–12, 1912–13, and 1913–14, the latest for which information is available, were as under: