asked the Prime Minister whether, if it is decided, to hold a Secret Session, he will arrange that this secrecy will apply to Question Time the same day, in order that Members may get replies to certain questions which it may not be in the public interest to disclose publicly?

I think it would be premature to consider this question till it has been decided whether a Secret Session should be held.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total number of persons at present on the staff of the Land Valuation Office; how many of these are on the permanent professional staff and the temporary professional staff, respectively; how many on the permanent clerical staff and the temporary clerical staff, respectively; how many are members of the Surveyors' Institution or of some other professional body, stating the numbers separately; how many members of the staff are at present serving in His Majesty's Forces; and how many have been released from military service but have not received the benefit of the Treasury Regulations?

The authorised permanent establishment of the Inland Revenue Valuation Office consists of 457 technical and 123 clerical officers. There are at present ninety temporary valuers employed on a monthly engagement as substitutes for permanent technical officers now on naval or military service, and there are about 600 persons employed in a clerical capacity—likewise on a monthly or even shorter engagement—of whom about 360 are women. There are at present serving with, or about to join, His Majesty's Forces and in receipt of civil pay about 170 members of the permanent staff of the Valuation Office and 887 members of the temporary (monthly) staff. There have been three resignations of members of the permanent staff. As regards the membership of the Surveyors' Institution and similar professional bodies, I am making inquiry and hope to communicate the result shortly to my hon. Friend.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to the fact that Income Tax at the rate of 5s. in the £ has been charged to War Loan subscribers whose income from all sources does not reach £500 on the interest paid on 1st June, 1916; whether such interest should only be charged with Income Tax at the rate of 3s. in the £; and will he say if the 2s. extra charge will be deducted from the Income Tax payable on the interest due on 1st December, 1916, to such persons?

The hon. Member's question is understood to relate to the 4½per cent. War Loan. The interest on this loan is payable on 1st June and 1st December, and is by law subject to deduction of Income Tax at the standard rate in force at the time of payment (5s. in the £ for the current Income Tax year). An individual whose income falls within the limits affording relief by way of a reduction of rate in respect of his unearned income is granted that relief, as regards this interest and any other income which is taxed at the source, either by a deduction from the Income Tax payable by him under a direct assessment upon other income or, where there is no such direct assessment, by way of repayment, and, it will be remembered, such repayment claims are now admitted half-yearly.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the difficulty experienced by pharmacists in obtaining an adequate supply of sugar for the manufacture of medicated lozenges, he will facilitate the grant of an increased supply to pharmacists on a guarantee that it would be employed solely in making lozenges of a medicated character?

The Sugar Commission regrets that it is unable to see its way to granting special facilities to pharmacists for obtaining sugar.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is now in a position to state the amounts which will be handed over to the pension committees and sub-committees under paragraph 25 of the scheme for allowances to old age pensioners to defray expenses; and can he give an assurance that the scale will be fixed on the same basis as that of claims and questions, in view of the fact that the work involved will be at least as difficult and complex?

Instructions with reference to the remuneration of the clerks to these committees are now in course of being dispatched, and I will furnish the hon. Member with a copy.

asked the Secretary of State for War, whether he is aware that George Ling, of 486, Hackney Road, London, was in December, 1915, exempted from military service on account of mitral disease of the heart and of a rupture of long standing, and that he has now received an order to join the Colours; and whether inquiries will at once be made as to who is responsible for calling up this man, who from all the evidence available would have to spend his time in hospital, instead of being of any use to the military forces?

From the information supplied by the hon. Member to the War Office, it appears that Mr. Ling was attested. It appears further that the calling up notice stated to have been issued to him on the 15th November has been cancelled in order that Mr. Ling may be re-examined by a medical board. If on such re-examination Mr. Ling is found unfit for any form of military service, he would not be called to the Colours.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland how many Reservists and Special Reservists who joined the Colours on mobilisation are included in the total of 130,241 given in the Command Paper No. 8,390 as the number of men from Ireland who have joined His Majesty's Forces since the outbreak of war to the 15th October, 1916?

The number 130,241 includes 17,236 men reported by the Royal Irish Constabulary to have joined the Army as Reservists. It is believed that this number, 17,236, covers all cases of men called up from the Royal Irish Constabulary area at or after outbreak of war, in consequence of a pre-war obligation to serve. Figures are not at present available showing the number of Army Reservists called up from the Dublin Metropolitan Police area, and they are, therefore, not included in the 130,241.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that the limited amount of agricultural labour left in the country is insufficient for the purpose of carrying on the necessary agricultural operations; that, in fixing this limited amount and in deciding what young agricultural employés could be released for the Army, local and Appeal Tribunals have proceeded on a calculation of the number of men employed on each farm, and on the supposition that those left would continue in their agricultural employment as before; that, in spite of the foregoing, rich and other employers residing in country districts and not engaged in agriculture, who have had their private servants called to the Colours, are now, by the offer of large wages and easy jobs, inducing this limited number of agricultural employés, already insufficient, to leave their agricultural employment and enter private service as gardeners or cowmen, to milk one or two cows for a private house, or to look after a pony or a few poultry; and whether he will take steps, either by limiting the number of private outdoor servants or otherwise, to prevent this increasing diminution of the remnant of agricultural labour, and so make it possible for the farmers of the country to work and sow their land and produce meat and milk?

So far as the evidence in the possession of the Board is concerned, I think it would be truer to say that landowners and others have done their very utmost to release those whom they employ for work on the land. There are, however, still undoubtedly cases in which persons retain unnecessary servants who are not doing all they might to increase food production. This is obviously unpatriotic. Cases should be reported to the Board or to County War Agricultural Committees, and I hope that the public attention now drawn to the subject will convince people of the need for concentrating labour on employment of national importance.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether the paymaster at Perth has come to a right decision in refusing to Mrs. Walker, of Troon, Ayrshire, a dependant's allowance of 1s. 6d. a week, which he admits to have been granted to her in respect of her son, Private A. Walker, No. 23437, Cameron Highlanders, who has just attained the age of nineteen years and joined the Forces, unless she will give up 2s. a week, part of the separation allowance awarded to her on the enlistment of her husband and hitherto received in respect of three other children, aged respectively fourteen, eight, and four-and-a-half years; and, if so, on what principle is the fact that a mother has other children to support made a reason for withholding or diminishing the dependant's allowance which, if she had no other children, she would have received in respect of the contribution which her son was making towards her and their support before and at the time of his enlistment?

The Regulation bearing on this case is as follows: "No person who is drawing separation allowance as the wife or child of a soldier …can draw separation allowance as a dependant in addition, but the child of a soldier is not precluded, if otherwise eligible, from drawing separation allowance as the dependant of a soldier brother, or brothers, who contributed to the support of the household,

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps have been taken in the Dominions during the War for the restriction of the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors; what are the restrictive laws at present in force; and what have been their social and economic effect?

I shall place in the Library of the House a copy of each of the Enactments on the subject. I have no information as to the social and economic effect of the legislation in question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the average quantity and value of the export of linens and yarns from Ireland for the ten years preceding 1914, and the quantity and value of the export from Ireland of linen and yarns for the year 1915, and for the year 1916 to the end of October?

In compiling the export returns of the United Kingdom no distinction is made between goods produced in Ireland and goods produced in Great Britain. The quantities and values of linen yarns and linen manufactures of home manufacture exported from the United Kingdom to all destinations in the periods specified were as follow:

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the distress existing amongst the factory workers in the making-up end of the linen trade in Belfast and amongst the factory, ware-room, and shop girls in that city owing to low wages and increased cost of living, he will send an impartial special Commissioner to investigate the facts on the spot and to report accordingly, with a view to an immediate increase of wages for these workers?

As I have stated on previous occasions, the Board of Trade are considering the whole question of the extension of the scope of the Trade Boards Act, and in this connection the position of the various branches of the linen trade and of persons employed in ware-rooms and shops will not be lost sight of. Local investigation will be made in any case where it appears necessary. It would not, however, be possible to bring these workers under the Trade Boards Act without further legislation by Provisional Order or otherwise.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been called to the evidence given at an inquest held in Belfast on the 13th November instant, with reference to the death from burning of a child named Mary Katherine Gallagher; whether it appeared that the mother was a spinner, who was out of employment owing to slackness of work; that she had obtained outwork teasing tow, at the remuneration of 2s. 6d. a hundredweight; that, when the fire occurred, she and her mother were engaged on this work at half- past two o'clock in the morning by the light of a small fire, she being unable to pay for gas; that the dust from the tow fell in the ashpan, and a cinder falling on the towdust set the house on fire; that she ran into the street and gave the alarm, and then fainted; and that the children were rescued by the neighbours, one of the children subsequently succumbing to its injuries; whether he is aware that the conditions of poverty and struggle revealed in this worker's home exist at present in thousands of other homes in Belfast owing to low wages and want of work; and whether he will undertake to investigate the facts through impartial agents and use his influence to provide, some immediate remedy for this condition of affairs?

The facts in regard to this lamentable occurrence are generally as stated; but I am informed that the remuneration given for the work mentioned was at the rate of one shilling a stone and not 2s. 6d. per cwt. The statements in the last part of the question are, I am given to understand, not in accordance with the facts. While no doubt there are cases of poverty and destitution in Belfast, as in other large cities, the condition generally of the working classes during the War has been fairly prosperous.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give instructions that persons in the employment of railway companies or other organisations over which he may have any control when members of local public bodies or tribunals shall receive every facility from their employers so as to permit their attendance at meetings of those bodies and to carry out other duties in connection with the same?

If the hon. Baronet will furnish me with particulars of any case in which he thinks that such facilities have been unreasonably refused, I will look into the matter.

asked the Minister of Munitions whether he will give instructions that persons employed in works directly or indirectly under the control of the Ministry, when members of local public bodies or tribunals, shall receive every facility from their employers so as to permit their attendance at meetings of those bodies and to carry out other duties in connection with the same?

I have had no recent complaints on the point raised by my hon. Friend, but if he will give me any specific case in which difficulties have been made, I will make inquiries.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the cost of transport, at Blue Book rates, of oil from the Persian Gulf, Mexico, Trinidad, United States, Gulf ports, and New York?

The cost of transporting oil from the places named will, of course, vary according to the size and class of steamer used. The following may be taken, however, as the fair average cost to this country, based on Blue Book rates:

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that Major Odium was appointed riding master to the Royal Irish Constabulary, Phoenix Park, Dublin, in 1903 at a salary on ap- pointment of £125 per annum; was he a Civil servant at the time of this appointment; did he take the oath usually administered to officers of the Royal Irish Constabulary; was he called upon to provide a horse and the usual equipments for officers of the Royal Irish Constabulary, and to perform the various duties of a district inspector; and, seeing that after thirteen years' service this officer's salary is still £125 per annum, whether steps will be taken to give this officer a more adequate salary?

Major Odium was appointed riding master in the Royal Irish Constabulary in September, 1603. At the time of his appointment he was honorary major in the Army and was riding master of the 14th Hussars. He took the oaths usually administered to officers of the Royal Irish Constabulary, and was required to provide himself with the usual equipment of a district inspector and to perform the duties of his office. This officer's salary is as stated, but with his allowances and pension from the Army his total emoluments from the public funds amount to £450 per annum. An application from him for an increase of salary is at present under consideration.