asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the independence of the Czecho-Slovacs contemplated by the Allies will be based on a republican constitution, or is it intended to subordinate the new State to an existing monarchy?

I can add nothing to the Allied Note of the 10th January.

Can the Noble Lord give any indication of the form the liberation of these people will take?

I have already answered the question.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the attention of the Secretary of State for War has been directed to the fact that the duties of military representatives of tribunals are in many cases discharged by gentlemen of military age and physically fit for active service; and whether the propriety of substituting for these-gentlemen in the position of military representatives of tribunals officers returned from the front wounded and with experience and officers over military age will be considered, with a view to the increase and efficiency of the combatant forces of the Crown?

I would refer the hon. and learned Member to the answer which I gave yesterday to the hon. Member for the Barnstaple Division of Devon.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that some of these gentleman are young men who have never been in the field and who are well paid and laying on others a burden which they have not undertaken themselves, and that some of them are of German origin?

The policy of the Department is to employ officers of over military age or unfit for general service.

Would the hon. Gentleman have any objection to giving me a list of names of men who have been employed at this kind of work?

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that many people consider it most unfair that their cases should be tried by a military representative who is fit and well?

I have already stated the policy of the Department now. My hon. Friend must remember that at the very beginning we had to get men wherever we could find them, and that men of legal training were wanted. A number of those are now being replaced.

Was it the habit to appoint men of legal training?

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he can state the number of men transferred to C W and to C W (T) Reserve since 30th August, 1916?

I am afraid that this information is not available in the War Office.

asked the number of miners who have been transferred to C P or C P (T) Class since 30th August, 1916?

Classes P and P (T) of the Reserve were formed on 10th October. I am afraid that there are no figures available in the War Office to show how many miners have been transferred since the formation.

Are there statistics to show how many men have been transferred to Class C W?

What I said was that the figures were not available at the War Office.

Can the hon. Gentleman hold out any hope of the War Office procuring those figures?

Can the hon. Gentleman state what men are included in P Reserve?

That is a very difficult subject, and if the hon. Gentleman will put down a question I will endeavour to answer it.

Are not the men of C W Reserve for the purpose of providing substitutes, and is there no statistical record of the number of men available for substitution purposes?

There may be statistics available, but I am informed that they are not available at the present time in the War Office, and, as the hon. Gentleman will realise, statistics of that kind would require a great deal of search.

May I ask whether the substitution altogether is an absolute failure?

That question does not arise.

asked the Under-Secrtary of State for War if he will make inquiries into the treatment suffered, by Private J. C. Eastwood, No. 42,763, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, 1st R. G. Battalion, stationed at Linthorpe Schools, Middlesbrough, who was moved to the detention barracks, Stafford, on 1st January, 1917, to undergo a sentence of six months' imprisonment, Eastwood being at that time in a serious state of health; if the officers and medical officer refused to treat him, but put him on bread and water and skilly; if he is aware that Eastwood was later ordered to the military hospital, was operated on for a serious ailment on 1st February, and that on 2nd February the doctor gave very little hope of his recovery; and what action he proposes to take upon the conduct of the officers in this case?

Inquiries are being made, and the hon. Member will be informed of the result.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether an attested man who has been rejected as medically unfit on examination is given a certificate of discharge on medical grounds; since when has the practice of giving such a discharge been discontinued; and what is the reason for its discontinuance?

I must refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to him on the 19th December, and I have to inform him that the orders issued on the 13th July have not as yet been withdrawn or cancelled. As the hon. Member was informed on the 13th February, the matter raised in this question is at present under consideration.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that when men who have been rejected ask for a certificate of discharge and refer to the answer which he gave me on 19th December last, they are told by officials at Whitehall that Ministers on the Front Bench often make extraordinary statements?

That is probably true, but if the hon. Member will give me any specific cases I will have them looked into.

Seeing that the hon. Gentleman says that the matter is under consideration and seeing the utter state of chaos in which it is at the present time, thus putting the House in difficulty, will he accelerate a decision and get an authoritative statement made as soon as possible?

I will try to do that.

While the matter is under consideration will the hon. Gentleman see that no further men are called up for medical examination until the matter is settled?

I will see what can be done.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the decision of the case of Mr. Gager on 18th December, in which the South-Western magistrate decided that an attested man who had been rejected since August, 1915, and to whom a notice calling him up for re-examination was not sent before 1st September, 1916, was excepted from military service; whether the War Office recognises the validity of this decision; and, if not, why it refused to appeal against this decision?

As I informed my hon. Friend on the 13th instant, the case of Gager was decided upon its own facts, and it is not considered that the decision in that case can be taken as deciding or affecting any other case. The question of appealing against the decision of the stipendiary magistrate in this case was considered and it was decided to contest another case, namely, the case of Mr. Boots. A considered decision on that case was given on the 3rd February that Mr. Boots was liable to military service.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that since the latter decision new decisions have been given by provincial Police Courts of an opposite character where the War Office have been defeated, and in one case yesterday the military authorities were required to release the man?

That strengthens the attitude we adopt, that every case should be decided upon its merits. In the case of Mr. Boots a considered judgment was given. We have taken the precaution to have an appeal.

Is it not the case that the man Gager was an attested man, that he was rejected after he had attested, and that the magistrate held, on the merits, that he was not liable to be called up again?

I do not remember the full facts of the case, but I think my hon. Friends will be relieved to know that we are now going to take the highest possible legal authority upon the subject.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the uncertainty of the legal position of attested men who have been rejected in view of various legal decisions and the conflicting practice of the military authorities; and whether he can make a general statement as to the position of such men?

A case has, it is understood, been stated for the considera- tion of the High Court concerning the liability to military service of an attested man who has been rejected for military service subsequently to attestation. The case has been stated upon the application of the defendant's solicitors in consequence of a considered decision by Mr. Boyd, stipendiary magistrate, that such rejection does not cancel the previous attestation. In view of a case being taken to the High Court the present instructions of the War Office are that legal proceedings to enforce liability to military service are not to be taken against attested men who have been medically rejected.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether the Kilwinning Military Service Tribunal has resigned; and, if so, for what reason?

This local tribunal has intimated to the Town Council and to myself, as Secretary for Scotland, a desire to be relieved of their office as a protest against a statement alleged to have been made by the military representative. I have informed the tribunal that I am in communication with the War Office in regard to their complaint, and that meanwhile I regard it as essential that there should be no delay in the work of the tribunal, and that I trust they will not interrupt their sittings.

What is the statement alleged to have been made by the military representative?

The allegation was that the military representative said before the cases were heard that whatever the decision arrived at might be he had instructions to take an appeal. That was the allegation, but I think it is fair to add that we must hear both sides before forming a judgment.

Is it not the case that those instructions have been received by the military representative?

I am not aware of that.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether he is aware that Michael Francis Leahy, son of Mrs. Bridget Leahy, Kilkee, is now serving as a soldier in the 5th Royal Munster Fusiliers, and that Michael Leahy's mother has forwarded to the authorities a birth certificate showing that he was born on 30th May, 1901, and that, consequently, he is not sixteen years of age; and will he say whether, m spite of the requests of his mother, it is intended to keep this boy in the Army?

Inquiries are being made, and my hon. Friend will be informed of the result in due course.

Will the hon. Gentleman take my reasonable advice and treat this question sympathetically?

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he can now state, as the result of his inquiry, the scale of food issued to German prisoners and others who are interned in this country?

asked the hon. Member for Sheffield (Central Division) whether the 10½ lbs. of bread, 3½ lbs. of meat, and 14 ozs. of sugar provided weekly for prisoners of war, other than officers, in this country, are also enjoyed by the 30,000 interned male enemy aliens, and why, when the Food Controller published his dietary list for voluntary adoption by the people of this country of 4 lbs. of bread, 2½ lbs. of meat, and 12 ozs. of sugar per week, the rations of prisoners of war and interned enemy aliens were not contemporaneously reduced teat least those limits; why, if it was necessary to refer the matter to a Committee for a Report that Report was not obtained before the Food Controller issued his dietary list; and when the Report will be made, and whether it will be published?

The rations of interned enemy aliens in this country are at present the same as those of prisoners of war other than officers. The new scale which, as I said yesterday, will be published immediately as an Army Council Instruction, applies equally to both classes. Steps were taken to revise the old scale as soon as the Food Controller's circular appeared, but it was not possible to fix the new scale without elaborate calculation and some discussion between the Departments concerned.

Is it not the case that German officers are allowed to purchase what extra food they like, and that the same privilege is not accorded to our prisoners in Germany?

That, I think, is covered by Question No. 40, which I propose to answer when it is reached.

Is it not a matter of ordinary common, sense to allow German prisoners to have no more food than our own folk?

It is not quite so simple as that. When the rations of bread, meat and sugar were reduced it was necessary to have something to take their place, and that the medical officers of the War Office and the Home Office should advise as to what exactly should take their place. That involved rather elaborate inquiries as to what supplies were available, the prices, and as to the amount of calories, which is the technical term, necessary to keep men efficient for working purposes.

The people of this country have not waited for a report, but have been put upon their honour as to rations.

The people of this country can buy freely all the other substances in the open market and the interned prisoners could not.

Would there not be a danger of German retaliation?

The rations are so low in Germany that I do not think there is any scope for that.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture if he is aware that it is a common practice among farmers to hold fat stock for one reason or another after such stock is quite matured; and if, with the need to economy in foodstuffs, he will take into consideration the expediency of checking the practice?

Yes, Sir. Farmers who desire to produce the best possible quality of prime beef no doubt feed their stock beyond the point at which the additional feeding ceases to produce a proportionate weight of additional meat. The practice is one which the country cannot afford in war-time, and the Board do not desire to encourage it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to the recent annual report of the Colonial Consignment and Distributing Company, of London and New Zealand, pointing out the efforts of the Chicago beef monopoly to corner the meat output of New Zealand and seriously warning the British public; whether his attention has been called to the secret operations in the Colony of the meat trust; and whether, seeing that irritation and suspicion exists throughout the Colony as to what companies are and what are not under American control, he will at once confer with the New Zealand Prime Minister, now in London, as to what steps are necessary to keep this source of Britain's food supply entirely free of any description of foreign influence?

My attention has been drawn to the matters referred to in the question, though I have not seen the particular report mentioned, and I have already been in communication with the Prime Minister of New Zealand on the subject, with a view to considering what action can be taken.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether there is a large area of land in urban districts and in the proximity of villages at present uncultivated or only partially cultivated which cannot be acquired under the recent Order in Council because it is not technically vacant land; and whether he will take steps under the Defence of the Realm Act to take possession of such land for purposes of food production during the period of the War at a rent not exceeding that at which it appears in the rate book?

This class of land is being dealt with in a new Order which will enable urban authorities, under certain restrictions, to take over land whether occupied or not. It is not practicable to adopt the suggestion made in the last part of the question.

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether the Order has actually been issued and, if so, will it be available to Members?

It will be issued in a day or two, and I will send the hon. Member a copy.

asked the hon. Member for Sheffield (Central Division), why officer prisoners of war at Donington Hall and elsewhere in this country are allowed to purchase unlimited rations of bread, meat, and sugar provided they pay for them, while the people of this country are put upon their honour not to exceed the weekly rations of those articles prescribed by the Food Controller; and whether this arrangement will at once be terminated and officer prisoners of war be put upon rations suited to the present food emergency?

When the dietary list for voluntary adoption was published by the Food Controller, steps were at once taken to limit the purchases by officer prisoners of war at Donington Hall, and elsewhere, of articles of food of which there was then a shortage. The purchases by officer prisoners of war of articles included in such dietary are now limited to the amounts advocated by the Food Controller.

What were the articles of which there was a shortage?

I cannot say.

Were they bread, meat, and sugar?

Yes; but I understand there is some limitation of other articles as well.

Will the hon. Gentleman answer the question?

I can only answer the question by repeating what I have said. The purchases by officer prisoners of war of articles in the dietary such as bread, meat, and sugar are now limited to the amounts advocated by the Food Controller.

Does the hon. Gentleman know that no such facilities are given to the British prisoners who are interned in Germany, and who are simply kept alive by the food sent to them from this country?

I am afraid that practically is so, but I do not see how it arises out of this question.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the urban district council of Queenstown have endeavoured to secure land for the purpose of allotments for labourers as suggested in the circular of the Local Government Board; whether the owners of land in the district have refused to place any land at their disposal; and whether he will take steps to secure that compulsory powers will be conferred upon local authorities with a view to carrying out the tillage proposals?

There have been fifty-two applications for allotments in Queenstown, but the urban district council have not adopted the allotments scheme, as they have not received any offers of land. Although many of the urban authorities in Ireland have succeeded in obtaining allotment ground, I am informed there are cases in which land is withheld or only obtainable subject to exorbitant demands for rent. In view of this information, powers have been given to the Department of Agriculture to secure land in proper cases.

Will the Department put these powers into operation at once, as the cases where local authorities have been refused facilities are very numerous?

The powers have been conferred on the Department to be used.

Will the right hon. Gentleman publish the Order made under the Defence of the Realm Act in order to give these powers?

The Order was published in the "Gazette" on 16th February. If the hon. Gentleman has not seen it, I may say that it is only a very short Order, and provides for the taking of land in cases where the land is situated in or near an urban district, and the Department are of opinion that in order to provide the necessary food for residents in the locality the land in or near that district is immediately required for the purpose of being cultivated in allotments, and that the use of the land for that purpose is unreasonably withheld.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Queenstown Council will obtain those powers?

That is a question which I am sure my hon. Friend will not expect me to answer without knowing the particular facts of the case.

Will the right hon. Gentleman see that the same powers are conferred on the rural district councils are now being conferred on urban councils?

So far as I know at present, the facts are not the same in the two classes of cases.

asked whether, in the event of an urban council tailing to form a scheme under the food production Regulations, labourers and small householders of the urban district who obtain conacre lettings of land in the neighbourhood can procure seeds and manures from the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction or other Government Department; and, if so, by what means and on what terms?

Rated occupiers of holdings not exceeding £10 valuation, and tenants of labourers' plots and holders of town allotments, are eligible for assistance by the district councils. County committees of agriculture are able to give facilities to other classes of cultivators.

Where the urban councils fail to get land and a labourer succeeds in getting some conacre lettings, what means has he of getting seeds and manures on easy terms in accordance with the Regulations?

Particulars relating to these matters have been published in great detail by the Department of Agriculture If the hon. Member would like me to do it, I will send him a copy of the publication.

I shall be much obliged.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he has received a resolution from the Cashel Rural District Council, passed at their meeting, stating that the members of the council ho appointed to take up the interests of the labourers and small farmers in the matter of procuring land for cultivation by them and inquire from the ranchers in their district what amount of land, if any, they intend to set aside for distribution, and that the council are desirous that immediate steps should be taken by representatives in Parliament to put this matter before him, with the view of the necessity for immediate compulsion; and whether ho proposes to take any action in the matter?

I have not received the resolution of the Cashel Rural District Council referred to. As I stated last Thursday in an answer to the hon. Member for North Meath, the Department of Agriculture will take all the local circumstances into consideration if they have to enter on land to enforce the tillage Regulations.

asked the Comptroller of thee Household, as representing the National Health Insurance Commissioners, whether he is aware that the Lancashire Insurance Committee have not made the ordinary advance to doctors in respect of October; that the total sum to be advanced up to the end of 1916 will only amount to 4s. 9d. per capita; and whether the committee is withholding for the final settlement (which in the case of 1915 was not made for nine months after the money had actually accrued due) more funds than are necessary, having regard to the fact that the doctors' lists in that area have not been substantially affected by enlistments and that the total sum eventually available for distribution will be close upon 6s. 6d. per capita.

The ordinary monthly advance was not made to the doctors by the Lancashire Insurance Committee in October, 1916, because the doctors had already received, during previous months, payments on account in excess of the amounts properly available for distribution at these periods. The payments which, I understand, have been made to the doctors at the end of the year were fully up to the sums then properly avail- able, regard being had to the necessary adjustments. The full balances will, of course, be paid to the doctors as soon as the requisite facts are available.

asked the Prime Minister whether it is the intention of the Government to introduce proposals for legislation, at an early date, to carry into effect the recommendations at the Speaker's Conference with regard to electoral reform?

It is clear that the House ought to have an early opportunity of deciding what action should be taken in connection with the Report of the Conference over which you, Sir, presided.

After endeavouring to ascertain by unofficial inquiries what course would be most acceptable to the House, the Government have coma to the conclusion that the best method of procedure would be that a Resolution, or Resolutions, embodying its decisions should be moved on behalf of the Conference.

If a Motion to this effect be placed upon the Order Paper, the Government will give an early opportunity for its discussion.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he proposes that the Resolutions should be proposed on behalf of the Government as well as on behalf of the Conference, and by a member of the Government?

Obviously not. These Resolutions report the decision of the Conference. The first step to be taken—I have endeavoured to find out whether this is the view of the House—is that the House should have an opportunity of expressing its views upon this decision of the Conference.

Is the Government in a position to give any guidance to the House?

I think that it will be time enough when the Resolution has been submitted to the House.

Does the right hon. Gentleman contemplate that the Conference should meet again and draft a Resolution for submission to the House and should select one of its Members to move it?

I thought that it was not unreasonable to suppose that the Conference should take some such step in order to have the Resolutions put on the Order Paper as representing the views of the Conference.