asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to whom holders of Colonial stock and shares entitled to the rebate of 1s. 6d. of the 5s. Income Tax must apply for such rebate; is it to the local assessor where the holder resides or to the head offices at Somerset House?

Section 43 of the Finance Act, 1916, provides for the relief in respect of Colonial Income Tax being afforded by way of repayment, and the official form of claim for this purpose is obtainable upon application to the local Surveyors of Taxes. To avoid, so far as possible, the inconvenience of repayment claims, the Commissioners of Inland Revenue have made arrangements under which agents in this country entrusted with the payment of dividends on Colonial shares, etc., are permitted upon affording the necessary proof, to account to the Revenue in the first instance for the net amount of Income Tax after deducting the allowance due under Section 43, and the relief is passed on to the shareholders by way of a reduced deduction of British Income Tax from their dividends. Similarly, in cases where shareholders are assessed individually for Colonial dividends receivable by them without the intervention of a paying agent in this country, the Commissioners have authorised their Surveyors of Taxes to arrange for any allowance due to be made by a deduction from the Income Tax payable locally wherever the adoption of this course is possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that a fine of £50 was levied and, under protest, paid by Mr. S. Mendelson in respect of a parcel of diamonds seized by the Postal Censor and alleged to be of enemy origin and subsequently released by the Foreign Trade Department on being satisfied that such allegation was incorrect; and whether, having regard to this admission, he will direct the fine to be remitted and the amount refunded?

The fine imposed was not in respect of the origin of the diamonds, but on account of importation without licence, in contravention of the terms of the Royal Proclamation of 28th July, 1915. Mr. Mendelson accepted the option of a compromise fine in lieu of legal proceedings, and there appears to be no reason for remitting the fine.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether persons paying enemy aircraft insurance immediately before the 12th February at the original rate will be entitled to a rebate in respect of the reduction of 50 per cent, which came into force on the 12th February?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. Persons who have paid premium under the Government aircraft insurance scheme prior to the 17th February, will not be entitled to a rebate except in cases in which the premium was paid in advance in respect of a renewal which did not fall due before 17th February.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether, with a view to securing increased food production in Ireland and to enable fanners to scare crows and other destructive pests from newly-sown wheat lands, facilities will be given to farmers to obtain the necessary cartridges?

The Department of Agriculture are of opinion that there is no necessity for the use of cartridges for the particular purpose indicated.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty under what circumstances can a man joining the Navy or the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve be discharged before the expiration of the War?

It is not the practice now to allow discharge, except when men are for any reason considered unfit to carry out their duties or in special cases where it is considered that their services can be utilised to better advantage elsewhere, as, for example, in munition work.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether in the case of the City of London tribunals there are at present, or have been in the last two months, any exceptions made to the policy that officers employed as military representatives should be over the military age or unfit for general service; and, if so, what are the names of such officers?

No officer, with the exception of the principal military representative, has been or is being used as military representative in the City of London while fit for service.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether, in order to facilitate proposals for legislation now before the House, he can give any figures of cases of venereal disease in the Army; and whether there has been any increase in the percentage of such cases on the figures last published by the War Office?

The present admission ratio for troops in the United Kingdom is 43.5 per 1,000 per annum. This figure is a reduction on that furnished on the 16th November to the hon. Member for the West Toxteth Division. In France the proportion is 24 per 1,000.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he has noted the figures of cases of venereal diseases which have been published since the War by the German military authorities; whether corresponding figures have been published of any of the Allied armies; if so, whether they show similar results as to the increase of venereal diseases in war time; and if any statement can be made of precautionary preventive measures being taken in respect of our troops?

I have no information as to the points raised in this question about the Allied or German armies. The last part of the question does not lend itself readily to treatment by way of question and answer.

asked the Under-Secretary -of State for War whether he will give the names of those officers who have held the positions at the War Office since 1st August, 1914, to the present time of Director of Military Intelligence and Sub-Director of Military Intelligence, respectively, and the dates of appointment and relinquishment of office in each case?

The answer is as follows:Director of Military Intelligence (new-appointment)—Hon. Major-General C. E. Callwell, C.B., 23rd December, 1915, to 2nd January, 1916.Major-General Sir G. M. W. Macdonogh, K.O.M.G., C.B., 3rd January, 1916, to date.Sub-Director of Military Intelligence (new-appointment)—Lieut.-Colonel (temporary Brigadier-General) G. K. Cockerill, C.B., 1st March, 1915, to date.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he will make inquiries as to the promotion of officers employed on recruiting work; and if he will say whether an ex-officer of the Regular Army who has since June, 1915, been employed at the Central Recruiting Office, Whitehall, in responsible and onerous work is still a lieutenant, while civilians who obtained commissions since that date have never done any active service and been employed continuously on recruiting work are promoted captains and majors?

I would remind my hon. and gallant Friend that success in recruiting under the Military Service Acts depends less upon former military experience than upon adaptability and business method. The value of officers employed upon it can only be discovered by experience, and promotion is dependent on the competency of the officer to perform the duties of a higher appointment. The general principle is to give such temporary rank as will enable the individual to carry out his duties without friction. In the absence of further details, I am not able to express any opinion on the case referred to.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if concession tickets will be granted to relatives of sick and wounded soldiers at a distance of under thirty miles from the hospital at which the patient is under treatment?

I will consider the question.

asked the First Commissioner of Works how many rooms of ordinary size there are in the Hotel Cecil which the Air Board are now occupying or in course of alteration for their occupation; how many banqueting halls, saloons, and grill rooms of very large size in the same hotel are occupied or about to be occupied for the same purpose; whether he is aware that the Constitutional Club, who occupy a fractional part of the hotel, after being turned out of their own club in Northumberland Avenue, only enjoy the use of thirty bedrooms, in lieu of the 200 they formerly had, and that a number of Members of Parliament residing in the country have nowhere else to go; and whether he has any authority to stop the Air Board, who already have over 700 rooms, from laying their hands on these thirty bedrooms, which are dark and interspersed with bathrooms and water-closets, and entirely unfit for offices?

The answer to the first question is 570 rooms exclusive of bathrooms; to the second, nine larger rooms; and to the third and fourth that the question what should be done as regards the accommodation now held by the Constitutional Club at the Hotel Cecil is being carefully considered by the Committee on Government Accommodation, and alternatives have been suggested to the Air Board in order to avoid the accommodation of the Constitutional Club being disturbed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether there is any authority responsible to Parliament, and, if so, who, entitled to control the commandeering of hotels, clubs, and private houses, and the destruction of public and private gardens by various Departments of the Government; and whether he or such authority, if any, would be willing to furnish a return of the number of additional rooms commandeered by and constructed for such Departments respectively in 1915, 1916, and the first seven weeks of 1917?

The First Commissioner of Works has responsibility to Parliament in respect of the requisitioning of land or buildings for the accommodation of the staff of Government offices, since, though the actual requisitioning is done by the Army Council or Admiralty it is done at his request. In view of heavy pressure of work and shortage of staff through release of men for the Army I see grave objection to the preparation of the return asked for by the hon. Member, which would involve a great deal of labour. I hope at an early date to lay a Paper before Parliament giving particulars of buildings erected and premises taken over in 1916 in the London district for use by Government offices.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any report or balance sheet is issued of the Queen Victoria School, at Dunblane, Perthshire, for soldiers' sons; and, if so, where copies of such can be obtained?

The only information published by the War Office is in the Appropriation Account.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether any steps can be taken to assist the tenant purchasers at Castlemaine,. county Kerry, whose lands and crops were injured by the floods of last November and December; whether, as the bank was then broken, the tide is regularly flowing into their land and ruining it; whether nearly 100 acres of good arable land is thus destroyed, all of which could be made available for tillage by the expenditure of a few hundred pounds; and whether, in those circumstances, an inspector will be sent to inquire into and report on the matter?

I assume the question to refer to the tenant purchasers on the Mont-eagle estate, who purchased their holdings in fee simple under the provisions the Purchase of Land (Ireland) Act, 1885. They, as owners, are responsible for the user and preservation of their property, and the Estates Commissioners have no-power to grant financial assistance. The Commissioners understand that the river banks stood during the recent floods, and that the owners are doing all they can to maintain them.

asked the Home Secretary what action has been taken to give effect to Sub-section (b) of Section 4 of the Poisons and Pharmacy Act, 1908, as recommended by the Departmental Committee on the supply of drugs in 1913 cd. 6853], in order to provide for the registration as pharmaceutical chemists of persons holding Colonial diplomas, of qualified military dispensers, and of certified assistants under the Apothecaries Act?

By-laws were made by the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society and approved by the Privy Council in 1912, providing for the registration under certain conditions of holders of Colonial certificates. No by-laws have down to-the present time been made by the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society in respect of military dispensers or certified assistants to apothecaries, though they have been strongly urged by the Privy Council office to give effect to the intentions of Parliament in the matter. Without further legislation there does not appear to be any action which the Government can take in the matter.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he will state the cause of the decrease in the supply of teachers to public elementary schools during recent years; and what steps have been taken to remedy the reduction?

The causes of the decrease are complex, and are discussed on pages 148 to 158 of the Board's Report for 1912–13 [Cd. 7341 of 1914]. In 1912 the Board took certain steps, which are referred to on pages 133 to 149 of their Report for 1913–14 [Cd. 7934 of 1915]. The result of these steps was that the number of candidates recognised rose from 5,232 in 1912–13 to 7,066 in 1915–16. I have no doubt that further action is now needed, and I may perhaps refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on the 12th February to the hon. Member for Oldham, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked what is the amount of Grants to public elementary schools made in each year for the years 1910 to 1915, inclusive, and of the Grants made during the year 1916 if the figures are available?

Statement of the amount of Grants normally payable to public elementary schools for the financial years 1909–10 to 1915–16, inclusive:

				£
1909–10	…	…	…	11,259,429
1910–11	…	…	…	11,456,316
1911–12	…	…	…	11,503,948
1912–13	…	…	…	11,540,359
1913–14	…	…	…	11,681,048
1914–15	…	…	…	12,270,539
1915–16	…	…	…	12,313,341

asked the Comptroller of the Household, as representing the National Health Insurance Commissioners, how many men and boys, insured and uninsured, respectively, and how many women and girls, insured and uninsured, respectively, in Wales and Monmouthshire were examined during 1916 by the tuberculosis experts of the Welsh National Memorial Association, in conjunction with and on behalf of Welsh county and county borough councils and insurance committees; how many of these, respectively, were found or suspected to be suffering from tuberculosis; what was the total number of persons, both insured and uninsured, suffering from tuberculosis in Wales and Monmouthshire who received institutional treatment during 1916 by the Welsh National Memorial Association, in conjunction with and on behalf of Welsh county and county borough councils and insurance committees; and how many insured persons, suffering from tuberculosis in Wales and Monmouthshire, entitled to sanatorium benefit and recommended by insurance committees for institutional treatment in sanatoria, are now on the waiting lists awaiting admission?

supplied the following statistics:—(1) Number of persons who were examined during 1916 by the Tuberculosis Physicians:

(a) Insured men and boys	2,904
(b) Uninsured men and boys	2,853
(c) Insured women and girls	825
(d) Uninsured women and girls	3,747
	10,329

(2) Number found to be suffering from tuberculosis:

(a) Insured men and boys	1,532
(b) Uninsured men and boys	1,065
(c) Insured women and girls	486
(d) Uninsured women and girls	1,596
Making a total of	4,679

(3) Number suspected to be suffering from tuberculosis and still under observation on the 31st December, 1916:

(a) Insured men and boys	328
(b) Non-insured men and boys	488
(c) Insured women and girls	100
(d) Uninsured women and girls	719
Making a total of	1,635

(4) Number who received institutional treatment during 1916 in hospitals and sanatoria:

(a) Insured men and boys	1,540
(b) Uninsured men and boys	726
(c) Insured women and girls	482
(d) Uninsured women and girls	1,079
Making a total of	3,827

(5) Number of persons suffering from tuberculosis in Wales and Monmouthshire entitled to sanatorium benefit and recommended by Insurance Committees for institutional treatment in sanatoria now on waiting list awaiting admission:Nil.