asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that no trader can send out advertising catalogues or circulars after the 10th instant, and that many traders have such catalogues and circulars now being printed which cannot be cancelled with out loss and unnecessary waste of paper, he will at once give instructions that the date fixed in the Order shall be postponed to 31st March, subject to the provision named in the amended Regulation since published?

A general licence will be issued extending up to 24th March, the period for the issue of catalogues, etc., which were already in process of printing at the date of the Order. Individual applications for a further extension of time in exceptional cases will be considered by the Paper Commission on their merits.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the request in writing referred to in Clause 3 of the Order in Council under the Defence of the Realm Act referring to advertising circulars is to be interpreted as meaning that a separate request in writing must be made for each individual circular, or that, a request having once been made in writing to the trader, he will be in order in sending his catalogues, circulars, or price lists to such person without a request being made in writing in respect of each such circular; and, if the first meaning is to be attached to the order, will he say whether he has realised the inconvenience to the public residing in outlying districts which must result and the hardship which will be inflicted on the trader?

The request in writing referred to in the Order need not be for one particular circular, but may be a general request for all such circulars as may be issued, or for all circulars of some specified class or description.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Order in Council prohibiting the delivery by traders of catalogues and circulars will destroy immediately a large amount of mail-order business which has taken years to build up, and that, apart from such business, a large part of the regular trade done by suburban and provincial firms throughout the country depends upon the issue of advertising catalogues; and if he will say what steps he proposes to take to economise the use of paper by the curtailment of advertisements of the same nature in the public Press which will have the effect of diverting a large volume of trade to those houses who, by reason of their situation in the centre of London or other large provincial centres, are alone able to avail themselves of such methods of advertising?

The Order which has been issued will not preclude the sending of catalogues to persons who ask for them, and will, I hope, not unduly interfere with the maintenance of essential business. It is not at present proposed to impose restrictions on advertisements in newspapers.

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether it is proposed to stop the circulars of non-essential industries entirely?

If my hon. Friend will see the Order he will see that power is taken to regulate the use of circulars.

Is it proposed to stop the advertising of all non-essentials-luxuries?

It is not for me to decide matters of that sort.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in granting licences to shopkeepers and others whose trade depends upon the issue of circulars enabling them to use such circulars, he will in every case allow circulars that have been printed to be sent out and thus prevent financial loss?

As has already been announced in the Press, a period of a fortnight (ending 24th March) has been allowed without specific licences being required for the sending out of circulars which tradesmen had on hand.

The point I want to find out is this: Supposing circulars are actually printed, so that there can be no saving of paper or of labour in regard to them, will those who have ordered them in a bond fide way be entitled to circulate them?

I have stated that there will be free circulation of circulars of that character up to 24th March.

asked the Secretary to the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that advertisers have in many cases posters already printed; and will he see that unnecessary loss is not inflicted upon them by the prevention of distribution?

The provisions of Clause 1 of the Order with regard to the size of posters prohibits manufacture of posters over a certain size, but not the exhibition of posters already in stock. The only provision against the exhibition of posters is that relating to newspaper bills and to goods offered for sale by a retailer, and as regards the latter it has been decided to allow a limited time within which those already in stock may be exhibited.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if, under the request by the Government to farmers to break-up pasture, the farmers follow this instruction are the clauses in agreements and leases preventing the breaking up of pasture land abrogated; have the restrictions by custom of districts in regard to courses of cropping been suspended; and can a tenant farmer, bound to farm on the four-course system or any other, vary the same without liability to claims for damages?

A farmer will be relieved from liability to claims for damages in such cases as are referred to if he first receives the necessary notice or direction of the War Agricultural Executive Committee under the Defence of the Realm Regulations.

Does that mean the country agricultural committee?

Yes.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture what decision has been come to with regard to the ploughing up of the King's Park at Stirling?

About 20 acres out of 154 acres of the King's Park, Stirling, are proposed to be ploughed up for temporary cultivation during the War. Afterwards, this area will be levelled and laid down again to permanent grass. The President of the Board, as First Commissioner of Woods, agrees with the decision of the Stirling Town Council that the recommendation of the District Agricultural Committee for Central Stirlingshire to plough up this area should be approved.

Were the Board of Agriculture consulted before potato acreage in Richmond Park and Bushey Park was ploughed up?

That question does not arise.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he is aware of the indignation in Ireland caused by the exporting of potatoes and other foodstuffs required for the Irish people; if, to prevent a repetition of the famine of 1847 which caused so many victims, he will prevent any further exportation of potatoes from Ireland; or if the people of Ireland will be allowed to deal with the exporters themselves, and be allowed to take whatever steps may be necessary to prevent the exportation of foodstuffs required for home use?

The Board of Agriculture have asked me to reply to this question. The export of potatoes and oats from Ireland, with the exception of supplies for the Army and Navy, is at present only permitted under licence from the Department of Agriculture. In granting such licences the Department has had, and will have, due regard to the requirements of the country.

Has not the time arrived to prevent potatoes going out of Ireland?

The prohibition upon the export of potatoes out of Ireland has been so effective that every grower of potatoes in Ulster for export feels himself aggrieved by the action of it.

Does the right hon. Gentleman know of his own personal knowledge or has he heard that potatoes are the main food of the Irish people?

Has anybody in Ireland been licensed to export potatoes except the hon. Member of this House who represents North Derry?

Yes, Sir. A large number of licences have been issued, but whether any licence has been issued to the hon. Member for North Derry I am not sure.

Can we have a list of these names?

Several hon. Members had lists many days since.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that officers who are agents of the military authorities are going round the country buying potatoes from farmers in their homes for export purposes, and will this practice be stopped and these men be sent into the open-market to buy their potatoes instead of going round the country?

Potatoes will continue to be bought, I hope, as cheaply as possible and as readily as possible for the supply of the troops at the front, so far as it is practicable, and for the supply of sailors at sea, so far as it is practicable. So far as I know there has been nothing done m the use of the military power of requisitioning, except for the express purposes of those necessary supplies.

Will the right hon. Gentleman answer my question, namely, whether the Government will cease issuing permits for export altogether, because there is a scarcity of potatoes in Ireland and also here? I think it is most unfair that potatoes should be brought from Ireland [HON MEMBERS: "Speech!"]. Will the Government prevent any more permits being issued?

That question has already been answered.

It is a very important question.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, in view of the fact that at the present rate of consumption it is unlikely that there will be potatoes available for anyone during the later spring and the earlier summer months, it has yet been decided to establish compulsory potato rations?

As I have already stated, the Food Controller does not propose to ration potatoes. I may point out that even in normal years supplies of potatoes are frequently short in the late spring and early summer.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) what increased acreage of tillage the Department calculated to result from the Order to cultivate 10 per cent. of the land not tilled last year; what is the estimated total acreage by which the actual result falls short of their estimate; whether the duty of tilling has been shirked chiefly on the large grass farms; and, seeing that the season for breaking this land is passing away, what steps are being taken to have it done forthwith in order that the country may not suffer from shortage of the food deemed necessary?

The Department of Agriculture are not yet in a position to estimate the total increased acreage of tillage likely to result from the Tillage Order. Ploughing operations are still in progress all over the country and will be for some weeks to come. Where necessary, the Department will exercise the powers conferred on them by the Defence of the Realm Regulations, to ensure compliance with the Regulations as to compulsory tillage.

Have any arrangements been provided to cultivate Phoenix Park or will the Lord Lieutenant be allowed to keep his public promise?

I do not see anything in the question on these subjects?

At what time will the right hon. Gentleman's Department decide that landlords or owners of large tracts of land not having complied will be penalised?

Nobody need assume that he will get another day.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether the Food Controller is considering the issue to the public of advice concerning the consumption of average weekly quantities of other staple articles of food in addition to those already published regarding meat, bread, and sugar?

The Food Controller will be issuing general information for the guidance of the public through the organisation which he has recently set up at the Ministry of Food for this purpose. He does not at present propose to fix a voluntary ration embracing other staple articles of food.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, having regard to the present shortage of food, it is proposed to take any steps to prohibit the further manufacture of spirits for potable purposes?

Under the recent Orders of the Ministry no potable spirit is now being produced at the patent-still distilleries, except the small quantity for the export gin trade, mentioned in the reply given on 1st March to my hon. Friend. I would remind my hon. Friend that the permit for the pot-still distilleries is only for the present season, which will shortly terminate.

Is there any justification for allowing the manufacture of a further single gallon of alcohol seeing that there are already 140,000,000 gallons in bond, and having regard to the shortage of food?

The hon. Member is aware that an arrangement with the pot-still distillers was come to last year with regard to the present season which is now nearly terminated.

Has not the situation developed since the licences were issued, and the question become of much greater importance?

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if the mills employed in the polishing of rice have now been closed or put to some useful work; if the polishing of the grains of rice is never practised in those countries where rice forms the staple food of the people; and if the polishing is only done for the purpose of adding a lustre to the rice and rendering it more attractive to persons ignorant of the fact that the value of the rice as food is greatly diminished?

I understand that the number of mills in this country where rice is polished is very limited and that at practically all of them rice is also ground. I agree that the polishing of rice at the present time is to be deprecated as involving an unnecessary employment of labour and the removal of much of the nutritious properties of the grain.

Would it not be possible very easily to stop the polishing of rice and release the labour?

It is done on so small a scale at present. It was done in pre-war times simply because the attractive appearance appealed to the public.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that the Wholesale Co-operative Society give the full weight of tea in each packet without weighing the paper; if he is aware that the majority of grocers have their tea weighed up with the wrappers, which are now much heavier than in pre-war days; and whether he will issue an Order that all tea packages must give the full weight of tea without the weight of the package?

I understand that the practice of the Wholesale Co-operative Society is as stated in the questions. I am aware that a large number of grocers sell packets by a weight which includes and is stated on the packet to include the weight of the paper wrapper itself. The Food Controller is not proposing at present to make an Order to the effect suggested in the last part of the question. It should be recognised that, in the event of such an Order being issued, the price of the tea could be proportionately increased.

Is the hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that this firm could have made an increased profit on last year's trading of over £200,000 if they had Weighed in the wrapper with the tea and charged the price of tea for the paper wrapper?

I know nothing about the figures, but I conceive that is quite possible.

Is the hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that the paper of which the wrapper is made is worth about 5d. a lb., and that the purchaser has to pay the price of tea—2s. 6d. a lb.—for it?

Those considerations are being kept constantly in view.

Would it not be advisable to stop this practice of including paper as though it were tea so as to enable the public to know what weight of tea they are really buying?

I am not sure the hon. and learned Gentleman heard my original answer, in which I pointed out that on all these packets where the paper is included with the tea notification to that effect appears on the packet.

Is there any notification as to the weight of the paper as compared with the weight of the tea?

No, there is not, but in the event of any case being brought to the Food Controller's notice of an increase in the weight of the paper being introduced action will be taken.

Is the hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that there was a Parlia- mentary inquiry into the subject two or three years ago and the recommendation of the Committee was that the practice on the whole was in the public interest and should not be interfered with?

I am fully aware of that as I have already stated in the House.

Is there any limit?

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if he is aware that there is a good deal of jobbing and speculation of meat on the London Central Meat Markets; if he is aware that as soon as beef prices look like going down any day the American Meat Trust managers go and buy or bid up all beef, especially the Morris Beef Company, who buy up English and Irish beef; if he can see his way clear to prevent the American Moat Trust managers from speculating in, and bidding up against the retail butcher for, the English and Irish beef on the London Central Meat Markets or any country livestock markets; if he is aware that the Armour Packing Company have been trying to corner the Irish poultry trade had have at present thousands of Irish chickens in cold storage at Lurgan; and if he is aware that they are holding them up for higher prices in May and June?

There seems to be no adequate foundation for the suggestion contained in the first part of this question. I understand that firms which have previously confined their operations to imported meat have, owing to the reduced supplies of frozen and chilled meat, purchased in the home markets for the purpose of maintaining their normal trade. The Food Controller, with the assistance of the Irish Department of Agriculture, is making inquiries into the alleged holding up of poultry at Lurgan. I may perhaps add on the general question of stocks of meat, that the returns obtained by the Ministry of Food from all the principal cold stores and warehouses in the United Kingdom, show that the total quantity of all meat in store on the 1st March was only 0.6 per cent. more than on the 1st February.

Would it be possible to send someone with authority to visit the meat markets and watch this American beef firm, and if they are jumping up the prices prosecute them?

That has already been done, and will continue to be done in any case where there seems to be reasonable ground for suspicion. I may perhaps point out that the American Association have their customers in this country, who look to them to provide their reasonable quota of meat from some source or another.

If I send the hon. and gallant Gentleman a letter I have received in connection with this firm buying three or four hundred heads of cattle last Saturday week, will he inquire into the matter?

Yes. I have already received voluminous correspondence from the hon. Member and shall be only too glad to receive more.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that working-class people are experiencing difficulty in purchasing even limited quantites of sugar; that they often have to go for days without any sugar at all; that the prevailing practice of retailing sugar according to the amount of purchases of other commodities not subject to any fixed maximum price results in hardship, invariably necessitating ill-afforded expenditure on goods not actually required; and that, notwithstanding the inconvenience and hardship, the people at the same time witness in such places as Dewsbury consignments of sugar being used in the manufacture of sweets and confectionery; and whether the Food Controller will endeavour to so regulate the distribution of the available sugar supply as to enable each household to acquire regularly its share and no more, according to the number of persons?

The making of a sugar purchase conditional on other goods being taken will be included in an Order at an early date. As regards the use of sugar for the manufacture of confectionery and chocolate, I may remind the hon. Member that the amounts which may be used for that purpose in the present year have already been limited by the Sugar (Confectionery) Order, 1917, to 50 per cent. of the amount so used in 1915, and this quantity may be still further reduced in the near future.

Does the hon. Gentleman not see that it is absurd for people to be asked to buy chocolate when their children are going without sugar? If it is necessary to curtail sugar, cannot these other things be stopped?

That consideration is certainly being taken into account. I should like to take this opportunity of saying that the sugar problem is difficult and involved, and the Food Controller would be very glad to meet in one of the committee rooms any members of this House who are interested in the question of sugar, and discuss the matter fully with them.

Does not that mean that the Sugar Controller should be here, because everybody is interested?

asked the Prime Minister whether power can be given to the President of the Board of Agriculture to badge men essential for the production of food?

In reply I must refer my right hon. Friend to the answer given to a similar question put by the hon. Member for the Leigh Division of Lancaster on the 27th of last month.

What was the reply?

It was to the effect that the tribunals had the power to deal with this matter.

Will the hon. Gentleman answer the question on the Paper—whether power will be given to the President of the Board of Agriculture to badge men essential for the production of food? There is no question about the tribunals.

The answer is in the negative.

As there are no tribunals in Ireland, will power be given to the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture in Ireland?

asked the Prime Minister if he will direct the military authorities to refrain from pressing for the recruitment of men essential for the working of steam threshing machines, the stoppage of which will prevent the threshing of corn needful for seeding in the coming months?

My right hon. Friend has requested me to answer this question. These matters are regulated by agreement between the Departments concerned, and instructions have been issued to recruiting officers to cooperate with the agricultural representatives.

asked the Minister of Munitions whether he will give the names of the official board of management of the Dublin National Shell Factory and the date of their appointment; and if the capital of this company has been subscribed by public subscription or otherwise and if any part of it is Government-money?

The official board of management of the Dublin National Shell Factory was appointed in October, 1915. The members of the board are Captain Kelly, Captain Dowme and Mr. Lewis Gray, all officials of the Ministry of Munitions. The factory has been equipped and is being carried on entirely with Government funds.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that this question and the two next questions are directed against the present lady superintendent of the National Shell Factory, who, according to the admission of the War Office last week is one of the most efficient in their service; is he further aware that this lady has two brothers at the front and that she is the sister-in-law of the late Tom Kettle, and is it fair that she should be pursued by the hon. and gallant Member, whose only gallantry consists in throwing mud at his own fellow-countrymen at the instance of the Marchioness of Waterford?

Should I be in order in saying that I am not asking these questions at the instance of the lady named but on behalf of other ladies who have also lost their brothers at the front. [Hoy. MEMBERS: "Carrion crow!"]

asked the Minister of Munitions whether he is aware that when the Dublin National Shell Factory was erected a canteen for women was with difficulty started and worked by a band of unpaid and volunteer social workers who have recently been dismissed by the official board of management; and has he been able to ascertain whether their services were dispensed with on the ground of lack of ability, lack of organisation, or any similar reason?

When the canteen at the Dublin National Shell Factory was originally started the management was, as the hon. and gallant Member states, carried on by voluntary workers with certain paid assistance. Increasing difficulties, however, arose in getting sufficient voluntary assistance for work at night and during the summer months, and as a consequence numerous complaints were received from the factory workers as to the management of the canteen. It was on this ground and on the ground of economy that the decision was arrived at to run the canteen in the usual way with a paid staff. My right hon. Friend would like to take this opportunity of expressing his acknowledgment of the services that have been rendered by many of the voluntary workers.

Has the hon. Gentleman made inquiries, and, if not, will he make inquiries into the voluntary system, which is of such an unsatisfactory character that girls working on the night shift cannot even get tea?

I think the answer I have given covers the point generally.

asked the Minister of Munitions whether the cost of the substitution of paid labour for voluntary and unpaid labour in the munition canteen of the Dublin National Shell Factory will be met out of public funds or from the profits of the canteen itself; and will he give an estimate of the salary that will be paid to the welfare superintendent at the factory, and an estimate of the weekly or monthly, whichever is most convenient, wages of the paid workers?

The additional cost of paid labour, due to the change in the management of the canteen, will be met out of the profits of the canteen. No additional salary will be paid to the welfare superintendent at the factory as a result of the change. It is estimated that about £15 per week will be payable to the canteen employés under the new system of management

Does that include the salary of the superintendent?

It includes all the salaries.

Will the hon. Gentleman consult the War Office as to the advisability of transferring the hon. and gallant Gentleman from this House and sending him over to the Marchioness of Waterford as a voluntary worker?

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that Sir William Clegg, the chairman of the Sheffield munitions tribunal, inflicted a fine of £2 upon two grinders named James Bolsover, Emity Street, Sheffield, and Albert Gregory, St. Mary's Street, Sheffield, piece workers, for refusing to clock in and out, which is a new system adopted by the firm; if he is aware that this is a violation of the Treasury agreement, in consequence of the firm adopting a new system without mutual agreement between the two parties; if he is aware that Sir William Clegg threatened the men in question by stating that he would show the men what the tribunals can do if men refused to clock, and be invited the firm to bring the men before him again if they refused to carry out. the new system; and if he intends taking any action in the matter?

I am making inquiries in this matter, and will let my hon. Friend know in due course.

asked the Prime Minister, in view of the sea-power being the determining factor on the number of men allocated to Home defence, whether he will state if the old guarantee of the Board of Admiralty against an invasion of 70,000 men or over is still in force, or whether it has been superseded by another figure or withdrawn altogether?

I can only assure the hon. and gallant Member that this is a matter which is constantly under review by His Majesty's Government, but my hon. Friend will understand that it is impossible to give a definite answer to this question.

Will the right hon. Gentleman make quite sure that there is no possibility of any dreadful misunderstanding between the two Departments?