asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the agreement with the Russian Government for the return to Russia of Russian subjects of military age unwilling to serve in the British Army provides that the cost of transportation shall be provided by the Russian or the British Government; whether transported Russians will be forced to provide food, bedding, etc., for the voyage at their own expense; and whether, in view of the Russian Government not having asked for the return of any Russians in the British Empire, inquiry will now be made whether the transport of untrained men or of munitions, equipment, coal, and food is the more welcome to the Russian Government?

I have nothing to add to the reply which was returned to the hon. Member on this subject on 7th February.

Will these points be continually borne in mind?

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether any attested men who have been rejected as unfit for any form of military service since I5th July, 1916, up to January, 1917, at the Central London Recruiting Depot have been given certificates of discharge; and, if no such certificates have been issued, why the Army Order on the subject has been disregarded?

As far as can be ascertained, the answer is in the affirmative. My hon. Friend has brought certain cases to my notice where it was stated that a discharge certificate had been refused. I have informed him as to two of these and am making inquiries about the rest.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that it has been stated officially that certificates should be granted to those who asked for them and that no such men have received certificates of discharge?

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the discontent created by the cases in which men of military age without previous military training, who have seen no service either at home or abroad, have been placed in the position of military representatives on the tribunals, and empowered to decide as to the fitness of others for the military service which they thus avoid themselves; whether a full commission of lieutenant was given to a Mr. Wally Leveaux, at the time employed on the Stock Exchange and of military age; whether this gentleman was forthwith appointed a military representative of a tribunal on which he is still acting; under what conditions was a Mr. Lumley, a former member of the Stock Exchange, given his commission, and why has this gentleman been appointed a military representative on the tribunal at Hampstead; whether Mr. H. J. Nias, who has been appointed military representative at Hounslow, the proprietor of the local Spring Grove laundry, is of military age, and has been given the position of lieutenant without having previously had any military training; whether he is aware of yet another appointment as military representative on a tribunal of a gentleman of great wealth and social influence, of military age, without any previous military experience on active service; and whether, having regard to the heartburning created by these and similar appointments which men who have seen active service and have been invalided home are well competent to fill, and the suspicion of favouritism and desire to protect individuals at the expense of the community to which such appointments are subject, steps will be immediately taken for the abatement of this state of affairs?

The policy of the Department is to employ as military representatives officers who are either over military age or unfit for general service. Of those who are mentioned by name in the question, Lieutenant Leveaux is classified fit for light duty at home only; Mr. Lumley was commissioned in an Infantry battalion in the ordinary course, was found unfit for general service in November last, and is still unfit; Mr. Nias is not commissioned, but is aged forty-one and is in category C3. These three specific cases given by my hon. Friend do not appear, in my view, to justify the reflections which he casts upon the general character of these appointments. So far as the case not specifically given by my hon. Friend is concerned, I must ask for further and better particulars.

Are we to understand from that answer that no military representatives throughout the country are fit for service?

I cannot, of course, say that offhand and without notice. What I can say is that the policy of the Department is to employ as military representatives officers who are either over military age or unfit for military service.

Does my hon. Friend in the slightest degree deny that Mr. Nias, who is the proprietor of a laundry, has been appointed as military representative in the very locality in which the trade lies, and does he deny that the other two gentlemen, with the rapidity of a transformation scene, came straight from the Stock Exchange into regimental uniform?

I cannot answer as to the last two cases specifically, but I do not see any harm in Mr. Nias being appointed locally. He is forty-one years of age and in category C 3.

Does the hon. Gentleman know the gentleman to whom paragraph four of the question relates, and is he aware that that gentleman is a man great in riches and was quite willing to go?

The hon. Member has already received an answer to his question.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether any decision has yet been reached as to the new instructions with regard to attested men rejected on re-examination and as to the new form of medical classification certificate?

I must refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to him on 6th March, and, as he has already been informed, it is intended to modify the present instructions and to issue a new form of medical classification certificate, but the new form and new instructions have not as yet been issued.

Have they yet been settled as apart from being issued?

I believe that is so.

Will they be issued shortly?

I hope so.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War, with regard to attested men who have been rejected by a medical board on re-examination since 13th July, 1916, as totally unfit for any form of medical service, whether recruiting officers are correct in stating, as they have done in many instances, that they have instructions not to issue discharge certificates in such cases?

I must refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to him on 6th March. I am informed that no such instruction as that referred to has been issued to recruiting officers; but that, in order that there might be no possibility of misunderstanding, a special instruction was recently sent out calling attention to the instruction of 13th July, 1916.

Was there not an Order that men who have been discharged on a certificate as unfit should not be called up, and do I gather from what the hon. Gentleman said that that Order has been modified, and that they may be recalled again for further examination"

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of complaints with regard to calling-up notices being sent to the homes of men who have already been in the Army for months; whether he is aware that the receipt of the official envelope causes unnecessary alarm to parents and other relatives as they think it is a notification of death or wounds; and whether steps are being taken to ensure more complete records and thus avoid the muddle and expense of calling up men who are already doing their duty?

It has been necessary to send out notices to all men whose whereabouts are unknown or who are not recorded satisfactorily. This work has made much progress and is now nearing completion.

asked whether the period of exemption from military service of four British employés of the Dresdner Bank came to an end on the 8th March instant: and whether any further exemption for them or any of them has been asked for or granted?

I am informed by the controller that no appeal has been made to the City Tribunal to extend the exemptions to 8th March, 1917, granted in respect of four employés of the Dresdner Bank. The Bank propose, however, with the controller's approval, to ask the City Tribunal to permit them to appeal for further exemption to the 30th May, 1917, in respect of one of these employés who has been medically classified as B3 (sedentary duties abroad), and has not yet been called up, in order that the preparation of schedules of securities for vesting purposes may be expedited as far as possible. No appeal will be made in the other three cases.

What is the age of the one man in question?

I am sorry that I have not got that.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is able to give the House the evidence on which his statement that we still maintain the mastery of the air on the Western front is based; whether he can state the average number of casualties per week during the last six weeks; and can he also state whether the War Office are in every respect satisfied with the machine that is at present being employed?

I will reply to the last two parts of my right hon. Friend's question first.

Would it be in the public interest to state what portion of these machines described as not up to the standard are in use?

I am afraid I must have notice of that question.

On what does the hon. Gentleman base his proportion of 7 per cent.? Is that on the total of fighting machines, or the total number of men and machines in this country and abroad?

I cannot say that. I must confess these figures were supplied to me.

Is the output of fighting and scouting aeroplanes now used by the British equal to that of the Germans, in view of the fact that about the middle of October it was not? Have you caught up with them yet?

I cannot assent to the statement which the hon. and gallant Gentleman has made. I am sure the House will realise that I cannot answer off-hand any question of that sort.

Is the inference from what the hon. Gentleman has said that during the past winter and also the winter previous the German activity in the manufacture of aeroplanes has been greater than our own?

No, I do not think it has.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that these very machines that he says are not fit to keep our end up in France are at present being ordered in large quantities in this country?

The hon. Member should give notice of that question.

I will raise the whole question of the Air Service on the Adjournment to-night.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War by whose orders M. Lepert, a French gentleman travelling with regular passports and the bearer of letters signed by members of the French Government, was recently detained for four hours at Southampton, where he was subjected to rigorous search and much personal indignity and was robbed of private papers given him by French Ministers which have never been returned to him; what suspicion attached to this gentleman justifying such measures, and whether any evidence confirming such suspicion was found on M. Lepert or is in the possession of the Government?

M. Lepert has been associated with persons who are strongly suspected of having contravened Defence of the Realm Regulation 30A, and as information was received that M. Lepert was intending to come to this country and would probably be carrying documents connected with a case now under investigation, he was searched as a necessary measure of precaution. He was not subjected to any personal indignity. All papers taken from him were returned to him the same day.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the information regarding this French gentleman's movements was given to himself in confidence, and that his own subordinates have involved him in a breach of confidence and given him false information in saying the papers were returned to him?

I must protest against that. As a matter of fact the hon. Gentleman made the statement that M. Lepert was coming to this country in the House three days before I saw him at the War Office.

But I did not tell the hon. Gentleman when.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether interned German civilian prisoners are being trained in the Isle of Man or elsewhere in the manufacture of brushes; whether the products of their manufacture are used partly for the requirements of Government Departments, the remainder being sold in the open market through the agency of a firm which in pre-war days imported large quantities of German-made brushes; and, if so, what is the cost of training these interned Germans or the necessity for training them?

My hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. I would refer the right hon. Baronet to the answers which the Home Secretary gave to similar questions on 28th February and 7th March, and will only add that the firm which has assisted in arranging for the employment of the interned Germans on this work has never, as I am informed, imported German-made brushes.

Am I to understand from that answer that practically denial is given to the whole statement made in the question, which was given me by a respected correspondent?

I think the right hon. Gentleman must take the answer I have given.

Does that mean that the hon. Gentleman is not acquainted with the facts?

I am acquainted with the facts, but do not want to commit myself to the extent the right hon. Gentleman would ask me.

asked the conditions under which British officers who are prisoners of war receive promotion; whether it is proposed to alter these conditions; and, if so, how?

Article 47 of the Pay Warrant provides that a lieutenant may be promoted to captain notwithstanding that he is a prisoner, and that promotion of a captain to major may be made good after his release if practicable. Any promotion outside the terms of this article can only be considered after the officer's release when his fitness tor higher rank can be determined. I can assure my hon. and learned Friend that the Army Council are now exercising a close watch on the working of this article.

Can the hon. Gentleman say if there is any reasonable chance that a captain who is a prisoner will be treated in the same way as a lieutenant who is a prisoner and given promotion?

I cannot say more than I have said, that the Army Council at the present time are exercising the very closest watch over this matter.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that a military officer was appointed in 1915 as censor at the Ballin-skelligs cable station, who termed himself Captain Staples; that after holding the position for some months he left suddenly and it was discovered that he had no claim to the rank of captain; that there is only one hotel in the whole district, and that the hotel proprietor was unable to request him to leave when he failed to pay his hotel bills, by reason of the fact that the Defence of the Realm Acts prevented him from exercising the usual precautions; whether he is aware that the hotel proprietor has been unable to obtain payment of the amount due; and whether, in view of the fact that the War Office appointed to the important position of military censor a man about whose antecedents they had not made the necessary inquiries, and who had no right to the title of officer which he assumed, steps will now be taken to indemnify the hotel proprietor for the loss he has sustained?

I have every sympathy with the hotel proprietor referred to, but I am afraid that the Department cannot accept any responsibility for the private debts of persons employed by it. I do not quite understand the reference to the Defence of the Realm Regulations.

Is the hon. Gentleman not perfectly aware that at this cable station messages going to America have to be censored, and that the hotel proprietor could not request this man to leave because under the operations of the Defence of the Realm Act in Ireland he would have made himself amenable to the law?

No, Sir. There is this point I do not understand: I do not understand that the Defence of the Realm Regulations prevent any hotel proprietor from taking ordinary steps.

Is the hon. Gentleman not aware, seeing that there is no other hotel in the place, that if the proprietor had asked this so-called military officer to retire immediately he would have made himself liable to military operations?

I am not aware of that. If the hon. Member will confer with me upon that point I will have it closely examined.

I have already conferred several times, personally and by letter, with the hon. Gentleman, and I must take the opportunity of raising this question in Debate at the earliest possible moment.

Can the hon. Gentleman say where Captain Staples is now?

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether the attention of the War Office authorities has been directed to the fact that temporary military chaplains on service at the various war fronts on promotion live at headquarters, where the necessary expenses are threefold in excess of the expenses of living with a regiment or ambulance, but that such Army chaplains receive no allowance corresponding with their work; and whether, having regard to the fact that these clergymen have in many cases cheerfully resigned good positions at home to fulfil their duty to their country in time of war, steps will be taken to place them in the same position with reference to allowances as other temporary officers?

I presume the hon. and learned Gentleman has in mind certain cases where a step of rank has been granted to chaplains to enable them to exercise administrative supervision over other chaplains, but where the extent of the charge entrusted to them is not sufficient (in the opinion of the authorities and those representatives of the various Churches who advise them) to justify any other than honorary rank. In all cases chaplains draw the allowances of their substantive or temporary rank under the same conditions as other officers.

Have not these gentlemen to pay threefold expenses for this honorary rank, and is the hon. Gentleman not aware that he ought not to rob the Church?

asked why Francis Cunningham, Duke Street, Castlebar, county Mayo, father of Private M. Cunningham, No. 5545. Connaught Rangers, has received no separation allowance since his son's enlistment in January, 1915, when the soldier made an allotment of 3d. per day to his father?

Inquiries will be made and the hon. Member informed of the result in due course.

asked whether it is intended to remit the whole or part of the English Excess Profits Duty in the case of a company registered in this country but trading only in an Allied country and already charged with an Excess Profits Duty by the Allied Government?

In computing profits for the purposes of Excess Profits Duty a deduction is allowed for any payment in respect of the profits on account of any Excess Profits Duty or similar duty imposed by an Allied Government.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has considered the case of blind piano-tuners who in the course of their business are obliged to travel by railway and pay the increased fares; and whether he can make some concession in their case?

I sympathise with the case, but I am afraid that it is not practicable in present circumstances to make an exception in favour of blind piano-tuners.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the restrictions placed on the supply of paper, he will consider the desirability of giving power to the Paper Commission to refuse paper supplies to the halfpenny comic papers and papers of a similar character, in order that sufficient paper may be reserved for papers and weekly journals serving some national purpose?

I am afraid that the difficulties of drawing any exact line of division between periodicals whose publication serves a national purpose and those which could be suppressed without loss to the public interest are such as the Paper Commission could not be expected to overcome.

Are we to understand that the hon. Gentleman cannot draw a distinction between a halfpenny comic paper and an evening newspaper?

Being an ordinary-human being, I am unable to do so.

asked whether steps are being taken to ascertain the stocks of paper held by various newspapers; and whether when this has been done it will be possible for the Commission to restrict the right to prevent purchase from the mills in cases where it is found that sufficient stocks are held to publish for the next three, six, or twelve months, and so enable such smaller newspapers or journals as may be found by the Commission to be serving some national purpose to purchase sufficient paper to continue publication even in a restricted size?

I understand that the Paper Commission are obtaining the information with respect to the stocks in this country. When the facts have been ascertained, careful consideration will be given to the question whether any action is; necessary or desirable.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that if the proportion of paper allotted to certain proprietors this year is in proportion to the amount utilised last year, and that they cut down their supplies last year in accordance with the wishes of the Government, they are now penalised as compared with those who did not cut down their supplies last year?

That point has been brought to our notice and is under consideration.

asked whether a newspaper recently obtained 500 tons of paper while, at the same time, notice has been served on all the existing papers and weekly journals that they can only obtain half supplies in future, a quantity which is in many cases insufficient to publish even in a restricted form?

No newspaper has had more than its regulation supply through the licences of the Paper Commission. Any further or special supplies that any newspaper may have obtained must have been bought in the open market without any assistance from or knowledge of the Commission.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Great International Plate Glass Insurance and Cleaning Company is going to be allowed to continue trading in this country, in view of the fact that before the War most of the shares were held by Rob Stähr, a German, and have merely been trans ferred to Max Kühn, also a German and only naturalised in 1913; and is he aware that Max Kühn was secretary to the Kaiser jubilee funds in 1913, whose committee declared that they never missed an opportunity to prove its love to the father land?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer given to the hon. and learned Member for York yesterday.

asked when the next instalment will be paid to the creditors of the Penny Bank; and, if so, what will be the amount?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. A final dividend of 2s. 5d. in the £ will be paid to the depositors in the National Penny Bank next Thursday.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the number of deathes due to the action of the enemy among officers and men of the merchant service and fishing fleets, he will extend the provisions of the Death Duties (Killed in War) Act, 1914, to the estates of all such men whether at the time of their death they were subject to the Naval Discipline Act or not?

I will consider my hon. Friend's suggestion.

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that the sums in question are trivial from the revenue point of view, but are of great importance to the widows and dependants of these people?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the danger and delay to shipping at British ports due to the sale of spirits in bottles by persons holding licences for the off-sale of spirits, he will take steps to have such sale prohibited during the continuance of the War within the municipal boundaries of every seaport city and town in the British Islands?

I have not sufficient information to justify such a step being taken, but I will consider any information of specific instances that the hon. Member may send me.

asked whether the Deutsche Bank, the Dresdner Bank, and the Disconto-Gesellschaft, in London, have now, or has any and which of them, been finally wound-up and their businesses brought to an end; and, if not, when they will be and, as soon as they are, to whom the books and papers of the said banks will be entrusted and to whom they will belong?

I hope that, by the end of the month or soon after, the work in connection with the Deutsche Bank will be completed and the bank will be finally closed. In the case of the other two banks the necessary work is being completed with all the expedition that is possible with a much reduced staff. The books and papers of the banks will be vested in the Public Trustee.

asked the right hon. Member for Barnard Castle, as representing the Ministry of National Service, what course a firm of builders should take to secure labour to replace men called up in order to carry out essential works of repair to farm buildings, etc., having regard to the Orders issued by the Director of National Service?

My right hon. Friend has requested me to reply to this question. The firm should state their requirements to the National Service Commissioner or to the Director-General of National Service, when the application will be dealt with on its merits. It is proposed to issue instructions to enable such applications to be dealt with locally.

Is it at all probable that men will be allocated to this builder to enable him to carry on his work?

I will convey my hon. Friend's query to my right hon. Friend.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware of the inconvenience, hardship, and loss caused at present?

I will point that out to my right hon. Friend.

asked the Attorney-General whether he is aware that several hon. Members have accepted unpaid positions in various Government Departments in order to assist in the prosecution of the War and have virtually become unpaid Civil servants; whether such positions, as, for instance, that of Controller of the Priority Department of the Ministry of Munitions, unpaid, can be accepted by an hon. Member without vacating his seat; and whether he will take such steps as may be necessary to prevent any Member from unwittingly vacating his seat or exposing himself to penalties as a consequence of his public service?

The matter is at present before the Law Officers of the Crown for their opinion.

If I put the question down for this day week will I receive an answer?

Yes, I hope so.

Is the Solicitor-General aware that this is a matter of urgency, and, as there is no statement at the present juncture, there are Members of this House who may be incurring penalties.

The Solicitor-General has already given the answer that the matter is under consideration.

Is the Solicitor-General aware that this matter has been under consideration for the last ten days? How many days do you want?

No Sir, I am certainly not aware of it.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if his attention has been drawn to the outbreak of cerebral meningitis at the jam factory, Coley, near Reading, at present occupied by the School of Technical Training, Royal Flying Corps; if several men there have died of this complaint; if the other men were allowed to be in contact with possible infection without the slightest precaution being taken; if he is aware that at the coroner's inquest, held on 23rd February on one of the victims, it was ascertained that the man who died was ill twenty-four hours before a doctor was summoned, and that the jury and two doctors agreed that medical aid ought to have been obtained sooner; if his attention has been drawn to the character of the answers given by the military authorities to questions asked them by the jury; if his attention has been drawn to the, verdict of the coroner's jury at the inquiry held and to the remarks they added; if any inquiry has been instituted by the War Office: and, if so, what conclusion they have arrived at and what action it is proposed to take?

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

Will the hon. Gentleman say when this outbreak occurred, and why inquiries have not been concluded before now?

Inquiries are being made, and I will communicate the facts as soon as possible.

How many persons who suffered from this fever have died?

I can only tell my hon. and gallant Friend that I have caused inquiries to be made, and as soon as I have received the full facts I will communicate them to the House.

Only now?

I beg to ask you, Sir, a question in reference to the privileges of this House and the relations between the Speaker of this House and its Members. I wish to know whether the Dardanelles Report, without omissions, was received by you in your official capacity as Speaker of the House of Commons and, if so, whether it ought not to be laid before the House and so received?

I have never received any such Report.

It -was stated publicly in this House by the Chancellor of the Exchequer that unexpurgated copies had been furnished to the Speaker of the House confidentially. [HON. MEMBERS: "No, no!" and an HON. MEMBER: "Would be."] Then it was to be in the future. I will wait until you receive it.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he proposes to introduce legislation amending the provisions of the Fatal Accidents Inquiry (Scotland) Act, 1895, so as to permit of the holding of fatal accident inquiries before the sheriff without a jury in all cases other than those in which the Lord Advocate may, in the public interest, direct that the inquiry shall take place before the sheriff and a jury?

I am aware that the effect of the War has been to increase the burden thrown upon individuals who are liable to be called away from work, which may be of national importance, for the purpose of serving upon juries in the class of case referred to by my hon. and learned Friend. I think there is a good deal to be said in favour of his suggestion that a discretion to dispense with a jury should be vested in the Lord Advocate—at any rate during the War. I shall carefully consider any expressions of opinion that may reach me for or against legislation in the sense suggested.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he has received any representations on the subject of the use in Scotland of certain gaming machines, which have been held to be illegal in England, but the use of which, according to the decisions of the High Court in Scotland, is still permissible in that country; and whether, having regard to the injury done to the morals of school children who are attracted by the machines in question, he is prepared to introduce legislation prohibiting their use in Scotland?

I have received representations from influential quarters on this subject, which I regard as one of serious consequence. My advisers are at present considering the form which any Bill that I may find it possible to introduce should take—a question that is not free from difficulty.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say what type of machine is referred to?

A type of machine which has been held illegal in England, but which has been held legal in Scotland.

What is the type? Have you got one here?