asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the hon. Member for Yorkshire (Holderness Division) is a prisoner of war in Austria, and that the hon. Members for Antrim (South Antrim Division) and Devonshire (Honiton Division) are prisoners of war in Germany; and whether he will take steps to arrange the exchange of these Members with an equal number of German notables who are prisoners of war in this country, with a view to facilitating their attendance at this House during the progress of the Electoral Reform Bill?

These officers are prisoners of war as stated. Except in the case of one officer, all attempts made in the earlier stages of the War at individual exchanges were fruitless, and had to be abandoned both by the Foreign Office and the War Office. A proposal was received from the Austrian Government for the exchange of the hon. and gallant Member for Yorkshire (Holderness Division), but it contained demands which the Government could not entertain. No proposal has been received for the exchange of the hon. and gallant Members for South Antrim and Honiton; and, judging by experience, it would not be possible, under the most favourable circumstances, to secure their repatriation until such time as the Electoral Reform Bill will in all likelihood have been disposed of.

asked the Prime Minister if Irish representatives desiring to go to America, Australia, and Canada on business affecting the future welfare of Ireland will be allowed permits to travel; if he is aware that the treatment of the Irish prisoners as criminals and the continued shelving of Irish questions has aroused indignation in Ireland, and calls for the immediate interference of friendly countries; and if he will allow Irish delegates to proceed to those countries to state Ireland's case?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. I am not aware, of any refusal of permission to travel to the United States or the Colonies in the case of any Irish representative, but there is no necessity for such travel, so far as I am aware, in the interests of Ireland.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland (1) whether the application of Mrs. Fanny Shiel, Knockanghey, county Cavan, for the extra 2s. 6d. old age pension has been refused; is he aware that this lady has been confined to bed since December; and will this case be investigated without delay; (2) why Patrick Connors, Keeny, county Cavan, an old age pensioner, has not been granted the extra 2s. 6d. pension for which he has twice applied?

If the hon. Member will furnish the names of the pension subcommittees which dealt with these cases inquiries will be made.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether any new Regulations have been issued by the Local Government Board in reference to old age pensions in Ireland; is he aware that in the Cavan district applications for increase of pensions are returned by the pension officers with a statement that no increase of pensions will be sanctioned; and are all claims for pensions and increases of pensions dealt with by the Local Government Board?

:: The Local Government Board have not issued any new Regulations as regards old age pensions, and they have no information as to cases dealt with by pension officers. The Board deal only with appeals against the decisions of local pensions committees.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland what steps the Government proposed to take to provide employment for those who have lost their employment owing to the restrictions on distilling and brewing in Ireland?

The Employment Exchange and the Department of National Service are both engaged in placing men who register themselves for employment, and special facilities have been given for building operations in Dublin upon reconstruction work and housing schemes.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland what the equivalent Grant to Irish education will be, in view of the Grants announced for England, Scotland, and Wales; how it is proposed to spend the money; and whether the Irish school teachers will come under the recent award of the Conciliation and Arbitration Board granting an increased war bonus to Civil servants?

As to the intended equivalent Grant, I am unable to add anything to my recent answers. The Irish school teachers are not in the service of the Crown, and so do not come within the terms of reference of the Conciliation and Arbitration Act for Government Employés.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what were the instructions to the air squadron which conducted the recent reprisal raid on the town of Freiburg?

Orders were issued jointly by the British and French Governments that Freiburg was to be bombed as an act of reprisal for the sinking of the hospital ship "Asturias," and leaflets were dropped announcing this.

asked the Home Secretary if he will allow an independent medical man to visit and report upon the health of the Irish prisoners; whether the Government have received any demand from America for their release; and why letters disclosing the treatment of the prisoners were censored before they reached their friends in America?

With regard to the first part of the question, I cannot add anything to the replies which were given on the 25th April and 8th May. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative. With regard to the third point, all prisoners' letters are censored whether they are addressed to friends in America or elsewhere.

asked the Home Secretary whether any London borough councils have intimated their desire to economise coal and other supplies by reducing public street lighting during the summer; whether certain gas companies have stated that they are unable to carry out the reduction because of the lighting Regulations under the Defence of the Realm Acts; if so, whether the Government still regard economy in coal consumption desirable; and if he will take steps to make it clear that local authorities should be enabled and encouraged to bring it about by reducing the waste of gas and electricity in the same way as has been accomplished by the Regulation prescribing the early closing of shops?

Representations on this subject have been received from several borough councils. It is most desirable to secure economy in consumption of coal in every possible way, but it is important for military reasons that any reduction in lighting should be carried out uniformly throughout the Metropolitan area. I have been in communication with the military authorities in the matter, and I hope in a few days to communicate with the borough councils with a view to securing such saving as may be possible during the summer months.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture (1) whether he can state the increase of cost to the consumer above the average prices of the five years preceding the War, 1909 to 1913, on the average amount of wheat and oats sold in those years, if the same average amount of wheat and oats was realised at the prices fixed in the Corn Production Bill for the years 1917 to 1922, showing separately in each of those years the excess cost over the average pre-war prices for each of these cereals together with the total cost; (2) taking the annual average quantities of wheat and oats sold in the five pre-war years 1909–13, if the same average quantity were sold in the years 1917–22 at the minimum prices fixed for the latter years in the Corn Production Bill instead of at the pre-war average price, what would be the increase of a cost the consumer; and if he will state, separately, this excess cost for each of these cereals in each of the years and the total excess cost; and (3), taking the annual average quantities of wheat and oats produced in the five pre-war years 1909–13, if the same average quantity were sold in the years 1917–22 at the minimum prices for the latter years fixed in the Corn Production Bill instead of at the pre-war average price, what would be the increase of cost to the consumer; and if he will state, separately, this increased cost for each of these cereals in each of the years and the total increased cost for the period 1917–22?

I annex tables giving the information asked for in, the hon. Member's three questions. The figures given cover the whole United Kingdom. With reference to the first table, it is important to observe that there are no records available to show the quantities of wheat and oats sold. The assumption made for the purpose of this table, namely, that 85 per cent. of the wheat and 20 per cent. of the oats produced are sold, is an estimate only, and does not allow for sales from one farm to another. The hon. Member no doubt realises that

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland why Mr. J. Larkin, B.A., teacher of St. Laurence's secondary school, Bray, county Wicklow, has not participated in the teachers' salaries Grant provided by the Intermediate Education (Ireland) Act, 1914?

Mr. Larkin was not entitled under the Teachers' Salaries Grant Rules to any payment as he received no results fees in respect of the school year immediately preceding the distribution. the guaranteed prices proposed in the Corn Production Bill do not involve any increase of cost to the consumer as such—as they will not affect the price of corn in the market.

asked the Secretary of State for India what were the quantity and value of spirits imported into India during the years 1913, 1914, 1915, and 1916, respectively, and the amount of revenue derived therefrom; and what were the countries from which the spirits imported into India Were exported?

Figures up to and including the latest financial year for which the information is available are given in the table below. The table as regards quantities and values is confined potable spirits. The revenue includes duty on methylated spirit and other non-portable spirits: (1) Imports of potable spirits, distinguishing countries of origin; (2) revenue from spirits.