asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will state the extra cost which would be entailed by a reasonable increase in the smaller pensions enjoyed by members of the Civil Service; and (2) how many retired Civil servants there are drawing pensions of less than £250 a year.

I regret that the desired figures are not available and would take much time and trouble to collect. But I can assure the hon. Member that the cost of an increase would be very large.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what offer, referring to the sale of this season's crop of potatoes, was announced by the Food Controller before the 23rd February, 1917?

The Food Controller announced in January that minimum prices would be guaranteed to growers of potatoes of the 1917 main crop at rates for first quality potatoes ranging from 115s. to 130s. per ton, according to the date of delivery after 15th September. This announcement was varied and expanded by two subsequent announcements. On 23rd February the Prime Minister stated in the House of Commons that there would be a uniform rate of £6 per ton. On 2nd May a notice was inserted in the Press by the President of the Board of Agriculture, after consultation with the Food Controller, stating that the Government would guarantee to the grower a price of £6 per ton f.o.r. or f.o.b., for all sound marketable ware potatoes, grown in 1917, which will not pass through a 1⅝ inch riddle, in lots of not less than four tons, on and after 15th September, 1917.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if his attention has been called to the devastation of young crops on farms in the North and South Tyne districts by the preservation of the thousands of hares and rabbits in the woods and plantations adjoining farms; and what steps, if any, he proposes to take to save the production of food for human consumption?

No complaints of the kind have been received by the Board from the districts named. Our Commissioner reports that no serious damage is being done to crops by hares and rabbits in the district. The only exception is one farm, where the owner of an adjoining wood has been called upon to kill down the rabbits. If he fails to do so, the responsible executive committee will use their powers under the Defence of the Realm Regulations for the purpose.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that nine men at Bignall End, Staffordshire, have made repeated application for small holdings to the Staffordshire County Council, North Staffordshire Small Holdings Committee, and that they are still pressing for their application to be granted; whether he is aware that the area of a certain farm there is 212 acres and that only 40 acres thereof are being cultivated, that if allowed the necessary land the nine men are prepared to work the same on co-operative principles, that they do not ask the Treasury for financial assistance, and that they will provide themselves with the necessary capital and equipment; and whether, in view of their offer and the needs of the country with respect to home-grown food supplies, he will take the necessary steps with the local authorities concerned to arrange for small holdings to be allowed to these nine patriotic working men as requested?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. With reference to the second part, the Board have no reason to suppose that, by taking the land referred to from its present occupier and handing it over to the applicants, its productiveness would be increased. The war agricultural committee will, no doubt, see that the land is properly cultivated. As regards finance, I may explain that there is no question of the men themselves requiring financial assistance to enable them to cultivate small holdings. As I stated in my answer to the hon. Member's question on 21st May, the county council are still unable to acquire land by purchase for these men, or to equip land, however acquired, for small holdings. The Board have now asked the applicants whether they can suggest suitable alternative land, and will take all possible steps to provide the men with small holdings.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can state the prices at which beef and mutton have been commandeered in the overseas Dominions?

No meat has been "commandeered" in the overseas Dominions, but, with the assistance of the Government concerned, the whole exportable output of Australia and New Zealand has been purchased by agreement, and the following are the prices there of leading qualities: Australia. New Zealand. Beef … 4⅞d. per lb. 5d. per lb. Mutton … 5⅛d. per lb. 5⅛d. per lb. Lamb … 6⅛d. per lb 6⅜ per lb.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can state the average price to the first purchaser of beef in the Argentine?

The Board of Trade have not this information.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether each of the Irish political refugees banished from Ireland without charge or trial last February was at that time invited to sign a form indicating his own choice of a place in which he would reside; whether any notice has since been served on those refugees of the withdrawal of that freedom of choice; and what is the intention of the Government with reference to those of them who have exercised that freedom of choice and are now residing in places not chosen for them by the English Government?

As I informed the hon. Member some time since, none of the deportees was asked to sign any form. Each person was given choice of various localities in England in which he might reside, and the selection made was acceded to in the cases where choice was exercised. Since the deportees came to England they have been under the jurisdiction of competent military authorities in this country. I have no knowledge of the whereabouts of any deportee who is not residing in the place designated for his residence.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the Army Council Intelligence Order 1328 of 1916, time-expired military men are, at the discretion of their commanding officers, to be granted a month's furlough, provided that the men can be released from military duties; whether this also applies to time-expired military men who have been wounded, and who therefore specially deserve the furlough; and whether, in that event, he will take into consideration the case of Bombardier Campbell, No. 33,675, No. 9 Company, Royal Artillery Depot, South Camp, Ripon, Yorkshire?

These instructions apply to all N.C.O.'s and men who would become due in the ordinary course for discharge on the termination of their engagement. I have called for a report on the case of Bombardier Campbell, and will let my hon. Friend know how he is situated as regards furlough.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he will lay down some principle as to the order in which constables shall be recruited for the Army, having regard to the fact that the Glasgow city police authorities have released men for the Army approaching forty years of age, whereas young men with only a few years' service are being retained in that police force; and will he consider whether the interests of both the Army and the police would be better served by retaining the experienced constables until all the men under thirty years of age have been called to the colours?

On the general question of the release of police constables, I must refer my right hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for North Somerset on the 25th May last. The decision as to which particular constables of those fit for general service can most conveniently be released for service is a matter for the particular police authorities, with the exception of men under twenty-three fit for general service who have been ordered by the War Cabinet to be released for military service. Perhaps my right hon. Friend would address a question to my right hon. Friend the Secretary for Scotland, if he wishes to pursue the matter.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether there is one generalissimo in command of all the Allied forces on the Western front; and. if so, who holds that command?

I am afraid that it would not be in the public interest to make any statement on this subject.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he will cause inquiries to be made into the refusal to grant separation allowance to Mrs. Margaret O'Rourke, mother of Private James O'Rourke, No. 221,722 Royal Engineers; if he is aware that he has allotted 6d. per day, and that for eleven months out of fifteen months previous to joining the Army he contributed 15s. per week to his mother's support, and that for four months while he was unemployed he supported himself; and if he will see that this woman is not deprived of separation allowance because her son was idle for four months?

The claim of Mrs. O'Rourke was disallowed by the Pensions Authorities as prior dependence could not be established. An appeal has been received and instructions given for the claim to be re-investigated.

asked the hon. Member for Worcestershire (Bewdley Division) on what ground Welsh firms who have hitherto bought wool in Carnarvonshire are now prohibited from doing so, and for what reason the busi- ness is handed to a firm from Stainland and another from Bradford; and whether he will see that other arrangements are made so as to obviate the loss of their business connection to the local firms and inconvenience to monoglot Welsh farmers in being compelled to deal with strangers?

I am not aware to what particular merchants in North Wales the hon. Member refers. Welsh wool merchants who have shown that they have sufficiently expert acquaintance with Welsh wools will be employed to take up their usual clips this year. Merchants, however, who do not case will not be directly recognised by the Department, but will be affiliated to casing merchants and will be directly responsible to them. They will receive the same remuneration as last year, based on services rendered. No merchant will be authorised in Wales unless he has a warehouse there, and English merchants who have been accustomed to buy in Wales and have not opened a ware house there will be debarred from buying there this season. Only five Bradford firms are authorised to buy in North Wales this year, compared with nine last year.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he is now in a position to state the amounts of the increased Grants towards primary, intermediate, and technical education in Ireland corresponding to the increases towards those services in this country, and the respective schemes proposed for the expenditure of the amounts?

This matter is being dealt with as rapidly as circumstances permit.