asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the British Government has undertaken to pay a pension to King Constantine, late King of Greece; and, if so, what is the amount of that pension?

asked whether any annuity or payment has been made by the Greek Government to King Constantine on his abdication; and, if so, what the amount of the annuity or payment is, and also if the Treaty Powers are in any way responsible or have guaranteed such payments?

I am not yet aware what arrangement the High Commissioner came to with Monsieur Zaimis in regard to King Constantine's future pension. Presumably it will be paid from Greek revenues.

Are we to understand that the Foreign Office is not yet aware of the action taken in this matter?

I have told the hon. Gentleman that I am not yet aware of what arrangements were come to.

Why is it that the Press in this country get information of these events before the Foreign Office?

This question has already been answered.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that on 19th June M. Venizelos sent a telegram to the Press of the United States disclosing that the guaranteeing powers prevented Greece from having a republican form of Government; whether the ties of blood between the British, Danish, German and Greek Royal families were in any or all these cases the grounds for this action of the guaranteeing powers; and whether it is the policy of the Allies, as also of the German Kaiser, to support the Greek Royal house against the Greek people?

The policy of the Guaranteeing Powers has been often stated, and the insinuations of the hon. Member have been often contradicted. There seems no reason to add anything to the answers already given.

Would it not be well to associate the United States with all these acts of great importance?

How can I associate the United States with questions put to me?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, having regard to the misunderstanding which exists as to the action of the Allies in Greece, he will, as soon as possible, lay Papers dealing with the actions taken by the Allies from the date of the landing of Allied troops in Salonika to the date of the removal of King Constantine?

The time has not arrived when the full correspondence on this subject can be laid before the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will now arrange for a full and frank discussion of Greece and the Salonika Expedition?

As the hon. Gentleman is aware, this is a question which can only be answered by the Leader of the House, but personally I do not think such a discussion would at present be in the public interest.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War what is the policy of the Army Council in regard to the granting of remission of sentences to conscientious objectors who are rejected by the tribunal or who refuse to accept the conditions of work under the Brace Committee; and whether such policy has resulted in repeated trials by court-martial for what is practically persistence in disobedience to military commands?

The policy of the Army Council in regard to such men has been to regard them as soldiers, and in consequence to accord them the clemency which is meted out to soldiers who have been guilty of offences against discipline. The scale of punishments laid down in paragraph 583 of the King's Regulations as suitable for offences committed by soldiers has been followed, and the sentences passed by courts-martial reduced accordingly. Twelve months' experience, however, has proved that the clemency has been invariably abused, and that as soon as such men are released from prison they immediately commit themselves again. It has, therefore, been decided to make no more remissions in such cases during the continuance of hostilities, and the sentences of district courts-martial will be left undisturbed.

Does that mean that exceptional circumstances will not be taken into consideration, and that instead of judging each case on its merits there will be a rule excluding all of them from any remission of sentences?

If there are any special circumstances I dare say they will be taken into account.

Does the policy of the Government now mean that the men who continue to disobey orders will serve successive sentences in prison?

I do not think they will come out of prison.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War (1) whether his attention has been called to a recent meeting of the Mitcham Tribunal, at which a man passed for service asked permission to go before a special medical board; whether he is aware that this man is blind in one eye, half-blind in the other, and stone deaf, and had to be led into the room by a clerk; whether he proposes making any investigation into this case; (2) whether his attention has been called to a Mitcham chemist, the owner of a one-man business, who applied before the local tribunal for permission to go before a special medical board; whether he is aware that this man, formerly rejected for military service, has now been passed for general service, and that although he only weighs 91 lbs. he will be expected to carry a kit weighing 90 lbs. exclusive of his rifle; whether he has seen that Dr. Love, a member of the tribunal, described the classification as absurd; whether he proposes taking any action in the matter; (3) whether he will make investigation into the case of Charles Walker Smillie, of 7, Chipping-ham-place, Attercliffe, Sheffield, who was recently medically examined and passed for general service in the Army; whether he is aware that this man is 4 ft. 10 ins. in height and weighs about six stone, and that he will be expected to carry a kit heavier than himself; and whether, in the circumstances, he will cause a further medical examination to be made, either with a view to the discharge of this man from the Army or to the placing of him in a lower category?

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War (l) if he is aware that Harold Vincent Lawton, 77, St. Romans Road, South-sea, passed into Portsmouth Dockyard as engineer apprentice August, 1906, and was invalided out the same year with tubercle of the hip, that he has not been able to work for six and a half years, but has recently done sedentary work as a bank clerk, that he presented himself under the Derby scheme, was rejected for tubercle of the hip and given a blue form, and that H. V. Lawton was passed second general service in June, 1917; if he will inquire into this case and have, the matter put right; if A. C.I. 471, which suggests that any man who has been treated for tuberculosis at any time is to be rejected, has been abrogated; (2) if he is aware that Messrs. Leethem, corset makers, Portsmouth, who employ over 1,000 women hands, were asked in November last by the substitution officer, recruiting depot, if they would release a skilled pattern cutter, Robinson, a general service man, for the 6th Hants, if another of their cutters who had joined up but had become C 2 was returned to them; that Messrs. Leethem agreed in good faith, but now this substitute has been called up; that Messrs. Leethem have an excellent war record, and that they give their workers an allowance while in the Service and have promised to reinstate them after the War, but all this will be impossible if their factories have to shut down; and if he will inquire into the matter and allow Messrs. Leethem to retain all but general service skilled pattern cutters?

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he will make inquiry into the methods of the medical board at St. Andrew's School. Stockport, where men are being summoned for a particular date for re-examination, kept waiting the whole day, and then sent away without examination and told to come come again, when a similar experience awaits them; and, in view of the hardship, inconvenience, and financial loss inflicted upon the men by this practice, will he take steps to effect an alteration?

I will answer at the same time Nos. 22, 23, 27, 28, and 31. In each of these cases it is necessary to obtain further particulars, and my hon. Friends shall be informed of the result as soon as possible.

asked whether, under the provisions of the Military Service (Review of Exceptions) Act, a man who has been medically rejected, who attained the age of forty-one in April last, who has been substituted for a man who has been released for the Army, and who is working in an excepted occupation, is called up for medical re-examination?

A man who was excepted from the Military Service Acts, 1916, and attained the age of forty-one within thirty days after the 5th April, 1917, the date on which the Military Service (Review of Exceptions) Act, 1917, was passed, cannot be made liable for military service under the latter Act. If a notice requiring him to present himself for medical re-examination is sent to him, he should return it to the recruiting officer with a statement as to his age, which may be fortified by his birth certificate.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that he is excepted from this Act if he attains the age of forty-one before the expiration of the thirty days after the notice is served on him, and that therefore the answer is inaccurate?

No, Sir. The answer may be incomplete.

It is inaccurate.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War whether he has now completed his inquiries into the question of persons of military age and fitness serving as military representatives before tribunals; and whether he can state the result of these inquiries?

Out of ninety-four appeal military representatives eleven of military age have been found fit for general service. Instructions have been issued that arrangements must be made for these eleven officers to be relieved of their recruiting duties and to rejoin their units for duty.

Will these gentlemen go before the tribunal in the ordinary way like anybody else?

No, Sir. They are officers in the Army.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War whether he is aware that Private Ernest Richard Bowyer, No. 290739, l/7th Battalion Welsh Regiment, belonging to North Salford, but now stationed at Marton Hall, Yorkshire, has lately been punished by being confined to barracks without pay for one month and given field punishment No. 1. which means being handcuffed and tied to a tree for two hours each day; whether he is aware that this young soldier is only sixteen, years of age and three months and has served a year with the Colours, and that his offence was that he overstayed his first leave; and whether he will take steps to prevent punishments of these kinds to lads of sixteen years of age?

It is necessary to call for a report in this case, and I will communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked whether interned officers are being promoted in the regular course in accordance with a promise to that effect given by the Under-Secretary of 'State for War on 10th February, 1915; and, if not, will he give the reason why this undertaking has not been carried out?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on the 13th March to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for York.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he will give instructions to delay proceedings under the Military Service (Review of Exceptions) Act, 1917, pending the decision of the Committee to be appointed?

I regret that it is not possible to adopt my right hon. Friend's suggestion.

asked (1) whether any Regulation has been issued limiting the hours of work or training for recruits between the ages of eighteen and nineteen; and, if so, the nature of the Regulation; (2) whether youths of eighteen are now trained in special units; and what arrangements are made for their educa- tion, training, feeding, and accommodation which differ from those made for older soldiers?

I will answer at the same time No. 36. Arrangements have been made for recruits enlisted under the age of eighteen years and eight months to be posted to battalions organised for their reception, and to which recruits over the age of eighteen years and eight months are not posted. A special training syllabus has been drawn up in order that there should be no risk of overstrain, and attention is paid to education and games. Instructions have been issued for special attention to be paid to ensure that the accommodation provided and the messing arrangements are satisfactory, and that proper provision is made for rest and recreation. An additional allowance of bread is given to all recruits under the age of nineteen.

asked when a youth who has been called up at the age of eighteen becomes entitled to his first leave; and at what intervals he can obtain leave subsequently?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh East on the 20th instant.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he is aware that the men in the Royal Garrison Artillery at Havre are not receiving the Regulation food rations, as recently stated by the War Office, and that they are not receiving more than half the amount laid down in the Regulations; and if inquiry will be made into this matter?

I have no information which bears out the hon. Member's suggestion. I am making inquiries, and if the hon. Member will let me have any details in his possession I shall be obliged.

asked the Prime Minister if he is aware that Members of the other House are not exempted from military service by reason of serving or sitting in that House; and if Members of this House are exempted, by what means, or for what reasons, such exemption is or can be obtained?

A Member of Parliament sitting in either House is not, as such, exempted from liability to be called up for military service. An Instruction was, however, issued in August last for the general guidance of recruiting officers that a Member of Parliament who, having been examined by a medical board, is found not fit for general service, is not to be called up.

Will these Members be re-examined?

Yes, Sir. I see no reason why they should not.

asked whether he has received any complaint, official or otherwise, regarding the type of machine supplied to the air pilots on service with the British troops in Mesopotamia?

I am not aware of the receipt of any communication on this matter which could with correctness be described as a complaint. The Commander-in-Chief in Mesopotamia has stated that he would like certain additions to the aeronautical equipment of his forces and his wishes in this respect are being met.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the Germans have discovered ourruse de guerreand know that we are making it a dumping ground for the worst of our machines and they are making arrangements accordingly?

Will the Government give a day for the discussion of the Mesopotamia scandal?

asked the Prime Minister whether he is prepared to give an early date for a Debate on our Air Services, policies, and administrations, in order to enable the Members of this House to express the views of their constituents on the question of reprisals?

The answer is in the negative.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the War Cabinet, the Government or this House of Commons are responsible to the people for the policy and for the conduct of this War?

The War Cabinet is responsible to this House, and between us we are responsible to the people.

Will the right hon. Gentleman give this House an opportunity of expressing its views or at least the views of the country?

I have answered questions of this kind, I think, about once a day for ten days, and I have stated more than once that if I find there is any general desire to discuss the subject an opportunity will be given.

May I ask if the bombing of our cities and the murder of our women and children and other acts against civilised warfare are to go on for ever unpunished?

No, not if we are able to stop them.

Is it not a fact that yesterday Lord Cowdray made a full and frank statement to many Members of this House who required explanation and that he explained why that information had to be confidential?

I am well aware of the meeting yesterday, and I think that it was very desirable.

asked the Prime Minister whether his refusal to entertain any organised system of re- prisals is due to the fact of their impracticability or to the Government's antipathy to methods which they consider barbarous?

I can only refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to him yesterday.

In spite of the answer, will the Government consider one form of reprisals which admits of no delay, and that is the ignition of German forests? Has my right hon. Friend's attention been called to an admirable pamphlet by Professor Beale, in which he shows that a series of aeroplanes armed with special incendiary devices could very easily set on fire the Black Forest and other very valuable forest land?

I need not tell my hon. and gallant Friend that this is not the first time we have heard of that suggestion.

asked the Prime Minister whether, as a matter of policy, he will instruct naval and military authorities to release for service in the Royal Flying Corps or Royal Naval Air Service every man under twenty-five years of age who is peculiarly fitted for, and desirous of, becoming a pilot or, alternatively, if he will instruct the naval and military authorities to encourage suitable volunteers for the Air Service by at least registering their names?

I have been asked to answer this question. The provision of pilots in numbers sufficient for manning the increasing supply of aircraft is a question for the naval and military authorities, who are responsible for the recruitment and training of personnel. There is at present no difficulty in obtaining suitable volunteers for the Air Services and there is no lack of encouragement.

Are we to understand that we have all the pilots we require, and that there is no desire for adding to their numbers?

The hon. Member had better understand exactly what the answer says.

May I ask this question of the Prime Minister? It is a question of policy and not a question of detail for little understrappers to answer.

asked whether, in view of the shortage of foods for dairy stock in the neighbourhood of Dublin, he will consider at once the advisability of adopting the suggestion of the county Dublin food production advisory committee that the military authorities should not now purchase or commandeer any hay within a radius of 10 miles of the Irish metropolis, and will revise the prices of hay commandeered in the light of the shortage referred to, and of the other considerations mentioned in the recommendations of the committee?

I have not seen a copy of the recommendations referred to in the last part of the question, but the question is under consideration by the Irish (Forage) Advisory Committee and the Central Forage Committee.

asked the First Commisiosner of Works whether he has obtained any report as to the condition of the land in Richmond Park recently broken up and sown down in oats; whether the operations connected with the cultivation of this plot of land have been carried out successfully; and whether he can state the acreage under oats and the expense incurred in cultivating and fencing the land?

I receive weekly reports on this subject. The operations of cultivation have been carried out successfully. Seventy-five acres have been placed under oats. The estimated cost is £696, including £424 for cultivation, £192 for manures, labour and horses, and £80 for threshing. The cost of fencing was £343.

Has the right hon. Gentleman visited the park himself, and can he vouch for the fact that the operations have been carried out successfully?

I visited the plot myself. I have a sample of the oats in a box here, and I am very pleased to tell the hon. Gentleman that the operations have proved very successful.

What was the total acreage broken up—I understand that 75 acres were put down to oats?

The total acreage is 75.

Is it not the case that there are large portions of the plot on which there is nothing growing at all?

No, Sir. I think there is a small portion which, owing to the dry weather, has not been so successful as we-might wish.

What amount of oats per acre is it estimated to get?

I would sooner not answer that question until we have had the oats raised.

asked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to resolutions from meetings of representatives of the organised miners of North Staffordshire, the Midland Miners' Federation, and from a special conference of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain, protesting against the continued increase and high cost of living, and calling upon the Government to take the necessary steps to abolish profiteering, to take over the full control of the necessaries of life, and to direct the distribution of the same, at reasonable prices, to the people; and whether he can indicate that the Government intend to deal with these matters on the lines suggested at an early date?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As I have stated in answer to previous questions, the Government are doing their best to deal effectively with this matter.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that the Australian Government have commandeered all the Australian wheat for the use of the Empire, and that there is an estimated exportable surplus of 80,000,000 bushels of wheat in Canada, he can say whether the Canadian Government has been asked if they will act in the same way as Australia; and, if not, will lie make this request to the Canadian Government?

The question of wheat supply from Canada has been discussed with the Canadian Government, but it is not proposed to adopt the suggestion made by the hon. Member. In view of the geographical differences between Canada and Australia the same methods of control are not equally suitable in the two countries.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the anxiety in the country districts as to whether sufficient sugar will be forthcoming for the preservation of fruit; if he realises that sugar for this purpose is needed now and in the immediate future, and that if it is not provided large quantities of most useful food will be lost to the country; and what action he proposes to take in the matter?

The Royal Commission on the Sugar Supply is distributing sugar for preserving fruit to about 500,000 applicants, mostly in rural districts, who are growers of their own fruit. This sugar is now being delivered to the applicants as rapidly as possible.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that in many districts no sugar has arrived, and that if it does not arrive next week it will be no use for strawberries?

Will he say when a representative of Ireland will be appointed?

I will inquire.

Can the hon. Gentleman tell us on what principle this distribution has been made, because I have a question down asking on what principle it is made, and, why certain large growers are given nothing and their applications taken no notice of?

I do not think I can anticipate the answer to that question which I have got.

Will the hon. Gentleman inquire from the War Cabinet, or from someone occupying a leading position in the Government, how it is that in regard to the distribution of sugar in Ireland no arrangement satisfactory to the needs of Ireland has been made by the Government?

The hon. Member must ask the Food Controller.

Is there the same shortage for making beer?

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that on fifteen different occasions I was promised that a representative of Ireland would be appointed in connection with the distribution of sugar and the appointment is not made yet?

I cannot answer these supplementary questions, which are for the Food Controller. I am only answering in the absence of a representative of that Department.

When are we going to get a representative of the Food Controller in this House?

That question should be addressed to the Prima Minister.

asked the Prime Minister if he intends to give a day for discussion of the Report of the Royal Commission on the Mesopotamian expedition?

I should be glad if my hon. Friend would put down the question again next week after the House has had time to study the Report.

Is it the right hon. Gentleman's intention to continue Lord Hardinge in the position he now occupies?

The answer which I have given replies to that also. I would rather not make any statement on the matter until the House has had a little more time to consider the Report.

What will be done with Lord Hardinge's Report in connection with the recent troubles in Ireland?

I had hoped to avoid saying anything about this at all to-day, but it is obvious to the House that the Government could not allow a Report of this kind to reach them without immediately taking steps to see what action should be taken.

Is the principle of the Government in appointing these Commissioners that of setting a thief to catch a thief?

Will the right hon. Gentleman deal with the cases of the officials censured in the Report during the interval or not?

I have already said that it must be obvious that it is the duty of the Government to take immediate action in regard to those who are specially accused of culpability in the matter.

Is Lord Hardinge still in a position of great authority and eminence at the Foreign Office?

These questions assume that Lord Hardinge has been guilty. I do not wish to make any such assumption at present.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman of opinion that, pending a final judgment of the House, the Government—

The hon. Member should give notice of that question.