asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, when issuing certificates of registration to retailers, he will give instructions to local food commissioners to take into account the necessity of an issue of sugar to beekeepers during the winter?

I will consult my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Agriculture as to the means to be adopted for meeting the requirements of beekeepers during the coming winter. I am, however, not satisfied that the object in view will best be met by the issue of sugar through retailers.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if any action has been taken to seize the munitions belonging to the Ulster Volunteers who were organised to resist the Government of Ireland Act?

I cannot add anything to the answers I gave yesterday to the hon. Members for South Down and the St. Patrick's Division of Dublin.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will consider the possibility of allowing chief warrant engineers, Royal Naval Reserve, to pass direct to engineer lieutenant, Royal Naval Reserve, and so place them on an equality in this respect with chief artificer engineers, Royal Navy, who pass to engineer lieutenant, Royal Navy, on promotion?

The rank of chief warrant engineer, Royal Naval Reserve, has only been in force for one year, whereas the rank of chief artificer engineer, Royal Navy, was introduced in the year 1903. When sufficient experience has been gained of the capabilities of the officers holding the rank of chief warrant engineer, Royal Naval Reserve, a proposal for their promotion direct to engineer lieutenant, Royal Naval Reserve, on parallel lines to the promotion of chief artificer engineers, Royal Navy, will be considered.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is now in a position to make any statement with regard to separation allowances to the wives of warrant officers promoted to commissioned rank?

I regret that I am not yet in a position to make any definite statement in this matter, except that it is still under consideration.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether there was any shortage of permanent junior accountant officers in His Majesty's Navy before the outbreak of war; if so, whether that shortage has been accentuated by the expansion of the Fleet and the casualties due to service, excluding officers of the Royal Naval Reserve and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve who return to civil life at the expiration of hostilities; whether, owing to the stagnation in the promotion of assistant paymasters, Royal Navy, it had been found necessary recently to promote these officers automatically on attaining twelve years' seniority; and whether, seeing that the duties of junior accountant officers can be efficiently performed by warrant writers, it is proposed to increase the number of warrant writers borne, and so reduce at once the shortage, and at the same time improve the promotion prospects of assistant paymasters, Royal Navy?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. As regards the suggestion in the second and last parts of the question that there is a shortage in the number of junior accountant officers in the Navy, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him in this House on the 16th July. The answer to the third part of the question is in the affirmative, the block in promotion being due to the junior list having been rapidly increased fifteen years or so ago, in order to meet the requirements of the Fleet. As regards the last part of the question, the promotion of warrant writers—a matter now under consideration—is regulated by requirements as frequently stated in answer to previous questions.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that some thirty chief writers, Royal Navy, of exceptional ability and eight years' continuous recommendation for warrant writer, have completed twenty-two years' service in accordance with their signed agreement, and will he say, in view of the entry of assistant paymaster, Royal Naval Reserve and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, from the shore of men untrained in naval accountant work, of what value are these recommendations; and, seeing that the Admiralty are continuing the entry from the shore of accountant officers and thereby barring chief writers from promotion and thus rendering hopeless their prospects in His Majesty's Navy, will he give them the option of remaining in the Navy or of taking their earned pension and allow them to see what they can do for themselves in another sphere?

The figure given in the first part of the question is correct. The recommendations are of value when selections are made for the periodic promotions to the rank of warrant writer, as no chief writer can be promoted unless continuously recommended. As regards the second part of the question, accountant officers are entered from the shore for temporary service during hostilities, while chief writers are promoted to warrant writer for permanent service. The entry of the former does not, therefore, interfere in any way with the promotion of chief writers, and the suggestion in the latter part of the question is not one that can be entertained. With one exception, the writers concerned are detained under the Proclamation, the exception being the case of a writer who is serving under a re-engagement for five years.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been drawn to the pay of female tracers in His Majesty's dockyards; whether he is aware that the apprentice who serves three years' apprenticeship commences at 6s. a week, rising in the second year to 8s., and in the third year to 10s.; that as tracers proper their wages commence at 15s. a week and increase by triennial increments of 1s. 6d. until, at the end of six years, the maximum of 18s. is reached; and that during the War a bonus has been given them of 2s. a week and a temporary rise in pay of 2s. a week, bringing their maximum pay up to 22s. a week; can he see his way to give the women tracers an extra bonus of 3s. a week so as to bring their wages up to 25s. and thus enable them better to meet the increased cost of living; and will he consider the question of leave now granted to female tracers, namely, nine days in the year, and consider the advisability of giving an extension?

The question of revising the pay of the female tracers is at present under consideration, and it is anticipated that it will be possible to announce the decision shortly. As regards the question of leave with pay, the Admiralty are not prepared to grant an increase in the present annual allowance for female tracers, which allowance is equal to that authorised for the assistant draughtsmen and mechanics on drawing duties.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty for what reason separation allowances are not granted to the wives of all the naval men interned in Holland?

The question doubtless has reference to a recent decision to impose restrictions on the grant of separation allowance in respect of men who have married while interned in Holland. As a result of representations that have been made, the matter is now receiving further consideration. The separation allowances paid in respect of men who were married before internment were, of course, not affected by the decision.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is now able to state the number of conscientious objectors to military service in detention barracks in this country and abroad?

As I informed my hon. Friend by letter on the 9th instant, there were eleven conscientious objectors in detention barracks at the date on which he originally put down his question.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the Army Council Instruction (808 L, 18/5/17), paragraph I., applies to men discharged on medical grounds?

The answer is in the affirmative.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War how many officers have submitted to the War Office, either directly or through official channels, appeals under Section 42 of the Army Act for submission to the King; and how many of such appeals have been actually laid before His Majesty?

It is quite impossible, I am afraid, to give any statistics on this subject. If my hon. Friend will refer to the provisions of Section 42 of the Army Act, he will see that the appeal of an officer under that Section is by law required to be transmitted to His Majesty.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War how it happens that the minimum wage for civil subordinates employed by the War Depart- ment at Plymouth and Devonport, together with bonuses, amounts to 39s. a week, while the men at Stonehouse doing the same work and also employed by the War Department are only paid 31s., with bonuses; and, in view of the fact that Stonehouse and Devonport are one political borough and Devonport, Stonehouse, and Plymouth one municipal area, he will explain the reason of the difference?

Arrangements have now been made to extend the Plymouth rate to East Stonehouse.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War whether he will publish the instructions under which travelling medical boards and standing invaliding boards are now doing their work?

I will place in the Library copies of the instructions under which these boards are doing their work.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if Sir Maurice Levy's Report recommends the establishment of a receiving depot in Ireland; and, if so, why this recommendation has not been carried out?

In reply to the first part of my hon. Friend's question, I would refer him to the answers given to the hon. Member for North Galway on the 21st and 29th March last. With regard to the second part of the question, I regret I can add nothing to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the hon. Member for the St. Patrick's Division of Dublin on the 2nd instant.

asked the Parliamentary Representative of the Air Board whether he can give any information as to the voluntary contributions received by the Government since the beginning of the War from British subjects overseas towards defraying the cost of aircraft for the use of the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps?

Generous contributions to the cost of the provision of aircraft have been received from all parts of the Empire and from British subjects in neutral or allied countries. The total number of gift aeroplanes and seaplanes so provided since the beginning of the War is 437. These gifts are much appreciated both by His Majesty's Government and by the two Air Services, as evidence of public interest in their work.

asked the Secretary for Scotland if he can state the number of cases in which since the beginning of the War deer-forest owners in Scotland have opened up portions of their deer-forests for the grazing of cattle and sheep; and the number of cases in which compulsory orders have been pronounced by the Scottish Board of Agriculture requiring the use of portions of deer-forests for grazing cattle or sheep stock?

I am informed that, in response to a circular from the Board of Agriculture for Scotland, eighty-five out of some 120 proprietors of deer-forests have intimated that they are willing to allow, and in at least twenty-five cases are already allowing, portions of their forests to be used for grazing. Seven compulsory Orders have been issued.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of the representations made by, a Parliamentary deputation to the Secretary of State for the Colonies on 15th December, 1915, pressing that the Government should prohibit the carrying of spirits on the Eastern Railway, then in-process of construction from Port Harcourt to Udi, in Southern Nigeria; whether this railway is now completed and is carrying spirits to the coalfields at Udi; and if so, at what rates; whether the embargo previously imposed on the carriage of spirits on this line has been removed; and, if so, whether he will state when it was removed and for what reason?

I am aware of the representations to which my hon. Friend refers, and I am able to inform him that the Eastern Railway is now completed, but, with regard to the other matters mentioned by him, the information in my possession is not sufficiently recent to enable me to give him a satisfactory answer, and I am, therefore, asking the Governor-General for a Report. I may, however, say that the total value of gin imported into the ports of Bonny and Bakana—which would include any gin carried on the railway—fell from £13,478 in 1915 to £1,164 in 1916. These figures are the latest available.

I have received notice that there will be a Royal Commission in the course of the day. I think my best plan will be to leave the Chair now, and as soon as a message is received from the other House, or a notification is sent, that the Commission is ready, the bells shall be rung so that Members may be informed that the House has resumed.

Sitting suspended at nine minutes after Twelve o'clock.

Sitting resumed at Twenty-five minutes before Three o'clock, Mr. DEPUTY-SPEAKER (Mr. Maclean) in the Chair.