asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the approximate expenditure of the Food Production Department from its inception to the latest available date?

The total gross expenditure of the Food Production Department, including Grants to the county organisations throughout England and Wales not yet wholly expended, amounted to £1,425,500 up to October 31st. Against this there have been receipts amounting to £300,843, and there are outstanding amounts recoverable which are estimated at £750,000. The total net expenditure is, therefore, approximately £375,000.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if he will state the terms of the Regulation which is actually being enforced with regard to the feeding of horses not used in work of national economic importance?

My hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. The Regulation to which the hon. Member refers is the Horses (Rationing) Order (No. 2), 1917, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if he can state the number of race-horses and thoroughbreds in the United Kingdom at present receiving rations under the provisions of the Horses (Rationing) Order, 1917?

My hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. The number of race-horses registered and licensed for the purpose of receiving rations under the Horses (Rationing) Order (No. 2), 1917, whilst in training for events in the present flat racing season in Great Britain is 1,185, but this number fluctuates somewhat, as a certain number of horses are from time to time put into or out of training, and notified to the Board of Trade. The number of race-horses receiving rations during training in Ireland is not exactly recorded, as the registration system was put into force at too late a date in the season for it to be carried out with any advantage in Ireland. The Turf Club of Dublin has, however, taken active steps to keep the number of horses in training at a minimum, and has informed the Board of Trade that the total number is considerably under 1,200. The Order does not provide for the central registration of the thoroughbreds that are being rationed thereunder.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty how many Grants of sites or money have been made by the Admiralty to religious bodies or social institutions between 4th August, 1914, and 4th August, 1917?

Between the dates mentioned, 123 Grants were made by the Admiralty to social institutions, amounting in all to £2,517 10s. Seven Grants were made to religious bodies, amounting in all to £177 15s. 7d. Sixteen sites were granted to social institutions, and ten to religious bodies. These figures are exclusive of any facilities which may have been accorded locally under the authority of senior naval officers.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty on whose recommendation a Grant of £15 per annum was made to the funds of St. John's Church, Great Yarmouth; and whether the use of the church by men of the Naval Air Service entails any extra expense on the clergy and churchwardens of the church?

The Grant was made on the recommendation of the local senior naval officer. Extra expense in the way of heating and cleaning is no doubt caused, as there is a special service held every Sunday morning for officers and men.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that soldiers and sailors below the rank of warrant officer who, by reason, of the amount of their income or for any other reason, are exempted from the provisions of the National Insurance Acts, are compelled to pay l½d. per week for national insurance benefits; and if he will put a stop to these compulsory payments in future and refund the amounts already paid?

[The hon. Member addressed a question in similar terms to the Secretary to the Admiralty.]

The hon. Member would appear to be misinformed; all soldiers other than those of the Regular Army are given the option of remaining uninsured if they have not been insured in civil life

All entries into the permanent Service, regardless of their incomes, are compulsorily insurable under Section 46, Sub-section (1), of the National Insurance Act, 1911, during their first engagements, the statutory rate of deduction from their wages being l½d. per week. In return, the men are eligible for maternity benefit during their service, and, except in cases of men totally disabled and discharged with war disablement pensions, to the full benefits of the Act on their discharge from the Service. Men who re-engage to complete time for pension are permitted to elect whether they will remain in insurance or not, and the deductions from wages are, continued during the second engagement only if the men elect to remain in insurance.

Reservists and men entered for hostilities only are compulsorily insurable after being called up or after entry into service only if they were in insurance immediately prior to such service. Such men, if not in insurance immediately prior to being called up, or to entry into service, are permitted to enter into insurance or not at their own option. The option once exercised is final, and the deductions from wages, which are at the rate of l½d. a week, as in the case of men of the permanent Service, are made only in the cases of men who are compulsorily or voluntarily insured.

Any case brought to the notice of the Admiralty in which an improper charge has been made is always adjusted.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the new scheme for the reorganisation of the-Air Services provides for any system of correlation between the defensive operation of aeroplanes and other flying craft and that of the anti-aircraft batteries and guns in this country; and whether it is proposed to place both of these Departments under the same administrative control?

The hon. and gallant Member will see that these matters are dealt with in the Air Force Bill now before this House.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he is aware that the commanding officer at Belton Park Camp is imposing one and a-half hours' extra drill upon a number of men, that these men have no trial of any kind, that the number of days they have to perform this extra drill is indefinite; and. whether he will inquire why these men have been given this extra drill?

Inquiries have been made, but no case can be traced of any man being given punishment drill without trial. It is possible that my hon. Friend has heard of extra drills which are performed by backward men in. order to bring them up to the required standard of efficiency. These are not punishment drills.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that a soldier was, on 28th August, admitted to hospital suffering from shell-shock and neurasthenia, but has been discharged in Class A, after a short period of hospital treatment, and sent straight back to the firing-line; and whether the practice is, or regulations require, that any period should elapse before a neurasthenic is sent into action?

My hon. Friend has supplied me with details of the case in question. The soldier referred to has been brought before a medical board in France, who considered him to be in good health and fit for his present duties. His commanding officer also reports that since lie has been with his present unit he has carried out his duties in an efficient manner, is apparently well and fit, and has not complained of ill-heath or reported sick. My hon. Friend will realise that neurasthenic cases vary very much in degree, and it has hitherto been thought inadvisable to impose such a restriction as he suggests on the medical opinions which may be formed as to individual cases. The matter is, however, now being reconsidered in the light of the experience which has been gained regarding these cases.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he can see his way to remedy the grievance whereby a badly wounded officer if unfit for service is put on half-pay after eighteen months, whereas a prisoner of war if exonerated from blame by a Court of inquiry receives full pay for the whole time he was a prisoner; and, seeing that an officer by being wounded loses his chance of promotion, if he will see that he receives the full pay of his rank at least till the end of the War?

My hon. and gallant Friend is misinformed on the subject of promotion. The wounded officer gets the ordinary regimental promotion in his turn, whereas the promotion given to the prisoner of war is limited. Moreover, an officer whose wounds are very severe is entitled to wound gratuity or pension.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he can give the House any information regarding the alleged discovery in Madras of a plot to obtain German aid for a rising in India?

A recent telegram in the public Press gave some particulars regarding a trial which was being held in a Madras district in which the accused was charged with complicity in a plot to obtain German aid. No official information regarding it has as yet been received from India.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the total amount of wood pulp imported into Great Britain in 1912, 1913, 1914, 1915, and 1916; what proportion of this came from Norway; and of the Norwegian consignment what proportion was imported by the Kellner-Partington Paper Pulp Company?

The average annual quantity of wood pulp imported into the United Kingdom from all sources during the period from 1912 to 1916 was 901,000 tons, of which 397,000 tons, or 44 per cent., was consigned to this country from Norway. The figures for each individual year will be circulated with the OFFICIAL REPORT. Particulars of the quantities of wood pulp imported on account of a particular company could only be ascertained as a result of an exhaustive examination of a vast mass of original papers relating to individual entries, and I do not think that I should be justified in asking the Customs authorities to undertake so onerous a task in present circumstances.

The following statement [referred to above] gives particulars of the imports of wood pulp in each of the years 1912-16, distinguishing imports from Norway Year. Total Imports from all sources. Of which Consigned from Norway. Proportion of Imports from Norway to Total Imports. Tons. Tons. Per cent. 1912 925,590 362,367 39.1 1913 977,757 373,899 38.2 1914 990,272 347,996 35.1 1915 954,050 442,923 46.4 1916 658,082 456,460 69.4 Total Imports 1912-1916 4,505,751 1,983,645 44.0 Average of the years 1912-1916 901,150 396,729 44.0

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, under The Companies (Particulars as to Directors) Act, 1917, the Board of Trade are prepared to accept as a sufficient description of director and the actual occupation of a director the specification of the name with the addition of the words director of companies, in addition to any other occupation; whether it is essential to include the full details of every company in which a director is interested; and what advantage in showing alien interest is the demand for such detailed information intended to serve?

Legal advice is being obtained on the points referred to by my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why the name of Mr. Hermann Katzenstein, of Lisbon, was removed from the statutory Black List on the 12th instant, in view of his German origin and his active participation in business in the iron and steel trades of this country with a view to influence the continuance of German trade with Portugal?

The firm of Hermann Katzenstein was removed from the Statutory List on the application of the Portuguese Government, who stated that it had been completely liquidated. This was confirmed by independent inquiry in Portugal. I am not aware that Katzenstein has had any dealings with this country since the inclusion of his name in the Statutory List on 29th February, 1916, with the exception of one or two small transactions permitted to be completed under licence in the early part of 1916. If the hon. Member has any evi- Engand. Scotland. Wales* Persons Killed. Persons Injured Persons Killed. Persons Injured Persons Killed, Persons Injured 1917 (January to October inclusive 673 2,618 151 497 271 878 1916 819 2,948 195 660 322 1,034 1915 836 3,203 150 612 332 1,105 1914 703 3,282 161 728 379 1,240 * The figures given for Wales are those for South Wales and Monmouthshire; those for North Wales sze included in the figures for England. Separate figures are not available.

dence to show that he is still carrying on business and will communicate it to me, appropriate steps shall be taken.

asked the Prime Minister if, in. cases where it is impossible to trace the place of birth and where there is no possible chance of discovering the age of persons who claim to be seventy years of age and require an old age pension, he will issue instructions to pensions officers to accept the marriage certificate showing the claimant to be forty-eight years married as evidence of age?

The question whether a claimant to an old age pension has attained the statutory age is a matter for the determination, not of the local pension officer, but of the local pension committee, or, if an appeal be entered, of the Local Government Board. In deciding on any claim those authorities will, of course, take into account all available evidence, including that of a marriage certificate; but I may point out that the bare fact that a claimant has been married forty-eight years would not necessarily show that he or she has attained the age of seventy, as he or she may have been married before having attained the age of twenty-two.

asked the Home Secretary if he can state the number of fatal and non-fatal accidents which have occurred in mines in England, Scotland, and Wales, respectively, during the past twelve months as compared with the number of such accidents in each of the three years immediately preceding?

The numbers of persons reported to the Inspectors of Mines as killed and injured through accidents in mines during the ten months ended 31st October last and the three years 1914 to 1916, are as follows: