asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether the returns of consumption of bread and flour for the four weeks ending 10th November have now been received; what changes, if any, in consumption are indicated by the figures for this period; and whether the returns necessitate any modification of the figures previously issued for the months of September and October of this year?

The amount of flour used by bakers or sold retail was, according to the returns received by the Ministry, 3½ per cent. more in the four weeks ending 10th November than in the previous four weeks. In the corresponding periods last year the increase was 3 per cent. No substantial modification need be made in the figures already given, but, owing to the probable variation in the amount of flour stocked by purchasers, it is considered that the quantities used by bakers afford the better index of actual consumption in recent months; these quantities show an increase of 3 per cent. when the four weeks ending 13th October are compared with the four weeks ending 15th September (the date of the reduction of price), and a further 2 per cent, in the four weeks ended 10th November. Last year the increase was 1 per cent in each period.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he will consider the advisability of arranging that whole-wheat meal (95 per cent. extraction) produced in Government-controlled mills, in order to improve its digestible and nutritive qualities, shall be ground so finely as to pass through a No. 16 wire sieve and that the bread made from such meal shall be sold as Government regulation whole-meal bread, so that the public may know that it is of the above extraction and sufficiently finely ground, and that it is sold at the same price as Government regulation white bread; and will he state whether brown bread is being sold to the public made from white flour mixed with offals of a coarse and indigestible nature

The limited supply of labour and machinery available for flour millers renders the arrangement suggested in the first part of the question impracticable. The maximum price permitted for the retail sale of whole-meal bread is the same as that sanctioned for bread made from Government regulation flour. The sale of brown bread made from white flour mixed with offals is not prohibited, but I am informed that such sale is inconsiderable.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether his attention has been drawn to cases of dealers who have been refused permits to sell potatoes though they have stocks at their disposal; whether he is aware that in some instances the dealers refused these permits were selling at rates below those charged by some of their competitors; and whether he will say what action he proposes to tale to secure that potatoes will be sold as cheaply as possible to the people?

The answer to the first two parts of the question is in the negative, but I shall be happy to look into the matter if the hon. Member will let me have particulars of the cases which he has in mind. The Potatoes Order, No. 2, 1917, issued on the 12th November was designed to cheapen the cost of potatoes to the consumer and has already had this effect.

ACREAGE, PRODUCTION and YIELD per acre of WHEAT, BARLEY and OATS in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland in 1915, 1916 and 1917. — Acreage. Production. Yield per acre. 1915. 1916. 1917. 1915. 1916. 1917. 1915. 1916. 1917. Acres. Acres. Acres. Qrs. Qrs. Qrs. Bshls. Bshls. Bshls. Wheat— England 2,121,519 1,862.211 1,854,870 8,293,269 6,657,781 6,954,184 31.27 28 60 29.99 Wales 48,651 49,997 63,615 171.472 177,627 210,465 28.20 28.42 26.47 Scotland 76,654 63.083 61,072 369,919 283,097 304,000 38.61 35.90 39.82 Ireland 86,530 76,438 124,082 404,695 353,379 570,500 37.42 36.98 36.78 Barley— England 1,151,536 1,244.639 1,364,722 4,229,031 4,849,962 5,198,744 29.38 31.17 30.48 Wales 80,178 87,437 95,166 298,898 330,964 340,770 29.82 30.28 28.65 Scotland 149,346 169,735 159.414 628,131 647,145 705.000 33.65 30.50 35.38 Ireland 141,586 150,063 177,135 706,184 784,479 927,080 39.90 41.82 41.87 Oats— England 1,888,530 1,862.489 2,012,627 9,501,696 9,412,818 9,812,408 40.25 40.43 39.00 Wales 199,479 222,172 246,190 885,211 998,175 1,054,357 35.50 35.94 34.26 Scotland 982,601 990,589 1,040,371 4,885,190 4,527,536 5,447,000 39.77 36.56 41.89 Ireland 1,088,664 1,071,593 1,463,737 7,036,298 6,395,253 9,665,384 51.71 47.74 52.83

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if he has received representations from the local food authority for Shetland; and, if he has received them, why no reply has been sent nor even a reply to a telegram sent last week?

I am informed by the local authority in question that the food control committee has resigned on the ground of certain difficulties experienced in the Shetlands in respect mainly of freight charges and shipping facilities. The local authority has been informed in reply that the Ministry of Food are considering closely the difficulties which have led to the committee's resignation, and has been urged to reconstitute the committee, if possible, so that the difficulties experienced in the Islands may not be complicated further by the absence of a competent local authority for food control.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he will give the number of acres under wheat, barley, and oats, respectively, in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland, for the years 1915, 1916, and 1917; and the total production in each year and the average yield per acre?

The following table gives preliminary data showing the information desired by the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty, if the Order of 6th October referring to the removal of rum from bonded stores is still in force or if it has been withdrawn; if not, why it is considered to apply to small holders of rum when the Order only calls on the holders of more than ten puncheons to make declarations; and if the Director of Contracts, Branch V., Admiralty, will be communicated with?

The Order to which my hon. Friend alludes was rescinded by notice published in the "Gazette" on the 23rd instant. The remainder of the question does not therefore arise.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War why riding-masters and other officers holding honorary rank, and who hold appointments as adjutants, are not eligible for the rank of acting captain; and why these honorary ranks cannot now be abolished?

Au officer holding honorary rank is not entitled to military command, except over such officers and men as may be specially placed under his command. He is, therefore, normally debarred from holding the appointment of adjutant. In certain cases, such as prisoners of war camps, where the duties of adjutant are quite different from those in a combatant unit, an officer holding honorary, rank is allowed to combine the duties of adjutant and quartermaster. In regard to the last part of the question, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer given on the 12th instant to my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh East.

asked whether any distinguishing mark or badge has been or will be given to the members of the Territorial Force who mobilised for service abroad at the beginning of the War, thus enabling the despatch of the Expeditionary Force?

No such mark or badge is contemplated.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he has. received the Report upon the organisation and treatment of Africans in France; and, if so, whether it is proposed to lay this upon the Table of the House?

I will send my hon. Friend the substance of the Report.

asked the Under-Secretary Of State for War whether he can state the latest sickness casualty rates among the native carriers in East Africa; and whether any and, if so, what steps have been taken to reduce the rates previously announced?

This information has been called for, but has not yet been received.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he is aware that the civilian employés at No. 1 store of the Royal Flying Corps, Blackheath Read, Deptford, are not being paid the war bonus which those employed in other War Departments have been receiving since August last; and if he will cause inquiries to be made into the matter?

Inquiry is being made, and I will inform my right hon. Friend of the result.

asked the Pensions Minister whether, in view of the fact that the military medical authorities have decided that Private Richard Evan Howells, late of the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry, is suffering from club foot ( talipes equinovarus ), while, on the other hand, the doctor who examined Private Howells on behalf of the Montgomeryshire War Pensions Committee states that he certainly has not the disease, he will take steps to secure an independent medical opinion on the matter?

If Private Howells would adopt the suggestion made in my answer to the hon. Member on the 5th instant, and take his case before the Pensions Appeal Tribunal, the eminent doctors who sit on that tribunal would decide the question that has bean raised as to his disability.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state the steps taken by each of the self-governing Dominions to denaturalise persons of enemy blood?

As regards Canada, I would refer the hon. Baronet to the answer of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to a question by the hon. Member for the Devizes Division on the 19th instant. I am not aware of any action taken in the other self-governing Dominions, except in New Zealand, where legislation has recently been passed empowering the revocation of the naturalisation of any naturalised British subject in any case in which this is deemed advisable on grounds of public policy.

asked whether any of the self-governing Dominions have forbidden neutral aliens to work in munition factories?

I have no information as to any such Regulations.

asked if any German bank had a branch in Australia when war broke out; and, if so, has such branch been completely wound up?

I understand that no German bank had a branch in Australia at the outbreak of war.

asked the Minister of Reconstruction whether any consideration has been given by the Ministry of Reconstruction to the future salvage of merchant vessels and cargoes now at the bottom of the ocean in international waters; and whether the Government will bear in mind that there is a probability of German enterprise, whether under the German or neutral flag, endeavouring to enter this field in view of the experience they have gained in salvage operations and also of an indiscriminate promotion of private enterprises in this direction; and, in view of the State insurance scheme, whether the rights of the State will be fully safeguarded?

I am not in possession of any information in regard to the matters to which the hon. and gallant Member refers, but I shall be happy to bring his suggestion to the notice of the. Departments concerned.

asked the President of, the Board of Trade if he will institute an inquiry into and an examination of the books of contributions and minutes of the lodges, branches, and districts of the South Wales Miners' Federation, with a view of protecting its members and its funds within the registered objects of that society; if he is aware of the fact that the members' moneys have often been used for purposes entirely opposed to rule, and that the expenses of the delegates to peace meetings and anti-war meetings, large and small posters, thousands of handbills and pacifist literature, printing, Police Court fines, and grants towards conscientious objectors are paid out of the union funds; and if he will see that such moneys are paid back to the funds of the federation and take action against the persons responsible for such misconduct?

I will consult the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies, but if, as appears to be the case, the lodges,. branches and districts to which the hon. Member refers are unregistered, I am not sure that the Chief Registrar has any power to institute the inquiry suggested. In that case the remedy would lie in the hands of the members themselves.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if he can state the number of local authorities prepared with housing schemes to be put in operation after the War and the number which have schemes under consideration

The returns at present before me, which are not yet complete, show that some 340 local authorities have schemes actually in course of preparation. Nearly 500 others, in addition to those above mentioned, have already expressed their willingness to carry out schemes with adequate financial assistance from His Majesty's Government.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food, if his attention has been directed to the fact that the fishermen of Skerries, Lerwick, are unable to dispose of their fish; and if he will join with the Board of Trade and the Scottish Board of Agriculture in making representations to the Shipping Controller to insist that a suitable vessel be sent to the islands at least once a fortnight

I can add nothing to the answer given last Thursday by the Secretary for Scotland on this paint.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that nine of the twenty-two cases of illegal shooting after the Ceylon riots which were comprised in the Sinhalese memorial were the subject of inquiry by Sir John Anderson's local Commission; that in all these nine cases it was found that the statements in the memorial were substantially correct, and the denials made at different times in this House by himself and his predecessor were unfounded and inaccurate; whether he has any reason to suppose that the official denials in respect of the other thirteen cases given in the memorial are more worthy of credence; and, if not, whether he will see that those cases are dealt with on the same basis as the other nine, and compensation paid, wherever possible, to the widows and relatives of the victims?

All the cases of illegal shooting alleged in the Sinhalese memorial have been carefully investigated by Sir John Anderson, and of them ten were considered to require further inquiry by a local Commission. Five of these ten cases had been the subject of questions in this House prior to the receipt of official reports on the allegations, and on the information then before him my predecessor stated that he had no reason to believe in the accuracy of the allegations. The Commission found that in all these cases the shooting was illegal, though done in good faith for the maintenance of order, but the statements made in the memorial were shown to be inaccurate in important particulars. The obvious exaggeration of the statements contributed in no small degree to the disbelief with which they were received. In the cases not referred to the Commission, full official reports traversing the allegations had been accepted as satisfactory by my predecessor, and I see no reason for reopening the matter. I have no doubt that the Governor of Ceylon has granted compensation in all proper cases.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that Clevedon, Somerset, a town of 6,000 population, has no post outwards on Sundays; that letters posted after 6.45 p.m. on Saturdays are only delivered in London on Tuesday; that there is a Sunday evening mail train which stops at Yatton to pick up mails, and that the Clevedon district council offers to pay the whole cost of sending a letter bag on Sundays to be placed on this mail train; and whether he will favourably consider this addition to the Clevedon postal facilities?

It is not merely a question of expense. The Sunday evening dispatch from Clevedon ceased in January last, when the Sunday train service on the Clevedon branch line was suspended as part of a general policy in order to economise labour and material. A letter posted on Sunday should be delivered on Monday afternoon or evening in any part of London. The provision of a road mail service would tend to defeat the object aimed at by the restriction of railway facilities, and I cannot, therefore, accept the offer of the Clevedon Parish Council.