asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether if all investors invested the full amount available in the Post Office Savings Bank in preference to putting the money in a War Loan there would be a saving to the country in the shape of interest; and if he is prepared to make any recommendation upon the matter?

The advantages to the State of borrowing in the form of savings banks deposits (at call) and in the form of a fixed term loan cannot be measured only by a comparison of the rates of interest paid on the two forms of investment, and it is clear that if all investors were to choose the former method, serious embarrassment might arise from the existence of a huge fund liable to be withdrawn at any time at short notice. I am not prepared to recommend one system to the investor in preference to the other; and I think it best to leave individuals to select the form of investment (whether ordinary deposit in the savings bank, War Savings Certificates or War Loan), which best suits their particular circumstances.

asked the Patronage Secretary to the Treasury whether the War Aims Committee has published any leaflets or other literature concerning the Allies' policy for a united and autonomous Poland; and, if not, whether this deficiency will be remedied?

The answer to the first part of the quetion is in the negative. With regard to the second part, the War Aims Committee will act as occasion may in future demand.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if he is aware that a formulary has been issued recently by the British Medical Association and the Pharmaceutical Society, in which the use of maize or rice-starch is ordered as an ingredient in pulvis glycyrrhizæ compositus (compound liquorice powder); and whether, seeing that the Maize, Barley, and Oats (Restriction) Order forbids the use of starch from cereals in any article not used as a food, he proposes to take notice of this incitement to infringe the Order referred to?

The quantity of maize or rice-starch used as an ingredient in compound liquorice powder is negligible. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if he can compare the compulsory rations that are allowed the German people with the voluntary rations to which the British people are expected to conform in the principal foodstuffs?

The comparative statement for which my right hon. Friend asks involves such intricacies of facts and figures that I propose, with his permission, to have it printed in the OFFICIAL REPORT. I may, however, say that, making allowance for the fact that the German rations include a relatively large supply of potatoes, the total food value of the British voluntary rations for the various classes of men appears to be about 30 per cent. to 40 per cent. higher than that of the German compulsory rations. There is probably also in this country a relatively larger supply of unrationed foods.

[ The following is the Statement referred to .]

German food rations vary in different localities, but the seals recently in force at Hamburg may be taken for purposes of comparison with the voluntary rations here:

Men on very heavy work receive 7⅛ lbs. of bread, as compared with 8 lbs. under the British voluntary scale; 12 3–10 ozs. meat (including lard), as compared with 2 lbs. of meat not including lard; 4 2–5 ozs. of butter and margarine, as against 10 ozs. of all fats; and 5 3–10 ozs. of sugar, as against 8 ozs.

Men on ordinary industrial work and sedentary men receive respectively 6 lbs. and 4 lbs. 3 7–10 ozs. of bread, as against 7 lbs. and 4 lbs. 8 ozs. of the British scale.

The other rations are the same for both these classes, and are: 8 4–5 ozs. of meat, as against 2 lbs. under the British scale; 3 1–5 ozs. of butter and margarine, as against 10 ozs. of fats; and 5 3–10 ozs. of sugar, as against 8 ozs.

In addition to bread, the British voluntary scale allows other cereals and pulse to the extent of ¾ lb. per week. No general figure can be given for the ration of such foods in Germany, but it is in most districts very small, and in Hamburg last September was estimated to be less than 1 oz.

The rations allowed to women in Germany are, as a rule, the same as for men of the same class.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether his Department has taken over all, or part of, the Imperial Institute at Kensington; and whether these or other premises are to be utilised for a ration card-index system of the whole population?

The Ministry of Food have taken over part of the Imperial Institute, South Kensington, which will be used as a clearing-house in connection with the sugar distribution scheme, and for other purposes incidental thereto, including the ultimate reception and scrutiny of all application and declaration forms.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that Mr. John M'Swiney was evicted from grazing land at Cloncool, Bandon, county Cork, which he held for over a quarter of a century; that the notice of eviction was issued immediately following the holding of a feis by the local branch of the Gaelic League, a non-political and non-sectarian association, established for the purpose of fostering the Irish language, literature, music, and games; that this land had also been given free of charge to Major G. Calvert, for the purpose of training the troops under his command in 1915; if he is aware that the agent, Mr. George K. Sherlock, Sessional Crown solicitor, objected to the use of the land by the military for such a purpose, but was then powerless to act, as the above-named officer was exercising his powers under the Defence of the Realm Regulations; whether he is aware that this gentleman's conduct has been publicly condemned by the Bandon Town Commissioners and several other bodies in the district; and whether such an act by one holding office under the Crown will be condoned?

I am informed that there was no eviction. The agreement for the letting of the land was terminated on its expiration. The account I have received of the Gaelic feis does not agree with the description of it given by the hon. Member. The rest of the question will be dealt with by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for War.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Colonel Stopford, at present in charge of the Brandon recruiting district, county Cork, has taken some grazing land at Cloncool, Bandon, from which Mr. John M'Swiney, after a quarter of a century's occupation, had been evicted; whether he is aware that Mr. M'Swiney had given this land free of charge to Major G. Calvert in 1915 for the purpose of training the battery of the Royal Field Artillery then under his command, notwithstanding the objection raised by the agent, Mr. George K. Sherlock, sessional Crown solicitor, to its Use for such a purpose; if he is aware that the Bandon town commis- sioners and other public bodies have publicly condemned this eviction and taking of this land; and what action he proposes to take?

This refers to a private dispute between landlord and tenant with which the War Department is not concerned. The field has been added to Colonel Stopford's leasehold. The land was used for a short period in 1915 for training purposes, but has not been so used since; no objection was raised.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he can give an approximate or a comparative estimate of the number of men recruited for the Army from the rural areas of Scotland?

My hon. Friend has asked me to reply. I regret that it is not possible for me to give the numbers of men recruited for the Army from the rural or any other areas in Scotland or elsewhere. There is no information which the enemy General Staff would more gladly receive than that which would enable them accurately to ascertain our existing reserves of man-power.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether soldiers who are prisoners of war participate in the increase of pay recently granted to men in the Army and Navy; and, if so, whether the increased pay will be paid to their wives or other dependants?

Prisoners of war obtain the benefit of the increased rates. The amount paid to the wife or other dependant cannot be increased without the soldier's authority, but he is at liberty to allot the whole of the increase if he desires.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether his attention has been called to the case of Trooper Gordon Dennis, of the East African Mounted Rifles, now in hospital at Sidcup, Kent; whether the Nairobi Medical Board sent Dennis to England on full pay for further treatment for wounds; whether Dennis is, despite that fact, only receiving quarter-pay; and what steps will be taken in the matter?

In accordance with the invariable rule when non-commissioned ranks of the East African local forces are invalided to England, Trooper Dennis was, from the date of leaving East Africa, placed on half the African rate of pay of his rank, namely, 4 rupees a day. Until he was wounded and captured he had drawn, in addition, extra regimental pay of 4 rupees a day as a scout while actually engaged in scouting duties. This extra regimental pay then ceased, and, as he was not available for scouting, it was not revived in the interval between his release and his embarkation. He has stated that the medical board recommended that he should be sent to England for further treatment on full pay, but the question of pay is not within the scope of the medical authorities. Trooper Dennis has received the same treatment as other members of the local forces sent to England, and it is not proposed to take any steps in the matter

asked the Minister of Munitions whether he is aware that on 10th September the East Stow Rural Council applied to the Ministry of Munitions, Priority Branch, for a priority certificate, Class A, in respect of 12 new cast-iron valve chambers with gun-metal valves for two sets of four-inch by six-inch three-throw plunger sewage pumps, for the sewage pumping station at Combs, in the said rural council district, to be manufactured by Messrs. Hayward, Tyler, and Company, Limited, of 99, Queen Victoria Street London E.C., and fixed by Messrs Stannard and Company, mechanical engineers, Stowmarket; whether he is aware that the matter is urgent, as the valve chambers in use are worn out, and the sewage-pumping machinery might break down at any moment, thereby causing danger to the public health; whether he is aware that the application was refused, but a certificate, Class B, was issued by the Ministry, and that the manufacturers reported that they were unable to supply the valve chambers unless a Class A certificate were granted, and whether, as owing to the delay a nuisance has been occasioned which is daily increasing, he will new grant a priority certificate, Class A, in respect of the said materials?

A specially approved Class B certificate was issued on 13th September for the execution of the order referred to in the question, and it was considered at the time that this degree of priority would be sufficient to enable the Order to be carried out. As the manufacturers reported that they were unable to supply the required parts on a Class B certificate, a Priority Instruction 4 (Class A) was issued on 16th November.

asked the Minister of Munitions whether he can state the amount paid in salaries and wages through national factories and works under the direct control of his Department in 1915, 1916, and 1917 as far as he has the figures for this year; and whether he can give any estimate of the increases likely to occur as the national factories are completed and come into full working order?

The amount paid in salaries and wages through national factories and works under the direct control of the Ministry of Munitions for the six months ending 30th September, 1917, was £19,136,767. I am at present unable to give any estimate of the increases referred to in the latter part of the question.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will state the percentage of war bonus already granted as compared with pre-war wages to the first-class constable in the Metropolitan Police area with twenty years' service, the munition worker, the coal miner, the railway employé, and the lower-grade Civil servants, taking in each of the four latter cases the worker with a similar experience and of a similar grade?

The rates of pay and bonuses of the Metropolitan Police were given in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Dulwich on the 26th November. In the other employments mentioned the rates of pay vary so widely that no fixed percentages could be given, and, if average figures could be obtained, the nature of the work and the conditions of employment differ so far from those of the Metropolitan Police that no useful comparison could be made.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that constables in East and West Suffolk have now received a bonus amounting in the former case to 60 per cent., and that in the case of the Metropolitan Police the bonus is only 20 per cent.; and whether he will reconsider the case of the Metropolitan Police?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on the 21st November to the right hon. Member for South Islington.

asked whether temporary male clerks being employed on Government work in Government Departments are paid at the commencing rate of 30s. to 35s. a week, dating from 1915, with the addition since of the bonuses; and what is the commencing rate for the Metropolitan policemen with, in his case, the bonus which may have been granted him?

I am informed that the commencing rate of pay for temporary male clerks in Government service is 30s. or 35s., with a war bonus of 8s. The minimum pay of a Metropolitan constable is 30s. a week, with a bonus of 8s. a week, and if he is a married man with children, 1s. 6d. for each child. He also receives 1s. 6d. to 2s. 6d. a week lodging allowance, and allowances for boots and coal and uniform.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Air Board if he will state the names of the fifteen insurance companies invited to submit terms for insurance of flax by the flax-buying committee at Belfast, and also the names of the nine companies selected to effect the insurance; and if he will state the names, addresses, and occupations of the persons constituting the flax-buying committee?

The fifteen insurance companies invited to submit terms for insurance re the Flax Supply Committee, Belfast, were: Royal. Patriotic. Commercial Union. Atlas. State. Ocean Motor Union. Alliance. Norwich Union. Hibernian. Yorkshire. Royal Exchange. Liverpool, London and Glebe. Guardian. North British and Mercantile. The nine companies selected to effect the insurance were: Royal. Patriotic. Commercial Union. Atlas. State. Ocean. Motor Union. Alliance. Norwich Union.

The names, addresses, and occupation of the persons forming the Flax Supplies Committee are:

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that a number of railway trucks are being used to carry coal from the Forest of Dean coal-field into Somerset, Devon, and Cornwall, and that at the same time numbers of vessels remain idle in the port of Lydney, Gloucestershire, from eleven to sixteen days; and whether he is prepared to call a conference with the Bristol Channel trow-owners with a view of utilising trows and reserving the railway trucks for more urgent traffic?

I understand that the merchants have diverted this traffic to the railway route mainly on account of the increases in the freights charged by the owners of the vessels. The Port and Transit Executive Committee have this question under their immediate consideration, and are calling a conference to deal with the matter, at which the Coal Controller, Railway Executive Committee, and the trow-owners have been asked to be represented.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any information as to the safety and circumstances of English residents in Finland at the present time?

We heard from Stockholm on the 20th of November that an Englishman who had left Helsingfors on 18th November reported that there was no disorder and that strict injunctions had been given that foreigners were not to be molested. I have no other information at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that it costs our soldiers in Italy 2½d. to send letters to their families; and whether he will approach the Italian Government with the object of securing the free postage of the letters of these men?

The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has asked me to answer this question. The troops serving in Italy are accorded the same facilities for the receipt and transmission of letters as the troops in France, and I was not aware that they were having to prepay letters addressed to this country. If the hon. Member will furnish me with particulars of specific cases, I will have inquiry made and acquaint him with the result.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether a library of war literature has been established in his office; what amount of money has been, or is intended to be, spent; whether any salaried officials have been appointed; and, if so, who they are?

The library of war literature is being established in connection with the Imperial War Museum. A sum of £5,000 has been allocated for the purpose, but an amount of £190 only has been spent. A large amount of material in the shape of books, journals, posters, and other cognate matters is being received through the agency of the various Government Departments, both in this country and abroad, as well as gifts from publishers and private persons. Mr. Forbes Sieveking has been appointed librarian at a nominal salary, and three women clerks have been appointed as assistants at weekly wages.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland when he expects to be able to publish the rules regulating the distribution of the Grant for secondary education in Ireland; whether it will be paid on the old discredited system of written examinations or if it will be based on attendance and inspection; and what provision is proposed for securing salaries and pensions for teachers?

The discussion of this matter is proceeding. I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he is aware that in 1906 Mr. Newell, late inspector of national schools, applied on three occasions for a portion of the ordinary six weeks' annual leave regularly allowed inspectors; that each of those applications was refused; that failing to get any part of his ordinary leave in that year he applied on two occasions for a few weeks' sick leave, but was again refused; why every year since 1903 till 1910, when he was forced to resign owing to secret reports put before the Board in September, 1906, January, 1907, and May, 1910, nearly every one of Mr. Newell's applications for ordinary or even sick leave was similarly treated?

Mr. Newell ceased to be an inspector of national schools in 1910. I cannot reopen questions which were then disposed of by a decision of the National Board and have since been made the subject of litigation by Mr. Newell.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been called to a speech in which the Right Rev. Dr. Day, Commissioner of National Education, states that the Commissioners urged the payment of the arrears of salary withheld from the paper-promoted teachers and the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant left it to be inferred from his answers that the Commissioners were on his side in refusing it; whether he is aware that the concessions in 1913 benefited only those on the waiting list and those promoted subsequently and left the arrears of salary due to the 200 masters still unpaid, and that these teachers claim no concessions or exceptions as to further promotion, but merely their legal wages; whether he is aware of the impression created among the teachers and public of Ireland by this treatment of faithful and meritorious public servants; and whether he will carry out the promise of his predecessor to pay these teachers and not scare away more men students from the nearly empty training colleges?

I have seen a report of the speech referred to. The decision in this case rests with the Treasury, as I informed the hon. Member in reply to his question on the 23rd November, and I am unable to hold out any hope of securing a further concession.

asked the Comptroller of the Household, as representing the National Health Insurance Commissioners, whether the accounts of the London Insurance Committee have been audited each year since 1912 by auditors appointed by the Treasury; if so, when such audits were completed, and what were the names of the auditors; and whether he is aware that no accounts of the London Insurance Committee have been published, although the Committee has been established since 1912?

I am informed that the accounts of the London Insurance Committee have, as required by the National Insurance Act, 1911, been audited, in accordance with the Treasury requirements, by auditors appointed by the Treasury up to the end of the year 1915. The Government auditors' certificates are dated as follows: For the period from 12th July, 1912, to 11th January, 1914; 22nd January, 1915. For the period 12th January, 1914, to 31st December, 1914: 31st May, 1916. For the year 1915: 15th July, 1916. The corresponding audit for 1916 will shortly be completed. On the last part of the question I am making inquiries.