asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the present fixed allowances for travelling and subsistence paid to officers of Customs and Excise in rural areas are based on actual expenses incurred and repaid in a period before the War; and, if so, whether, in view of the fact that the cost of hiring, motoring, and subsistence has substantially increased since the outbreak of war, these fixed allowances should be correspondingly and retrospectively increased?

The allowances referred to are based on the mileage estimated to be necessary during a year for the performance of the work and the cost of travelling by the various means available in and suitable for each area, together with subsistence allowances for prolonged absences. Extra expenditure on railway fares since the 1st January, 1917, is repaid to officers. I am not satisfied that there is any case for a general revision of the allowances, but the Board of Customs and Excise are prepared to consider any individual case in which it can be shown that the present allowance is inadequate.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he will state the number of ploughing tractors in England and Wales for each week from 1st December; the number of acres ploughed each week; the average ploughed by each tractor; and the total amount of land ploughed by tractors for the 1918 harvest?

The following statement brings up to date the information contained in the reply given to my right hon. Friend on 6th December. During the last four weeks the weather has been exceptionally bad for farm work, and the tractors have been at a standstill in most parts of the country. The area ploughed by Government tractors from the middle of August to 12th January was 231,600 acres. Complete figures are not available for the period previous to the week ended 18th August.

asked the Parliamentary secretary to the Ministry of Food when it is proposed to reduce the price of oatmeal in Scotland; and what reduction will be made in the present price?

The price of oatmeal in Scotland was reduced from 4½d. to 3½d. per 1b. on 31st December last. No further reduction is contemplated.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that a correspondence took place between his Department and the Dartford rural local food control committee as to the qualifications and remuneration of one of the lady speakers sent down to address public meetings arranged in the parishes in the committee's area; whether the reply received by the committee was to the effect that her qualification was that she was an accredited speaker for the Ministry, and that the remuneration of the Ministry's officials was a matter of internal interest only; and what steps are taken to ensure that the speakers sent out are capable and efficient, and that the remuneration given to them out of public funds is judiciously and economically expended?

The answer to the first parts of the question is in the affirmative. The food economy campaign is carried on almost entirely by voluntary speakers, who receive no remuneration out of public funds. All speakers sent out are selected as carefully as possible.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if his attention has been called to the food shortage, and particularly the flour scarcity, in Achill, county Mayo, resulting, according to the local medical officer, in a serious outbreak of disease amongst the children of the island, where food consists principally of inferior potatoes; whether, owing to flour shortage, many of the islanders are obliged to eat the potatoes which they intended to reserve for seed; and if he will state what steps the food control authorities have taken or intend taking to relieve the people by having a reasonable quantity of flour supplied to the local traders

I am glad to be able to state that the conditions of the Achill Islanders is not so bad as the hon. Member has been led to suppose. There has been a shortage of flour in some districts on account of difficulties of transport·, but the potato supply has been plentiful. The Irish Food Control Committee made temporary arrangements for supplies of flour through the Irish Flour Millers' Association, and the Wheat Commission informs me that further supplies have been sent.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the expenses of the Richmond District Lunatic Asylum have increased by over 50 per cent. since the outbreak of the War, as a result of the increase in the general cost of living; whether, in consequence, the Government contribution towards the maintenance of lunatics in public asylums in Ireland, which was fixed many years before the War, should now be revised; and whether the Government will take this matter into immediate consideration, with a view to giving some relief to the ratepayers?

My attention has been called to this matter, and I have been in communication with my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the subject. This question cannot be dealt with except in connection with a general revision of local taxation arrangements throughout the United Kingdom, which I understand would involve legislative proposals such as cannot be undertaken at the present time.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been drawn to a resolution of the board of guardians of the Celbridge Union requesting the attention of the Government to the fact that at present some unused mills in that district might be immediately utilised in connection with the proposed aerodromes in the vicinity; and whether favourable consideration will be given to this suggestion?

I have been asked to answer this question. My attention has been drawn to the resolution referred to, and it is being considered in connection with the general question of the utilisation of facilities in Ireland for aircraft production.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been called to the loss by enemy action of a new cargo steamer of 9,300 tons deadweight on the 13th December last upon her first voyage; whether he is aware that there was a loss of fourteen lives, including the master, chief officer, and first engineer; whether, on the previous day, two steam trawlers were attacked by enemy destroyers at about 4.30 in the morning of 12th December off the Tyne; whether, on the same day, 12th December, at 11.45 a.m., an attack was made in the North Sea on a convoy and, notwithstanding the above circumstances, the cargo ship in question was ordered by the Admiralty to proceed alone and to overtake the convoy which had started some time previously; and whether the Admiralty will improve the system of intelligence under which officers in charge of the dispatch of outgoing ships will be more fully advised of enemy action in their immediate neighbourhood?

The answers to the first four parts of my hon. Friend's question are in the affirmative. The Admiralty deeply regrets the loss of the valuable lives referred to in the second part of the question. The allegation that the cargo ship in question was ordered by the Admiralty to proceed alone to overtake a convoy which had started some time previously is not correct. The last part of the question therefore does not arise.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the Earby and Thornton Gas and Lighting Company are compelled, for the want of stokers, to restrict the supply of gas to daylight hours for the textile trades; and when Private J. E., No. 74712, 2/1st Derbyshire Yeomanry, will be released from the Colours as recommended to the War Office on 24th November last?

Orders for this man's release have been given, and if he is willing to accept employment with the firm he may be expected to start work at an early date.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the fact that many members of the Volunteer Force are responsible for 'the conduct of businesses and have liabilities as householders and heads of families, he can give an assurance that, in the event of the mobilisation of this force, as ample preliminary notice as possible will be given to all ranks?

The Volunteer Force will be called out for actual military, service in the event of imminent invasion, and I am afraid that in such an emergency very little preliminary notice will be practicable.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he can now state the number of officers above the rank of brigadier-general who have been permanently retired in connection with the military operations at Cambrai?

I can add nothing to the answers given on the 15th instant by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and to the answers which I gave on the 18th.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he will give the result of his in quiries with regard to the extension of the same privileges to storeholders of the Army Ordnance Department as those given to Naval Ordnance storeholders?

I regret I am not yet able to announce a decision.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether, in connection with the revised scheme of children's allowance to officers, he will reconsider the possibility of fixing the allowance more in accordance with the number of children, so that an officer with more than four children will be entitled to extra allowance?

This point was very fully considered by the Government, and I fear I can hold out no hope of any alteration.

asked the Minister of Munitions whether the workmen employed in aeroplane works are receiving the 12½ per cent. increase of wages recently granted to workmen in engineering and other works; if not, whether he proposes to grant it to them; and, if not, will he give the reason for not granting it to these men?

Workmen employed in engineering establishments engaged on aircraft work are receiving the 12½ per cent. bonus granted to time-workers in such establishments, except in the case of skilled aircraft woodworkers for whom a special Wages Order is in preparation. Applications by other aircraft workers are being dealt with, following the announced policy of the Government, by the Ministry of Labour.

asked the Home Secretary whether the dispute between the owners of taxi-cabs and their drivers has now been satisfactorily settled; and, if so, will he state the terms of the settlement arrived at?

The dispute was provisionally settled upon the understanding that I should be given an opportunity before the 15th January of considering further representations in favour of an all-round tariff of 1s. per mile. On the 14th January figures showing an increase in the price of certain commodities were submitted to me on behalf of the proprietors, but these figures are of such a nature that they require expert examination, which at my request is being conducted by Sir William Plender, who will advise me as soon as possible whether any further increase of fares is justified.

asked the Home Secretary, concerning the action of certain employers or their insurers, whether it is in accordance with the scheme by which it has been arranged that mutual indemnity societies, insurance companies, and railway companies are to treat cases of total incapacity under the Compensation Act of 1897 as if they were included in the Workmen's Compensation (War Additions) Act, to pay the 25 per cent. addition only from the date on which the workman makes his claim, and not from the 1st day of September, 1917, as provided by the Workmen's Compensation (War Additions) Act?

The arrangement is that cases under the Act of 1897 are to be regarded as included in the War Addition Act and dealt with on the same footing as cases under the Compensation Act of 1906. If the hon. Member will furnish me with particulars of any case under the former Act where a company has refused to pay the additional allowance as from the 1st September, I shall be glad to make inquiry. No such case has so far been brought to my notice.

asked the Home Secretary whether the Metropolitan Police have been informed of the notice recently issued by the Controller of Horse Transport, in which the attention of those using horses is directed to the absolute need of lightening the normal loads drawn in view of the fact that the animals are now much less well fed; and, if not, will instructions be issued to the police, seeing that the Controller bases his appeal not only upon grounds of humanity, but also upon those relating to the economical use of horses engaged in transport work?

The attention of the Metropolitan Police has already been drawn to this notice.

asked the Home Secretary whether the statement of war aims circulated by the Labour party was submitted before publication to the Censor; whether permission was given for its publication in accordance with Regulation 27 c; and, if not, what action he proposes to take in this matter?

Under Regulation 27 c as amended on the 21st of December, there is no question of obtaining permission from the Press Bureau. Strictly speaking, copies of this statement should have been submitted to the Press Bureau three days before its publication in leaflet form, but as the leaflet appears to comply in other respects with the Regulations it is not proposed to take any action in the matter.

asked the Home Secretary whether, when George Tchitcherine left London on the evening of 3rd January, a number of friends and sympathisers were allowed on the railway platform to bid him farewell; and why he refused to the hon. Member for North Somerset the permission to see Mr. Tchitcherine off at the railway station?

No permission was given by me for anyone to see Tchitcherine at the railway station, and it is not the case that I refused such permission to the hon. Member.

asked on what date the first intimation was given to Mr. George Tchitcherine in Brixton Prison that he would be returned to Russia; who were the persons who made this communication to him; whether it was made in writing or verbally; and why Mr. Tchitcherine was not allowed to take any of his papers. books, or other property away to Russia?

The intimation to Tchitcherine was made verbally by police officers on the 2nd January. It is not the case that he was prevented from taking any of his papers, books, or other property to Russia with him. On the contrary, special arrangements were made to permit of his taking papers and books, but I understand that advantage was not taken of these arrangements. No obstacle was placed in the way of his taking other property.

asked the Home Secretary whether he permitted the right hon Member for Barnard Castle to visit Mr. George Tchitcherine in Brixton Prison; whether Mr. Tchitcherine requested that this visit should be permitted; whether the right hon. Member for Barnard Castle applied for permission to see Mr. Tchitcherine in the prison; and what reason can be given for refusing a like permission to the hon. Member for North Somerset, whom Mr. Tchitcherine desired to see, and who, unlike the right hon. Member for Barnard Castle, was an old personal friend of Mr. Tchitcherine?

The answer to the first and third parts of the question is in the affirmative and to the second in the negative. As to the rest of the question, I regret that I can only say that I had found it necessary at an earlier date to refuse the hon. Member permission to visit Tchitcherine in internment, and I thought it right to maintain that refusal.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that conscientious objectors are being now allowed, if returned to prison, to pass immediately to association work with no preliminary period of solitary confinement; and whether he will inquire into the case of two brothers named Runge, at Shepton Mallet, who have apparently not been treated according to the present Regulations?

The Prison Commissioners report that these two prisoners were not allowed to associate with other prisoners for fourteen days as a medical precaution. One of them had symptoms which pointed to the possibility of his having contracted an infectious disease, and the other had been in contact with him.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will obtain the sanction of the Treasury to authorise the Committee on Employment of Conscientious Objectors, in view of the fact that the allowance of 8d. per day granted to conscientious objectors employed by the Committee was based on a two-thirds rate of the soldier's pay, to increase this allowance to 1s. per day so as to continue the ratio of two-thirds of the soldier's pay?

No, Sir. The reasons which led to the recent increase in soldier's pay do not apply to these men.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will obtain the sanction of the Treasury to authorise the Committee on Employment of Conscientious Objectors, in view of the increase in the cost of living in the last fifteen months, to increase the allowances sanctioned during the last fifteen months to the wives and other dependants of conscientious objectors employed by the Committee?

The question of increasing this allowance where there are children to be provided for is at present under consideration by the Committee.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that hon. Members continue to receive complaints against the Civil Liabilities Commissioners of the delays in granting relief, of the inadequacy of the relief granted, of the reductions in grants already made and paid, such reduction occurring while the cost of living steadily increases, and against the harsh and unsympathetic manners of the Commissioners; and whether he is prepared to consider complaints of individuals which hon. Members after inquiry feel justified in remitting to him?

So far as I am aware, there are no grounds for the suggestions made by the hon. Member. Although the number of applications dealt with by the Civil Liabilities Committee exceeds 370,000, the number of appeals against their decisions is surprisingly small. The Committee are always ready to look into any cases in which a request is made on grounds which are primâ facie reasonable, for further consideration.

asked the Minister of Labour if he can state the result of his interview with the representatives of the life assurance companies as to whether his efforts with the companies to pay their agents wages in accordance with the now abnormal cost of living have been successful; and what steps, if any, the companies are taking to carry out the recommendations of the Industrial Unrest Committee?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply made to the question of the hon. Members for the Dublin Harbour and Merthyr Tydvil Divisions on 17th January, of which I am sending my hon. Friend a copy.

asked the Minister of Reconstruction if, in view of his statement in an address to the British Institute of Social Service that before some industries could restart the necessary implements must be provided and that the works which supplied that machinery were full of foreign orders, for which large sums had been paid to secure priority of execution, lie will say whether the Government will take steps to ensure that British industry, where it has had to bear the burden of a war effort and to adapt itself to war requirements, shall not be detrimentally affected in its reversion to peace conditions by enhanced expenditure due to price-raising effected by competitors in countries which had not had to make a war effort of a similar character; and whether steps will be taken to ensure that payments for priority of execution ostensibly made by neutrals are not in fact made on behalf of enemy firms or companies or for the purpose of obtaining goods which are intended for transmission to ultimate enemy purchasers?

Those questions are being carefully investigated. In the imports and Exports Restriction Bill powers are sought to take certain steps in the direction suggested.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will cause the decrees of the Bolshevik Government at Petrograd enacting domestic legislation to be presented to Parliament from time to time, and in the first instance for the period ended 31st December, 1917, together with the Consular Reports upon the effects of such legislation?

I will see what can be done to meet my hon. Friend's wishes.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received a letter from Mr. C. H. Norman, inquiring whether he is prepared to consider an application for a passport; if so, will he state the grounds of the application; and what answer has been returned to the letter?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the hon. Member for Sheffield (Central Division) whether any and, if so, how many British prisoners of war are interned in Bulgaria; in what part of the country they now are; whether parcels or money are sent to them and have been acknowledged; have any attempts at exchange been made; and with what result?

The total number of British combatant prisoners of war interned in Bulgaria is about 650; the majority of these men are at Philippopolis. Both parcels and money are sent to the prisoners, though the former arrive somewhat irregularly. A certain number of acknowledgments are received. On this point my hon. Friend, who is a member of the Central Prisoners of War Committee, is doubtless already informed. An agreement is in force with the Bulgarian Government for the exchange of British and Bulgarian incapacitated prisoners, but only thirty-two British have so far been repatriated under this agreement. Proposals with a view to a wider exchange are now being put forward.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been directed to the protest of the guardians of the Celbridge Union against the suggestion that the local police force should be increased because of a recent cattle drive in the locality, on the ground that the present force is adequate to deal with the situation; whether the board of guardians mentioned were further of opinion that the cattle drives referred to were caused by the Government's inactivity in either having the proper proportion of the estates in the locality put under cultivation or taking steps to have them purchased and allotted to uneconomic holders in the vicinity; and, if so, whether the Government is now prepared to take any steps, and, if so, what steps, to secure that the public expectations in this whole matter shall not be disappointed?

I have received the resolution referred to. The authorities of the Royal Irish Constabulary are responsible for the determination of the strength of the force required for the preservation of the peace in any district, and the arrangements recently made with regard to the police force at Naas, county Kildare, were sanctioned by Government. The extra force in this case was provided for as far as possible from the county, but it was necessary to supply a few men from other counties, for which a charge will be made. The Department of Agriculture are taking steps to secure increased food production during the coming season, by requiring occupiers to till an increased percentage of their land. As the hon. Member is aware, the question of the purchase and resale of estates is deferred owing to financial conditions due to the War.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he has yet received from Mr. P. C. Cowan, inspector in the Irish Local Government Board, the Report which he directed Mr. Cowan to prepare on the Dublin housing question; and, if he has received it, will he lay it upon the Table of this House?

I expect to have Mr. Cowan's complete Report at an early date, and shall be happy to consider the hon. Member's suggestion that it should be issued as a Parliamentary Paper.

asked the Home Secretary if he can give the average cost per month of a criminal undergoing a term of penal servitude?

Particulars will be found in Appendix No. 7 to the Annual Report of the Commissioners of Prisons for 1916–17.

asked the Home Secretary whether Robert Mennell, a prisoner in Maidstone Prison, for speaking to a sick man received as punishment a week of punishment diet, a month of solitary confinement, and an additional month of imprisonment; and whether this was in accordance with the Regulations?

The answer is in the negative. The prisoner was reported for forcing his conversation on another prisoner, and after a caution he repeated the offence. The punishments imposed for the two offences together involved only three days' close confinement, with punishment diet and the loss of five days' remission. The punishments were in accordance with the rules.

asked the Comptroller of the Household, as representing the National Health Insurance Commissioners, whether workmen who are paying 4d. per week under the provisions of the National Health Insurance Acts, but whose incomes exceed £160 a year, are entitled to the full benefits provided by the Acts; and, if not, what benefits they are entitled to?

The right to benefits of any man whose insurance is properly continued and his contributions paid under the National Health Insurance Act is not affected by the amount of his income. I may add that the exception from insurance in cases where the remuneration exceeds £160 a year does not hold where the employment is by way of manual labour.