asked the Prime Minister if he will consider the question of granting a medal or some mark of distinction to our gallant merchant seamen in all cases where they have been torpedoed or have continued going to sea, at great risk of their lives, to serve our country and to keep our people from starvation?

The Prime Minister has asked me, to answer this question. His Majesty's Government fully appreciate the splendid services of our seamen of all grades during the War. The question of the precise form of recognition to be accorded to their gallantry is at present the subject of consideration.

asked the Prime Minister if he has received any Report as to the progress and recommendations, if any, of the Merchant Shipbuilding Advisory Committee; how many sittings this Committee has held within the last six months; whether any changes have been made in the personnel of this Committee during this period; what is the annual cost to the State of this Committee, including salaries, rent, rates, taxes, printing, posting, and stationery; and whether he proposes to perpetuate this Committee?

I have been asked to answer this question. As regards the first and second parts, the Merchant Shipbuilding Advisory Committee, appointed by the Shipping Controller in December, 1916, held weekly meetings, and kept records of their proceedings, and their recommendations were dealt with departmentally in the ordinary course. As regards the third part of the question, I would remind my lion. Friend that the Merchant Shipbuilding Advisory Committee was merged in the larger Shipbuilding Council, which was appointed by the Admiralty Controller in November last. I gave particulars of the duties and composition of the Shipbuilding Council in reply to a question in the House on the 13th December last. The members of the old Advisory Committee gave their services free, and those members of the present Shipbuilding Council who are not serving within the Department also give their services free. There are, therefore, no expenses to the State in respect of the Council other than those which are ordinarily incurred by the responsible Government Department in the ordinary course. The meetings of the Council are held at the Admiralty. As regards the last part of the question, there is no intention, so far as I am aware, of abolishing the Shipbuilding Council.

asked the Prime Minister if he has received a Report as to the progress and recommendations, if any, of the Rubber and Tin Exports Committee; how many sittings this Committee has held within the last six months; whether any changes have been made in the personnel of this Committee during this period; what is the annual cost to the State of this Committee, including salaries, rent, rates, taxes, printing, posting, and stationery; and whether this Committee is to be continued?

The Rubber and Tin Exports Committee was set up in January, 1915, under the chairmanship of Lord Balfour of Burleigh, who is still chairman, for the purpose of advising on all questions relating to the export of rubber and tin from the United Kingdom and from British Possessions, these commodities being on the list of articles the export of which is prohibited except under licence. It is not, therefore, an ordinary Committee of Inquiry, and no formal Report has been made on its work. Members of the Committee attend the office every day for the purpose of dealing with the numerous applications and other matter referred to them. And special meetings of the whole Committee are held whenever necessary. No change has taken place in the personnel of the Committee during the last six months. The present annual cost of the Committee is about £800, but this does not include rent, rates, taxes, printing, postage, and stationery, as services in respect of these items are rendered by the Office of Works, Stationery Office, and General Post Office The Committee is to he continued.

asked the Prime Minister if he has received any Report as to the progress and recommendations, if any, of the Shipping Control Committee; how many sittings this Committee has held within the last six months; whether any changes have been made in the personnel of this Committee during this period; what is the annual cost to the State of this Committee, including salaries, rent, rates, taxes, printing, posting, and stationery; what are the terms of reference of this Committee; and whether he proposes to perpetuate this Committee?

I have been asked to reply to this question. The Shipping Control Committee is part of the organisation of the Ministry of Shipping, and does not make separate Reports. There is no intention of discontinuing the Committee, which involves no separate charges on the Exchequer. During the last six months the Committee has met 106 times, and in that period the only change in its personnel is the appointment of Sir Alan Anderson, Controller of the Navy, vice Sir Eric Geddes.

asked the Prime Minister if he has received a Report as to the progress and recommendations, if any, of the Beer and Spirit Restrictions Advisory Committee; how many sittings this Committee has held within the last six months; whether any changes have been made in the personnel of this Committee during this period: what is the annual cost to the State of this Committee, including salaries, rent, rates, taxes, printing, posting, and stationery; and whether this Committee is to be continued?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The Committee in question was appointed to advise and assist the Board of Customs and Excise in the performance of their duties and exercise of their powers under the Intoxicating Liquor (Output and Delivery) Order, 1917, so far as they relate to wine and spirits. The Committee sits continuously; its personnel has not been altered. Any expenses incurred form part of the ordinary expenditure of the Board, and the appointment of the Committee involved no additional expense to the State; its continuation is necessary.

asked the Prime Minister if lie has received a Report as to the progress and recommendations, if any, of the British Mineral Resources Advisory Committee; how many sittings this Committee has held within the last six months; whether any changes have been made in the personnel of this Committee during this period; what is the annual cost to the State of this Committee, including salaries, rent, rates, taxes, printing, posting, and stationery; and whether this Committee is to be continued?

The British Mineral Resources Advisory Committee was appointed in March, 1917; four meetings of the full Committee have been held during the past six months, and there have been no changes in its personnel. A Report on the work of the Committee up to the present date is in course of preparation. The Committee has no fixed accommodation or staff, and. beyond the cost of the necessary printing and stationery, its work involves no charge on public funds. The Committee will be continued.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, as the Kellner-Partington Wood Pulp Company remains an English company subject to English law, he will state if Income Tax and Excess Profits Duty will be paid by this company on exactly the same footing as any other British company despite the fact of its Norwegian control?

The question of liability in any given case depends upon the facts of that case, and the company in question will be chargeable with Income Tax and Excess Profits Duty equally with any other company similarly circumstanced.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether the American Beef Companies are only assessed to the British Income Tax on a basis of 1½ per cent. on their turnover, although their actual profits are 20 to 40 per cent. on their turnover; and whether, in view of the attacks on the Government for permitting profiteering and the charge that the officials of the Inland Revenue Department are not up to their work, and that tax evasions on the part of large companies are of a very general character owing to the secrecy of the system and the inability of the officials to grasp the technique of the respective industries, he will put a Clause in the next Finance Bill making the Income Tax of every person and every company as public a matter as his rates, so that those who have reason to suspect underpayment or evasion shall have every facility afforded for the detection of the under-assessment?

As regards the first part of the question I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 20th February last to the hon. Member for West ham South, of which I am sending him a copy. As regards the hon. Member's suggestion, I feel confident that this House would decline to sanction the withdrawal of the statutory guarantees of secrecy which secure privacy for the affairs of every citizen.

asked time Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that on the announcement of his resolution to control and regulate meat supply and prices the late chief inspector at Smithfield Market. offered his services voluntarily to assist in any manner which would make the scheme effective and workable; and, seeing that this gentleman had reorganised meat inspection at Smithfield and been pensioned by the City of London Corporation after thirty years of service and was in every sense an expert in his industry, what was the reason for simply acknowledging the letter and taking no further steps in the matter?

An offer of services was received from Mr. G. P. Terrett, late Chief Inspector of Meat at the Central Market, London, on the 23rd August last, and acknowledged on the 24th. His application has been considered, together with thousands of similar applications, but no suitable opportunity for employment has hitherto been found. He did not state that he offered his services in an honorary capacity. I may add that, as the Ministry of Food is not concerned with the sanitary inspection of meat, the expert knowledge of this gentleman might be of greater value at the present time to his previous employers, or to some other local authority, in view of the existing shortage of properly qualified meat inspectors.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he will state the names and qualifications of the Committee for Food Control in Ireland; and whether the Committee has full executive powers of its own in Ireland, or whether it acts in an advisory capacity only?

The names and qualifications of the members of the Irish Food Control Committee are as follows:

• The Right Hon. F. S. Wrench (Chairman); an Irish Land Commissioner and an Estates Commissioner for Ireland, formerly agricultural member of the Congested Districts Board.
• Dr. Ella G. A. Webb; a medical practitioner and well-known philanthropic worker in Dublin.
• Mr. Edmund Bourke; a Commissioner of the Local Government Board for Ireland.
• Sir Thomas Stafford; until recently a medical member of the Local Government Board for Ireland.
• Mr. J. R. Campbell; Assistant Secretary in the Irish Department of Agriculture.
• Mr. J. Minch; a practical agriculturist, late Chairman of the Carlow County Council.
• Mr. D. J. Daly; a wholesale grocer in Cork.
• Mr. W. S. Green; a grain merchant in Cork.
• Mr. Martin McDonagh; Chairman of the Galway Urban District Council and member of the Galway County Council.

The Committee acts in both an executive and an advisory capacity. Its executive powers are expressly conferred by Orders of the Food Controller made under the Defence of the Realm Regulations.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he has received repeated applications by Petty Sessions clerks to be allowed some increase of salary to enable them to hear the present high cost of living; and whether any steps are being taken in the matter?

Several applications have been received. Except in Belfast, Cork, and a few other places Petty Sessions clerks are not whole-time officials and, as a rule, they are not obliged to attend their offices for more than a few hours each week. Many of the clerks have other employment and many are pensioners of the Royal Irish Constabulary. No case is made out for any general increase of salary.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the provisions in Army Council Instruction No. 1251, dated the 12th August, 1917, that regimental officers holding acting rank while with the Expeditionary Force will in future retain such rank on their return to this country so long as they remain on the active list subject to the conditions therein set out, will be made retrospective seeing that otherwise injustice will be inflicted on temporary officers who, volunteering early in the War, were invalided home on account of sickness or wounds prior to the issue of Army Council Instruction No. 1251, and are not now considered fit enough for service overseas or are employed on special work at home by order of the military authorities or by request of the Ministry of Munitions?

The effect is retrospective. Any officer who applies will get his rank, if he is eligible.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the Report of the Committee which was appointed to advise the War Office on the distribution of medical officers with the British Army in France has been received; and, if so, when it will be published?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the oral reply which I gave to-day to a question by my hon. and gallant. Friend time Member for Mont-gomeryshire.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that letters from parents to children on strictly family matters, after having been opened by the Censor, have been returned to the sender with an intimation that they cannot. be forwarded to their destination in consequence of the length of such communications; and, if it is necessary for this course to be adopted in the interest of the country, will he take steps to inform the public accordingly, in order that they may know that such regulations are in force and thereby save in many cases great anxiety?

A notice was issued to the Press on 26th June, 1915, that letters which are of great length and barely legible are liable to be delayed, and may in extreme cases be detained or returned to the sender. In order to reduce the burden of work which falls upon the postal censorship, it is necessary to enforce this warning, unless the contents of the letter are seen to involve matters of importance.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he is aware that the rations of the 13th Army Corps have been cut down by 5 per cent.; and, if so, why this severe season of the year is chosen for such a reduction?

I understand that this is the case. I have asked for further information, and will communicate with my right hon. Friend.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether, in the arrangements to be made by his Department for the purchase of wool in 1918, farmers will be allowed any choice as to what brokers they will send their wool to so that they may not be forced to do business with brokers of whose methods they do not approve?

I would refer the lion. Member to the reply given to a similar question put by him on 19th December last.

asked the Minister of National Service whether, as the result of the further concession by the Government announced by him on 21st January, officers or men who have been discharged from the Army in consequence of disablement, other than those referred to in Section I (b) of the Military Service (Review of Exceptions) Act, 1917, will no longer be liable to be required to submit themselves for re-examination under that Act?

It is assumed that, in referring to Section I (b) of the Act, the hon. Member refers to Section 1, proviso (b) which relates only to certain classes of discharged men, since Section 1 (b) includes all discharged men. Instructions have been given that no men who have served in the armed forces during the present War and have been discharged on the ground of ill-health, are to be called up for medical re-examination pending further instructions, and that any outstanding calling-up notices issued to such men arc to be suspended. Detailed instructions are in course of preparation which will embody the machinery required to give effect to the concession to which the hon. Member refers.

asked the President of the Board of Education if his Department will make provision for the training of our wounded or disabled soldiers as school teachers in such cases where the men would care to enter the profession, seeing that such teachers would help to inspire our schoolboys with a greater love of their country and a truer sense of citizenship and loyalty throughout the Empire?

Provision is already being made in some cases for the admission of disabled soldiers to courses of training for the teaching profession. The Board are considering what further arrangements should be made for the purpose.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the present Regulation, by which members of the Territorial Force before the War and officers of the New Army who may desire to join the Regular Army, and who have the approval of their commanding officer, can be modified so that they may retain in the Regular Army the rank which they held previous to the transfer?

Every case is considered on its merits, and officers are given rank in the Regular Army according to their qualifications and to their length of service as compared with that of the officers of the Regular unit to which they are transferred.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will take into consideration the desirability, during the continuance of the War, of suspending the delivery of all mails on Sundays?

A general suspension of the delivery of letters on Sundays has been considered, and the decision was against the proposal.

asked the Minister of Labour if he can state the result of the inquiry into the claims of insurance agents for increased wages?

I am not yet in a position to add to the reply I made to the hon. Member on 17th January.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he can state the purport of the Russian Revolutionary Army Order generally known as Prikaz No. 1, the date at which this was issued, and by whose authority it was issued; and whether any British official account of its effect upon the organisation and efficiency of the Russian Army can now be made available for public information?

Army Order No. I was issued by General Goutchkoff, under the authority of the Provisional Government, in the middle of March last. His Majesty's Government have received many accounts of the deplorable effect of this order on the efficiency of the Russian Army, but I do not consider that any useful purpose would be served by publication.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that the lay teachers in the industrial schools are the worst paid body of public servants in Ireland. and that, although teaching the National Board's programme and being examined by the National Board's inspectors, they receive no war bonus, no increment, no promotion, and no pension; and will he say whether they are to share in the Grant for improving the position of teachers in primary schools in Ireland?

The teachers in industrial schools are in a different position to national school teachers in that they are engaged by the managers of the industrial schools at salaries fixed without reference to the Government. They cannot, therefore, participate in the Grant for primary education.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland when the special lodging allowance announced to the Irish prison officers on 13th June last is to be paid, and if there is to be a further delay in the matter; whether it is intended to give the officers alternate Sundays off in all the prisons; and whether farm-grown potatoes are being sold at £6 per ton at Maryborough Prison?

The Treasury decision as regards the special lodging allowance has been received, and will be promulgated forthwith. As to the question of alternate Sundays off duty, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to a question by the hon. Member for North Louth on the 30th July. The Prisons Board have not received any recent complaint in respect of this matter. The sale of potatoes at Maryborough Prison has been governed by market rates and the Food Controller's Regulations. Those last sold were disposed of to officers at the rate of £4 a ton.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that anti-vaccinists in Scotland were granted an exemption Act in 1907, when the number of unvaccinated children in Scotland was much fewer than in Ireland to-day and when the number of defaulters in Scotland and of parish authorities desiring an alteration in the vaccination law was much less than in Ireland at the present time.; and whether, in view of the effect upon Irish anti-vaccinists of the present state of the law, he will introduce legislation to remedy the grievances of objectors?

The Act of 1907 to which the hon. Member refers was passed to amend the law with respect to vaccination in Scotland by authorising a statutory declaration of conscientious objection. The Irish Local Government Board inform me that they have no statistics with regard to the number of unvaccinated children in Scotland or the number of defaulters. As to the rest of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the statement I made in Debate on the 7th August, 1917, and to the written answer I gave to a question by the hon. Baronet the Member for North Wexford on the 29th October.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether it is the intention of the Government to introduce a Bill to improve the pay and pensions of the Royal Irish Constabulary, and, if so, when; is it intended to abolish the rank of acting-sergeant and to abolish the cadet system, or provide for the officering the force on the same principle as in the case of the Dublin police; and is the unification of the forces in contemplation?

Legislation is not necessary to give effect to the additional war bonus recently granted to the Royal Irish Constabulary. The rank of acting-sergeant is in process of being abolished. It is not proposed to make any change in regard to the other matters mentioned in the question.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction existing amongst the Royal Irish Constabulary head constables owing to the manner in which promotions to the rank of district inspector are now made. whereby senior men with long and meritorious service are passed over and junior head constables without special merit and with only two or three years' service in that rank are made inspectors; whether the Inspector-General considers it equitable to pass over efficient and senior men who have been recommended by their county inspectors; how many head constables have been so passed over in the past five years: is the promotion of district inspectors to county inspectors given entirely by seniority except in cases of alleged unfitness; and, if so, why should not promotion of head constables be similarly governed; is an age limit fixed in their case under an antiquated rule preventing further advancement when no such restriction obtains in any other rank; whether at present, out of a list of over 230 head constables there are only four under the age limit, and will he have the age limit which thus kills the hope of promotion abolished or extended; has the operation of this limit resulted in competitive examinations for the rank of district inspector being held when the number of competitors barely exceeded the number of vacancies; and, at a recent examination, were there only three competitors for two places?

A memorial requesting that the age limit (forty-eight years), fixed by the Regulations for promotion to the rank of district inspector should be extended was recently considered, and it was decided that it would be detrimental to the public service to extend the age limit, even temporarily. In the promotion of district inspectors to the rank of county inspector, while the claims of first- class district inspectors are considered by the Promotion Board in the order of seniority, and any officer who is not considered fully qualified for the higher rank is passed over, the Regulations provide for the promotion of any officer, irrespective of seniority for distinguished police service and superior qualifications. An age limit has always been considered necessary in the case of head constables promoted to be district inspectors, as the necessity for active and vigorous men to carry out the duties is much greater than in the case of subordinate ranks. The present Inspector-General concurs in the view of his predecessors that forty-eight years of age is the outside limit for such promotions. During the past five years 176 head constables were passed over owing to their being forty-eight years of age or over. There are 232 head constables in the force. Of these, thirty-three are at present under forty-eight years of age, but only four have two years' service and over in the rank of head constable, the minimum service required before a head constable is eligible for promotion to the rank of district inspector. At the competitive examination of head constables for promotion to the rank of district inspector which was held in October, 1917, three head constables competed and two places were given. At the examination held in January. 1917, five head constables competed and two places were given, and at the examination held in May, 1916, six head constables competed and three places were given. The maximum age for the competitive examination is forty-five years. A head constable who fails to get promotion by competition is, of course, eligible for promotion on the seniority list up to forty-eight years of age.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he is aware that under the terms of the Irish Police (Naval and Military Service) Act, 1915, the members of the Royal Irish Constabulary who have volunteered for service in the Army are precluded from benefiting by the increased pay recently granted to those serving in the Army; whether he is aware that in consequence of this increased contribution from the Army authorities the constabulary allowance to the wives of the men serving has been reduced by a corresponding amount; and whether he will take steps to see that the wives and dependants of Irish policemen now serving in the Army shall not be deprived in this manner of the increased allowance which the State has given soldiers and their dependants?

Allowances to families of married members of the Royal Irish Constabulary serving with the Army are paid from the Constabulary Vote as an addition to the Army separation allowances under the authority of Section I (1) (b) of the Irish Police (Naval and Military Service) Act, 1915, as amended by Section 2 (3) of the Constabulary and Police (Ireland) Act of 1916. The amount payable from the Constabulary Vote must be so regulated that when added to the Army separation allowance and a sum of 7s. 5d. per week, the rate fixed to represent Army pay, the total shall not exceed the weekly amount the constable was receiving from police funds before enlistment. Every increase in the amount paid as separation allowance owing to increase in family, increase of rates, or the husband's promotion to be corporal or sergeant involves a reduction in the allowance paid from police funds, and adjustments in individual cases are frequent. A general reduction was recently made owing to the increase of 5s. 10d. per week in the case of sergeants and 3s. 6d. in the case of men of lower rank in the amount of the Army separation allowances. The reduction will be compensated for to some extent by the increased war bonus of 2s. 6d. per week recently granted to the Irish police.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he can state the composition of the Advisory Committee for the Blind in Scotland?

The composition of the Committee is as follows:

• Sir David Paulin (Chairman).
• Mr. J. Frew Bryden.
• The Rev. Thomas Burns, D.D., F.R.S.E.
• Alexander Butters.
• Mr. W. C. Leng.
• Mr. C. G. Lothian.
• Miss Isabella Lyall.
• Mr. George Mackay, F.R.C.S., M.D.
• Major William Reid (Vice-Chairman).
• Mr. Thomas Stoddart.
• W. M. Stone.

The Secretary is Mr. J. B. B. Brown, of the Local Government Board for Scotland.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he will give the latest available figures of the roll or average attendance, or both, in public elementary schools in England and Wales, distinguishing between schools provided by local authorities and schools not so provided, and distinguishing between the different denominations of the non-provided schools?

The latest figures available are for the year 1913–14, and are as follows

ENGLAND AND WALES. PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS (including Section 15 Schools).
Schools.	Average Attendance.	Average number on Register.
Total Council	3,323,320	3,741,911
Church of England	1,641,158	1,848,889
Wesleyan	43,735	50,057
Roman Catholic	304,086	349,265
Others	77,280	87,066
Total Voluntary	2,069,259	2,335,277
Total Council and Voluntary	5,392,579	6,077,188

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he will give information, taking such period of time as is easily available, as to the number of schools in which the Board of Education has consented to an extension of the age limit as provided by Section 22 (2) of the Education Act. 1902, the names of such schools. and the names of the local education authorities who maintain them?

During the last three calendar years, 1915. 1916, and 1917, the Board have consented to an extension of the age limit under Section 22 (2) of the Act of 1902 in the case of 90. 71, and 68 schools respectively. The preparation of a list of the schools and local education authorities concerned would interfere with current work of greater importance, and I do not think it would be justified at the present time.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he will state the estimated total additional approximate cost of the Education (No. 2) Bill?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply which I gave him on 17th January, of which I am sending him a copy.