asked the Prime Minister whether the recommendations of the British Empire Producers' Organisation for the development of the sugar industry of the Empire, laid before the Government on the 21st June, 1916, have yet received the consideration then promised; has any action been taken; and if he will take an early opportunity to make a declaration of the Government's future policy in respect of this industry?

I cannot make any statement at present beyond assuring my hon. Friend that the future of the sugar industry of the Empire has received, and will receive, the earnest consideration of the Government.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that discontent exists among all classes of messengers, labourers, packers, porters, and cleaners in the whole of the Govern- ment offices owing to the delay in the hearing of their claim for an advance of wages; whether he has received a resolution of protest from the men concerned; and, if so, will steps be taken at once to submit the issue to the Conciliation and Arbitration Board for Government employés?

I have received a resolution on this subject from the Workers' Union. The claim was in a form which did not permit the Treasury to refer a question in difference to the Board in accordance with the rules of procedure laid down for them by His Majesty's Government. Any delay that may have taken place is due to the delay of the union in furnishing further information asked for by the Treasury. I understand that the claim has now been modified to meet these difficulties and will be heard in its modified form at an early date.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if his attention has been called to the unequal distribution of supplies of flour in Ireland; if he will give particulars of any scheme sanctioned or in contemplation to ensure a better distribution of supplies, whether by Irish-milled or imported flour; and whether in this connection he will see that due regard is had to the requirements of home-baking and to the special needs of the inhabitants of the remoter districts?

I am aware that local shortages of flour have occurred from time to time in Ireland. The Royal Commission on Wheat Supplies have been in communication with the Food Control Committee for Ireland on the subject, and the Committee have conferred with representatives of the trade interests concerned, but general agreement to any scheme of distribution has so far not been secured, and the matter is still under consideration. The points to which the hon. Member calls special attention are being kept in view.

asked the President of the Local Government Board how many local authorities are supplying food and milk for expectant and nursing mothers and milk for children under five years of age under the powers contained in Order No. 189 issued by the Food Controller under the Defence of the Realm Act; how many local authorities are not yet supplying such assistance; and how many local authorities have submitted schemes to the Board which have not yet been approved?

Before the issue of the Order referred to arrangements had been made in at least twenty-six metropolitan boroughs, fifty-one county boroughs, eighty-seven other boroughs and urban districts, and throughout two counties for supplying food and milk to expectant and nursing mothers and milk to children, in some cases by voluntary agencies, and in some by the local authorities. The latter bodies acted in anticipation of the powers conferred by the Order, which powers, with others, the Local Government Board have been endeavouring to obtain for them by means of the Maternity and Child Welfare Bill now introduced. The Order does not require the Board's previous approval of schemes for supplying milk and food where the arrangements are in accordance with the circular issued with the Order. The Board have, however, asked local authorities to submit particulars of the arrangements made and their estimated cost, and eighteen local authorities in whose districts no previous arrangements have been made have done so, while thirty six others have written to the Board on the subject. A reminder has been sent to local authorities carrying out maternity schemes which have not yet, to the Board's knowledge, arranged to supply food and milk where necessary.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he will introduce and pass into law a Bill to prevent any notice to give up a farm coming into operation except with the consent of the occupier until the quarter day named in such notice which occurs first after six months have elapsed after the termination of the War, provided the occupier of such farm on receipt of such notice applies to and receives from the war agricultural executive committee of his county a certificate that his farm is being cultivated in the national interest and to the satisfaction of such executive committee?

In reply, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply given to the right hon. the Member for South Molton on the 18th February last. I am not satisfied, after careful consideration, that a sufficiently strong case for the introduction of such legislation in the interests of the nation's food supply has been made out.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the difficulties and delays arising from the non-issue of regimental numbers to soldiers who have been court-martialled or discharged without ever receiving a number; and what course should be adopted in such cases to remedy the difficulties arising?

I am not aware of the difficulties and delays to which my hon. Friend refers. Practically all conscientious objectors who have been court-martialled are in possession of regimental numbers. A few cases have occurred in the past where such men were court-martialled before being posted, but instructions on this point were issued some time ago.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether soldiers of the Non-Combatant Corps are now being detached from their units and placed in combatant units in various parts of the country; if so, under what Army Council Order or other authority this is being done; and whether in these conditions the non-combatant character of their duties is safeguarded and assured?

Men of the non-Combatant Corps are detached from their units for employment with other corps. In no case are they employed in any but a non-combatant capacity.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the business of the Pera Cigarette Company, owned by Reshid Sadi Bey, an interned Turk, has been sold to Marcus Weinberg, a naturalised Russian; and whether he will consider the possibility of securing that purchasers of enemy businesses should be British-born subjects?

The reply to the first part of the hon. Member's question is in the affirmative. With regard to the second part of the question, the conditions of sale in all these cases include a requirement that the purchaser shall be a British subject, and not under any foreign influence; but, as a general rule, my right hon. Friend does not regard it as necessary or desirable to impose the additional requirement that purchasers must be British by birth.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has yet sold the alien business of the London Emery Works, or whether, on the contrary, he has arranged with the Minister of Munitions to allocate supplies of emery stone to this business in preference to others; and whether he is aware that British emery firms arc running on short rations?

The business of the London Emery Works cannot be disposed of until an action against the Controller for specific performance of an agreement for the sale of the business has-been heard. Pending the determination of the case, the Ministry of Munitions have been requested to allocate supplies of emery stone to the business, but not in preference to other businesses.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether he is aware that in Continental countries it is the custom for every tree that is felled to plant a fresh one; whether he is aware that the prevailing practice is of planting with an implement which cuts a cylindrical hole in the ground and when the earth comes out with the same tool a seedling or sapling near by is cut out and inserted in the hole which it exactly fits; and whether he will make inquiry and have this method introduced into Ireland, and also the American annual Arbor Day?

The Department of Agriculture inform me that they are not aware of the prevalence in other countries of any general custom with regard to replanting such as is mentioned in the question. The number of trees which it is necessary to plant in order to maintain woodlands varies with the nature of the system adopted. The method of planting with a cylindrical spade has been practised at the Department's forestry areas for some years past wherever it was considered suitable, but the method of planting must, of course, vary with the nature of the ground. There is no power to enforce the celebration of an annual Arbor Day. An Arbor Day has, however, been celebrated in Ireland to some extent during the past ten years, and the Department have given assistance and support to the voluntary efforts made for its establishment.

asked the President of the Local Government Board how many councils of county districts there are with a population over 20,000?

The number of county districts in England and Wales with a population of over 20,000 is 242, namely: Municipal boroughs other than county boroughs, 84; urban districts other than boroughs, 77; rural districts. 81.

asked the Secretary for Scotland what the total estimated expenditure will be for the current year and for the next year, respectively, on the forty-three schemes for providing treatment for mothers and young children under the Notification of Births (Extension) Act, 1915, which have been sanctioned, and for the fourteen schemes which are in operation but have not yet been sanctioned?

The total expenditure estimated to be incurred during the local financial year ending May, 1918, and which will be claimable against the Grant in Aid of Maternity Service and Child Welfare is, in respect of the fifty-three local authorities for which schemes have been sanctioned, £15,000; and in respect of the fourteen schemes in operation but not yet sanctioned, £17,000. No estimate of the expenditure to be incurred during the year 1918–19 is available.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether the Local Government Board for Scotland provides capital and maintenance grants, respectively, towards schemes for providing treatment under the Notification of British (Extension) Act, 1915?

The Board provide only one grant, against which approved capital and maintenance expenditure is claimable.

asked the Secretary for Scotland how many authorities have provided midwifery treatment under the Notification of Births (Extension) Act, 1915?

Twenty-nine local authorities have provided such treatment under schemes sanctioned by the Local Government Board for Scotland.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether, as Arran is practically free of the Isle of Wight bee disease, he will take steps to prevent the importation of bees from other districts into the island except under special licence?

It is proposed to arrange for the inspection of all stocks from which bees are to be sent to Arran in the summer of this year. The local beekeeping associations in Ayrshire and the adjoining counties are being asked to co-operate, and it is hoped that in this way all reasonable risk of the spread of infection to Arran will be avoided.