asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give the House any information with regard to the state of affairs in Petrograd?

My right hon. Friend desires me to express his regret that he cannot be present this afternoon, and asks me to reply to his questions.

If the hon. Member refers—as I suppose he does—to the report in the Press that a counter-revolution has broken out in Petrograd, the Secretary of State has received no official confirmation.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether we have got any representative at all in Petrograd?

That question had better be put to my right hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the letter from the Emperor of Austria making suggestions for a peace settlement in March, 1917, and the correspondence which followed were submitted to the Prime Minister; whether the Prime Minister informed his colleagues; whether all information as to the negotiations which were being carried on with Austria was withheld from the Governments of Russia, Belgium, and the United States; whether an investigation into these secret negotiations is now being conducted by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the French Chamber; and what opportunity will be afforded to this House to elicit the facts?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply returned on this subject to the hon. Member for Hanley on 15th April, and to that which the Secretary of State gave yesterday to the hon. Member for the Hexham Division, to which, I am afraid, I can add nothing.

Would the right hon. Gentleman ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in addition to the declaration of the French Chamber, which he informed the House yesterday would be communicated to this House, he would also give a report of the action of His Majesty's Government towards the negotiations initiated by the Emperor Karl, all of which were communicated to the Prime Minister?

I will certainly ask my right hon. Friend.

Would the right hon. Gentleman also ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he intends to adhere to the reply to the hon. Member for Hanley, that he will make no statement on this subject, in view of the fact that the letter of the Emperor Charles is only the latest indication that a year ago the Government had the basis of a just and an honourable peace, and that millions of men are dying?

Will the right hon. Gentleman ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Prime Minister settled the matter of peace or war without reference to him, at the cost of a million of lives?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has any official information showing that at the request of the Austrian Government the Vatican has instructed the Papal Nuncio to open a disciplinary inquiry into the case of the Prince Archbishop of Laibach on the charge of favouring the movement for unification and emancipation of the Southern Slav peoples?

The Secretary of State has seen a report to this effect in the Press, and is making inquiries about it.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Committee which has recently reported on the exports of cement to Holland took any steps to send an expert from this country to Holland to trace the ultimate destination of the cement on its delivery in Holland?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to paragraph 8 of the Report of the Committee, which appears to answer this question.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners who have gone on hunger strike and or have been too ill to continue their imprisonment, respectively, have been released under the Temporary Discharge Act in order to return later to complete their sentences during the first four months of 1918; how many during the corresponding period of 1917; and how many of those released were conscientious objectors to military service?

Six prisoners have been released under the Act in question during the first four months of this year. Five of them claimed to be conscientious objectors. There were no cases during the corresponding period of last year.

asked the Home Secretary whether Heiss is still in charge of the post and telegraph office at Richmond Road, Bayswater; is he a German baker; and when was he naturalised?

I have been asked to reply to this question. The office was closed last October. The sub-postmaster was British born, and his father was naturalised.

asked the Home Secretary whether two men, calling themselves Eckroyd and Neighbour, both wearing silver badges and posing as theatrical agents, are employed at York centre as secret agents; whether these men in the recent by-election at Keighley stayed at the Waverley Hotel, Low Street, and endeavoured by means of provocative questions to entrap visitors into conversation, the one talking and the other, under pretence of writing letters, taking down a report of the conversation; and whether these men wove furnished with papers giving them access to public or private buildings at any hour, and also giving them, in certain circumstances, the power of arrest?

I had heard nothing of this matter before notice was given of this question. I have made such inquiries as time permitted, and the result negatives the suggestions that these two men, whatever their business may have been, were acting as agents of any Government Department, or that they were furnished with papers of the nature referred to in the last part of the question.

Has my right hon. Friend satisfied himself that these men were wearing these silver badges legitimately?

I have given the result of my inquiries, which I think answers the question.

In view of the fact that a great many men are wearing these badges, will the right hon. Gentleman make further inquiries and ascertain, apart from this question, whether those men were wearing silver badges legitimately?

I will have inquiries made.

asked the Minister of National Service whether the exemptions from military service granted by railway companies to railway servants in their head office and administration departments are given simply on the recommendations of the general managers or other officials, or whether any tribunals hear and decide on the merits in each case?

All railwaymen are protected from military service under arrangements originally made between the War Office and the Railway Executive Committee and continued by the Ministry of National Service. The release of railway servants for military service is carried out under the instructions of the Railway Executive Committee, and in agreement with the men's representatives. By this agreement, men are released in order of medical grade, age, marital condition, and number of children. Any man considering himself to be released out of his turn has the right of appeal to an independent Committee appointed by the Board of Trade, presided over by Mr. Courthope Munro, K.C., and accepted by the Railway Executive Committee and the men's unions. Railwaymen have the same rights of appeal to tribunals on other than occupational grounds as are enjoyed by other men.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that in the head offices, and those especially under the control of general managers, there is a feeling of dissatisfaction because of the alleged favouritism which goes on?

I am not aware of that, but I think my answer sets out the machinery which ought to prevent such favouritism.

asked the Minister of National Service if he is aware that, in consequence of the issue of a Proclamation by virtue of the Military Service (No. 2) Act, 1918, the Bradford local military service tribunal has been unable to grant total exemption from military service to Frank Cockroft, 23, Old Road, Great Horton, Bradford, aged nineteen, Group A, the only son left at home of parents who, at the beginning of the War, had five sons, two of their other sons having been killed in action, one being now a prisoner of war in, Germany, and another being on active service in France; if, having regard to the fact that the parents of the young man in question have already lost two sons and one son-in-law in the War and have one son and a son-in-law on active service in France and one son who is a prisoner of war, he will take steps to have the Proclamation; amended so as to allow total exemption in this and other similar cases; and if, in the meantime, he will ratify the decision of the Bradford local military service tribunal to grant exemption to Frank Cockroft until 1st December next?

I was not aware of the particular case to which my hon. Friend refers. The conditions of the Proclamation were very carefully considered by the Government, and it was decided that, in view of the urgent necessity of the present time, the exceptions must be limited to the extent provided in the Proclamation.

asked the Minister of National Service how many discharged soldiers and sailors have up to the present been put to learn the trade of brush making?

I have been asked by my right hon. Friend to answer this question. Only two discharged disabled men who have been trained in brush making at the expense of the Ministry of Pensions. Nine others are at present in training. I may perhaps remind the hon. Member that the Ministry of Pensions can only provide training for men who are prevented by their disablement from resuming their former occupations, and that consequently there may be other discharged men now learning the trade of brush making who are not on the books of my Department.

Does my hon. and gallant Friend include the blind men at St. Dunstan's?

No, they are not included; they are not on the books of the Department.

Why are the men employed at St. Dunstan's not on the books of the Department?

Because their training at St. Dunstan's is conducted privately.

No, it is not!

asked the Minister of National Service what is now the position of men enrolled as A.R.V.W. in relation to the Military Service Acts?

The position of Army Reserve munition workers in relation to the Military Service Acts is that they cannot be called up except with the consent of the Ministry of Munitions.

asked the Minister of National Service what is the present position, in relation to military service, of medical students of the various years of training; and whether all medical students taken into the Army are put into the Royal Army Medical Corps?

The present position of medical students in relation to military service is determined by National Service Instruction 35 of 1918, and Army Council Instruction 153 of 1918. Under the former, fit men who were at the date of the Instruction (5th March, 1918) full-time medical students at a recognised medical school, and who either had already passed the whole of the first professional examination in chemistry, physics and biology (or botany and zoology), or who are certified as being able to pass the whole of that examination on or before 31st July, 1918, are exempted from military service under certain conditions, firstly as to the efficient prosecution of their studies and, secondly, as to training in an officers' training corps. On completing their second examination, such students, if physically fit, are required to serve as surgeon probations in the Navy.

Students in Grade III., subject to similar provisions as to work and training, are not to be called up without reference to the Ministry of National Service as long as they remain full-time students.

Under Army Council Instruction 153 of 1918, men serving with the Colours, who had immediately prior to enlistment been whole-time medical students at a recognised medical school for at least six months and had passed the whole of the first professional examination, may on application be released from the Colours in order to resume their medical studies. Medical students who do not fulfil the conditions of exemption are posted to the Army in the ordinary way, and not necessarily to the R.A.M.C.

asked the Minister of National Service if he will give special consideration to the case of T. Duckworth, the national insurance clerk to the Blackburn Weavers' and Protection Society, who has been called up for military service, seeing that this man is the only official acquainted with and competent to discharge the insurance work of this society with a large membership, as all efforts to secure a substitute for him have failed?

The case of Mr. T. Duckworth was considered by the Central Tribunal, who decided to refuse exemption. The whole of the circumstances were before the Central Tribunal, who are understood to have taken into account the fact that the National Health Insurance Commissioners were not prepared to state that it was in the national interest that Duckworth should be retained in civil employment. Special consideration has been given to this case, but in view of the circumstances which I have detailed, it is not proposed to interfere with the decision of the Central Tribunal.

asked the Minister of National Service whether men holding Army Form C 337 engaged regularly in the conveyance of wounded soldiers from railway stations to hospitals and in a lower category than Grade 2 are to be allowed to continue in this voluntary work; and will he state their position under the new Military Service Act?

Army Form C337 is understood to be a certificate of identity issued by the War Office to civilians wearing Red Cross brassards. It confers no exemption or protection from military service. Men certified as full time workers by the British Red Cross Society whose engagement has been sanctioned by the Director of National Service in the region are, however, not called to the Colours under present instructions if placed in Grade 3. It is intended that men now liable for Military Service by reason of the raising of the military age by the Military Service (No. 2) Act, 1918, should be afforded this protection if they fulfil the above conditions.

asked the Minister of National Service if it is necessary for a man who holds an exemption on business grounds to put in an appeal on conscientious grounds before his exemption is cancelled, or will it be in order if he does so when the exemption is withdrawn; and, in view of the fact that there are a number of men within the old military service ages who originally put in claims both on business grounds and on the ground of conscientious objection whose claims on the latter ground have been held over so long as the exemption on business grounds was in force, if he will say whether such men can now have their claim on conscientious grounds heard and determined?

I have been asked to answer this question. The provision that an application for the renewal of an exemption may be made only on one or more of the grounds on which the exemption was granted applies only to certificates granted on applications made on or after to-day. The man, therefore, who holds an exemption on business grounds granted on an application made before to-day may later apply for a renewal on other grounds.

The hon. Gentleman has not given a reply to the last part of my question as to claims for exemption on other grounds which have been held in abeyance. Am I to understand, therefore, that in such a case a man can renew his application?

I have specially answered the point of the hon. Gentleman. A person who had his exemption granted on business grounds may now have his application determined on the grounds that remained in abeyance.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether men between forty-one and fifty-one are to be denied the rights hitherto accorded to men below forty-one when appearing before a tribunal of having, if they so desire, legal assistance; and, if so, why are they thus penalised?

The point raised by my hon. Friend will doubtless be discussed in the course of this afternoon's Debate. It will be remembered that my right hon. Friend the President of the Local Government Board stated that he was very desirous of ascertaining the opinion of the House, and I think it will be best not to anticipate that discussion.

asked whether special consideration will be given to the cases of men engaged in important public work as members of county or borough councils, or boards of guardians, education committees, etc., who are under fifty-one years of age; and what instructions will be issued to tribunals in regard to such men?

My right hon. Friend does not contemplate issuing any instructions to tribunals on this subject. Many members of local authorities are, he is aware, doing valuable work, but it does not seem to him that ordinarily a member of a local authority could claim exemption because of his membership.

asked the President of the Local Government Board, concerning the decision of the Central Tribunal not to grant exemption from military service to J. W. Muff, 57, Sandbeds, Cullingworth, Yorks, the only son of two blind parents aged sixty-seven and seventy-three respectively, a decision which appears to have been based partially on the fact that the two aged blind people have a married daughter who resides in London, whether he will call the attention of the Central Tribunal to the fact that the daughter in question, whose husband is away at sea, is obliged to go out to work to maintain herself and her child, and when last heard of was residing with her husband's mother, presumably to secure care and attention for her child which she could not herself give during working hours; and if he will ask the Central Tribunal to reconsider their decision?

The Local Government Board has no power to compel any tribunal to reconsider a decision, and as the Central Tribunal is a body appointed under the law any action savouring of interference with their authority is to be deprecated, but I am forwarding a copy of the question and of my answer to the Central Tribunal.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the feeling amongst our own people that aliens living here and in Ireland are not doing their fair share of work for the War, he can say when aliens up to fifty-one years of age will be compelled either to serve in the Navy or Army or find work of national importance, or go back to their own country?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply. No alien is liable for military service unless he is a subject of one of the countries with which a Convention as to service has been concluded. I am sure my hon. and gallant Friend will appreciate the extreme difficulty of imposing compulsory industrial obligations upon the subjects of Allied and neutral countries.

Is it not quite time, if they will not do anything to help the War, that they were sent back to their own country, or are we going to keep them here merely to please the Government of their own country?

There are difficulties in returning them to their own country.

asked the Under Secretary of State for War whether the War Office will consider the possibility of raising battalions recruited entirely from Section A of the Volunteer Force who are prepared to volunteer at once for full-time service, such battalions being provided with officers drawn, as far as possible, horn Volunteer corps; and whether he is aware that a very large number of men in Volunteer corps are anxious to serve together, and will be willing to make considerable sacrifices if some such arrangements can be made?

I presume my hon. Friend is referring to men in Section A of the Volunteer Force, who are liable for military service owing to the extension of the age limit under the recent Act. My hon. Friend's proposal has been very carefully considered, but I regret that it is not practicable to organise special battalions for Volunteers, as suggested.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War whether a decision has been arrived at as to the position of efficient officers of the Volunteer Force between the ages of forty-two and fifty-one; and whether they will be permitted to retain their present position in that force unless required for commissioned service in the Army?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to my reply yesterday to a question on this subject by the hon. Member for Devonport.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he can state the number of Russian and Italian conscientious objectors to military service respectively who have been conscripted in this country; how many have received exmption from non-combatant service; and how many have been court-martialled and sentenced to terms of imprisonment?

The first two parts of my hon. Friend's question should be addressed to my right hon. Friend the Minister of National Service. As regards the last part of his question, the information is not available, and could only be obtained by a considerable expenditure of time and labour, which, in present circumstances, I should not feel justified in incurring.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he is aware that Mr. C. S. Mordaunt, late lieutenant in the 8th Reserve Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery, who was invalided out of the service on 22nd February, 1918, as being permanently unfit for further service by two medical boards at Oxford and Bulford, has now been ordered to attend another medical board on 7th May for re-examination; whether he was awarded a pension which was afterwards cancelled; and, if so, having regard to the provisions of the last Act, will he state what steps he will take in this case?

This officer was medically boarded on 28th January last and found permanently unfit for any service. As it was a neurasthenic case, another board was held on 14th February, which found him unfit general service permanently, but fit C 1. Before this medical board proceeding was received he was gazetted out on the former board, but on receipt of the later board this gazette was cancelled. On reference to the medical authorities, another board was arranged for the 6th instant, as this officer objected to joining.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether men above fifty years of age medically fit for military service are now allowed to enlist in the Army?

Men above the age of fifty will be accepted for the Army and posted to the corps of their choice, provided they are not below the physical and technical standards required for the particular corps they wish to join.

(by Private Notice) asked the Minister of National Service whether he has been made aware of the strong feeling existing in many parts of the country against the procedure whereby a man who disputes the validity of his decertification has to prove his case before a magistrate in a, civil Police Court; whether it is correct that such men should be arrested and taken to the Police Court as absentees; whether he has received the resolution passed unanimously by the York Tribunal protesting against men having to go for a Police Court to argue their appeal against alleged wrongful decertification, and whether it is not possible immediately to amend the procedure so that men who may be the victim of some Departmental error may be saved the indignity of appearing at a Police Court as either absentees or deserters?

Instructions have already been issued to the National Service regions and areas relating to men decertified by the withdrawal Order of the 9th April made under the Military Service Act, 1918. National Service officials have been told that if there is a bona fide doubt whether a man is included in one of the occupations described in the Order, the question is to be considered by the Director of National Service of the region, with the assistance of his Departmental advisers, and may be referred, if necessary, to the headquarters of the Ministry.

In any case, therefore, where a man who is called up notifies the area office of the Ministry of National Service that he claims not to come within the scope of the Order, his calling-up notice will be suspended, if necessary, until the ruling of the Department has been obtained; and specific instructions have been given that no man is to be treated as an absentee until notice of the decision of the Department has been given to him and he has failed to comply with such ruling. If a man still wishes to challenge the ruling of the Department, the case must necessarily be determined in the usual way by a Court of summary jurisdiction.

I am calling for an immediate report on the particular case to which the hon. Member refers, in which it appears from the facts as stated in the Press that legal proceedings were wrongly instituted.

Would it not be better to refer it to the local tribunals?

Can the hon. Member say whether, in view of the urgency of this matter, he has taken or will take immediate steps, and will intimate the effect of his answer to the York local tribunals, who are greatly interested?

As I promised my hon. and learned Friend last night, my right hon. Friend the Minister of National Service has sent a telegram embodying this answer in a short form to the Lord Mayor of York this morning.

Would it not be better if the National Service officials read their own Regulations?

Yes; that would be desirable.

asked the Minister of Munitions whether the Haber process for obtaining nitrogen from the air was well known in this country before or soon after the outbreak of the War; whether it was protected by a British patent; whether the modifications referred to by him are also so protected; whether there are about thirty, or what other number, of such patents; whether any of them have been obtained by persons who are, or were, members of the staff of the Comptroller of Munitions Inventions; whether any of such persons are Germans; and to what extent have the process and modifications so protected been used by British manufacturers under the control of the Ministry of Munitions for actual production as distinguished from laboratory investigation?

The Haber process for fixing nitrogen in the form of ammonia was well known by repute all over the world before the outbreak of war

(b) It was protected by British patents, which, as in the case of other patents communicated by German firms, are vague as to the fundamental factors necessary for the successful commercial operation of the process.

The exact knowledge existing in this country was entirely insufficient to justify commencing the erection of a manufacturing plant without extensive research.

(c)The modifications referred to are protected by Departmental patents.

(d)There are about twelve such Departmental patents.

(e) All of the Departmental patents are in the names of members of the Research staff of the Controller of Munitions Inventions, and are assigned to the Secretary of State for War.

(f) The members of the Research staff are all British subjects.

(g) The process and modifications so protected have not yet been used by British manufacturers for actual production as distinguished from laboratory investigations, since the research work, which has been conducted unremittently since July, 1916, has only within the last month or two reached a stage at which it was considered possible to proceed from the laboratory scale to the manufacturing scale.

asked whether the production of nitrogen and nitrogen products by the Haber process, or modifications thereof, is applicable for producing agricultural fertilisers; whether any and what steps have been taken to make known any beneficial modification of the process which has been made by members of the staff of the Comptroller of Muni- tions Inventions, or has come to the knowledge of his Department, to manufacturers of fertilisers and nitrogen compounds and to encourage the use thereof during the War or thereafter free from obstructive patent rights; and if he will cause due publicity to be given to all such processes and improvements which may come to the knowledge of his Department and be useful to the agricultural industry?

The Haber process for the production of synthetic ammonia is applicable for producing an agricultural fertiliser, namely, ammonium sulphate.

(b) In view of the importance attached to the modifications made in the process and to the probable utility to the enemy of information upon these modifications, the results of the research work of the staff of the Controller of Munitions Inventions have not been made public, since such information is only of value to those desiring to erect a large Haber plant. This information could be communicated confidentially if proposals for the erection of a plant were put forward, and the financial arrangements approved by the Treasury.

Use is being made of the knowledge for war purposes as is indicated by the fact that the Explosives Department is now engaged in translating the research work into large-scale operations.

(c) Conferences are being held between the Ministry, the War Office, the Admiralty, the Board of Trade, and other Departments with a view to determining how far and in what manner the results of the general research work of the Munitions Inventions Department can be placed at the disposal of the manufacturers of this country for the benefit of the nation as a whole. In the meanwhile all information possible will be given.

asked whether, seeing that the Badische Anilin and Soda Fabrik is said to have quadrupled their plant for the production of nitrogen and nitrogen compounds by the Haber process and modifications thereof since the outbreak of the War, and that these processes have been long known in this country, the fact that he was unable to announce the existence in the country of definite works and plant engaged in such production on any large scale is due to the reluctance of controlled or other manufacturers to establish such works and plant; and what encouragement has been offered to manufacturers to establish such works and plant for providing materials used in explosive munitions, and for producing fertilisers for agriculture?

The fundamental factors of the Haber process and the details essential for its successful commercial operation have never been known outside Germany, and the erection of definite works in this country was, therefore, impossible until these factors and improvements had been thoroughly established as the result of two years of unremitting research under the direction of the Munitions Inventions Department.

(b) With regard to other processes for the fixing of nitrogen, of which details are known, various proposals have been submitted by manufacturers and have been considered in detail by the Nitrogen Products Committee of the Munitions Inventions Department.

These schemes were either withdrawn by those who put them forward tentatively or were found to be unsound from the point of view of having to face foreign competition after the War. In the case of the cyanamide scheme, recommended by the Committee itself, the plant required was of a nature that it could not be supplied within reasonable time without crippling important war services.

(c) The whole complex problem of nitrogen fixation in its relation to the needs of this country and to parts of the Empire has been investigated in great detail during the last two years by the above-mentioned Committee, and the Final Report of the Committee is now in course of preparation.

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether the Government is going to give British manufacturers any help against the foreign competition of which he spoke?

I hope the hon. Member will give me notice of the question.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether at the time when the supply of imported nitrates for agricultural fertilisers became seriously restricted by reason of the War, the Board was aware of the utility of the Haber process for obtaining nitrogen from the air for the production of such fertilisers; whether any, and, if so, what, steps have been taken by the Board to utilise the same; whether the Board has been kept informed of the modifications of that process made or recommended by Mr. Quinan or other experts advising the Ministry of Munitions; and whether the Board of Agriculture has taken or will take measures to enable and encourage manufacturers of fertilisers to use these processes during and after the War free from obstructive patent rights?

The Board were, at the time named by my hon. Friend, aware of the value of the Haber process for the production of ammonia from the nitrogen of the air, and they are represented on the Committee of the Ministry of Munitions which deals with the subject. In reply to the remainder of the question, I can only say at present that all matters bearing on the future development of the process are receiving most careful consideration by the Committee and the Departments concerned, and that the Board will certainly do their best to encourage the full utilisation of the process for the benefit of agriculture.

asked the Minister of National Service (1) whether, when Mr. Perry, manager of the Ford Motor Company in England, was purchasing Ewell Place, a scheme was put forward for cultivating the land and utilising existing buildings for food production and permission given to use skilled labour for that purpose; what progress has been made in that respect up to the present; (2) whether at Ewell Place, the property of Mr. Perry, manager of the Ford Motor Works, between 2nd February and 9th March, 1918, five skilled gardeners and a boy were employed in laying out herbaceous borders and other decorative gardening, and about thirty men from the works at Hammersmith driven over in motor lorries daily for the same purpose; and whether that is held to be war work?

I have no information on the matter referred to by my hon. Friend, but I am having inquiries made and the result will be communicated to him.

asked the Minister of National Service what is the present status of the Canadian overseas mechanics who are under a written agreement with the British Armament Commission to serve upon munition work in this country so long as they are required on munition work; and whether their position is in any way affected by the latest Military Service Act?

All Canadians "ordinarily resident in His Majesty's Dominions abroad" come within the protection contained in the first Schedule of the Military Service (No. 2) Act, 1918. The men referred to in the question are thus not as a body affected by the above Act. It is possible, however, that a very small num

asked the Minister of Munitions if he can furnish particulars of the seventy Departments of the Ministry of Munitions and the name of the chief official in charge of each?

I have arranged for my hon. Friend to be furnished with a list of the principal Departments of the Ministry and the names of the officials in charge.

asked the Minister of National Service whether his attention has been called to the time lost in shipyards, particularly by riveters, during the months of February and March, 1918; and whether he will draft into the Army those men of military age who persistently keep bad time?

My attention has been called to the matter referred to by the hon. Member. Men of military age who persistently keep bad time are liable, after being afforded an opportunity for explanation, to have their protection certificates withdrawn.

Is this practice bring adopted? Arc the men who are wilfully keeping bad time now being called to the Colours?

I think I have nothing to add to my answer. If these men systematically keep bad time, after they have been afforded an opportunity of laying their case before the Committee, they go back to civil life. They are liable to military service, and may be called up.

May I ask for an assurance, so far as the Department of the hon. Gentleman is concerned, that such men will be called up?

Will the hon. Gentleman inform all employers of labour of the opportunity of coercion given by him?

I think the hon. Member must know that that is an entirely misleading statement. There is the most elaborate machinery to safeguard these men in every particular. It has been fully agreed to by all the persons concerned.

May I ask for an assurance that the men who are wilfully keeping bad time will be called up?

Will the hon. Gentleman also endeavour to secure some test whereby we can arrive at what is wilfulness?

There is such a test.

May I ask for an answer to my question?

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, in view of the recent further reduction in the meat rations, the Food Controller will consider the claim to an extra allowance of butter or meat of persons suffering from wasting diseases and diseases of the digestive organs which cannot be scheduled as either tuberculosis or diabetes?

Food Control Committees are being informed that they may forward, for consideration by the medical advisers of the Ministry of Food, any exceptional cases of disease in which they are of opinion that the special allowance of butter or meat should be granted.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether any officers, non-commissioned officers, or men in uniform who are engaged on clerical work in this country are entitled to draw meat rations in excess of those allowed to civilians engaged on similar work; and, if so, what is the justification for this difference in treatment?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the latter part, I can add nothing to the answer given on Monday by the Financial Secretary to the War Office.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether the High Court has reversed the conviction obtained by his Department on a charge of hoarding tea; why this case was not defended; how many such convictions on the same lines have been wrongfully obtained; whether the amount of the fines recovered in the Lower Court and the costs in each case will now be repaid to the defendants; what he estimates as the total amount of these charges; and what steps he means to take to regularise the action of his Department with regard to tea and other drinks?

A Divisional Court has reversed a conviction on a charge of hoarding tea, in which the proceedings were initiated by a local food committee. The case was not defended, because it was thought that the point was open to doubt and that it would be preferable to amend the Food Hoarding Order. The Order has, in fact, been amended so as expressly to include tea, coffee, and cocoa within its provisions. The Food Controller has no power to remit any penalties that have been inflicted by Courts of competent jurisdiction. The number of cases in which people have been fined for hoarding tea alone is negligible.

asked the President of t he Board of Agriculture what is the average charge per acre made by his Depart- ment to farmers for ploughing their land with tractors; and what he estimates to be the average cost to the Department of carrying out the operation, including all charges for depreciation, material used, wages, and supervision?

The charges to farmers, for ploughing by the Government tractors are made on a sliding scale from 20s. to 30s. per acre. In each case the Agricultural Executive Committee decides the rate at which the work is to be undertaken, according to the character of the land and other conditions. As I have stated, in reply to a previous question, the average cost of operating tractors, so far as it has been ascertained, is about 28s. per acre.

Does that 28s. cover the cost of the machines and all the other charges connected with them?

It covers all the charges.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the disparity between the price of wheat and the price of poultry mixtures, inferior oats, and damaged corn, etc.; and whether, in view of that disparity, farmers are expected to sell wheat relatively cheap and purchase feeding mixtures relatively dear?

I am aware of some disparity in this respect. The whole question is being considered by the Poultry Advisory Committee and the Departments concerned. I hope it will be found possible for the Ministry of Food and the Wheat Commission to take such steps as will put the prices of these materials on a different basis.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware, or can he inform me, whether the present disparity is something like £12 to £13 a ton?

I am afraid I could not answer offhand. I should think that was rather an exaggerated calculation.

Is not the present price of wheat about £18 a ton, and are not these foods being freely advertised, sold, and bought at about £31 a ton?

The hon. Member should give notice of that question.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he can now state what steps are proposed to be taken to put restrictions upon the free distribution of food to soldiers at railway stations and other centres?

It is proposed to issue an Order compelling free buffets and similar feeding centres to obtain licences from the Food Controller, who will there upon impose such restrictions as will prevent any abuse of this most desirable form of hospitality.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what progress has been made in obtaining a larger supply of saccharine; and whether it is proposed to fix a maximum price for this article?

The progress which is being made with the manufacture of saccharine in this country is as satisfactory as can be expected, having regard to the technical difficulties surrounding a new manufacture of this character. The prices of tablets made from British-made saccharine have been fixed by arrangement with the trade, and it is hoped that in the near future it will be possible entirely to dispense with the supplies of higher-priced imported saccharine.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether his attention has been called to the shortage in the supply of cheese in certain districts of London; and if it is possible for his Department to release more stock from storage in order to relieve this scarcity?

I am aware of the present scarcity of cheese, and am taking all possible steps to provide increased supplies. Arrangements have been made to provide considerable quantities of imported cheese, and it is hoped that these will soon be available for distribution to the civilian population, after Army requirements have been satisfied.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether it is proposed to place any restrictions upon the feeding of unnecessary dogs, and to make any provision for the adequate feeding of dogs essential in agriculture and for the taking of game and the killing of vermin or food not suitable for human consumption; and whether sheep's paunches can be included in this category?

This matter is now under consideration, and an Inter-Departmental Committee has been appointed to consider the whole position with regard to dogs. I may point out that some classes of tripe are made from sheep's paunches, and that the latter, therefore, cannot be regarded as unfit for human food.

Will the hon. Gentleman man say what Departments are going to be concerned in this Inter-Departmental inquiry?

I could not say without notice.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether the key men of the largest animal food products manufactory in Scotland are being called up; whether these men include the works manager, the foremen of every department, all the slaughterers and skinners, as well as the head bookkeeper, and every skilled man in the place; whether the business must close down if these men are taken; why, having regard to the national interest, this food manufactory should be closed at this time; whether a local investigation was promised, but no inquiry has yet been made of the proprietors as to the character, nature, and extent of the business; and whether the Ministry of Food proposed to ask the National Service Ministry to suspend the calling up of these men until such investigation has been made?

A careful investigation has been made into all the circumstances of this case, and it is thought that there is no necessity for action on the part of this Ministry.

Have the managers of the business in question been consulted in any way or afforded an opportunity of showing what the nature of their business is?

I cannot say whether the managers personally have been consulted, but all the necessary information has been obtained for reaching the opinion that it is not a case in which the Food Ministry-need interfere

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I will raise this question on the Adjournment to-night.