asked the Home Secretary who drew up the unsigned Comparison of Reports and the Abstract (England and Wales) Report which precede the Reports of the English, Scottish, and Irish Committees on State Purchase and Control of Liquor Trade as published; and if the Abstract and Comparison were submitted to the English, Scottish, and Irish Committees before publication?

The Abstracts and Comparison of these Reports were prepared in my Department. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will reduce the fines inflicted upon nine men of Streatham Station, W Division, Metropolitan Police; is he aware that the men were assisting to dig allotments in their spare time, which at the present time is of national importance; is he aware that certain men were picked upon for this technical offence and who were suspected of being interested in the Police Union; and will he call for reports as to the words used by the officer inflicting the punishment respecting Com missioners' orders before work of national importance?

I would refer the lion. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for York on the 6th May. I have nothing to add, except that there is no foundation for the suggestion that the men were dealt with because of any suspected connection with the Police Union.

Are we to understand that the Home Office wish to discourage members of the force from assisting in the production of food in this country?

By no means. Permission is already given to members of the police force to work of their own allotments, but it is obvious that they cannot be allowed to work for hire for other people to an unlimited extent.

Will the Home Office take steps to give every facility to policemen to obtain their own allotments?

No steps are necessary. The Commissioners are very ready to give permission.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether, considering the increased duties thrown upon local authorities, he will consider the advisability of introducing a general Bill enabling them to increase the numbers of members of their councils without having to go to the trouble and expense of taking separate action in Parliament?

My right hon. Friend the President of the Local Government Board has already had this matter under consideration, but he cannot, under the present circumstances, encourage the hope of legislation.

asked the President of the Local Government Board the numbers of boards of guardians in England and Wales who have provided for the boarding-out of children above five years of age in their charge either in private houses or in cottage homes, and the number of such boards who have not carried out this reform?

At the end of last year 566 out of 636 unions had one or more children boarded out. The Department does not possess the information respecting the ages of the children, and to obtain the information would involve a disproportionate degree of labour not at present justifiable. The Regulation which requires that all children above the age of three shall be removed from the workhouse has been suspended in 148 cases owing to causes due to the War.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the large number of different forms which have been issued in connection with the registration of voters under the new register; and whether, in view of the shortage of paper, he will consider the advisability of reducing the number of forms to be used for such purposes?

The number of forms prescribed by the Order in Council for use in connection with the preparation of the new register has been kept as low as possible, and the need for economy in the use of these and other forms has been impressed upon registration officers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Departmental Committee appointed to consider the position of snipping and shipbuilding industries after the War, referred to in the Final Report of the Committee on Commercial and Industrial Policy after the War, has yet presented any Report; and, of so, whether he will consider the advisability of publishing such Report at an early date, so that it may be considered in conjunction with the Report of the Committee on Commercial and Industrial Policy after the War?

I must refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer given yesterday to the right hon. Member for Rushcliffe.

asked the Prime Minister pending the decision of the court of honour to be set up in relation to Major-General Maurice's charges, those Ministers who are to submit themselves to it will continue to exercise the functions attaching to their respective offices?

I would ask the hon. Member to await the Debate this afternoon.

asked the Prime Minister whether he assumed sole responsibility for rejection by this country of the proposal made by the Emperor Karl of Austria for the initiation of negotiations for peace?

I can make no statement on this subject.

Has the right hon. Gentleman's attention been called to the fact that the documents relating to this matter have been published in the French Press, which disclosed the fact that the Prime Minister supported the proposals of the Emperor Karl, and is it not very essential, therefore, that we should know the whole facts, at any rate as far as they are disclosed to the French public?

My attention has been called to the examination before the French Committee. At present I have nothing to add to the answer I have given.

When will the right hon. Gentleman be prepared to make a statement showing the attitude taken up by the Prime Minister in this matter?

We shall be prepared to make a statement when we think it will be to the public interest to do so, and not otherwise.

:Is it not in the public interest that this House and the country should know whether the Prime Minister, on his own responsibility, without consulting his colleagues, was prepared to agree to the terms in the Emperor Karl's letter?

We must be the judges as to what information we shall publish.

I give notice that I shall raise this question on the Adjournment for Whitsuntide.

asked the Minister of National Service if he can state the number of riveters of military age employed in the Clyde shipyards who lost time on the 1st and 2nd May; whether any of them have been called on to explain before a committee; and whether any of them have had their protection certificates withdrawn?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. It will not be possible to get the information in the first part of the question asked by my hon. Friend without detailed inquiry from each firm. I am informed that the time lost by the shipyard trades on the dates named was small in proportion to the number at work, and I do not propose to institute an inquiry, as it would involve a disproportionate amount of time and labour on the part of the clerical staffs of the firms and Admiralty Departments concerned. Answers to the second and third parts of the question are in the negative, because the Admiralty time-keeping scheme is only applicable to workers who habitually keep bad time, and not to men absent on these specific dates, although absence on these dates might count in determining whether a man was an habitually bad time-keeper

Is my right hon. Friend unable to give any information about these specific workers? He talked about workers generally. The question relates to rivetters.

I have not any information as to rivetters who are concerned more than others. The information I have is correct, that there was no specially large absence on that day.

Is not this a question of principle and not of hours, and under these circumstances would the Admiralty consider the advisability of inquiring into the case whether time is lost purely on a question of principle and not a question of time?

We do not inquire into cases where an individual man loses time on a particular day. What we inquire into is when time in habitually lost, and whether a man loses time on a particular day that contributes towards his becoming a habitual time loser. That is really the point.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty what arrangements his Department is making for the return of medical students from active service to their studies; has his Department recently received communications from the Scottish University authorities pointing out the urgency of speedy release in view of the fact that the summer medical session began on 24th April; and, if so, will lie say why the delay, as compared with the War Office Department, has arisen?

An Order was issued to the Fleet in January last calling for reports of the names of all officers and men (other than surgeon probationers) who have, as medical students, passed the first professional examination in chemistry physics, and biology. On receipt of these reports, the lists are scrutinised, and, where such a course appears desirable, the officer or man. is allowed to return to continue his studies. Surgeon probationers are allowed to be demobilised at the end of six months' service at home or twelve months abroad, in order to complete their studies and qualify. I cannot trace that any communications from the Scottish University authorities pointing out the urgency of speedy release have been received. A number of officers and men have already been conditionally released, but some time must necessarily elapse before the replies from distant stations are received and dealt with. If my hon. and learned Friend has knowledge of delay in any particular case, and will furnish me with details, T will inquire further into the matter.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what was the gross tonnage of merchant vessels completed in the United Kingdom in April; how this compares with the corresponding figure for March; and what was the total output of the first four months of this year and of the last four months of last year?

As my right hon. Friend will have seen, the information for which he asks is contained in the Return published in the Press this morning. The gross tonnage of merchant vessels completed in the United Kingdom will be published in the Press on the first Thursday in each month; if this should fall on or before the 3rd of the month, publication will be made on the second Thursday of that month.

asked the Prime Minister whether the War Cabinet have considered the proposal made in Sir Horace Plunkett's letter; whether the Government will adopt his scheme whereby an Irish executive broadly representative and composed of responsible men could be set up without delay, to whom should be entrusted the task of bringing into being the Irish Parliament, of promoting voluntary recruiting, and generally carrying on the administration of Ireland?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. As regards the second part, the steps to be taken in the event of the Bill being passed will be considered in due course.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the Sheba Gold Mining Company, a low- grade mining proposition of the Transvaal, bas decided to close down owing to the impossibility of continuing production under existing conditions of greater cost of working and un increased price of gold; and whether he can now make any statement as to the results of the consideration Government is giving to this subject?

I am not at present in a position to add anything to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend on the 22nd ultimo.

Will the right hon. Gentleman give this matter the earliest consideration in view of the fact that the loss on such mines is a continuing proposition?

I quite realise the importance of this subject, but my hon. Friend, I am sure, understands how difficult a one it is to deal with.

asked whether any, and, if so, what, action has been taken for the protection of British creditors on enemy countries similar or analogous to the association formed in Germany for the protection of German creditors on enemy countries; and if such an association has been formed in this country, who are the directors thereof?

I am not aware of any such association in this country, but the position of British creditors of enemy countries has for a considerable time occupied the attention of the Enemy Debts Committee, of which the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Peebles is acting chairman.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider the desirability of inserting in the present Finance Bill some clauses to restore to tithe payers the benefits promised and presumably provided for in the Tithe Act of 1891, Section 1, which appears to guarantee that the amount of the tithe should never exceed two-thirds of the then assessment under Schedule B; and whether he will provide in the Finance Bill that the tithe-rent shall not, during the War, exceed two-thirds of the pre-war assessment under Schedule B?

My hon. and gallant Friend apparently refers to Subsection (1) of Section 8 of the Tithe Act, 1891. In that Sub-Section there is no question of the amount of the Income Tax assessment under Schedule B. The criterion is the annual value of the lands as ascertained for the purpose of Schedule B, and this annual value is, of course, not affected by the amount of the actual assessment under Schedule B, for which it merely serves as a basis of computation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the General Commissioners of Income Tax are, under the Tithe Act of 1891, Sections 4 and 5, compelled to give to the owners or occupiers of land subject to the tithe-rent charge, upon payment of Is. per certificate, certificates as to the assessment of such lands under Schedule B; and whether the Government will cause the General Commissioners of Income Tax to give such certificates forthwith and not withhold them, as they are at present doing, in clear disobedience to the. plain intentions of the Tithe Act of 1891.

I am not aware of any case of refusal to furnish a certificate upon application in the circumstances for which the Act provides, but if my hon. and gallant Friend will furnish me with particulars I will have the matter investigated.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether upon the Match Committees acting with the control officer there are men who are really agents or nominees of the Scandinavian trusts; whether one of these is of alien birth and another is a partner with one who is of enemy-alien birth; if these were appointed as having match factories in this country; whether inquiries will be instituted to see if these factories are, according to the published balance-sheets of the Scandinavian trusts, wholly their property and erected in this country to get behind the preferential tariffs of our Colonies; that these factories have been so manipulated as to the cost prices of the same and raw materials obtained from the trusts in Sweden as to evade the payment of British Income Taxes such as are paid by bonò fide British match factories; whether these factories are largely manned 'by alien labour; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. The Match Administration Committee, established under the direction of the Tobacco and Matches Control Board, consists of representatives of match manufacturers, importers, and wholesale dealers, and includes a member who is a director of a Swedish firm owning a factory in this country. He was elected by the trade to watch the interests of those in this country who formerly bought imported matches, but neither he nor any other member of the Committee is of alien birth, and I understand that the only alien employed at the British factory is the manager, who is a Swede. I doubt if the company are able to evade taxation in respect of their business in this country, but if my hon. and gallant Friend has any information on this point I suggest that he should communicate it to the Commissioners of Inland Revenue.

asked if the Committee on Bank Amalgamations have yet reported; and if the Report will be published?

The Report has been received, and will be published immediately.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the near approach of the Whitsuntide holidays, he can say what arrangements have been made to secure that Saturday, 18th May, shall be declared a holiday for bank staffs?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave yesterday on this subject to the hon. Member for Newington West.

asked whether the Board of Inland Revenue has decided that a firm may deduct a sum not exceeding 10s. per head of its employés from its Excess Profits Duty to be expanded in approved schemes for the recreation of its employés; and, if so, what authority exists for this decision?

There is no authority for a firm to make such a deduction as is described in the question, nor is any such deduction made. But annual contributions actually made by a business solely for purposes from which the employés directly benefit, and properly attributable to the periods for which -hey arc charged, are regarded as legally admissible under the general deductions in the computation of taxable profits for the purposes of Excess Profits Duty.

asked whether, in view of the fact that the value of farmhouses is taken into account in fixing the rent of farms, he will issue instructions that, where farmers are paying Income Tax on the basis of a double rental, a deduction shall be made of the value of their farmhouses, so that houses inhabited by farmers shall not pay Income Tax on double their rental value?

The Budget proposal is to measure the farmer's profits on the basis of double the annual value of the farm, including the farmhouse, which is comprised in the letting. As I have repeatedly stated if in any case the actual profits fall short of the Statutory measure the farmer will be able to obtain a corresponding reduction so as to bear tax upon no more than the profits made.

:Is it a fact that any farmer who cannot come under Schedule B will have to pay double on his farmhouse?

Yes. He will have to pay double the total value of what he has left, which includes the farmhouse.

Does the right hon. Gentleman think it is fair that farmers should be called upon to pay double on the house when it is not part of the business premises?

It may not be fair taken by itself, but it is certainly fair if they have the option of being taxed in precisely the same way as everyone else.

asked the amount subscribed last week to the National 'War Loan and the amount that has to be subscribed per week to make up the deficit between taxation revenue and expenditure?

The proceeds of National War Bonds paid into the Exchequer during the week ended 4th May were £12,596,000, which is much below the average weekly receipts. The expenditure and the revenue fluctuate greatly from week to week. On the basis of the Budget Estimate, the deficiency to be made good by borrowing from all sources in the year is just under £41,000,000 a week on the average.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give any reason for this falling off of half the subscriptions to the Loan, in view of the statement that his Budget would give further encouragement to the lender?

No. I cannot give any special explanation. I may say that we expected that there would be a falling off in May. I am told that part of the reduction, especially in War Saving Certificates, is due to the efforts of the pacifists, who are trying to discredit the Loan, although they have not been very successful.

In view of that statement, is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the only efforts of the pacifists in that direction are to show the country what an incompetent and corrupt Government they have?

Withdraw the word corrupt!

However bad the-Government is, money is necessary if the War is to be continued.

In view of the fact that there is a very large increase in short term floating indebtedness, and in view of the poor response to the War Bonds, would the right hon. Gentleman not consider the advisability of issuing a new popular loan?

The hon. Member must feel certain that these considerations are not absent from our minds, but these War Bonds have succeeded to a far greater extent than we expected. A special effort was made for the purpose of being able to meet the deficiency.

asked the-Secretary for Scotland if he will say what arrangements he has made for ensuring that women who are eligible as voters in Midlothian shall have their names put on the register; and whether he has satisfied himself that in all other constituencies Form A contains spaces for the names of women?

I am informed that the register is being compiled in Midlothian from information obtained through forms, issued to householders and occupiers, supplemented by a house-to-house inquiry. The forms originally sent out by the registration officer referred to men only, but information is now being obtained in the prescribed form which should ensure that women duly qualified are placed upon the electors' lists. As regards the last part of the question, the form which I pre scribed contains full provision for the return of the names of women electors. The use of this particular form is not compulsory, but I have no reason to suppose that the forms in use in Scotland generally are defective in this respect.

asked the Pensions Minister if he is aware that local committees have no direct power to grant allowances to guardians of motherless children whose fathers have died either whilst serving in the Navy or Army, or as a result of wounds or sickness attributable to such service, but have only power to continue for twenty-six weeks any allowance previously granted, and after the expiration of that period can only recommend the Special Grants Committee to make temporary allowances; if he will state whether any steps are being taken to enable the allowances to guardians in such cases to be of a more permanent nature; and, if so. what arrangements are being made?

The facts are as stated. In the case of a serving soldier whose children become motherless, the special allowance is only paid where some person enters the home with the object of keeping it together against the soldier's return. If the soldier also dies, that object can no longer be achieved, and the allowance is then only continued in suitable cases until permanent arrangements for the future care of the children can be made. These permanent arrangements have to be within the limits of the very liberal scale provided for motherless children by the new Warrant.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether the War Office is considering the effect of the increasing cost of living upon the existing scale of separation allowances; and whether there is any intention of increasing those allowances, especially as regards children?

The answer is in the negative. The Government has already made provision for extra assistance, where it is necessary, through the local War Pensions Committee.

Will the right hon. Gentleman take into consideration the great unwillingness of self-respecting women to make personal appeal to the Committee, and make it possible for them to live on the separation allowance?

I entirely sympathise with the difficulties of these women, but, in the interests of public economy, I am afraid I cannot see my way to adopt the suggestion at present, at any rate.

Has the right hon. Gentleman made representations to the Government, and asked them to consider the advisability of raising the allowance to these women, having regard to the fact that the prices of commodities have nearly trebled in the past two years?

I am not convinced that the increase in the cost of living has been so great.

Is the right lion. Gentleman aware that the powers of the committees are so limited that the whole extent of the relief makes it practically no relief at all?

I am not aware of that.

asked the Pensions Minister whether his attention have been called to an appeal to America, under the title of the Shamrock Fund, which represents that maimed and disabled Irish soldiers are in urgent need of assistance, and which has been issued together with a schedule of alleged serious cases of neglect; whether this appeal has the sanction of the Ministry; and whether the necessity for such an appeal to another country is admitted?

I am making inquiries.

Will the hon. and gallant Gentleman take immediate action to prevent the publication of this very scandalous appeal in America at the very earliest possible moment?

I am afraid that I have not got power to stop the publication of a document in America.

Has the hon. and gallant Gentleman not got power to publish replies to statements as to cases of alleged neglect?

I will take care that if misstatements are made suitable replies shall be published.

Is it not the fact that this is not the only fund which is being raised for the same purpose, and that there are at least a half-dozen in this country?

Yes; but they are not, as I gather from the question raised, under the same pretext as this fund.

Yes; they are!

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Shamrock Fund has been in existence for some years under the presidency of the Countess of Kingston, who has herself spent several months in America working in the interests of the fund, and can he say whether the proceeds which she collects are being administered by a representative committee for the benefit of maimed and disabled Irish soldiers?

I am prepared to make full inquiry into this matter. Until I have the information it is impossible to make any further statement.

Is the hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that I made no reflection whatever on the fund or its collectors, but merely on the appeal that has been made for money in America?

asked the Patronage Secretary to the Treasury, as Chairman of the War Aims Propaganda Committee, if he will state what quantity of literature and how many wall posters and cinema films were sent into the Keighley Parliamentary Division during the month of April; and what quantity was sent to the address of the committee room of the Government candidate?

There has been a general distribution of certain publications of the War Aims Committee throughout the country, and the Keighley Parliamentary Division was not excluded. No wall posters or cinema films were sent, nor were any publications addressed to the committee room of the Government candidate.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture if he will state the number of cases of anthrax in cattle, scab in sheep, and swine fever in pigs, which were reported during the six months prior to 25th March last, and the reports of such cases received during the corresponding six months in the year 1917; and, in view of the scarcity of animal foods, is he satisfied that the most effective means are being used to combat these diseases?

The numbers of cases of anthrax, sheep scab, and swine fever in the period of twenty-six weeks ended the 23rd March last were, respectively, 162, 337, and 509. The corresponding figures for the same period of the previous year were 338, 539, and 1,302. The methods of dealing with disease of all kinds are constantly under consideration by the Board, and they have no more effective means to-employ at the present time.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he is aware that numbers of Royal Army Medical Corps men are being transferred to Infantry units, resulting in dissatisfaction owing to the fact that many of them are over forty years of age, and joined the Army because- of their knowledge of ambulance work in civil life; and, in view of the fact that it was understood they were to be retained for that work, whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply on the 5th February last to my hon. Friend the Member for Blackburn, of which I will send him a copy.

asked if the Royal Army Medical Corps units are all complete or is the Army still accepting recruits?

Recruits are still being accepted for the Royal Army Medical Corps subject to certain limitations as to age and medical fitness.

Is not the reply which has just been given an absolute contradiction to the reply which was given to the hon. Member for Blackburn?

If my hon. Friend will do me the honour of reading the reply to the hon. Member for Blackburn, he will see that there is no contradiction.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War whether he will state the last date on which there were communications passing, or other relations, between the War Office and General Yermoloff, or any of General Yermoloff's staff; and whether he is aware that General Yermoloff has no commission and no authority under the present Russian Government?

There have been no communications between the War Office and General Yermoloff or any of his staff, except those relative to the winding-up of the affairs with which General Yermoloff was concerned and the disposal of the Russian officers for whom the latter was responsible. As regards the last part of the question, I am aware that General Yermoloff's position is analogous to that of other officials appointed by the late Russian Government.

asked the Under secretary of State for War if he will state what accommodation there is at the McGrigor Barracks, Aldershot, for officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps; whether the temporary officers are forced to take apartments out side at their own expense; and will he provide sufficient accommodation for all officers within the barracks?

It is necessary to make inquiries of the local military authorities in this case. This is being done, and I will communicate with my hon. and gallant Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if his attention has been drawn to a certain rest camp used by soldiers operating in Egypt and Salonika where the floating military population varies from 9,000 to 15,000; if so, will he state the number of qualified dental surgeons ordinarily stationed at that camp; how many hours it takes to obtain from the nearest available source of supply additional dental surgeons if required; and whether the employment of such additional dental surgeons reduces the efficiency of the dental service at thy camp from which they are withdrawn?

I am making further inquiry, by telegraph, into this matter and will communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to the case of men who in response to advertisements have joined the Royal Air Force and the Royal Engineers, and who have at once been transferred to the Infantry; and whether he would state what action he proposes to take regarding such men?

My hon. Friend has written to me regarding this question, and I am inquiring into the matter. I will communicate with him as soon as I am in a position to do so.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the casualties suffered by the North Staffordshire Regiment on 21st March, the first day of the German offensive; whether this regiment had been sent to occupy a portion of the line recently taken over from the French; and, if so, can he state whether this operation was undertaken on the advice of General Sir William Robertson and Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig?

My hon. Friend is correct in stating that a North Staffordshire battalion suffered severe casualties in the fighting of 21st March. I cannot answer the remaining parts of the question.

Has inquiry been made as to the general circumstances that led to this catastrophe?