asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that examinations held under the Regulations for entry into the Army and for special entry into the Navy as a naval cadet are intended to admit of candidates for both sitting at one and the same time; that in each case the candidate must be over seventeen and a half years and under eighteen and a half years; that if a boy desires to sit conjointly for the two Services he must satisfy the age requirements of both Army and Navy, but that, as the Army requirements calculate ages as for the days 1st July and 1st December, whereas the Navy, as for the day 1st June, boys born in the month of December are in the position of being unable to sit at the conjoint examinations as frequently as those born in other months of the year; and when he will rectify this difference by securing the Navy and Army examinations held conjointly shall have reference to the same ages in either case?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. This matter is now under consideration by the Admiralty and the War Office, with a view to assimilating the Navy age limits of entry with those of the Army.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to the case-of officer prisoners in Germany who are not supplied with rations or any allowances equivalent thereto; and whether he will make arrangements so that their incomes, to the extent of £104 per annum, used in sending parcels to them may be exempt from Income Tax?

I regret that I am unable to entertain my hon. Friend's suggestion.

asked the hon. Member for Sheffield (Central Division) whether an allowance of money is made by the Dutch Minister at Constantinople to all warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men, British and Indian, who are prisoners in Turkey; what the amount is for each camp; and whether he considers the amount adequate?

The Dutch Minister at Constantinople has been authorised to make money allowances within certain limits to warrant officers, N.C.O.s, and men, when he thinks it necessary. These limits are considered adequate. I will communicate the limits to my hon. and gallant Friend confidentially, if he desires.

asked the hon. Member for Sheffield (Central Division) whether he is aware that, owing to the non-arrival of money at a prisoners' camp in Turkey, British prisoners were reduced to selling their clothing and the gold stoppings of their teeth in order to buy food; and whether he will endeavour to arrange for the establishment of an emergency fund at each camp in charge of the senior British officer or non-commissioned officer?

His Majesty's Government have received a statement to the effect mentioned by my hon. and gallant Friend, which was, I believe, from Kedos. It was stated at the same time that according to letters from that camp, dated February last, the issue of the relief allowances from the Netherlands Legation was three or four months overdue. An inquiry on the subject was made by telegraph of the Netherlands Minister at Constantinople, who replied that according to the receipt signed by the senior officer at Kedos the allowances were received with no such inordinate delay as would appear from the letters in question. The Dutch inspectors will be requested to investigate the origin of the apparent discrepancy. The Netherlands Minister has been consulted by telegraph as to the advisability of establishing emergency funds at the various camps.

asked the hon. Member for Sheffield (Central Division) if any arrangements are being made to find employment for our prisoners of war interned in Holland, so that the time will not hang so heavy on their hands, particularly if classes can be arranged for the officers to learn languages and book-keeping and the men handicrafts and shorthand, and such other subjects as will be useful to them hereafter when released?

Arrangements have been made with the British Red Cross Society under which they have assumed responsibility for the organisation and cost of instruction and employment of British subjects interned in Holland. A report by their Commissioner, dated the 25th March last, states that considerable progress in this direction had already been made. Classes and individual instruction in Dutch, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, and German had been arranged for officers, and were in active operation. Classes of non-commissioned officers had been formed, and courses of instruction in Dutch were in operation. Arrangements had been made for a number of officers to receive instruction in painting and drawing. A carpenter's shop, expected to have a full complement of fifty, had been provided at Scheveningen; thirty-seven men were actually employed at the date of the report. A hut was being fitted as a tailor's and shoemaker's shop. An efficient class had been started in motor mechanics, a suitable garage and two cars having been obtained for instructional purposes. Two rooms had been taken for a prisoner who was a watchmaker, with a view to the installation of a shop for repairing the watches of the prisoners. He was to take a number of other prisoners as apprentices. Some minor operations had also commenced or were under contemplation. It is hoped that a report on this subject for the quarter recently concluded will shortly be received. A report by the Red Cross Commissioner on the employment of civilians interned in Holland, dated 4th June, has been received, which states that remunerative employment had been found for a small number only. It had been difficult to make much progress, mainly owing to the fact that the ultimate destination of these civilians had been uncertain. Arrangements would, however, it was hoped, be made for the employment and occupation of 150 civilians on their arrival at Nymegen. In general, considerable difficulty was experienced in finding remunerative clerical work for civilians owing to the fact that they were unable to speak Dutch, and to the internal competition. Employment in other spheres came into competition with the Dutch labour market. It is understood that, in the matter of instruction, arrangements made for military prisoners are applicable to civilians.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that men who served on the hospital ships bringing home the wounded from France between the outbreak of war and the 22nd November, 1914, have had the riband of the 1914 Star, which they were previously wearing, withdrawn on the ground that they were not entitled to it; is he aware that one of these ships served for a time between the above-mentioned dates as a base hospital and that the men had to go ashore to carry off the wounded from the tramcars and do picquet duty; and whether such duties come within the terms of Army Order 350 of 1917?

It has been decided that the personnel of hospital ships are not entitled to the award of the 1914 Star by virtue of the service thereon. If my hon. and gallant Friend will furnish me with the name of the ship which was used as a base hospital, I will inquire into the case.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War if he will give instructions for leave to be granted to Private William Gray, No. 386814, 73rd Labour Company Battalion, attached to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, British Expeditionary Force, France, whose wife is now in an asylum and whose two children, aged five and seven years, have been taken to the workhouse; and, as the man is very anxious to get home to rearrange his domestic affairs, and having applied several times without success, will he see that the man's request is granted at once?

I am writing to my hon. Friend regarding this case.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War if he is aware that on 3rd July week-end leave, after being granted to a soldier at Shire-hampton, was cancelled; that after this he was sent to the doctor to be inoculated; that on refusal the leave already granted was withdrawn; that on applying to the major for the reason of the withdrawal he was told that it was his refusal to be inoculated, and that the order for withdrawal had been issued by the commandant; that, on being appealed to, the commandant told applicant that he should have no leave until every man in his squadron had had it, and not until no other man wanted leave; how long will he allow his repeated assurances that soldiers should not be deprived of leave for obeying the law to be set aside by individual officers; and whether he will take steps to protect soldiers in the exercise of their legal rights?

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to a similar question which he asked on the 10th June last.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War how many enemy aliens have been tried by court-martial for espionage in this country in the twelve months beginning 1st June, 1915, 1916, and 1917, respectively; and in how many cases has the death sentence been carried out?

I am afraid it would not be in the public interest to give this information.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War how many resolutions have now been received by the War Office demanding the withdrawal of Regulation 40 D of the Defence of the Realm Acts?

About 100 resolutions have been received since my reply to my hon. Friend's question on the 11th June.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War whether he will invite a representative of the Salvation Army to become a member of the Conference on venereal disease, of which he is Chairman?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War whether National Reservists above the age of forty-five, who, prior to the War, had signed the obligation card for home service only, have now been examined by a medical board and placed in Category B 1; and whether this means that they are now made liable for service overseas in defiance of the understanding given them in 1914?

I presume my hon. and gallant Friend is referring to men in the Royal Defence Corps. Many of these men are in Category B 1, and they are liable for service overseas, after transfer to another corps, in the same manner as other soldiers who are enlisted under the Military Service Acts.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War whether an officer in a Volunteer battalion who had retired on being appointed to a civilian office at an Army Ordnance Depot is now liable to be called up as a private, or is, on being called up, entitled to a commission or to admission in an Officers' Training Corps?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to my replies on the 1st and 8th May last to questions on this subject by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Devonport. If a Volunteer officer or an ex-Volunteer officer who held his commission before the passing of the recent Military Service Act is called up for military service he will be accepted for training in an Officers' Training Corps for a commission in the Army.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War if he will have immediate inquiry made into the case of Private Ridehalgh, No. 198055, Labour Corps, who, on the 24th June, received notice to rejoin the Army, and who is now in an overseas group, Peckham, in view of the fact that this man was transferred to Class W in 1917 owing to unfitness for military service, and who on 3rd June last was reported by the Army medical authorities at Blackpool as being almost blind and unable to kneel or raise himself without assistance, and who was certified as being physically unfit for munition work; and will he inquire into the way in which he was passed by the medical board last week and placed B 2 and put into the overseas group, seeing that it is alleged that the medical officer simply looked at him and then classified him?

I am informed that this man was transferred to the Reserve in November last for employment on munition work, and not owing to unfitness for military service. Further inquiries are being made, and I will write to my hon. Friend in due course.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if he will have immediate inquiry made into the irregularity of the proceedings of the military service tribunal at Oundle in the case of William James Howell, aged forty-four, a grocer and general dealer, who on the 17th June claimed exemption from military service on conscientious grounds and also on business and domestic grounds, the decision of the tribunal being that he was a sincere and genuine conscientious objector, and gave him a relief from Army service on condition that he found work of national importance within six weeks, but the certificate of exemption was not sent to him till three weeks later, when it gave exemption only from combatant service; and, seeing that this was not the oral decision of the tribunal, and the tribunal have refused to reconsider the matter, and as the claimant has had no opportunity of appealing against this decision, will he give instructions for the local tribunal to rehear the case or to allow an appeal to be made to the county tribunal?

I am making inquiry in the case.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War why Private Alfred Catherall, No. T. 4/216839, of K Supply Company, Army Service Corps, who was recently sentenced to imprisonment as a conscientious objector in France, has not been returned to this country to undergo his sentence in a civil prison, seeing that there can be no doubt the reason for this soldier's refusal to obey orders, as he has been previously court-martialled and was at one time adjudged by the Central Tribunal to be a genuine conscientious objector and was working under the Home Office scheme; and will he see that he is brought back to this country at once?

Private Catherall was returned to England on the 5th June last.

asked the Home Secretary why Tom and Jack Umpleby, of Primrose Hill Farm, Stockton-on-Tees, who have for the last twenty months been employed under the Home Office scheme and are now at the Dartmoor settlement, have not been permitted to take up the exceptional employment scheme, seeing that these young men are both experienced farmers and that there are dozens of farmers ready to employ them; and, in view of the need for agricultural labour, will he see that these men are released at once?

The hon. Member is misinformed. These two men were informed early in June that they were classed as qualified for exceptional employment. They asked to be allowed to return to their father's and brother's farm, but the committee did not feel able to accede to this proposal. It is open to them to make a further proposal for employment in agriculture, and any such proposal will be considered by the Committee.

asked the Home Secretary if he will have further inquiry made into the condition of the eyesight of Alexander Bain, a conscientious objector in Durham Prison, with special regard to the glasses with which he has been supplied, which are said to be quite unsuitable, and are inflicting great pain and doing very serious injury to his eyesight?

I have made further inquiry, and can only confirm the reply given to the hon. Member on the 17th June. The prisoner was examined by a highly qualified eye specialist at the Sunderland Eye Infirmary, that institution having been selected by the prisoner himself, and he has been supplied with the glasses which were prescribed.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he can state, or furnish to each local agricultural committee a Return showing, the principle on which the quota of 5,500 men decided to be withdrawn from agriculture and allied industries in Scotland has been allocated among the several counties in Scotland; the specific number allocated to each county; the number of men from each county born in the years 1895 to 1899 inclusive, and whose National Registration certificates showed them to be registered as engaged in agriculture or an allied industry on 20th April, 1918, who have been called up and have rejoined for service with the Colours since the said date; and the number of men from each county born in the years 1886 to 1894 inclusive, and whose National Registration certificates showed them to be registered as engaged in agriculture or an allied industry on 20th April, 1918, who have been called up and have rejoined for service with the Colours since the said date?

As regards men born in the years 1895–1899 who come within the scope of the Royal Proclamation of 20th April no county quotas were fixed, but precise instructions were given to the representatives of the Board in each county or district regarding the classes of men whose applications should be certified for presentation to the tribunal. It was ascertained on 17th June that the number of men who had been called up under the Proclamation was approximately 4,000. The remaining 1,600 were then allocated among the counties on a scheme that took account of estimates of (a) the extent to which men had already been called up; (b) the number of remaining men of all ages. The quotas of the 1,500 thus arrived at were communicated to the district agricultural executive committees on 18th June. On the question of the numbers of men posted to the Colours, I must refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the Minister of National Service.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he can relax the rule which denies the war bounty, granted under Army Order 209, of 1916, to men who were not actually serving on 4th August, 1914; and whether he is aware that this inflicts a hardship on thousands of time-expired non-commissioned officers who volunteered to re-enlist in response to Lord Kitchener's call for instructors immediately subsequent to the date mentioned?

The question was fully considered at the time, and it is regretted that it cannot be reopened now.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he will inquire into the amount of pay and allowance now being given on account of Private H. Burns, No. 277580, 2/7th Manchester Regiment, who is now home out of hospital pending the fitting of an artificial foot, and who is being paid 11s. 1d. a week for Army pay and ration money and 9s. 4d. separation allowance for his wife; and, as this amount appears to be inadequate, will he see that this man is paid the sums to which he is entitled?

Inquiries are being made into this case, and I will acquaint the hon. Member of the result in due course.

asked the Pensions Minister whether he can amend the Rule granting 2s. 6d. a week extra to recipients of the special campaign pension so as to make the increase apply to men over the age of seventy who are for some reason or other not eligible for the old age pension on attaining that age?

No, Sir; the 2s. 6d. corresponds to the extra 2s. 6d. given to old age pensioners, and I fear I cannot adopt my hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether Mr. Arnold Scholten, who openly describes himself as a German, is allowed to visit any German internment camp in this country whenever he pleases; and whether another German, Dr. Markel, is constantly in the habit of visiting these camps?

Mr. Arnold Scholten, who is a German pastor, is allowed to visit the camp at Wakefield twice a month, solely for the purpose of spiritual ministrations to those interned there. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that photographs of the review of American troops in Liverpool on 4th July were reproduced in some newspapers issued early on the following morning without having been passed by the Censor, and that the "Liverpool Courier," which submitted its photographs of the review to the Censor in accordance with express instructions received from the Press Bureau, did not obtain permission to publish them until the late forenoon of 5th July, by which time through earlier publication in other papers their news value had been destroyed and the expenses incurred in procuring them had been largely wasted; and whether he proposes to take steps to prevent newspapers which conform to the rules issued by the Press Bureau from being placed at a disadvantage by others who do not conform to those rules?

I am informed that no general instructions were issued by the Press Bureau to submit photographs of this review for censorship, but that the "Liverpool Courier" asked whether it was necessary to submit pictures of the 4th of July celebrations, and as the Press Bureau could not authorise the publication of such pictures without seeing them the editor was asked, in reply to his inquiry, to submit the pictures. He submitted certain photographs on the 5th July, and they were passed for publication. If other papers gained an advantage by publishing similar photographs without asking for the sanction of the Press Bureau, I regret it; but I am sure that every endeavour is made by the Press Bureau to treat all newspapers alike.

asked the Secretary to the Board of Trade whether newsagents who have supplied with newspapers or periodicals regular customers who have been called to the forces may be allowed to return those papers which they are unable to sell on account of their customers having been called to the Army?

Regular customers who have been called to His Majesty's forces should cancel their orders for newspapers and periodicals before leaving their homes. If any cases of hardship to the newsagents arise in consequence of their failing to do so, the Paper Controller has power under Clause 6 of the Order to arrange for the unsold copies to be sent back.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to Mr. Thomas Hamilton-Adams's system of pasture-drilling for the production of corn crops as well as hay; and what steps have been taken to enable the machinery to be supplied necessary for an exhaustive test of the system?

The Department endorsed the application for a permit for material for the making of an experimental machine when this matter was referred to them over a year ago. My right hon. Friend did not feel justified in pressing for special facilities for its construction, as the idea underlying the invention finds no support from scientific or practical agriculturists.