asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any agreement or contract has been made between the Government and the Zinc Corporation in relation to the smelting of zinc concentrates in this country; and, if so, what are the terms of such agreement or contract?

No, Sir.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if all steps are being taken by His Majesty's Government to develop the production of oil from coal and shale deposits in this country; and whether he can report what progress has been made in developing this national industry?

The Ministry of Munitions is taking every possible step to increase the production of oil from coal and shale deposits in the country and of creosote. The work is hampered by the shortage of labour, but very considerable progress has been made. I am advised that at present it is not desirable in the national interest to quote figures, but I am considering the possibility of giving further information of the progress which has been made in developing the production of oil from home sources.

Would the hon. Gentleman say to whom anyone is to report in the event of any findings in this country?

The information should be sent to me.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state what action he proposes to take in connection with the Report of the Committee on the Gas Bills?

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can now state what action he proposes to take on the Report of the Select Committee on Gas Undertakings (Statutory Prices); and if it is intended that the Government shall bring in a Bill to carry out the recommendations of this Committee?

I propose to introduce a Bill as soon as possible to give effect to the recommendations of the Select Committee, and to include in the Bill provisions of a like nature with respect to tramway, electricity, and water undertakings.

asked the President of the Board of Trade upon what principle the rates for passenger season tickets on the railways were determined previously to the issue of the recent Order; whether the rate was fixed by the railway company with reference to the mileage travelled; if so, whether there was any and, if any, what differentiation in that connection and the amounts thereof; what was the fixed rate per mile, or otherwise, for season tickets for a distance of 12 miles from the starting point; at what stage of mileage beyond that point and for what distance did any differentiation come into operation; and, if there was a differential rate, did it come into operation at fixed mileage stations or at ordinary railway station points along the line?

I am afraid that it is not possible to give categorical replies to the points raised in this question. As the hon. and learned Gentleman is no doubt aware, there were, generally speaking, no statutory requirements in regard to the issue of season tickets or the terms on which they were issued. In fixing season-ticket rates the railway companies had regard generally to the mileage travelled, but local and other conditions were also considered.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Barnard Castle, prior to his resignation from the Government, applied to the Treasury for a draft to cover the incidental expenses of a visit to France; whether the delegation was composed of the right hon. Gentleman, the hon. Member for Leicester, and the hon. Member for Stock-port; and whether such draft was actually paid to the right hon. Gentleman?

Owing to a misunderstanding, an imprest was on 26th July, 1917, issued to meet the expenses of a party including the three Gentlemen named. The whole amount was refunded by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Barnard Castle on 3rd August.

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether the right hon. Gentleman applied for this grant as a Cabinet Minister, and whether he gave the impression that the grant was applied for as a Cabinet Minister?

I shall require notice of that question.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Barnard Castle, prior to his resignation from the Government, applied to the Admiralty to place a vessel at his service; whether such vessel was actually placed at his service and took the right hon. Gentleman and two of his Parliamentary colleagues to France; and whether the journey undertaken was on Government business and at the request of the Cabinet?

My hon. and gallant Friend must, I think, have overlooked the replies given on this subject to the Noble Lord the Member for Dover on the 1st and 8th August last year. No Admiralty vessel was placed at the disposal of the right hon. Gentleman on the occasion referred to.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware of the volume of work caused by war conditions, and particularly the new Excess Profits Duty, which has fallen upon the senior surveyors of taxes; and will he say what increase of salary or war bonus has been given to senior surveyors in charge of most important districts whose ordinary salaries are upward of £550 per annum, and who are, in some cases, men with large families dependent upon them?

I am well aware of the severe pressure entailed upon surveyors of taxes generally, and especially upon senior surveyors, by the requirements of war finance. Some improvement in the position has already been effected, and a further representation from the Board of Inland Revenue on the same matter is now under consideration by the Treasury.

asked the Prime Minister whether the various control committees act on their own independent authority or are responsible to any Department of State; and, if they are not so responsible, by what means the control of Parliament can be maintained?

The various committees or boards of control set up by the Government are all subordinate to some Department of State, and the Ministers in charge of such Departments are responsible to Parliament for their action.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that several Ministers repudiate that?

No, Sir; I am not aware of that.

asked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to the amount of land that is being disposed of by its owners owing to the price obtainable; whether he is satisfied that the effect of such sales will not make the acquisition of land by the State or local authority for the purposes of colonisation and settlement after the War difficult and more expensive; and, if he is not satisfied, does he propose to take the necessary precautions either by special enactment or by Regulation under the Defence of the Realm Act?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. The whole subject of the acquisition of land for the purpose of colonisation and settlement of ex-Service men after the War is receiving very careful consideration, and the Government are fully aware of the position in regard to present sales of land to which the hon. and gallant Member draws attention.

Before land changes hands now is it inspected by any Government inspector to see if it is good land for colonisation?

No, Sir.

May I ask the Leader of the House whether it is possible for any British subject to purchase land in this country?

I must have notice of such a question.

asked the Prime Minister whether he can particularise the Allied interests in connection with which Mrs. Pankhurst is now in America?

I have no information on this subject.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that Mrs. Pankhurst stated that she was speaking for the women of this country, and that the majority of the women societies state that they have no connection with her?

I was not aware that she stated that she was speaking for the women of this country, but I notice that my hon. Friend and others claim to be speaking for the men of this country.

Does not Mrs. Pankhurst's going to America involve breaking the rule against women travelling at the present time? Did it not come before the War Cabinet, and, if so, what was the War Cabinet's decision?

The hon. Member must give notice of that question.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that I am speaking for the soldiers of this country?

asked the Patronage Secretary to the Treasury whether the War Aims Committee was consulted about, or recommended, the granting of a permit to Mrs. Pankhurst to visit America; whether the Propaganda Department, under Lord Beaverbrook, was consulted on or advised Mrs. Pankhurst's journey; and whether any money or expenses were furnished or promised to Mrs. Pankhurst in this connection.

The answer is in the negative.

asked the. Prime Minister whether he is making a thorough investigation of the measures taken by the several Government Departments which are interested in the alien question with a view of tightening up the system; and whether he can give the House any information as to such investigation?

asked the Prime Minister whether he has received or has knowledge of resolutions passed by various borough councils in the East End of London demanding that a period should now be put to the delay of the Government in dealing with the internment and repatriation of aliens; and can he hold out any hope that the demand formulated by these local authorities that the alien-infested districts of London shall be restored to Britishers will be listened to?

The whole subject is being again investigated by the Government, and a statement will be made as soon as possible after the Home Secretary has returned.

Will the right hon. Gentleman answer the first part of my question about certain resolutions which have been passed?

Yes. They have been received.

Is the right hon. Gentleman prepared to place on the Table of the House a list of all the real Members of His Majesty's Government?

The hon. Member must hand in that question, and let me see it before it is asked.

asked the Prime Minister if his attention has been directed to the case of Charles Alfred Vernon, who was employed by the Ministry of Munitions when the name of this man was really Carl Hahn and had been recently changed to that of Vernon; and will be consider the suggestion that no person should enter any post office or Government Department without signing a declaration that the name he bears is his real name and has not been assumed or changed by himself or his parents?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I have just given to the hon. Member for Brentford.

On whose authority was this man appointed by the Ministry of Munitions?

I should require notice of that.

I beg to ask permission at the end of questions to move the Adjournment of the House to call attention to the pernicious influence of aliens in this country to-day.

asked the Home Secretary if he will state the rules regulating visits to interned alien enemies at the present time, and have they been altered during the last two years?

The rules vary according to the circumstances of the different places of internment. In the Isle of Man, where visits are necessarily very rare, the matter is left to the discretion of the Island Government. In Islington and the Alexandra Palace, where the prisoners are, almost without exception, men with British wives and children, weekly visits are allowed. As regards Wakefield, the old military rule allowed one visit a month for not more than two relatives and lasting not more than fifteen minutes; but the Commandant was empowered to extend the time up to an hour.

May I ask whether these rules will be reconsidered by the Prime Minister? Are they going up to him?

As these rules are so much more generous than the rules which regulate visits to the Irish interned prisoners, will these latter be placed upon the same basis?

I must have notice of that.

May I ask whether any distinction is made with regard to the social position of the people who wish to visit interned persons?

No.

Are you quite sure? You know better.

asked the Prime Minister whether it is the intention of the Government to make it impossible, either by legislation or Order in Council, for an alien or neutral, whether naturalised or not, to at present acquire by purchase, assignment, or gift, land in the United Kingdom?

Adequate protection against any such danger as is suggested in the question can be secured under the Defence of the Realm Regulations. General legislation as proposed in the question is not considered to be necessary.

Can enemy banks purchase land in this country to-day?

The hon. Member has already been asked to give notice of that question.

asked when the Government propose to make their statement on the denunciation of the commercial treaties?

I am sorry that I cannot yet name a day, but I hope that the statement may be made within the next two or three weeks.

asked the reasons which have led the Government to decide that it is not possible to introduce legislation to deal with the question of German banks and banking in the United Kingdom after the War without at the same time dealing with other matters?

The question of imposing restrictions on trading by enemy banks in this country after the War is only one aspect of the general question of the future trade relations between the United Kingdom and enemy States. In my opinion there would be no object in dealing separately with enemy banks.

Has not my right hon. Friend said that it was impossible to deal with this question apart from others that were connected with it?

No. What I meant was that it was perfectly useless to deal with one aspect of a general question by itself.

Having regard to the fact that many other people hold a different opinion, will my right hon. Friend reconsider the matter?

Is not the inability of the Government to deal with this question due to the German banks financing British parties?

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if James Milne, of Nairn, a qualified skipper and extra master since April, 1914, who has been acting as master of a trawler with eight men under him since June, 1915, on boom defence, has now been ordered to be transferred to the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve as an ordinary seaman, also if John Main and David Ralph, both of Nairn, with similar qualifications and experience, have received similar instructions; and, if so, whether an oversight has occurred in employing men with masters' certificates as ordinary seamen?

These men are members of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (Section Y), in which fishermen are voluntarily enrolled for service in the Trawler Section of the Royal Naval Reserve when required. Their services are now required, and they have been called up. It is not the practice to enter such men direct in the Trawler Section as skippers, as they must first be tried under service and war conditions, but their qualifications are noted at the time of entry, and if found suitable they receive early advancement.

Do I understand that these men have been employed by the Admiralty as skippers for the past two or three years, and are now reduced to the position of ordinary seamen without any fault of their own?

No; they were fishermen who were voluntarily enrolled in the Royal Naval Reserve.

As skippers?

Yes.

Are not men with the experience stated in the question entitled to higher rank than that of ordinary seaman?

I understand my hon. and gallant Friend's point, and will put it to the naval authorities, but we have to have regard to the Service.

asked the Minister of Labour how many Provisional Order Bills have been passed for the purpose of extending the operation of the Trade Boards Act, the number of such Bills introduced which failed to pass, and the stage of procedure at which the failure took place?

In 1913 a Trade Boards Provisional Orders Confirmation Bill was introduced which included five Provisional Orders. One of the Orders, which proposed to apply the Trade Boards Act to calendering and machine ironing in steam laundries, was opposed, and the Bill was referred to a Special Committee. The Committee rejected the Order relating to laundries and reported the Bill with this Amendment to the House. The Bill was then passed as amended. In 1914 a Bill was introduced to confirm a Provisional Order applying the Act to calendering and machine ironing in laundries. A petition was presented against this Bill, and it was referred to a Special Committee, which reported that it was unable to confirm the Order, and the Bill was accordingly withdrawn.

asked the hon. Member for Sheffield (Central Division) whether the representatives of the British Government at The Hague are empowered to make the necessary arrangements for the ship to leave Alexandria for the relief of the British prisoners in Turkey?

The necessary arrangements for the sailing of the repatriation ship, both those with the Turkish Government and those to be made by His Majesty's Government alone, are already complete in so far as they can be completed at the present time. All that is awaited is, firstly, notice of the date on which the Turkish Government will have the first 1,000 British prisoners ready for embarkation, and, secondly, the assurance from the other enemy Governments that the ship will not be attacked. On the first point the Netherlands Minister at Constantinople has been requested to press the Turkish Government, and on the second point the British delegates at The Hague have been instructed to press the German delegates to obtain an early reply from the German Government. A similar request has also been made of the Austrian Government through the Spanish Ambassador at Vienna.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether on Whit-Sunday Lieutenant Medlicott, Royal Flying Corps, and Captain Walker, M.C., of the Queen's Regiment, were shot dead while attempting to escape from Bad Colberg camp, in Germany, while at approximately the same time three German officers named Brane, Thielman, and Klaiff, who escaped from an internment camp at Water Lane, Stratford, were taken back on recapture, and then provided with hot baths and a substantial meal; and, if so, whether he can in any way justify the difference in treatment?

From a report which has been received it appears that Captain Walter and Lieutenant Medlicott escaped from Bad Colberg and were recaptured. On the way back to Colberg they again attempted to escape, and refused to stop when called on by the guard. The latter fired, and both officers were mortally wounded. The three German officers who escaped from the camp at Stratford were given a hot bath twenty-four hours after their arrival back in camp. This was considered necessary by the commandant. They received, in the cells in which they are confined, the ordinary meal at the same time as all other officer prisoners of war interned in the camp.

Will the right hon. Gentleman answer the last part of the question as to the grave difference constantly recorded between the treatment of prisoners of war here and the treatment of prisoners in Germany?

I am afraid it is quite impossible to effect any comparison between the two cases.

asked the Pensions Minister whether he is aware that local pensions committees are not informing the widows of sailors and soldiers of their right to receive a training Grant, but are advising them to take up work of a purely temporary nature which will cease at the end of the War; and whether he will give an undertaking that training Grants for widows will be available at the end of the War so that those who are now taking up temporary war work will not forfeit their right to the Grant?

My right hon. Friend is not aware of the fact stated in the first part of the question, but he will undertake that the training facilities given by the Ministry shall remain open for a sufficient period after the end of the War, to enable widows, now engaged in war work of a temporary nature, to take advantage of them.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether facilities are provided weekly for all Irish interned persons who desire to attend Mass in the Roman Catholic chapels to be present at such religious service; whether those in Lincoln Prison have since their internment been prevented on any Sunday from attending Mass; if so, why; and whether in future all Irish Catholics interned will be allowed to attend Mass on days of obligation?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. Facilities for attending Mass weekly in the Roman Catholic chapels are provided for all the Irish prisoners interned in this country. Owing to his parochial duties, the priest at Lincoln is not able to say Mass in the prison on Sundays, but it is said on a, week-day. The same difficulty in the way of saying Mass on Sunday occurs at some other places of internment, but the priests will in all cases do their best to provide the necessary ministration.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to a complaint from Mr. Darrell Figgis, now confined in Durham Prison, that, although he is allowed to receive Irish newspapers, when they arrive they are taken from him to be censored and never returned, so that they do not reach the prisoners, and that his letters from Ireland take a fortnight and three weeks in transmission; and whether he can have these matters put right?

Yes, Sir. There has been some delay, partly delay in the post, but not, I think, so great as suggested in the question. Arrangements have now been made which will expedite the delivery of newspapers, and letters will not be held up longer than one day for their examination by the Censor.

Will my right hon. Friend see that newspapers are not taken away when they do arrive?

I do not understand that they are taken away.

Are Irish newspapers allowed to these prisoners, or only Unionist and such-like papers?

asked the Undersecretary of State for War what steps are to be taken with regard to the command at Wakefield Camp, in view of the disclosure at the court-martial held upon Quartermaster and Honorary Lieutenant Albert Canning?

I have not yet received the court-martial proceedings in this case, and I regret, therefore, that I am at present unable to answer my right hon. and learned Friend's question.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he is aware that G. Herbert, of 3, Henrietta Street, Portsmouth, was pushing his truck along the high road on 29th November last when he was run into and knocked down by the runaway horses of the Army Ordnance Corps attached to a Red Cross van; that his truck was smashed; that he sustained a compound fracture of the left arm and had some ribs injured; and that a Court of Inquiry was held at Aldershot when it was stated that no blame attached to the Army and Herbert was referred to the National Insurance; and if he will see into the case and obtain compensation for Herbert, who is in his sixty-third year?

My hon. Friend wrote to my right hon. Friend the Under-Secretary about this case in March last, and I found on inquiry that the facts were as stated by him. The accident appeared to have been quite unavoidable, and no liability whatever rested upon the public; but it was decided, in view of Mr. Herbert's age and circumstances, to make him an ex-gratia grant of £10, which Mr. Herbert accepted in full settlement of his claim towards the end of last month.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether the same representative of the Wool Purchasing Department is to do the work this year in the South-West of Scotland; if so, will be give his name and previous experience in wool before becoming the War Office representative for this work; what remedy in the way of appeal against his decisions are farmers to have whose wool is wrongfully, in their view, graded as second-class or as broken wool; and have they simply to accept the buyer's statement of the value or are they to have any remedy for his wrong valuation?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. With regard to the second part, I would refer the hon. Member to a reply given to him on 19th December last. Any farmer dissatisfied with the district officer's valuation is at liberty to ask him to refer his case to the Advisory Committee on Wool Purchase for Scotland.

Will the parties have an opportunity of being present while the wool is being condemned?

I do not think we can give permission in every case, but it will be given as far as possible.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in recent cases at Eastbourne and Newport Pagnell, women charged under Regulation 40D of the Defence of the Realm Act with having sexual intercourse with a soldier while having venereal disease have had their names and addresses published while the name of the, infected soldier has been withheld; and, if so, whether he will give instructions that either the names of both the man and the woman be published or both kept private?

I am informed that both at Eastbourne and Newport Pagnell the soldiers concerned went into the witness-box, and gave their names in the usual way. I do not know whether their names and those of the defendants were published in the Press or not. In any case, the Home Office has no authority either to compel or to prevent the publication of the names of defendants and witnesses.

asked the Horn© Secretary whether he will issue instructions that women charged under the new Regulation 40D of the Defence of the Realm Act shall in all cases be informed that there is no power to compel them to submit to a medical examination against their will?

The Home Secretary has no authority to give instructions of this kind to magistrates, and no information has reached the Home Office to show that the issue of any circular on this subject is called for.

Cannot the Home Secretary give instructions to the chief constables, and is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in all these cases the women only submit to this examination, because they think it is compulsory, and that throughout the country this Regulation is being worked simply by trading on the ignorance of these women?

There is no necessity to issue instructions to chief constables, who know what is their position under the law.

Have instructions been issued to chief constables in connection with the Regulation to tell the women of their rights under the law?

I can only say for the Home Office that there is no reason for the issue of a special circular, but I will again look into the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he can give any information as to the terms on which the Dutch Government have agreed to allow Germany to pass traffic over the railways through Limburg; whether this traffic will be subject to effective inspection by Dutch officials; and whether the effect of the agreement is to set free for purely military traffic the German lines to Belgium through Vise and Liége?

Although His Majesty's Government have repeatedly pressed the Netherland Government for precise information respecting the arrangement arrived at with Germany, I regret to say that their request has so far not been met, though we have been told that the traffic is to be confined to "civilian goods." I cannot usefully make any further statement on the matter at the present stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will say how many persons of enemy parentage hold official positions in the Consular service in stations in Allied or neutral countries; and whether it is the intention in future to employ exclusively persons of British birth and nationality in the Consular service?

There are no Consular officers in the salaried service of enemy birth. In the unsalaried service there is one unpaid Consul of German birth who was naturalised in 1898. His case was fully considered in 1915–16, and it was decided that his loyalty to this country could not be questioned. Amongst the Proconsuls whose duties are purely notarial there is one German who was naturalised in 1883. His case has also been considered. He has rendered excellent service during the War. With regard to the latter part of my hon. Friend's question, I would refer to the statement made by my Noble Friend in this House on 22nd August, 1916.

May I ask whether the answer he has given covers all persons in official positions in the Consular service?

As far as I know, it covers all persons in official positions in the Consular service.

Does that also apply to the Foreign Office itself?

asked the Minister of National Service whether there is any local medical war committee acting in Derbyshire; and how it happens that Shirebrook, with a population of 12,000, has only two doctors, while Ashbourne, with a population of 4,000, has three doctors?