asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his answer in regard to the instructions contained in the confidential circular to surveyor of taxes, No. 46, as to the inequalities arising out of the application of Section 45, Sub-section (2), of the Finance Act, 1916, and Section 20, Sub-section (2), of the Finance Act, 1917, taken in conjunction with. Section 38, Sub-section (3), of the Finance (No. 2) Act, 1915, is to be taken to mean that legislation will be introduced before the final accounting period to adjust the inequalities at present existing; and, if so, in the meantime will he ensure that the Commissioners of Inland Revenue shall defer the collection of Excess Profits Duty from all who suffer from the application of the Sections referred to where deficiencies occur, instead of only to those who make application to the Commissioners of Inland Revenue for relief?

No, Sir; the question of introducing legislation on this subject cannot be effectively dealt with until the time comes to consider the measures necessary in connection with the termination of the duty.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he can give any facts or figures to show the progress of recruiting in Ireland since Lord French issued his Proclamation?

No, Sir; not at present.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that at a place called Carrigartha, near Castle-blayney, in the county of Monaghan, a civilian, by name Patrick Duffy, died as a result of gunshot and bayonet wounds inflicted in the early morning of the 4th instant by two soldiers named, respectively,. Sleight and Rodgers; that the two soldiers referred to, although summoned by the police, failed to attend the first inquest on the deceased; if he can state the cause of such absence; and whether, having regard to the verdict of the jury that the military were not justified in their action, any inquiry has been, or will be, held into the circumstances of the occurrence?

I am informed that Patrick Duffy died as the result of rifle and bayonet wounds, but whether inflicted by the soldiers mentioned I have no evidence before me. I am informed that the two soldiers referred to failed to attend on the first occasion on which they were summoned owing to a misunderstanding. I am informed that an inquiry has been held by the military authorities, and the matter is at present under the consideration of my right hon. Friend the Undersecretary of State for War.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he is aware that the Irish political prisoners have now been imprisoned for more than five weeks without trial; and how long he proposes to keep these men and women in custody without giving them any opportunity to answer the charges alleged to have been made against them?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to a question by the hon. Member for Hanley last Thursday.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland why the Irish political prisoners are not allowed to receive visits from their friends according to the ordinary practice in such cases?

Because it is not considered safe.

asked the Under-secretary of State for War whether, in view of the calling up for military service of agricultural labourers from farms which are already shorthanded and the risk of certain farms becoming derelict in consequence, the discharge from the Army of soldiers who were formerly working on the land and who are classified in medical categories below the standard of Grade I will be expedited?

There is no intention of discharging soldiers below Grade I for the specific purpose of working on the land. Agricultural Companies provide for shortage of labour on the land, and in special cases substitution of low category soldiers may be effected. In the latter case, however, the soldier would be transferred to the Reserve and not discharged.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he will consider the advisability of fixing a rule that in all cases where the other sons of any family have fallen in the service of their country the last remaining son shall be transferred to home service, or that at least he shall have the option of home service?

I regret that, in the present circumstances of the military situation, it is not possible to lay down any hard and fast rule as is suggested, but I can assure my hon. Friend that the Department will continue, as in the past, to give sympathetic consideration to all cases of the nature mentioned which are brought to the notice of the authorities.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War what were the the circumstances under which Lance-Sergeant H. N. Evans, 2/1st Norfolk Yeomanry, was killed on the rifle range at Charlestown, county Mayo, on 3rd June, 1918, whether during the last few weeks the lives of valuable non-commissioned officers have been sacrificed under similar circumstances at Norwich, Seaford, and elsewhere in Ireland; and, if so, what steps have been or are being taken by the military authorities to prevent the repetition of such occurrences?

No report regarding the death of Lance-Sergeant H. N. Evans has been received in the War Office, but telegraphic inquiries are being made, and I will acquaint my hon. and learned Friend of the result. It has been ascertained that no fatal accidents as is suggested have occurred at Norwich or Seaford.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War whether any arrangements have been made or are contemplated for giving leave home to British soldiers in Palestine who have been absent from this country since June, 1915?

As I stated yesterday in a written reply to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Mile End, the facilities for transportation govern the limitation of all leave granted to the troops serving in Egypt. I can, however, assure my hon. and gallant Friend that everything possible, consistent with the military situation, is being done to increase the numbers to whom leave is granted, and I know that the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief gives preference to those who have been longest without leave.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether any decision has yet been come to regarding the alteration of the Rules under which the Territorial long-service medal and the Territorial officers' decoration are granted, so as to enable those who have served during the present War and who were members of the Territorial Force or the old Volunteers or Yeomanry before the War may be allowed to count six months' home mobilised service or three months' foreign service as the equivalent of one year in the qualifying period required for the grant of these distinctions?

This matter is still under consideration, and I regret that no decision has yet been reached regarding the alteration of the Regulations.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether the Denbighshire War Agricultural Committee paid their honorary secretary the sum of £100 this year; whether the committee have all out-of-pocket expenses paid; and whether this is the policy of the Government with regard to war agricultural committees?

Mr. R. R. Roberts, the district valuer of the Land Valuation Department of the Inland Revenue, has acted as hon. secretary of the Denbighshire Agricultural Executive Committee, and in consideration of the valuable services he has rendered in that capacity the Committee recommended him for an honorarium of £100, which has been paid by the Food Production Department with the approval of the Inland Revenue and the Treasury. Similar payments have been made in other counties to officials of the Land Valuation Department who have undertaken work for the agricultural executive committees. Members of agricultural executive committees are entitled to the payment of out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them in the discharge of their official duties.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that women going to the permit office to get passports and stating that they wish to leave the country to be married have, in some cases, been asked by the officials whether there is any special hurry or was a baby expected; and will he give instructions that no insulting questions of this nature are to be asked in future?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative; the second part, therefore, does not arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any definite or formal treaty, understanding, or undertaking has been made with Portugal or Greece as to the terms and conditions on which either of these Powers entered the War; if so, whether the text or import of such treaty, understanding, or undertaking has been or will be published; whether Portugal or Greece has since 1st January, 1918, received financial or material aid from this country; if so, to what amount; and whether such aid is continuing at present?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative; the second part should be addressed to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the recent expulsion of Captain Tupper and Mr. Tom Chambers, of the Sailors' and Firemen's Union, from Gothenburg is dictated by German influence; whether he is aware that two-thirds of the merchants of Gothenburg are commercial agents of Germany, and that much trade is proceeding with Germany from this city in chemical wood-pulp, cyanamide, carbide of calcium, aeroplane timber, etc., for war supplies in Germany; whether he is aware that certain persons in England owning industrial interests in Sweden and Norway fear that Captain Tupper and Mr. Chambers will ascertain how unpatriotic British capital has been employed to supply the enemy; and whether he will institute an inquiry into the disposal of the goods of every joint stock company on the British register owning works or conducting business in Norway, Sweden, or Denmark, and take steps to punish all trading with the enemy?

With regard to the first and fourth parts of the hon. Member's question, I have no information to show that the recent expulsion of Captain Tupper and Mr. Thomas Chambers was dictated by German influence, or that certain persons in England fear that Captain Tupper and Mr. Chambers will ascertain how unpatriotic British capital has been employed to supply the enemy, but I shall be glad to receive any information on these points which my hon. Friend can furnish. As regards the second and third parts, His Majesty's Government are fully alive to the extent of trade between Gothenburg and Germany. With regard to the fifth part of the question, I should welcome the assistance of my hon. Friend in securing the detection and conviction of any British subject guilty of trading with the enemy.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what facilities have been given to the Palestinian and Syrian political leaders now in Egypt to visit Palestine?

A Commission of Syrian Arab political representatives from Cairo visited Palestine early last month and met Moslem and Christian leaders and the heads of the various communities in the occupied area.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to the conferences between M. Troelstra, the proposed neutral delegate to the Labour Party Conference, and Herr Scheidemann, vice-president of the Reichstag; whether he is aware that before the War Troelstra, as a Marxist, was under Teutonic influences and was regarded as an extra German delegate at international Socialist conferences, and that to admit him into England is equivalent to giving a passport to a German spy; and will he define his attitude in the matter?

As my right hon. Friend has already stated in answer to another question, the Cabinet have decided that it is inexpedient to grant permission to M. Troelstra to visit this country.

asked the First Commissioner of Works why that portion of Regent's Park which lies between the Outer Circle, Gloucester Gate, the Canal, and the Zoological Gardens, and to which the public have hitherto had access, has been shut up for the last three or four weeks; and when it will be reopened to the public?

It has, unfortunately, been found necessary to close these portions of Regent's Park bordering on the canal, owing to the condition of the Canal Company's fences. These afford so little protection that the banks are dangerous to children or others who would otherwise make use of these enclosures. There is no immediate prospect of reopening them at present.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether junior inspectors of national schools in Ireland hold their positions at the pleasure of the National Education Board and so can be dismissed at any time with or without misconduct; whether their annual increments of salary can also be withheld by the Board or by anybody else; and, if so, by what authority, statutory or otherwise, this is done?

Inspectors of national schools in Ireland are appointed by the Commissioners of National Education, and are established Civil servants holding their appointments under conditions similar to those affecting all such officers.