asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether any arrangements have now been made to rectify the existing Regulations under which secondary wholesalers have been distributing certain articles of foodstuffs among retailers either without profit or at a loss?

As the result of representations from my hon. Friend and from various associations of wholesalers, the position of distributive wholesalers generally has recently been under careful consideration by the Ministry of Food. It has now been arranged that in a number of cases where no statutory provision was formerly made for a wholesaler who was left to arrange with the manufacturer or importer for an agreed discount a statutory discount should in future be provided. While it will not be possible to treat all foods in exactly the same way, and while the amendment of the various Orders affected may necessarily take some little time, I hope that the new arrangements will, in effect, meet all legitimate causes of grievance.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) what measures are being adopted to alleviate the shortage of fuel in Ireland, especially in Dublin city; whether he has made arrangements for the increased cutting, saving, and delivery of turf; whether any safeguards have been provided against profiteering; and what the Government is doing or proposes to do regarding the connections of coal and mineral mines with the main railway lines in Ireland?

I am informed that at the present time fair supplies of coal are coming into Ireland, and there has been no difficulty in providing tonnage to convey from the mines in Great Britain all the coal that is available. The whole question of its allocation is receiving special attention. For some time past special steps have been taken to bring before all concerned in Ireland the importance of using turf as a substitute for coal, with the result that much more turf is being cut than heretofore.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he is aware that Private R. E. Johnson, No. 72852, of a Labour company, British Expeditionary Force, has not had leave for more than eighteen months; and whether, in view of the fact that his mother, living at Whit-stable, is of great age, he can arrange for this man to be given a few days' leave to enable him to visit his home?

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply on Wednesday last to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for the Maldon Division, in which I dealt generally with the question of leave for men in the Labour Corps in France. I am afraid the War Office cannot take action in any particular case such as that mentioned by my hon. Friend in his question, but I would suggest that Private Johnson should represent his case to the Officer Commanding his unit, when I am sure it will receive every consideration that is possible in the circumstances.

asked the Minister of National Service if a preference is given to ex-Service men of good character over civilians when licences are applied for to start a business; and, if not, will a preference be given in future?

The question of giving preference in granting a licence to start a business has not hitherto arisen, but I can assure my hon. and gallant Friend that the policy of the Ministry of National Service is to do everything possible for those who have served their country in the armed forces, and I will gladly see that my hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion is fully borne in mind.

asked the Under-Secretary of State to the Air Ministry what are the terms upon which the contractor is building an aerodrome in Essex; whether payment is by commission; whether, in May last, bricks were laid on a straight course at the rate of one in four and a half minutes; whether the men, after the bell to resume work had rung, did not go back for a quarter of an hour; whether card-playing was rife during working hours; and whether he will cause an inquiry to be made as to the whole conduct of the work at this aerodrome?

The contractor is paid by commission which, under present conditions, is the only practicable system. The information received in the Air Ministry does not bear out the suggestions contained in the third, fourth, and fifth parts of the question, and there does not appear to be any reason for special inquiry on the conduct of the work at this aerodrome?

asked the Pensions Minister why, notwithstanding the letter of 13th June, 1918, over the name of Matthew Nathan, intimating that a gratuity of £50 has been awarded to Thomas Farrell, Drogheda, No. 111361, late Royal Engineers, the amount has not yet been forwarded to him; and whether he is aware that Thomas Farrell has been since asked to accept a smaller amount?

Mr. Thomas Farrell was informed on 13th June, 1918, that he had been awarded a gratuity of £50 under Article 7 (2) of the Royal Warrant of 1917 in lieu of his previous award of 4s. 8d. for eighteen months. As he had already received £18 5s. 4d. in respect of the latter award the sum due was £31 14s. 8d. The necessary authority for payment of this amount was issued on the 28th June.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether the ration allowance issued to a married soldier sent on furlough pending discharge is to be raised in amount and issued for an extended period; and, if so, what the amount and the period will be?

It is not proposed to extend the period during which ration allowance is issued to married men sent on furlough pending discharge. The rate of allowance is still under consideration.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he has considered the scale of family allowance paid to men in the Army who live at home; whether he is aware that in the case of a man with a wife and two children in London (his own pay being 11s. 1d. a week) he would receive whilst employed away from home 39s. 1d., being 28s. separation allowance and 11s. 1d. Army pay, together with board and lodging, whereas when employed in London and living at home he would be paid 46s. 1d., or an addition of 7s. a week; whether the sum of 7s. is deemed sufficient to cover the cost of the man's board and lodging at home and his fares to and from his work; and, if not, whether he will reconsider the scale under which such allowances are made?

I would refer my right hon. Friend to the answer which I gave yesterday to a similar question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Dulwich.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that societies under the National Health Insurance Act do not pay anything for the first three days' sickness, so that any officer who is absent is bound to lose 5s. for that time; and, as a contribution of 4d. instead of 3d. is now expected from all persons who hold certificates in England, Scotland, and Wales, whether he will see to it that the employés do not lose by his action?

I am aware that in certain circumstances an insured officer is not entitled to sickness benefit for the first three days' sickness. The question of compensating the officers concerned for the disadvantages suffered by them under the new Act is under consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware of a recent resolution passed by the executive committee of the Kent Farmers' Union concerning the River Beult; and whether, in any investigation by the Ministry of Reconstruction, he will draw attention to the necessity of clearing the channel of the river in order to reduce the flooded area and the destruction of the crops while reclaiming many acres for arable purposes?

The Kent Agricultural Executive Committee drew the attenion of the Board to the congested state of the River Beult and its tributaries at the beginning of this year, and the Board found on investigation that the principal channels had become so obstructed as to cause a considerable area of land to be so waterlogged as to become unfitted for arable cultivation. There are numerous other areas in different parts of the country which are very liable to flooding, and it is the object of the Land Drainage Bill, recently passed by this House, to provide a remedy for this evil. If, as I hope, the Bill passes into law the President will be prepared to consider favourably an application for the formation of a drainage board with jurisdiction over the valley of the Beult, which body would have power to clear the channel.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government have been officially notified by the Russian Provisional Government, under the premiership of Prince Luvov, that one of the first acts of the Provisional Russian Government was to issue a Proclamation to the Poles recognising their right to decide their own affairs; and whether such proclamation was the one referred to in this House by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the 25th April, 1917?

The answer to both parts of the question is in the affirmative.

asked the hon. Member for Sheffield (Central Division) whether he can make any further statement as to the food of our interned prisoners in Holland; and whether food parcels are now forbidden to them?

This matter is being vigorously pressed by our Minister in Holland, in conjunction with the British delegates to The Hague Conference; but for the moment I can make no statement on the subject.

asked the hon. Member for Sheffield (Central Division) if his attention has been called to the June number of the "Groningen Camp. Magazine," in which there are large spaces which had contained censored matter; and who is the officer who censors such magazine, and under what authority?

The censorship, if any, of this magazine is, of course, exercised in Holland, but whether by a Dutch or British authority I have not been able to ascertain. I am inquiring further into the matter.