asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is proposed during the continuance of the War to pay the outstanding debts still due from the London branches of the German and Austrian banks to British, Allied, and neutral creditors; and, if so, what is the amount of such debts?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative so far as funds are available for the purpose. The approximate amount of admitted non-enemy liabilities still due or unclaimed aggregates £5,190,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can see his way to issue a table, similar to that issued by his predecessor in May, 1914, showing the total percentage of unearned incomes from £150 to £100,000 payable under the recent Budget as Income Tax, Super-tax, and premiums necessary to provide Estate Duty, taking forty as the age for the last purpose?

The following table gives the information asked for:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the recall of the Home Secretary from The Hague was by a collective decision of the War Cabinet; if not, by whom it was decided on; who sent the telegram recalling him, and what members of the War Cabinet saw it beforehand; and whether it is the view of the War Cabinet that the consideration of the Report of the Select Committee on Aliens is a more "important national object than the securing of favourable terms for the release of British prisoners of war?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The telegram was sent by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs at the request of the War Cabinet. As regards the last part of the question, in view of the stage which the negotiations at The Hague had reached, it was considered that it was in the public interest that the Home Secretary should return.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether British subjects interned in Germany receive rent direct from German subjects for any premises or land owned by them in Germany and rented by Germans?

I have not up to the present been able to obtain any information as to this, but I am causing further inquiries to be made.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that British subjects occupying premises or land owned by Germans interned in this country have to pay rent direct to the enemy subjects; and whether, in view of the provisions of the Trading With the Enemy Act, he now can give advice as to the course which ought to be pursued by these British subjects, as hitherto all applications to the Treasury for advice have failed?

It is impossible for the Treasury to offer advice as to whether such payments should be made or withheld, the question being one for the Courts to decide. The only action taken by the Treasury in the matter is to make sure that no money should reach enemy countries.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if the name of the hon. Member for South Birmingham was incorrectly included in the Return, dated 26th April, 1918, of Members holding appointments under the Crown?

I am informed by the Secretary to the War Cabinet that the rate of pay of the Member for South Birming ham, whose name was correctly included in the Return, was incorrectly entered as £650 per annum. The entry should have been "Army pay," the hon. Member not having received pay as Assistant Secretary to the War Cabinet.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that superannuated members of the Royal Irish Constabulary draw £l a week pension, which being without war bonus represents only 9s. 6d. in pre-war days; and whether he will arrange for their receiving a war bonus, or an increased sum weekly from the Constabulary Force Fund?

The average pensions at present being drawn by retired head constables, sergeants, and constables of the Royal Irish Constabulary are respectively £71 7s., £53 6s., and £41 8s. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. and gallant Member for Enfield on the 4th inst.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether it has been decided to grant a bonus to Record Office clerks to meet the increased cost of living?

Record Office clerks are already in receipt of the bonus awarded to clerks in general.

asked the Under-secretary of State for War whether he is aware that a first-class air mechanic named H. Renter, No. 18027, was killed while employed loading aeroplane trailers at a railway station on Thursday, 4th July; and whether the widow will be entitled to a pension?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. A Court of Inquiry will be held by the authorities into the circumstances attending the death of H. Renter, and unless it is found that his death was due to his own serious negligence or misconduct his widow will be eligible for pension. She will continue to draw separation allowance for twenty-six weeks from the date of death, so that the question of awarding pension will not arise until January of next year.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether warrant officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers who elected pensions under Army Order No. 1, of 1918, may be permitted to cancel their election on refunding the amount of pension and arrears paid to them, and to reckon their service towards pension as they would have been entitled to do had they not so elected?

No, Sir; the Royal Warrant definitely provides that the election, once made, is final.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether, in view of the fact that many officers in charge of military hospitals do not avail themselves of the discretion allowed to them to make a weekly allowance of 3s. 6d. to the inmates of their hospitals, he will send a circular to all principal medical officers of military hospitals drawing their attention to the power possessed by them of giving such allowance?

Instructions have been issued from time to time on this subject, and a further circular is not considered necessary; but if my Noble Friend will inform me of any cases in which cash issues appear to be unreasonably withheld, I will have them investigated.

asked the Home Secretary whether any protests have been received from public authorities regarding the allowances paid to the wives and dependants of Russian aliens who elected to return to Russia rather than to fight for the Allies; if so, what action has been taken in the matter; and what do these allowances consist of?

I have been asked by my right hon. Friend to answer this question. As I have previously stated, the allowances referred to are paid to the dependants of Russians who returned to Russia for military service, in compliance with the terms of the Anglo-Russian (Military Service) Convention. The allowances, which are at the rate of 12s. 6d. a week for an adult and 2s. 6d. a week for a child, are only paid in necessitous cases, and the necessary funds have been provided by His Majesty's Government, on the understanding that they will be ultimately recovered from Russia. A few boards of guardians have raised objections to the payment of these allowances, but it is not proposed for the present to discontinue the existing arrangements.

asked the Home Secretary what was the number of Germans and the number of Austro-Hungarians naturalised in each month of the year 1916, and the total, excluding women of British birth, readmitted to British nationality?

The figures are:

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will arrange for a sufficient quantity of this year's hay crop to be reserved on farms adjoining collieries to provide for their requirements for the coming year, and thereby avoid the waste of transport which was caused this spring by the action of the Army authorities?

Under the new arrangements for dealing with this year's crop of hay the distribution of the supplies required for civil needs will be in the hands of a civilian committee, and the point raised by the hon. and gallant Member will be brought to the notice of that committee. At the request of the Controller of Coal Mines, the Board of Agriculture is engaged in taking a census of the acreage of grass land on colliery farms producing hay, and the expected yield. As soon as this census is complete it will have the joint consideration of the two Departments, and the necessary measures will be taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can make a statement as to the landing of German troops on the eastern shore of the Black Sea, and the progress made by them inland?

I am not in a position to furnish information on this subject.