asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Private Trevor Ford, No. M/399458, of the Army Service Corps, Mechanical Transport, 18th Company, was discharged medically unfit on the 25th September, 1915, after having served at Mons; that he was called up again on the 1st May, 1916, and was again discharged on account of medical unfitness on the 26th June, 1916; that he has once more been called up and placed in the Army, in spite of the fact that he is clearly entitled to a statutory exception under paragraph 4a of the First Schedule to the Military Service Act (No. 2) of 1918; and whether he will take steps to have him released forthwith from the Army?

My information does not altogether agree with the statements contained in my hon. and gallant Friend's question. Private Ford enlisted in 1913 and was discharged in December, 1914, his services being no longer required, after having served in France for about six weeks immediately prior to his discharge. On the 1st May, 1916, he voluntarily re-enlisted and served for about six weeks, when he was again discharged as not likely to become an efficient soldier (medically unfit). He again voluntarily enlisted on the 16th April last and was rejected for the Army Service Corps Mechanical Transport Section, but was transferred to the Supply Section as a packer and loader, where he is still serving. In these circumstances he is not entitled to be released.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether men may be released from the Army, or at least transferred to permanent home service, if they have attained the age of fifty-one and completed at least thirteen years' service with the Colours?

Owing to the urgent need of men for military service, I regret that it was not possible to give any undertaking of the nature suggested. Soldiers of low category who are over fifty are returned from France to England as and when reinforcements arrive to replace, them; soldiers over fifty-five are sent home without replacement, if they express a wish to that effect.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he will see that discharge papers are sent at once to Arthur Edward Burberry, late T.R./10/89211, late attached to the 24th Training Reserve Battalion, who was discharged from the Army on account of ill-health on 4th April last?

My hon. Friend is misinformed. Private Burberry was not discharged, but was transferred to Class W Army Reserve. Instructions have been issued that the necessary documents on transfer to the Reserve should be sent to him immediately, if this has not already been done.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War what steps are being taken to deal with the case of men over forty-three who have been improperly graded before the new grading arrangements came into operation and who have received calling-up notices or have joined the Army?

Recruits of the new military age who were enlisted on or subsequent to 18th April, 1918, will have their grades translated into military categories as follows:

• Grade 1 to be Category B1.
• Grade 2 to be Category B2.
• Grade 3 to be Category B3.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he can state the reason why the French Government does not consider it advisable, even at this crisis of the War, to employ lads under nineteen in the fighting line; and will he say how lads under nineteen with only three months' training compare with lads of nineteen with six months' training from the point of view of fighting efficiency?

I am afraid I can not answer the first part of my hon. Friend's question. As regards the latter part, it is obvious that the comparison is in favour of the lad with the longer training, but I would remind my hon. Friend that no lads are sent overseas until they are sufficiently trained to take their place in the firing line. In no case is the period of training less than fourteen weeks, and in a great many instances it is five months.

asked the Minister of National Service whether he is aware that Mr. F. J. Carnell, late sergeat-major, first-class warrant officer was discharged from the Durham Light Infantry on 15th December, 1915, on termination of engagement after twenty-six years' service; that he has now been medically examined and placed in Grade 1; and whether, in the event of his being called to the Colours, he will be given the rank which he held on leaving the Service, as is provided for by Army Council Instruction No. 640, paragraph 39?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. If accepted, he will be given his former rank.

asked the Minister of National Service whether he is aware that David Evans, farm servant, of Waenrydd, Corwen, who had been given exemption till the l5th October, was ordered to join the Army, and that he is now in a camp in Ireland; and whether he will arrange for his immediate release to enable him to return to his work?

I have had this case carefully investigated. The facts are somewhat complicated. David Evans was noted for release by the War Agricultural Executive Committee, and he was legally called up; but as I consider the calling up to have been technically irregular I am communicating with the War Office with a view to securing his release. His case will be liable to review in the ordinary course.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he will state out of the quota of 30,000 men recently called for from agriculture how many have actually joined the Army; and what proportion received their calling-up notices after 26th June, and therefore are not to join until after the harvest?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply. It is undesirable to give information as to the numbers of men actually recruited under any of the quotas, and I have already regretfully had to decline to give explicit answers to questions put by other hon. Members with regard to other quotas. I can, however, inform my right hon. Friend that the percentage of men whose reporting is postponed until after harvest is relatively small, except in the case of some of the Welsh counties, where there have been special difficulties to meet.

asked the Minister of National Service whether he is aware that Hugh Lewis, Glan Seiont Farm, Carnarvon, forty-nine years of age, Grade 2, is a master mariner, that he has long ago offered his services to the National Service Departments, namely, on the 1st March, 1917, and 28th June, 1917, that he offered his services to the Admiralty on 23rd February, 1918, to the Ministry of Labour, Carthays Park, Cardiff, on the 18th March, 1918, that no employment was offered him, and that he is now called up for military service; and whether the notice can be deferred pending further inquiries by his Department?

I do not know why Mr. Hugh Lewis cannot get employment at sea, but every effort has been made to find him work of national importance. For instance, he was invited to meet an official of the Inland Waterways and Docks, with a view to his special qualifications being placed at the service of the State, but so far as I can gather took no action. He has likewise failed to avail himself of an opportunity to work on the land, and he has refused to give any particulars to enable his name to be registered at an employment exchange. Nevertheless, I have issued instructions to suspend his calling-up notice in the hope that he may yet find some suitable outlet for his special qualifications.

asked the Minister of National Service if a man who was exempted from military service by reason of his being employed in an exempted occupation and was decertified by a recent Proclamation is entitled to appeal on personal grounds and, therefore, on conscientious grounds?

I must refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on this subject by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary on 5th June, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War what sums of money have been spent in improving the ports in German East Africa and in making railways and tramways in connection with military operations; and will he see that accounts are kept of our capital expenditure in German East Africa?

I am not in a position to furnish the figures asked for, but the question as to the best means of arriving at the total cost of these services from the records of expenditure as they exist is receiving consideration.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that men who have been granted commissions as interpreters, particularly for work in prisoners-of-war camps, are at a financial disadvantage as compared with ordinary subalterns; that they receive consolidated pay of £4 per week rising to £5 after twelve months' service, but are compelled to provide their own rations, are not in receipt of children's allowance, and do not receive the usual gratuity on discharge; and whether, in view of the educational requirements for these positions, he will review these conditions and put these men at least on the same basis as commissioned officers in other branches of the Service?

I am afraid I can only refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for East Leeds on the 27th June.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he will have a deduction which is made from the separation allowances of soldiers' children between the ages of fourteen and sixteen restored, in view of the fact that no deduction is made in the pension allowances of children between those ages whose fathers have fallen?

I am afraid I cannot accept my hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion. Local war pensions committees are now empowered to issue a supplementary separation allowance for a child over the age of fourteen who is suffering from mental or physical infirmity, or is a whole-time pupil or student at an elementary or other school, or is an apprentice receiving not more than a nominal wage.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the wife of a soldier who moved from the country to London in July, 1917, is entitled to the London allowance; and, if so, from what date would she become entitled thereto?

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

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the Government propose to follow the example of the French Government in instituting a special decoration or badge for civilians who have been mutilated or maimed by enemy action during the War, having regard to the fact that numbers of men and women have so suffered to whom it would be a gratification to have their cases differentiated from eases of misfortune by accident unconnected with the War?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. The Government do not propose to institute a special decoration or badge for civilians injured by enemy action. I understand that no badge is given to persons injured while engaged on national work, and it does not appear that persons injured by the enemy have a higher claim. The whole subject of war decorations will no doubt receive consideration at a later stage.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether British medical officers, both of the Royal Army Medical Corps and of the Indian Medical Service, who are prisoners in Turkey are receiving smaller pay and allowances than when they were on active service in Mesopotamia or elsewhere, although they are still working as doctors; whether he will arrange that they be given the full pay and allowances which they drew on active service on receipt of certificates from them, or on other evidence, that they have had medical charge of prisoners; and whether those of them who drew free rations while on active service will be given an allowance in lieu for the period covered by such certificates or evidence?

British officers both of the Royal Army Medical Corps and of the Indian Medical Service are, on their release or exchange, credited with the full Indian pay of their substantive appointment for any period of their captivity during which they certify that they were fully employed with the care of British or Indian sick and wounded. Ration allowance is only issuable to officers when they are on active service.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether British Service officers taken prisoner in Kut drew Indian rates of pay while in India and Mesopotamia, but reverted to British rates sixty-one days after being taken prisoner; and whether, in view of the fact that Asia Minor is, like Mesopotamia and India, an Oriental country, he will arrange for British Service officers, like Indian Army officers, to draw full pay and half-staff pay for the period of captivity after the first sixty-one days?

The answer to the first part of my hon. and gallant Friend's question is in the affirmative. I am afraid I cannot adopt the suggestion contained in the latter part.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the military European German subjects taken prisoners of war during the operations in German East Africa have been removed to India for internment; and what number of them are there?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and the latter part of the question does not therefore arise.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether enemy prisoners of war employed as migratory gangs on agricultural labour are under guard from the time of leaving their camps until their return in the evening; and, if not, what precautions are taken to secure proper control over their movements?

Farmers employing prisoners of war from migratory gangs will be responsible for their safe custody from the time of their being handed over in the morning until their return at night. The police are to be kept informed by the military authorities of the location of each gang, and if a prisoner attempts to escape it will be the duty of the employé to inform the police by the quickest possible means.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether farmers employing migratory gangs of German prisoners of war are compelled to find a suitable mid-day meal for such prisoners; and, if so, whether, in view of the fact that farmers' wives have sufficient household duties to do without cooking meals for German prisoners, instructions can be issued for the prisoners to take their rations with them in future?

I understand that the War Office have recently issued instructions that farmers employing prisoners of war from migratory gangs should not be required to provide them with the mid-day meal.

asked the hon. Member for Sheffield (Central Division) if he will cause to be published the existing regulations, terms, and conditions relating to the exchange of prisoners of war in Germany; if adequate steps are now being taken to bring these Regulations to the knowledge of our men in Germany; and will he consider the advisability of giving in the Press the number of prisoners of war exchanged each day?

The Regulations referred to have already been published as White Papers. They will, I hope, be superseded by the new agreement. According to information in the hands of the Prisoners of War Department, I am satisfied that our prisoners in Germany are aware of their right to transfer to a neutral country or repatriation under The Hague Agreement of 1917, copies of which have been forwarded to the Netherlands Legation at Berlin for circulation in prisoners' camps. With regard to the last part of the question, the War Office already periodically publish the names of prisoners repatriated or transferred to neutral countries, and will doubtless continue this practice should the new agreement take effect.

asked the Pensions Minister how many institutions are at present in working order under his Department which provide for the recovery of discharged soldiers and sailors who have been invalided owing to uncertifiable nerve strain; where each institution is situated; how many patients each contains; how many men have been discharged recovered up to date and how many sent on to asylums; what facilities in regard to industrial or interesting occupation each institution affords for the inmates; and whether these institutions are free from any connection with lunacy administration or lunacy staffs?

For functional nerve disorders six homes of recovery have been established as follows: