asked the Prime Minister when the Bill dealing with the distribution of land to Irish soldiers who have served in the War will be introduced; and whether it is the intention of the Government that its various stages shall be completed before the Recess?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. With regard to the first part of the question, I would refer the right hon. and learned Gentleman to the reply given to his question on this subject on the 16th inst. I fear it would be impossible to carry the Bill through all its stages in the time available before the Recess.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether any scheme has yet been formulated by the Irish Departments and public bodies concerned for re-housing after the War; and, having regard to the urgency and importance of this question, will he consider the advisability of summoning immediately a national conference of all those interested in housing reform in Ireland?

This matter has been engaging the attention of the Irish Government, but I am not yet in a position to make a definite statement as to the measures proposed.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he can state definitely what arrangements have been made or are contemplated to assist housing operations in Ireland, especially in Dublin; whether similar measures have been arranged as those in force for Great Britain; whether equal financial assistance and provision of materials will be given; and whether he is aware that this is an urgent question?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I have just given to a similar question on the subject by the hon. and gallant Member for the Mid Division of county Cork. As I have already informed the hon. Member, it is intended that Ireland shall participate in any measures submitted to Parliament for the improvement of housing conditions.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he can now announce the policy to be pursued in relation to the placing of German officers of high rank upon hospital ships, or the means to be taken in future to protect those ships against the enemy's submarines?

The question of the best measures to be adopted to secure immunity for hospital ships is under consideration, and I regret it is not possible to make any statement on the subject at the present time.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the military authorities on 3rd Nov-November, 1914, entered into a lease of a portion of Damcroft Mills, Peebles, at a rent of £20 per month terminable on one week's notice; that they gave notice to terminate the lease on 14th October, 1915, and paid the rent of £20 per month until 21st October, 1915, when the notice expired; that the military authorities continued their occupancy of the premises by tacit relocation; that the liquidator of the owning company who was in possession of the premises, forwarded to the chief War Department land agent on 8th July, 1916, a claim for rent from 21st November 1915, until 7th March, 1916, when the mills were sold by him; that the claim was acknowledged on 12th July, 1916, by the chief War Department land agent; that the solicitors for the liquidator have since that date sent repeated reminders and had interviews with the Scottish Command with the view of getting the matter disposed of; that the command land agent, Scottish Command, wrote on 9th April, 1918, suggesting that the solicitors should get into communication with the War Department valuer, Edinburgh; and that the solicitors wrote to the War Department valuer, Edinburgh, on 13th April, 1918; and whether, seeing that no reply has been received from the War Department valuer, the Department is now prepared to order repayment of the amount of the claim?

I am making inquiry into this matter, and I hope to be in a position to inform my hon. Friend of the result within the next few days.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War whether many men have served two years and even more in Salonika without any leave; and whether some reasonable arrangements for leave can now be made?

As I stated yesterday, arrangements have now been made for the resumption of leave parties from Salonika to the United Kingdom, and I am hopeful that it will be possible to give leave in the near future to all those who have been abroad so long at Salonika without any leave.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that the last batch of men called to the Colours from the City of of London Police Force, and now attached to the Brigade of Guards at Caterham, have not received the leave that was promised them on being posted to their regiments; and, if so, will he arrange with the military authorities that this is granted?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. The men referred to proceeded on seven days' leave on Monday last.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he is aware that sixty or seventy men in the camp at Long Moor, Hants, are malaria cases, and that any man who has a relapse and goes before the doctor, no matter what his state may be, is sent back to his tent, the medical officer having given orders that no malaria cases can be admitted to hospital, and that, in consequence, men seriously ill are left lying in their huts without medical attention?

I am making inquiry, and will acquaint my hon. Friend of the result in due course.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War whether the production and use of gas for war purposes is under the management of the War Office, the Trench Warfare Department, or Lord Justice Moulton's High Explosive Committee; and if he can give any information as to the comparative effectiveness in quality and quantity of the British gas in shells and bombs as against the German gas?

I have been asked to reply to this question. The Ministry of Munitions is responsible for the production of gas for warfare purposes, research being undertaken by the Chemical Warfare Department, manufacture by the Explosives Supply Department, and filling of shells and other containers by the Gun Ammunition Filling Department. The responsibility for the use of gas rests with the Command in France. It is not in the public interest to give information as to the comparative effectiveness of the numerous types of gas used in British and German shells.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that, although the 12½ per cent. bonus for time-workers was awarded as from October last, the majority of the men in Army form stores, New Kent Road, have only received it as from the 1st April; and whether he will make inquiries into the matter with a view to all the men entitled to the bonus being treated alike?

This establishment is not one to which the Statutory Orders relating to the 12½ per cent. advance apply The advance was extended to Woolwich Arsenal as a whole, with effect from October, 1917, and was granted, with effect from the same date, to employés in the Army form stores who are transferees from Woolwich following on the arrangement made at the time of transfer that they should thereby suffer no pecuniary loss. It was extended to workmen of the same classes engaged since the transfer of the store from Woolwich, but no similar reason exists in their case for antedating the advance.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office on what grounds the wife of a soldier Who moves from the country to London is refused the London allowance; and whether, in like manner, the wife of a soldier moving from London to the country, and who has been in the habit of drawing the London allowance, is permitted by the military authorities to continue to do so?

The London allowance was designed to enable those who had permanent homes in London to meet the extra cost of living involved by residence in the London area, and is therefore withdrawn on removal from that area.

asked the Pensions Minister, concerning a discharged soldier who is under treatment at a municipal sanatorium for consumptives where civilian patients are treated free and where there are patients receiving the full sickness benefit of 10s. per week under the National Health Insurance scheme in addition to free treatment, whether it is in accordance with the present policy in regard to treatment of discharged soldiers in public institutions, that the soldier in question, a man with a wife and two children dependent upon him, suffers a reduction of 7s. per week from his pension, and a further reduction of 5s. a week from his National Health Insurance benefit during the period of treatment; and, if so, whether he will take steps to have this injustice to discharged soldiers removed?

In the case of a discharged soldier with a wife and two children dependent on him, admission to a sanatorium carries an allowance of at least 13s. 9d. to the wife, with a further allowance of 11s. 8d. in respect of the children. At the same time the man himself draws an allowance in lieu of pension of at least 27s. 6d. a week, against which a deduction of 1s. a day is made for maintenance. He will also draw 5s. a week under the Insurance Acts, assuming, as the question implies, that he is insured and qualifies for the full rate of benefit. In all, therefore, he gets for himself, his wife, and his children at least £2 10s. 11d. a week, in addition to his own maintenance and medical treatment. The benefits thus obtained represent in part the return for his insurance payments and in part compensation for disability caused by service, and constitutes, in my opinion, a not ungenerous provision. I may add that Parliament has specially provided for the reduction of insurance benefit by 5s. a week in Section 1 of the National Insurance (Part I. Amendment) Act, 1915.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that the London County Council are proposing to pay the firemen in London further increased pay in view of the extra cost of living in the London area; and if he has considered, or if he will consider, whether a further increase of pay should now be given to the officers and men of the Metropolitan Police Force, which is a similar service, as regards duties and pay, to the London Fire Brigade?

asked the Home Secretary whether he will consider a further increase in the remuneration of the Metropolitan Police Force, having regard to the fact that the Fire Brigade Committee of the London County Council is recommending a considerable increase in the pay of the members of the London Fire Brigade, who do work of the same character?

The question of making a further increase in the remuneration of the Metropolitan Police Force is under consideration, but I do not expect to be able to announce my decision in the matter for some little time.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that a German is acting as postmaster or sub-postmaster at Whitchurch, Cardiff, and that his son and daughter were transferred to Cardiff post office in 1914, and are still employed there; is he aware that this German, Mr. Hensch, is also carrying on his hairdressing business on the same premises; and, seeing that there are wounded soldiers in the place who may visit this shop, will he see that the danger entailed by this man is removed at once?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. The man referred to was naturalised twelve years ago. He has had no connection with Post Office business since 1914. His son and daughter are in the Post Office service at Cardiff. They are British-born.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Petrol Control Department issued a licence or permit for petrol to C. K. Gibbs, of 57, Lancaster Road, Belsize Park, N.W., on or about 6th June, 1918; for what purpose was the same issued, what quantity of petrol was authorised to be used, and in respect of what petrol-driven vehicle; and how much petrol has been obtained in pursuance of such licence?

A motor-spirit licence authorising Mr. Gibbs to obtain two gallons of petrol per month for seven months was issued to him on the 6th June, 1918, upon the receipt of a recommendation from the Ministry of Munitions by whom recommendations regarding the requirements of petrol by munition workers for proceeding to and from their work are made to the Petrol Control Department. The licence was issued in respect of a motor cycle, but as it is presumably still in the possession of Mr. Gibbs, it cannot be stated how much petrol has been obtained under it.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Shipping Controller why the French General Cargo Conference was not constructed on the same lines as the Mediterranean Conference—i.e., by calling together all the firms concerned; why were only four firms called to the later conference; why these firms were allowed to fix the freight rates for Channel trade at an advance of 33⅓ per cent. above previous rates charged, although these firms enjoy the privilege of being allowed to charter vessels, in some cases from their trade competitors, at the rate of 65s. per ton, whereas other firms have paid as much as 127s. 6d. per ton, and were content to work for a much lower freight rate?

The French Cargo Conference was composed of the thirteen regular lines which were established before the War. The rates of freight charged are fixed so as to produce a return equivalent to that earned by ships engaged in the French coal trade at the limitation rates. If my hon. and gallant Friend will furnish me with particulars of the case in which it is alleged that an advance of 33⅓ per cent. has been made, I shall be happy to inquire into the matter.