asked the Prime Minister whether the principle that no Member of this House shall hold a position of trust and responsibility in any State Department which has dealings with any business in which the Member has any direct or indirect financial interest has been ignored in many cases during the War; and, if so, does he intend to take steps at the conclusion of the War to re-establish the principle?

I am not aware that the general principle stated in this question has been ignored.

asked the Prime Minister (1) whether, in view of the probability of a General Election at an early date, provision will now be made for the distribution of election literature amongst the soldiers abroad whose votes will be recorded; and (2), in view of the probability of an election at an early date, whether he can state what steps will be taken to enable candidates to ascertain the means of communicating their views to voters who are on naval or military service?

I cannot add anything to the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter on the 25th July.

asked the Prime Minister (1) whether the Government intend to carry out the Resolution unanimously passed by the Canadian House of Commons that no hereditary titles be conferred on Canadians; and (2) whether the Government intend to act on the Order in Council passed by the Canadian Government and approved by the Canadian House of Commons, asking that no titles be conferred on Canadians except on the recommendation of the Canadian Government?

The Government are in communication with the Canadian Government in regard to this question.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any scheme has been prepared and sanctioned by the War Cabinet for the establishment, and maintenance of an Imperial War Museum which defines its nature and objects, the place or building to be occupied, and the nature of the exhibits; whether the details of such scheme will be submitted to the House of Commons for consideration; and whether he can give an assurance that, until such scheme has been approved by the House, no sums will be expended in connection therewith except those already specified in the Estimates and passed by the House?

In March, 1917, the War Cabinet authorised the First Commissioner of Works to proceed with the collection of material for an Imperial War Museum, and to form a small Committee with that object. The necessary expenditure is provided for in Estimates which have been approved by this House, and all subsequent expenditure on this service will, of course, also need the prior approval of Parliament.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has considered the encouragement to the working classes to invest their earnings in War Loan that would be given if the interest on War Bonds were excluded from the income which disqualifies people from receiving the old age pension?

I cannot undertake to introduce the legislation that would be necessary to carry out this suggestion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether, in view of the industrial unrest, his attention has been called to the action of the Government, which in 1914 promised postal servants certain inducements to enter the Army, and in 1917 published a document repudiating the promise; whether he is aware that such breach of contract has had a bad effect upon the members of the whole Civil Service, causing Government servants to feel that they cannot rely upon the pledges given by Departmental heads; and whether the Treasury will reconsider the decision;(2) The Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the Post Office circular, 29th September, 1914, appealing for recruits to join the Army stated that Post Office servants enlisting as office telegraphists in the Royal Engineers, Regular Army, or in the Royal Engineers, Special Reserve, Signal Section, would be allowed full civil pay in addition to military pay when called up for service; whether such a promise was in conformity with the past practice of the Government when seeking trained men at quick notice from the Post Office; whether thousands of men joined the Colours in response to the appeal; whether in 1917 the Treasury and the Army authorities, without consultation with the Post Office officers concerned, issued an Army Council Instruction nullifying this promise and reducing very considerably the military emoluments promised in 1914; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter; and(3) The Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the ill-feeling and unrest caused by the repudiation by the Treasury of the promises contained in Post Office Circular, 29th September, 1914, relating to the terms of enlistment of Post Office officials in the Royal Engineers; whether he recognises that such action tends to destroy confidence in the administration; and whether he will place no impediments in the way of legal action being taken in the Law Courts for breach of contract by the trades unions whose members have been adversely affected?

In the announcements inviting recruits for the Royal Engineers, Signal Section, it was stated that full civil pay would be allowed in addition to military pay and allowances, thereby placing the men who enlisted in a better position than other Civil servants, who only receive the balance of Civil pay over military pay and allowance. When increases in the rate of separation allowances were sanctioned in 1917, it was not thought right to improve still further the relative position of these men; and it was decided that the increases in the allowances should, as in the case of other Civil servants, be deducted from Civil pay The effect is that the men concerned continue to receive the exceptionally favourable rates of pay granted to them on enlistment, but, in common with other Civil servants, they are excluded from the increases referred to above. As those men are already receiving considerably more than their Civil emoluments I do not consider they have any legitimate grievance; but I propose to consult the Law Officers as to whether there is any-legal ground for their claim that they are entitled to benefit by any subsequent increase in the rate of military pay or allowances.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether any additional pension or war bonus has been granted to Civil Service pensioners since the commencement of the War; and, if not, whether he can see his way, owing to the high cost of living, to increase the scale of pensions or grant some war bonus?

I have nothing to add to the numerous answers which I have given to similar questions on the subject this Session.

asked the Food Controller what are the grounds on which it has been decided to be necessary to increase the price of meat to the public; whether he will state how his Department would estimate a bullock of 10 cwt. live weight to work out; what would be the yield in beef, weight of hide, head and feet, intestines, liver, heart, tongue, lights, etc; what would be the wholesale return for each and the total for the animal; how would this compare with the cost; and what are the details of the estimated departmental charges against the animal?

An increase in the price of meat to the public is required in order to meet the increased cost of meat imported from the United States, and to cover the distribution charges which are at present borne by the Ministry of Food. The particulars asked for in the second part of the question are of too hypothetical a character to be usefully embodied in a Parliamentary answer, but I have caused an estimate to be prepared and sent to my hon. Friend.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that the Aberystwyth District Agricultural Committee recently invited applications for the post of executive officer at a salary of £125 per annum and travelling expenses; that amongst the applicants were three discharged soldiers who were experienced in agriculture, one of whom holds a gold medal for ploughing; and that eventually the post was given to a farmer and dairyman who already held the position of machinery officer under the same committee; whether he will urge upon agricultural committees the advisability of appointing discharged soldiers whenever possible; and whether he will make representations to the Aberystwyth Committee with regard to this particular appointment?

I am inquiring into the facts of this case, and will let my hon. Friend know the result as soon as possible. If it should be desirable to take any steps in the direction indicated in the last parts of the question, that shall be done.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether, in view of the importance of the Scottish potato crop as a source of food supply for the coming year and of the fact that the harvesting of potatoes involves more strenuous and heavy labour than the harvesting of the grain crop, he can say that the pledge that no more men will be taken from agriculture for the Army till the end of the harvest embraces the safe ingathering of the Scottish potato crop?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Government have abandoned all intention of introducing a measure of self-government for Ireland based on the majority Report of the Irish Convention or on any other lines?

I regret I am not yet in a position to give a definite reply to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty if large rigid airships are urgently required for His Majesty's Navy; if so, if any reason can be given why the firm that has carried out all the pioneer work in rigid airship construction and built the first successful rigid airship should now be in a position necessitating a large reduction in the number of their skilled workers whilst other firms who had not the same experience were fully employed; whether he is aware that resentment is felt by the trade unionists of this firm who, at considerable sacrifice, have given every possible assistance in teaching the work to female labour and now find that a large proportion of girls will shortly be without employment or put on other work where their special training will not be utilised; and if any reason can be given for the stoppage of construction of a new airship building shed for this firm on which a large sum of money has been expended?

The firm to which I understand my hon. Friend to refer is at present building a rigid airship, but the constructional shed which they have at the present time, though big enough for the ships they are building, is not sufficiently large for future requirements. Moreover, building sheds already in existence elsewhere are sufficient to meet present requirements. As regards the third part of the question, there is sufficient need for labour in the district to keep everyone in full employment. As regards the last part of the question, which refers to another shed altogether, the stoppage of construction referred to was due to the fact that the labour and material which would otherwise have been absorbed were needed for other and more important undertakings.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the hardship that the rise in the price of living is inflicting on old soldiers of the Crimean campaign and onwards, who now find their pensions, whether invalid or not, entirely insufficient for their wants; and will steps be taken to allow these pensions to be supplemented by way of war bonus or otherwise?

The following steps have been taken by the War Office and Ministry of Pensions: Campaign pensioners under seventy have been given a war addition of 2s. 6d. a week. The pensions of old soldiers totally disabled through former wars have been raised to the present war scale.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether Private Hollingum, No. 83055, of a Labour Company, British Expeditionary Force, has recently been court-martialled and, if so, for what offence; what is the nature of his sentence; and where is it being served?

My inquiries in this case are not yet complete, but I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if Krahn, who was employed as a clerk in a record office, was at any time employed at the War Office; and is he aware that this man was convicted at Birmingham in 1913, sentenced to five years' imprisonment, and recommended for deportation?

I have made all the inquiries I can. The answer is in the negative.

asked the Home Secretary if De Laszlo is still interned; has he been removed from his original internment camp; if so, for what reason; and is he now in a camp or in a boarding house?

The internment order in this ease is still in force, but, in view of the very serious medical reports I received as to the state of De Laszlo's health, I authorised his temporary release on parole to a specified nursing home in London, on condition that he should not go outside the nursing home or (except by special permission) communicate with any person other than his family, and medical attendant, and the staff of the home. He is still in the nursing home in question.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he will give the number of civilians of military age who are at present acting as checkers in connection with hay pressing and the purchase of forage in Ireland; what is their weekly pay and allowances; and why these positions are not reserved for disabled soldiers and military pensioners?

The number is fifteen, of whom five are discharged soldiers and the remainder are nearly all unfit for military service. Their weekly pay and allowances vary from £1 16s. to £2 9s. Disabled soldiers and military pensioners are employed wherever suitable men are available.

asked the Minister of National Service whether he has set up special advisory committees to consider the cases of exemption from military service of certain classes of co-operative employés; whether he accepts the principle that, allowing for the service to the State rendered by the co-operative societies, the private traders are entitled to be treated on principles of equality with the co-operative societies; whether he can state what these classes are; and whether he will see that similar opportunities are afforded to private traders who are working on the same lines and in similar trades?

My hon. Friend will find all the information he requires in the answers which I gave to the hon. Members for Merthyr Tydvil and Tower Hamlets on the 24th July, and to the hon. Members for Devizes and Great Grimsby on the 29th July. I may add that the List of Certified Occupations is being revised with a view to including certain classes of men engaged in the distribution of food.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that Harold Watkin Wynn Lloyd, of 14, Formosa Street, Maida Vale, has been refused exemption from military service by the local tribunal and that the London Appeal Tribunal has refused to rehear the case; that this man's two brothers are serving in the Army; and that the last brother was taken on the understanding that H. W. W. Lloyd would remain to carry on the business; and, seeing that this business is now being closed and that there are three German bakers in the immediate vicinity carrying on trade—Bechman (trading as Wright), Sasse, and Schneider—can he take steps to save this British business from falling into the hands of neighbouring traders of enemy origin?

I have been asked to answer this question. This case has been before the Appeal Tribunal on a number of occasions. As the hon. Baronet will appreciate, exemptions have to be reviewed in the light of increased military requirements, and the Appeal Tribunal, notwithstanding the facts as to the brothers who are serving and the other businesses in the neighbourhood, felt that they could not any longer grant exemption. The man is thirty-two years of age and single. I may mention that the case was once reheard, in November last, and temporary exemption was then granted, I propose to communicate with the local tribunal to ascertain whether something can be done for maintaining the business.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he can state the rate of wages to be paid or at present being paid to men in the Royal Engineers who are to be, or who are now, employed there and who are qualified riveters?

On joining as recruits such soldiers receive regimental pay at 1s. 2d. and engineer pay at 6d. a day. On completing the recruits' course they receive the regimental pay of their rank, 1s. 2d. a day as sapper, 2s. 6d. as corporal, and 3s. 3d. as sergeant, with engineer pay varying from 1s. to 2s. a day according to their qualifications.

asked the Pensions Minister if he will state the present position in regard to the pension of parents who have lost one or more sons in the War and whose claim for a pension has been denied on the ground that there had been no pre-war dependence, the sons in question having been apprentices, secondary school scholars, or in receipt of progressive wages when they enlisted, now that it has been decided that separation allowance ought to be paid to the parents in such cases, can the parents referred to claim a pension; and, if not, why this claim cannot be entertained?

Under the existing Regulations the parents of any soldier, sailor, or airman who has lost his life as a result of service in the present War may, if at any time either or both of the parents is or are wholly or partly incapable of self-support from age or infirmity and in pecuniary need, be granted a pension of not less than 3s. 6d. and not exceeding 15s. a week. The recent concession as regards separation allowance carries with it a 5s. pension to a parent or parents who had been drawing the allowance under the conditions laid down, if their son has lost his life as a result of service in the present War.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether there is still an inequality, amounting in some cases to 3s. a week, as between the separation allowance granted to a sailor's wife and that granted to a soldier's wife; whether there is any reason for such inequality; and whether it is proposed to take any steps to remove it?

In May last provision was made, by a scheme of supplementary Navy separation allowances—subject to an increase in allotment which would still leave the sailor or marine with 10s. 6d. a week for his personal use—to ensure that the wives and dependants of the lower ratings and ranks in the Royal Navy and Marines should receive as much in the form of separation allowance, allotment, and allotment concession, as the family of a private in the Army. As my hon. Friend is no doubt aware, rates of pay in the Navy are, except in the lower ratings, higher than in the Army.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he will inquire if Mrs. K. Bone, of 9, Chesterfield Road, Enfield Lock, received on 20th June Effects Form 161 acquainting her that her son, Private E. W. Bone, No. 131686, Infantry branch, Machine Gun Corps, killed in action, had executed no valid will in her favour, and that, consequently, though he had been his mother's support and she had brought him up entirely, her husband having deserted her many years previously, the amount due to him from Army funds must be paid to the father; and, if nothing else can be done, in view of these circumstances, will a compassionate allowance be granted to this woman from Army funds?

The late soldier left no will disposing of his estate, and the War Office has no power to act contrary to the law in the matter. Under the law of intestacy the estate is the sole property of the father and could not be paid to any other person without his consent. I understand from the Ministry of Pensions that a pension of 11s. weekly is being awarded to the mother, Mrs. Keziah Bone, with effect from 6th August, 1918.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps it is proposed to take to give effect to the finding of the committee appointed by the Board of Trade to report on the subject of a national uniform for the Mercantile Marine?

I hope to be able to make a statement about this matter very shortly.

asked the Home Secretary if his attention has been drawn to the behaviour of German prisoners working without a guard on farms in the neighbourhood of Horsham and Steyning, to the behaviour of these men towards women and girls, and to their freedom to visit the beach; has he received any official report on this state of affairs; and what action has he taken?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. I am making inquiry, and will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that Mr. W. P. C. Boxall, K.C., one of the appointed members of the Sussex District Wages Committee, is a farmer employing agricultural labourers, and is therefore directly and immediately interested in decisions affecting wages and working conditions of agricultural workers; whether he is aware that the workpeople concerned take exception to this gentleman being an appointed member, because of his partiality to the employers' side on wages questions: and whether he will inquire into this matter, with a view to appointing in the place of Mr. Boxall some other less partial gentleman?

I understand that Mr. Boxall has a country house in Sussex to which about 60 acres of grass and some woodland are attached. None of the land had been under arable cultivation for forty years until a field was ploughed up by contract work this year. He at present employs three workers for dairy, farm, and garden work. Mr. Boxall is a distinguished lawyer, a King's Counsel, Recorder of Brighton, chairman of Quarter Sessions, and chairman of the Appeal Tribunal for West Sussex. His interest in farming does not appear to be sufficient to affect his impartiality, while it gives him the advantage of practical knowledge in dealing with such questions as come before the district wages committee. I see no reason for making any change at present in the constitution of the committee.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he will state on what basis agricultural workers, who are now paying less than an economic rent for the cottages that they occupy, are to be charged for rent in reckoning the wages to be paid them under the awards of the Wages Board; and whether it is intended that in future the full economic rent should be allowed for in reckoning the total wages paid?

The Agricultural Wages Board have just given notice of a proposal to make an Order defining the value at which the occupation of a cottage held by a worker from his employer maybe reckoned as part payment of wages. I should be glad therefore if my hon. and gallant Friend would await the issue of the Order for an answer to the first part of his question. I may add that the Wages Board do not in the proposed Order take the economic rent as the value for this purpose.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that the crofters in the island of Harris are compelled by Government to send all their wool, except 50 lbs., to Oban and sell it to the Government at 24s. a stone, and that the consequence is that they have to buy back their own wool from the merchants and pay about 44s. a stone for it; whether he is aware that some of the women in Harris are to a great extent dependent on spinning wool for their living; and whether, in view of these facts, he will take steps to put an end to this treatment of the people of the island?

The limitation of the amount of wool which any crofter can keep for manufacture to 50 lbs. applies only to cases where the crofter makes up the wool for domestic use. Where crofters are engaged in the manufacture of cloth for sale no limit is placed on the amount of wool to be retained. Crofters desiring further supplies of wool are able to purchase them at the Government issue rate of from 36s. to 37s. per stone of 24 lbs. The price of 44s. per stone quoted by the hon. Member, it is concluded, must refer to eases of illegal sale, and if he will give me particulars of any such cases I will cause full inquiries to be made into them.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, of the crew of the German submarine U56, who were interned at Santander on 21st May, 1918, six individuals have been permitted by the Spanish authorities to signal seawards; and if two illicit wireless transmitters have been detected sending signals in cipher?

His Majesty's Ambassador at Madrid, who is of course aware of the rumours which have been in circulation, reported on 28th July that the matter was receiving the close attention of the British Vice-Consul at Santander, with whom His Excellency was keeping in constant touch, but that at that date it had not been possible to substantiate the allegations that had been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, with regard to the remaining stock of opium in Chinese ports, of which the Chinese Government has by purchase recently relieved the importers, he has any information to the effect that it is the declared purpose of the Chinese Government strictly to confine its use to medicinal purposes?

No, Sir; I am afraid that I have no information on this subject which I can usefully give to the House.