asked the Prime Minister if he is aware that on the 13th instant upwards of 100 old age pensioners visited the House of Commons to interview hon. Members on the necessity of securing an increase in their pension; and whether during the next month he will consider the desirability of making an allowance to pensioners that will enable them to live in decent surroundings with sufficient food?

I was not previously aware of the fact stated by the hon. Member. As has been stated on several occasions recently, His Majesty's Government are not prepared to increase the present scale of additional allowances to old age pensioners.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether a soldier discharged medically unfit with an ulcerated leg as a result of enteric fever contracted on active service is entitled to deduct the cost of bandages from the assessment of his income for Income Tax?

The Income Tax Acts expressly prohibit the allowance to any taxpayer of deductions in respect of expenditure of a personal character such as that suggested by the hon. Member.

asked the Food Controller whether his attention has been called to the case of Mr. John Thompson, of Towerlands Farm, Booking, Essex, who had forty-six sheep insufficiently supplied with food as well as eighteen pigs and five bullocks also lacking sufficient food; whether he is aware that Mr. Thompson purchased cotton cake in sufficient quantity from Messrs. Belsham and Sons, corn merchant, Braintree, who had 100 tons in stock going bad for want of permits to deliver, and that Mr. Thompson wrote to the Holborn forage department on the 25th September for permit and up to the 10th October no reply had been given, although in the interval six of the sheep had died; whether any compensation will be given by the Department in this case; and if he will say who is to blame for the official delay which had resulted in the loss of meat and the deterioration of cattle food?

The answer is in the negative. I am informed that there is no foundation for the suggestion that the cake held by Messrs. Belsham and Sons, of Braintree, on behalf of the Ministry of Food is deteriorating in quality. Owing to the serious shortage of concentrated feeding-stuffs, the reasons for which have been explained on several occasions, I regret that it is not possible to issue a permit for the supply of cotton cake for sheep.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if his attention has been called to complaints from farmers as to the price of £250 charged for the Fordson tractor; and whether he can state the amount of profit obtained on each tractor by the Government at the selling price above-named?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The price at which Fordson tractors purchased on behalf of the Government for resale to farmers is one which only covers the costs actually incurred.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether in appointing local Income Tax collectors to act under district officers regard will be had to the local knowledge of such persons; what is the procedure of their appointment; and is any special examination necessary?

I assume that the hon. Member has in mind the appointment of local collectors of Income Tax in Ireland. Such appointments are made by the Commissioners of Inland Revenue, who have regard to the amount of local knowledge possessed by candidates as well as other qualifications. The appointments are annual, and no special examination is required other than the general investigation of the candidates' qualifications by the Commissioners.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if Treasury approval to the pension scheme of the Congested Districts Board staff has yet been secured; whether the Board has had legal advice on their position and obligations to the staff; if he will take steps to speed up the settlement of a satisfactory pension scheme; and if he will say how the matter now stands?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the negative, and to the second part in the affirmative. The Congested Districts Board have submitted a modified scheme which is at present under consideration.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, in the case of old age pensioners who have been deprived of pensions in Ireland by questions raised by the pension officers in 1917 and 1918, any steps will be taken to reconsider such cases with a view to restoring the pensions in such cases, especially where doubts as to age were the cause of the stoppage of such pensions?

If in any case a person whose old age pension has been revoked considers that he is now entitled to a pension, it is open to him to prefer a claim in the usual way, and, if dissatisfied with the local pension committee's decision on the claim, he can appeal to the Local Government Board.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that, in consequence of the influenza epidemic in rural Ireland, most of the deliveries of letters are late and some do not take place at all on the day of arrival; and if he will arrange for the temporary employment of assistants to relieve those who are victims of the epidemic?

All possible steps have been taken to obtain substitutes, but in a few instances temporary suspension of delivery has been unavoidable. The local controlling officers of the Post Office have full powers to engage temporary substitutes, if obtainable, whenever members of the regular staff are away.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he will state the grounds on which the arrest of Private Ernest David Halstead, No. 948194, 1st Volunteer Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, was ordered, in view of th medical certificates which were furnished as to the state of his health?

I issued instructions on Thursday last that all Volunteer drills will, for the present, be voluntary, and that no action should be taken to enforce attendance under the Volunteer Act, 1916. Any Volunteers under detention on this account are to be released, and disciplinary action will not be taken against those awaiting sentence. I am, however, having special inquiries made as to the action taken in this case by the local Volunteer authorities.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if favourable consideration will be given to applications for leave to those officers and men whose services are urgently demanded to carry on the civil life of the country?

The military authorities are already arranging for the release of as many as possible of those men whose services are urgently needed to carry on the civil life of the country under the scheme for the early dispersal of demobilisers and pivotal men. I do not consider that these numbers can safely be increased at the present moment by granting leave as my hon. Friend suggests.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War how many casualties to a recent date have been sustained since July last in Russia, specifying deaths, wounded, and losses from disease, respectively?

The latest figures available, namely, up to the 3rd November, 1918, are as follows:

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether officers serving in the Northern Russia Expeditionary Force were, before leaving England, instructed to provide themselves with uniforms and civilian clothes suitable for either a cold or warm climate; and whether any and, if so, what kit allowance has been made to them?

Officers proceeding to North Russia are advised to provide themselves with heavy underclothing. They are also supplied with articles of special warm clothing; these are issued free and no allowance is therefore given.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he can state if Rifleman R. Garwood, No. 9597, Rifle Brigade, was held not to be eligible for bounty even though he voluntarily re-enlisted after his release from imprisonment in Germany; whether Army Order 209, of 1916, justifies such ruling; and, if so, whether it will be altered?

I am having inquiries made, and will inform my hon. Friend of the result as soon as possible.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if the necessary information mentioned in a letter from the Assistant Financial Secretary to the War Office, dated 2nd February, 1918, Reference No. 121, Transport 957 F. 6, to Mr. John Finlay with reference to the employment and payment of the latter as baker on the New Zealand transport "Uliamaroa" has yet been received; and, if not, what steps does be propose to take to ensure that Finlay shall be remunerated for the work he performed while acting as baker on the above ship?

I am making further inquiries from the steamship company against whom the claim lies. They were not in the first instance able to trace the transaction, but promised to make further inquiries, the result of which has not yet been reported to me.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that the practice in regard to the provision of officers' uniforms, etc., to men in officers' training corps and cadet battalions is for the tailors to make the outfit in advance before the man is gazetted, taking a draft on his Army bankers which is cashed immediately he is gazetted; and whether, in view of the fact that no more cadets will be put forward for commissions unless hostilities are resumed, he can give an assurance that the very large number of drafts now outstanding for outfits which have been ordered and provided will be met out of Army funds?

The system referred to is understood to be one by which the cadet has been able to obtain certain articles of uniform, not required by him while a cadet, by a private arrangement with tailors, before he was actually in possession of his outfit allowance. I am not aware that the case has yet arisen in practice, but my hon. and learned Friend, I am sure, will not be surprised that I can give no such assurance as he suggests.

asked the Pensions Minister if he will explain the practice of deduction from the allowances to dependant parents of a soldier; and whether any such deductions from such allowances are by reason of voluntary contributions to the parents from the soldier related to them?

I am not aware of any such practice, in so far as the special or supplementary allowances paid by the Special Grants Committee are concerned. Other allowances to the dependants of serving soldiers are paid by the War Office, and any question with regard to them should be addressed to that Department.

asked the Pensions Minister whether it has yet been decided to place the pensions of widows and children on a level with the separation allowances to the wives and children of our serving men; whether he is aware that many women are waiting on this act of equity and justice; and whether the Government will put the increase into immediate operation as a debt of gratitude to those who have fallen?

I regret that I cannot yet announce a decision with regard to the question of increasing the pensions of widows and children.

asked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been drawn to the possibility that by the time the bulk of the men who have been serving at the different fronts are demobilised in this country they will find it very difficult to obtain good employment owing to the fact that such posts will have been already filled by the demobilised men from munition and other Government Departments and also men demobilised from the Home Army; whether there is any remedy devised to meet this contingency in the Government scheme of demobilisation; and, if not, if he will state what he intends to do in the matter?

As has been announced already, pivotal men who are serving in the Home Army or abroad, will, as far as military necessities permit, receive priority of release, while steps will be taken to release as early as possible, according to the order of their industrial groups, those men who have posts waiting for them.

These arrangements should go far to meet the point which the hon. Member has in mind, but I would add that the number of good posts available should not be regarded as a fixed quantity, but as a number subject to continuous expansion with the expansion of industry as the process of resettlement is continued and completed.

asked the Minister of Reconstruction whether he has communicated with the Labour Exchange in Scotland with a view to facilitating the release of pivotal men for industries in which they are specially required and, if so, whether forms have been issued; and what other steps have been taken for this purpose?

Employers who wish to ensure that men serving with the Forces who desire to return to their employment are earmarked for early release, should obtain from the nearest Employment Exchange a postcard (E.D. 406), enter on it each man's full name, unit, regimental number, and the theatre of war or command where he is now serving, and return it to the Exchange. These forms (E.D. 406) are also obtainable from Employment Exchanges throughout Scotland.

asked the Minister of Munitions, if he will state the number of men and women who have been discharged from the various shipyards, national and controlled firms, for the week ending 16th November?

I have been asked to answer this question. It is not possible to supply precise information in reply to my hon. Friend's question. Reports have been received from the chief industrial centres in the country, and from these reports it appears that the number of actual discharges up to the present has not assumed large proportions.

asked the Minister of Reconstruction whether, in connection with the scheme of demobilisation, soldiers belonging to such a profession as that of surveyor and valuer will have an opportunity of securing their early discharge in order that they may be free to look for openings in their profession; and whether he will state the procedure to be followed in the case of a soldier who desires to secure a permanent appointment in the Civil Service?

Arrangements have been made to earmark for early release when general demobilisation begins soldiers who have definite offers of employment. The hon. Member will appreciate the need for demobilising first of all those men whose services are essential for the re-establishment of industries which will be able to absorb labour. In regulating the priority of release, due weight will be given to the industrial importance of surveyors and valuers. The second part of the question should be addressed to the First Lord of the Treasury.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware of any strikes on the part of asylum attendants having taken place recently; whether the Lunacy Commissioners have power to fix rates of pay and conditions for staffs of asylums on a uniform basis throughout the country; and, if not, whether such power will be given to them or some body set up to which asylum staffs may appeal on questions of wages?

I am informed that there have been a few recent cases of actual or threatened strikes at asylums. The Board of Control—in which the Lunacy Commissioners are now absorbed—have no power to regulate rates of pay or conditions of service of asylum officers; these are matters for the local authorities by whom the asylums are established and managed. The provision of means for the settlement of questions relating to the conditions of employment by local authorities is engaging the attention of the Ministry of Labour.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that, on account of the large amount of picket duty and the shortness of staff, the civil guards employed at Portland Prison are being compelled to perform nearly 11 hours' duty each day, and that on an appeal being made by the staff for some reduction in these hours of duty the governor cancelled certain privileges; and whether, in order to set a good example to employers of labour, he will take steps towards reducing these hours of labour?

There are four pickets at Portland, which have to be furnished by the civil guard in turn. The average hours of duty of these pickets are 10 hours 45 minutes, but of this 6 hours and 39 minutes on an average are spent not on active duty, but only in reserve. One of the pickets has to sleep in the prison, and for this the governor was able to grant for a time a half-day off duty, but owing to the depiction of staff he was obliged to abandon this arrangement. The picket duty comes round about one day in five, and the sleeping-in once in 21 days. The ordinary hours of the civil guard, which have not been changed, are much shorter than those of the pickets.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, within the past two years there has been an investigation by the Board of Trade into the accounts of the Legal and General Insurance Company; if so, whether it was quite satisfactory so far as the company is concerned; and whether certain judges are trustees of this company, and are the names of these judges used as an advertisement in the annual report of this company?

The Legal and General Life Assurance Society has filed with the Board of Trade accounts and actuarial statements of its business under the Assurance Companies' Act, 1909, which have been accepted by the Board as complying with the requirements of the Act. The names of the trustees, who include certain judges, are stated in the annual reports of the society.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will introduce legislation to protect the public from insurance companies endeavouring to make profit out of national securities; if he will see that a proper surrender value is fixed on War Bond policies; if he is aware that the purchaser of War Bond policy No. 343,154B paid the Pearl Assurance Company £10 18s. 9d., and, being unable to continue the payments, has been offered £6 13s. 9d. in return; and if he will take steps to prevent this form of profiteering?

The Board of Trade have no jurisdiction to fix the surrender value of any insurance policy, but transactions of the nature referred to will be within the scope of an inquiry into industrial assurance business which it has been decided to hold.

asked the Minister of National Service whether complaints have been received by insurance agents who refuse to adopt the block system; and whether, seeing that this block system is a form of sweated labour, what steps he proposes to take in the matter?

I have been asked to reply-to this question. I am not aware that complaints of the nature referred to by by the hon. Member have been received. The matter would appear to be one, in the first place, for consideration by the agents in the companies they represent.

asked the Prime Minister if the Government propose to take any steps to provide a remedy for the growing unrest amongst insurance agents; if he is aware that the insurance agents are the only body of workers who are existing on pre-war wages without any war bonus; is he aware of the profits derived by insurance companies out of lapsed policies during the last five years; and will he take steps to prevent similar trading in War Bonds?

I have been asked to reply to this question. I am not in a position to add to the replies which have already been given on this subject.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has now been able to make inquiries with regard to the settlement of coloured labour in Salford; whether he is aware that coloured labour comes into the docks on the ships and then deserts the ships, and is settling in Salford and the district; whether he is aware that this is causing much annoyance in labour circles, and is also being much complained of by the women of Salford on the ground of the treatment to which they are being subjected?

In his reply to my hon. Friend on 21st October on this point, the Minister of Labour promised to make inquiry if particulars were supplied. No such particulars have so far been received. But in view of the further details now given inquiry will be made, and I will communicate with the hon. Member in due course.