asked the Secretary to the Admiralty if he will consider whether it is now possible to demobilise P. G. Smith, first-class petty officer, Royal Naval Reserve, His Majesty's Ship "Bootle," care of General Post Office, London, on the ground that his services are urgently required to assist in the working of his croft, which his wife is no longer able to manage without his help?

It is not possible to demobilise this petty officer immediately. A relief for him is required, as he is serving in a commissioned ship. The general policy of the Admiralty is to relieve first those men who are serving on stations abroad.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he has received urgent representations for the release on compassionate grounds of Gunner J. D. Rendall, A Battery, 290th London Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, France; and if he will take into consideration the fact that Gunner Rendall's widowed mother is left without any help on a farm of 70 acres with stock consisting of twenty-two cattle, three horses, one pony, and two sheep, and that, unless her son is released, she will have to abandon the farm and will have great difficulty in providing for herself and four young girls dependent on her?

There is no trace of any such representations having been received by the War office in this case. If my hon. Friend will furnish me with a statement giving more detailed information, including particulars of what labour there is available on the farm, and also the ages of the girls, or will obtain a similar statement vouched for by a magistrate, doctor, or clergyman, the case will receive consideration. It will also be necessary to know Gunner Rendall's regimental number, age, and the date on which he joined the Colours for continuous service.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has received an application for the release as a slip man of Private R. Naylor, No. 78906, 4th Battalion Durham Light Infantry, early in January, 1919;whether he forwarded a recommendation for his release to the War Office before 1st February; and, if no such recommendation was forwarded, what was the reason for it being withheld?

If such an application was received it would have been dealt with locally by the Employment Exchange. Inquiries will be made if the hon. Member will be good enough to say to which Employment Exchange application was made. I may point out, however, that even if Private Naylor had been registerred as a "slip" man before the 1st February he would not for that reason be eligible for demobilisaition, although he would thereby have secured a certain priority of release if he were eligible for demobilisation under one or other of the conditions provided in Army Order 55, dated 29th January.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he received an application through the Manchester Labour Exchange in November, 1918, for the release of Private J. Wood, No. 176553, 326 H.S.W.C, Maltings, Thetford; whether he forwarded a recommendation for the release of this man to the War Office before 1st February; and, if no such recommendation was forwarded, what was the reason, for it being withheld?

No application from Manchester for the man named can be traced.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he received an application for the release as a contract letter man of Private C. Oldroyd, No. 277801, attached to the 594th (Tyne) Fortress Company, Royal Engineers, early in January, 1919; whether he forwarded a recommendation for the release of this man to the War Office before 1st February, 1919; and, if no such recommendation was forwarded, what was the reason for it being withheld?

If such an application was received it would have been dealt with by the local advisory committee. Inquiries will be made if the hon. Member will be good enough to say to which local advisory committee application was made. I may point out, however, that even if Private Oldroyd had been registered as a "contract letter" man before the 1st February, he would not for that reason be eligible for demobilisation, although he would thereby have secured a certain priority of release if he were eligible for demobilisation under one or other of the conditions provided in Army Order 55 of the 29th January.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he received an application through the Bradford Advisory Committee for the release as a pivotal man of Gunner Edward Hall, No. 154696, 504th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, in January, 1919; whether he forwarded a recommendation for the release of this man to the War Office before 1st February; and, if no such recommendation was forwarded, what was the reason for it being withheld?

No such application can be traced as having been received through the Bradford Local Advisory Committee. An application was received from Gunner Hall's employers, Messrs. Wayman and Company, Halifax, on the 11th February, after the lists of pivotal men had been closed, and no action could be taken under the Regulations then in force.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that 3rd Class Air-mechanic William Bunting, No. 185154, Royal Air Force, who was demobilised at Georgetown on 3rd February, has received no pay or ration money since the above date, contrary to paragraph 935, Demobilisation Regulations; that this man has twice written to the pay office and received no reply; and whether, in view of these circumstances, he will cause immediate inquiries to be made into this case?

A final settlement of this airman's account is now being made. He accepted the deferred scheme of payment whereby he agreed, provided he was demobilised and paid twenty-eight days pay and ration allowance in advance, and £2 12s. 6d. in lieu of a suit of clothes, to allow his final settlement of any moneys due to him to be postponed for a period not exceeding three months from the date of his discharge. The advance of twenty-eight days' pay and ration allowance, and allowance for plain clothes, was paid to him at the dispersal station.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the heirs of the officers and men who lost their lives in His Majesty's ship "Bulwark" and in His Majesty's Auxiliary ship "Irene" will be entitled to receive the medals, prize money, gratuities, etc., that these men would have earned had they survived the conclusion of peace; and whether full pensions are being paid to their dependants?

The answer to both parts of the question is in the affirmative, with the exception that war gratuities are assessed on the qualifying service to date of death only, in accordance with the Regulations laid down for all the fighting Services. It has been assumed that the "Princess Irene" is the second ship referred to.

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) whether he will consider the possibility of raising in proportion to the pay now in force the pension of the private soldier, namely, 1s. per diem after having served twenty-one years;(2) whether a soldier on completing his twelve years' Colour service is relegated from Class 1 service pay to Class 1 proficiency pay, thus causing him to forfeit 1d. per diem for the last nine years of his service; and, if so, whether this Regulation will receive consideration; (3) whether he will consider the desirability of making a soldier who reaches the rank of sergeant after nine years' service, and who may even reach a higher rank before completing his twenty-one years' service, eligible for full sergeant's pension, and of assessing the pension on his last permanent rank before becoming pensionable?

All these points will be fully considered in the general review of pensions which is being taken in hand.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, though a non commissioned officer or man gets £1 a year up to £12 for each year's service that he completes up to twelve years, in the event of his re-engaging to complete twenty-one years' service he receives only a gratuity of £2 on the completion of the twenty-one years; and, if so, whether the point will be reconsidered with a view to raising the gratuity?

The position is correctly stated by my hon. and gallant Friend and I would refer him to the reply given on 24th ultimo to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for York. The re-engaged soldier who completes twenty-one years is eligible for a permanent pension.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Mr. John Flanagan, of 2, Collinge Court, Rodney Street, Oldhum Road, Manchester, is in receipt of 1s. a day pension, which was granted to him in the year 1911;that this pension was granted on the ground that the Government admitted that Mr. Flanagan was suffering from enteritis caused by service in the South African War; that Mr. Flanagan is now completely bedridden and unable to earn any money; and whether he will cause Mr. Flanagan's case to be reconsidered and the pension increased in proportion to the cost of living?

The statement made in the second part of the question is not wholly accurate, as the pension was awarded on the ground that the enteritis was caused by foreign climate, Mr. Flanagan having served in India and Egypt as well as in South Africa, but, taking all the circumstances into account, it appears to be proper to regard the disability as "wholly or directly due to war service." Instructions have therefore been given for Mr. Flanagan to be medically examined, and, if he is found to be totally incapacitated by this particular disability, his pension will be increased under the former War Warrant of 17th April, 1918.

asked the Secretary of State for War why Mr. R. Hall, now residing at Sandy Lane, Church Crookham, Hampshire, Private R. Hall, late No. 24047, 2nd Battalion, Royal Dublin Fusiliers, has not yet received his gratuity upon discharge and deferred pay?

Inquiries are being made, and I will communicate the result to my Noble and gallant Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether postal servants who were mobilised from the Army Reserve, Section A, on the outbreak of war and have served overseas, are entitled to the war gratuity?

Their eligibility would depend on whether or not they were entitled to their full civil pay whilst serving with the Colours. If they were not so entitled, they are eligible for the war gratuity.

asked the Pensions Minister whether he is aware that in a number of hospitals the scheme for training soldier patients cannot be properly carried out because all the rooms are allotted as wards, and no accommodation is available which could be placed at the disposal of the soldier patients under training as class rooms; and, if so, whether he will make arrangements to remove these obstacles to the proper training of soldier patients?

This matter is at present under consideration and is being actively pursued. I may, however, say that while the primary function of hospitals is, of course, the treatment of the sick and wounded, the importance of this training is very fully recognised, and wherever possible facilities are being provided.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that Mrs. Kissock, wife of Second-Lieutenant T. Kissock, originally serving with a garrison battalion of the Highland Light Infantry in India, and now serving with the motor transport there, wrote, at her husband's request, to the Accountant-General's Department, India Office, in. August, 1918, claiming children's allowance for her child born on 24th May, 1918, and enclosing the necessary certificates; that after the necessary forms had been filled in the Accountant-General's Department informed Mrs. Kissock that they would inform the Controller of Military Accounts in India that the certificates were in order, and that the money should be credited to her husband's pay; that although over six months have elapsed the Controller of Military Accounts in India still refuses to pay the allowance until he has also seen the certificates; and whether, in view of these circumstances, he will take steps to have this allowance paid without any further Unnecessary delay?

The Secretary of State has asked the Government of India to report the cause of delay, and will communicate with the hon. and gallant Member on receiving their reply.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will say why officers between forty and fifty, who volunteered from the Far East early in 1918, and who obtained commissions within two months of reporting themselves to the War Office, are not allowed overseas expenses and overseas refund while officers in the like conditions have been allowed such refund in 1915, 1916, and 1917?

I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the Army Order of September, 1918, which explains fully the conditions under which refunds of passage money are given, and the reasons for these conditions. If after perusing it he still finds difficulty perhaps he will communicate with me.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will inquire if the men of the 1st Battalion Manchester Regiment, Palestine, received any pay during the seven weeks expiring 26th February, 1919;and whether, if no pay was received by them in that period, he will direct that the men in question are paid more frequently in future?

Inquiries are being made, and I will let my hon. and gallant Friend know the result.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that certain sheds, erected for the use of the Highland Cyclists' Battalion at St. Andrews, have been ordered to be pulled down and transported to Cupar to be sold there; and that a. demand exists locally for these sheds, which might be sold as they stand, thus saving cost of transportation and loss of value due to the method adopted?

Inquiries are being made. I will let my hon. and gallant Friend know the result.

asked the Secretary of Stale for War if he can state the number of German prisoners of war working for wages in this country at the present time; and if he will also state generally the conditions under which these prisoners are employed, and the amount of wages paid?

The number of prisoners of war working for wages in this country is about 62,500. Employers pay the full rates of wages current in the district for civilian labour of a similar class. The prisoners, in accordance with the Hague Convention, actually receive military rates of pay, ranging from ½d. to 2d. per hour, according to the skill and energy they display and the nature of the work on which they are employed. The policy of His Majesty's Government is that these men, except where required for agriculture, shall be transported to France as soon as arrangements can be made.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his decision that soldiers employed on civilian work in Post Office telegraph exchanges should receive civilian rates of pay will be retrospective; whether he is aware that this complaint was first brought to the notice of the Under Secretary for his Department in the House of Commons in May, 1917; and whether, seeing that soldiers are unlikely to perform civilian duties in the future, he will give the necessary assurance that the payments shall be made to men who have performed this work?

The decision has retrospective effect.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether the Surplus Government Property Disposal Board can arrange for the depots at Catford, Kempton Park, and Camberwell to be open until 8 P.M. on Saturdays, or, alternatively, until some later hour than noon, in order to afford more convenient facilities for inspection of cars by intending purchasers?

The depots in question are under the control of the Army Council. I am approaching the War Office with a view to ascertaining whether the depots could be kept open till a later hour on Saturdays than is at present the case.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether it is possible for the Surplus Government Property Disposal Board to supply to intending purchasers catalogues showing what cars are ready for inspection at the depots at Catford, Kempton Park, and Camberwell, in order to obviate the necessity of such intending purchasers paying continual visits to depots?

Any general list of cars for disposal must rapidly become out of date us the sales proceed, but catalogues of cars for disposal at any particular sale are available for intending purchasers on inquiry of the Controller of the Mechanical Transport Department, Grosvenor Place.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the fact that Englishmen seeking employment as waiters in certain London hotels have been informed that no British waiters are employed; and whether, in view of the probability of increasing unemployment pending completion of reconstruction, he can see his way to embody proposals in the Aliens Bill which will prevent the immigration into this country of further cheap alien labour which deprives British workers of their livelihood?

I have no information to the effect suggested in the first paragraph of the question. There is at the present time no such immigration of aliens into the United Kingdom as is indicated in the second paragraph, and the powers for which I propose to ask Parliament will, I hope, enable all due safeguards in this matter to be provided.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if, in view of the stagnation in the brick-making trade in many parts of the country, he will state in what districts he has placed orders for 300,000,000 bricks; and whether he has since 17th February placed any further orders of the same nature?

The principal districts in which orders for building bricks have been placed are Kent, Leicester, Somerset, Gloucester, Lanarkshire, and Peterborough. Since 17th. February a further 500,000,000 bricks have been ordered from yards distributed over the entire country.

asked the Secretary for Scotland if he can now state the exact cost of the houses recently erected at Bogie?

The original estimate of cost was £300, but this is likely to be considerably exceeded. I cannot as yet say by how much, as owing to the difficulty of obtaining skilled labour none of the houses is yet completed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if a direct representative of the agents and collectors will be appointed on the Committee of inquiry into industrial insurance?

It is not proposed that insurance agents and collectors should have a direct representative on the Committee to be appointed to inquire into the question of industrial assurance. Applications have been received from some of the associations which represent insurance agents to be allowed to give evidence, and such applications will be submitted to the Committee when appointed.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he will give an assurance that, when the appointments under the newly-constituted Ministry of Health are being made, the claims of medical men who have served in His Majesty's Forces, and especially those who have had a long period of active service in the fighting zones, will be given first consideration?

Perhaps I may refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to a somewhat similar question by the hon. and gallant Member for Bournemouth on the 27th of last month.

asked the President dent of the Board of Trade if he can state the amount of war bonus that has been given to the clerical staffs of colliery companies and the date the same came into operation?

The Controller of Coal Mines has sanctioned the granting of aggregate war bonuses to members of colliery clerical staffs in receipt of remuneration of £500 a year or less up to the following amounts:

To male clerks of 21 years of age and over	29s.
To male clerks between 18 and 21 years of age	22s.	6d.
To male clerks between 16 and 18 years of age	12s.
To female clerks of 18 years of age and over	18s.
To female clerks between 16 and 18 years of age	9s.

These figures are to be calculated upon pre-war rates of the persons concerned, exclusive of advances given for individual merit or as service increments, and are to be regarded as a war bonus due to and dependent upon the present high cost of living. The amount of war bonus paid to clerks under 16 years of age is left to the discretion of colliery companies. There is no definite date from which these bonuses are due, but the Controller has agreed to raise no objection to their payment as from any date after the first full pay, following 13th August, 1918.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if his Department has at present the power to order the reopening of a station closed during the War by the Railway Executive Committee; and, if so, will he take immediate steps to reopen Coborn Road (Great Eastern Railway) Station?

The general question of the provision of facilities for traffic on railways is one for the Railway and Canal Commission rather than for the Board of Trade, but I have been in communication with the Great Eastern Railway Company and am informed by them that arrangements are being made to reopen Coborn Road Station on and from the 1st May next.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) if there is any necessity for the continuance of the censorship of letters from the United States; and whether he can give an approximate date when such censorship will cease;(2) if he can give an approximate date when the use of private cable codes will again be permitted between Great Britain and the British Dominions and between Great Britain and the United States, so as to minimise the heavy cost of cabling under the present conditions, which constitutes a serious handicap to British trade?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 6th March to a question asked by the hon. Member for Montrose, to the effect that the Government is very desirous of abolishing the censorship as soon as it is possible to do so, but that it is obvious that, so long as the blockade exists, the censorship must be maintained. I regret that it is not possible at present to indicate a date when this censorship can be withdrawn. With regard to the second question, the use of private codes cannot be permitted so long as it is necessary to maintain the censorship.

asked the Postmaster-General what provision is being made for the delivery of mails at Fair Isle, Shetland; and whether he is aware that the islanders complain that they can obtain no information as to what will be done to replace the Admiralty drifter service now withdrawn?

The local officers of the post office are doing their best to arrange a mail service to Fair Island to replace the Admiralty drifter service, which was withdrawn on the 25th February. A sailing boat was to have made a trip from Sunburgh to Fair Island on 12th March, but was prevented by stormy weather. The Postmaster of Lerwick has been asked to advise the islanders of what has been arranged

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he has recently received a petition from nearly 100 of the residents of Portsharra and Melvich, of whom 47 are soldiers or sailors, for small holdings upon the farms of Kirktown and Bighouse, in the parish of Farr, Sutherland; whether he is aware that these farms, being held on yearly tenancy, are immediately available for this purpose; and what steps he is taking, or proposes to take, to comply with the request of the applicant?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. Kirkton Farm is held by three joint tenants on tacit relocation under a lease which expired at Whit-Sunday, 1915. Bighouse Farm was sub-divided by the Board of Agriculture for Scotland at Whit-Sunday, 1915, into three new holdings and two enlargements, and is not available in terms of the Small Landholders (Scotland) Act for further settlement. The Board are in communication with the owner of Kirkton with a view to endeavouring to adjust a scheme of land settlement.

asked the Secretary for Scotland what steps were taken by him to elicit the views of smallholders, crofters, and farm servants regarding the formation of the proposed Council of Agriculture; and whether he will provide that these classes shall be represented upon the Council?

In formulating the scheme for the constitution of the proposed Council of Agriculture steps were taken to ascertain the views of the district agricultural executive committees, on which small-holders are represented I also had a conference on the subject recently with representatives of various agricultural bodies, including the Scottish Farm Servants' Union. As I stated in answer to questions on 11th instant, it is my intention, in constituting the council, to keep in view the interests of small-holders as well as those of other agricultural occupiers and farm servants.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture what steps have been taken by the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, apart from appointing local resident inspectors, to put into force the recommendations of the Departmental Committee on Inshore Fisheries of 1914; and whether the Board contemplate the reconstruction of the local fisheries committees as advisory bodies and, with the transference of fishery administration to national funds, the withdrawal from those committees of the representatives of the present contributory local authorities?

In so far as war conditions have permitted, the Board have taken action on the lines indicated by the Committee in their recommendations: Nos. (5) Motor boats and motor trawling, (6) Harbours, landing places and beach encroachment, (7) Fisheries organisation, (10) Collection of statistics. I shall be happy to give the hon. Member further details if he so desires. The reorganisation of the control of fisheries is engaging the attention of the Board, but no definite decision has been taken as to what alterations of the existing system should be made. The recommendation of the Committee to which the hon. Member refers would require the sanction of Parliament.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether an appointment has recently been made to the post of chief or head of the Scientific Research Department of the fisheries branch of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries; and, if so, what is the salary attached to the post, and what are the scientific degrees and qualifications, other than those of a purely medical or surgical nature, of the gentleman appointed?

No, Sir; no such appointment has been made. The arrangement referred to by the hon. Member is of a temporary character, and the officer referred to is an established officer of the Board whose services are being used in a purely administrative capacity, without any increase of salary.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has completed his inquiries, and is now in a position to say which of our Allies have passed legislation to exclude or regulate the admission of alien enemies to their resepctive countries, and to repatriate those who, whether interned or uninterned, are resident therein; what shortly are the provisions of such legislation, and whether it is the duty of British Embassies to keep the Foreign Office informed from time to time of legislation affecting matters of international character; and, if not, will he see that such a duty is imposed upon them in future?

Reports have been called for from His Majesty's Diplomatic Missions in the Allied countries chiefly concerned, but I fear some time must elapse before replies are received.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will state on what grounds, since in 1913 the frontiers of South Albania were delimited by an expert commission on the spot, Albania is now to be deprived of the district which includes the towns of Delvino and Argyrocastro?

The future j frontiers of Albania are in process of delimitation by the Peace Conference, and I am not in a position to anticipate the conclusions of the Conference.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he has under consideration any schemes for an Empire War Memorial in London; and, if so, whether he can indicate their nature?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether it is decided, as a matter of public policy, to close the Green Park at nine p.m. Greenwich time in summer; whether Lord Harcourt's Order of May, 1916, was that this park, among others, shall remain open an hour a day longer from 21st May to 30th September; whether the police returns of convictions for offences committed in Hyde Park and Green Park, respectively, are such as to justify differential treatment; and whether he will communicate the figures in this behalf for dates subsequent to 1905, up till which the records are altogether in favour of the Green Park?

The answer to the first question is in the affirmative, and accounts for my decision to cancel that part of my predecessor's Order which related to the Green Park. The police returns do not afford a true index to the conditions which obtain in any public place, and in view of the pressure upon the time of the officers of my Department, I should not feel justified in calling for figures which would have no real value.