Written Answers
Entertainments Tax
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that Entertainments Tax is levied upon subscribers to county cricket clubs as distinguished from those who pay gate money, even though such subscribers do not attend matches or derive any benefit from subscriptions which were only paid for the support of the game, and whether he will consider the propriety of allowing a rebate upon subscriptions of this character?
As regards the first part of the question I beg to refer the hon. Member to the answer given on the 3rd inst. to a similar question put by the hon. and gallant Member for Hulme. I see no ground for making any special concession in favour of cricket clubs.
Old Age Pensions
asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether a woman of seventy-five years of age who is drawing a Government pension of 12s. 6d. per week on account of her only son, killed in action, and thereby has a maximum income exceeding£31 10s., is compelled to relinquish her old age pension?
Dependants' pensions are "means" within the meaning of Section 2 (1) of the Old Age Pensions Act, 1911, and in the case referred to, therefore, the pensioner ceases to be entitled to an old age pension.
Royal Air Force
Pay
asked the Under-Secretary of State to the Air Ministry what will be the conditions of pay for the Flying Service after peace is declared, as regards flight-lieutenants, flight-commanders, and squadron commanders; and whether special Flying pay will be continued?
The whole question of the future emoluments of officers and other ranks of the Royal Air Force is under consideration, and an announcement on the subject will be made as soon as a decision is reached.
Food Supplies
Flour
asked the Food Controller what is the average total amount per sack of flour paid by the Ministry of Food to flour millers to reimburse them for loss on manufacture, working expenses, and remuneration to enable them to sell flour at the official price of 44s. 3d. per sack?
I am afraid that it would not be possible to give the hon. Member the exact average total figure per sack of flour for which he asks without the expenditure of a very considerable amount of labour. Since 17th September, 1917, when the subsidy was introduced, the average payment by the Ministry of Food to millers for loss on manufacture, working expenses, and remuneration has varied considerably, chiefly owing to the nature of the dilutents used, the extraction required, and the price at which wheat was released by the Royal Commission or purchased from the farmer, and may be considered to have ranged generally from 10s. 6d. to 12s. 6d. per 280 lbs. The average claims per sack paid during the month of January, 1919, have amounted to 12s. 6d. per 280 lbs. on an output of just over 2,000,000 sacks, being approximately two-thirds of the estimated output of all flour mills. I hope that the hon. Member will accept this information as sufficient for his purpose.