asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Artificer Corporal William R. Campbell, No. 408496, Brigade Signal Section, Royal Engineers, No. 1 Sub-district, Ordnance Barracks, Limerick, who enlisted on the 25th January, 1915, and who has employment waiting for him, is still retained; and whether he will give orders for his immediate demobilisation?

Corporal Campbell is not registered by the War Office either as pivotal or for special release. I would again refer to the statement made in my speech on the Army Estimates on 29th May, to the effect that, if peace is signed this month, it is hoped that all 1915 men, except those in India, will be demobilised at the end of July.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that instructions were sent by cable by the War Office, on 31st March, for the release of Lieutenant W. L. Gilbert, 4th Gordon Highlanders, attached 9th War-wicks, 39th Brigade, Black Sea Army, and that notwithstanding he is still retained; and whether he will give orders for his immediate demobilisation?

From the particulars given by my hon. Friend the Department have been unable to trace that a cable was sent for Lieutenant Gilbert's release, but if my hon. Friend will supply further de- tails, particularly as regards the grounds for release, investigation will be made into the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will inquire into the delay in demobilising Sergeant Happerfield, No. 56937, Royal Engineers, 4th Cavalry Divisional Signal Squadron, Egyptian Expeditionary Force, who joined the Army in 1914, and whose employers, Messrs. Crittall, Wardour Street, have three times applied for his services?

Sergeant Happerfield is not registered either as pivotal or for special release, nor is there trace of any application on his behalf having been received by the War Office. I am also informed by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour that there is no trace of any application having been received by his Department. I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the statement I made on the 29th May, regarding the release of 1914 and 1915 men, and if conditions permit it is hoped shortly to issue new Regulations making provision for the release of these men.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the large number of cases of men in the Royal Army Service Corps and the Royal Army Medical Corps who have served in France or other fronts since August, 1914, and who are eligible for release under Army Order 14 of the 29th January last, but who are being retained indefinitely on the plea that they cannot be spared or replaced because their units form part of the military machinery of demobilisation; whether he is aware of the hardships imposed upon these men, who have served for upwards of four and a half years in the field, and who are now faced with a further indefinite period of military service, to the detriment of their future prospects in civilian life; and whether steps will be taken to permit all such men in, these two units to return at the earliest possible moment and replace them by drafts from other units of men who are not eligible for release under Army-Order 14?

All men who are eligible for demobilisation under the Army Order referred to are being released as rapidly as possible, but with regard to the two corps mentioned by my hon. Friend, I would refer him to the Schedule contained in that Army Order, which provides for the temporary retention of the personnel of certain administrative corps, including the Royal Army Service Corps and Royal Army Medical Corps, until their services can be spared or until they can be replaced. It has always been the practice to replace men so retained as speedily as possible by men who are not eligible for demobilisation, but in the majority of cases the latter have to undergo a course of instruction before they can perform the required duties, and so enable the demobilisable men to be released. I would also refer my hon. Friend to the statement made in my speech on the Army Estimates on 29th May, to the effect that, if peace is signed this month, it is hoped to send home all the remaining 1914 men by the end of June, and the 1915 men by the end of July, men from India in each case excepted.

asked the Secretary of State for War if his attention has been called to the difficulty arising owing to the fact that under existing arrangements demobilised soldiers have often to wait long periods before obtaining the civilian outfits to which they are entitled on leaving the Army; and if any and, if so, what steps are being taken to expedite the supply of such clothing?

Apart from the problem of coping with the huge demand for suits, some delay occurred owing to the lack of material and the difficulty of obtaining delivery of suits after the material came to hand. Occasional abnormal demands for particular sizes also entailed delay, and there were contributory causes such as the giving of incorrect addresses and measurements by the men. I am informed that the number of genuine complaints, in comparison with the bulk of the work, is small, and any arrears that exist are being rapidly overtaken.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is able to state as to Lance-Corporal E. K. Sawde, 4th Devon Territorial Force, attached to the 2nd Dorsets, who was taken prisoner at Kut, and was working on the Baghdad railway as a prisoner of war up to September, 1916, whether he has been repatriated or whether he is dead; and, if so, when and where his death occurred?

Lance-Corporal E. K. Sawde died at Bilemedik, in the Adana district of Turkey, in September, 1916. This information was communicated to the relatives in August, 1917.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether Private Bradley, No. 60,757, 89th Machine Gun Corps, who in November, 1918, was a prisoner of war at Friedrichsfeld, has been repatriated to this country; and, if-not, whether his whereabouts have been traced and where he was when last heard of?

Private Bradley has not been repatriated. His name is included in the list of prisoners of war not accounted for which was sent to the German Government and to the British Mission in Germany charged with the duty of investigating such cases, but no information has yet been received concerning him. The latest report regarding him was contained in a German list, dated 15th July, 1918, in which he was described as at Friedrichsfeld; this, however, probably means that he was only registered at that camp and that he was actually in French or Belgian territory then in German occupation. If my hon. and learned Friend has any later information, I shall be very glad if he will let me have it.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether Private Joseph Hall, No. 64946, of the 12/13th. Northumberland Fusiliers, was taken prisoner in April, 1918; if so, whether he has been repatriated to this country or has died since the date in question; and, if Private Hall is dead, whether he can state-when or where the death took place?

Private Hall was taken prisoner in April, 1918, but has not been repatriated. No evidence of his death has been received, but it is feared that, in the absence of any recent news of him, the probability of his still being alive is small. Investigations as to his fate are still proceeding, and his name is on the list of unaccounted for prisoners, referred to in my answer to question No. 27.

asked the Pensions Minister upon what grounds special grants to wives, children, and dependants of men re-enlisting in the Army without a break are obtained and are revoked in the case of men who voluntarily come forward to rejoin the Army at the country's request after a short interval?

I cannot usefully add to the reply given by the Joint Patronage Secretary on behalf of the War Office to my hon. Friend the Member for South Salford on the 28th May, of which I am sending my hon. Friend a copy.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether the oil found in Derbyshire is of a kind that could be used in the internal-combustion engines of ships?

The oil could not be safely used for such a purpose in a crude state, but a certain proportion of the refined products should be quite suitable for internal-combustion engines afloat. The exact percentage would depend on the whole refining arrangements and the various grades of oil which it was desired to manufacture.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the organisers of the Sunday school trips from Mansfield to Cleethorpes have been informed by the railway companies that the charges for the return journey will be 8s. 11d. for those over fourteen years of age and half rates for those under the age of fourteen; whether he is aware that the pre-war rates were 3s. and 1s. 6d. with 7 per cent, discount; and, as the rates will make it impossible for any but a very few to avail themselves of joining in the excursion, will he consider the desirability of fixing the rates at pre-war prices?

The charges mentioned do not appear to exceed those allowed in respect of school excursions, which were explained in a recent reply to the hon. and gallant Member for the Melton Division, of which I am sending the hon. Gentleman a copy. I fear I cannot arrange for a further reduction of fares in this case.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that there is again great delay in the transmission of cablegrams to and from West Africa, recent messages having taken five to six days to come from Accra, Gold Coast; and whether, in the interests of British trade, anything can be done to speed up cable communication between this country and West Africa?

Owing to an interruption of the cable between the Azores and St. Vincent on the 22nd May, the West African full-rate traffic sustained a delay of from one to three days, and in the case of deferred telegrams sent at half rates the delay extended to as much as eight or nine days. The cable was restored on the 10th June, and since then there has been no abnormal delay.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether every facility will be given, in co-operation with the Board of Trade, for a representative financial and commercial Mission to visit Serbia, Greece, Bulgaria, and Roumania in the near future with a view to the re-establishment of British trade in the Balkans and to counteract the commercial activities of other countries who are determined to capture the trade and financial interests previously held by German and Austrian subjects and companies?

A Joint Mission on behalf of the Department of Oversea Trade and the Commission Internationale de Ravitaillement is now investigating conditions in Serbia. It contains representatives of business interests and is excellently staffed on the technical side. A Commissioner has just concluded a three months' tour in Bulgaria on behalf of the Department of Oversea Trade. Every effort is being made by this Department to assist in the establishment of British trade in the Bulgarian market.A Commercial Secretary is leaving immediately for Roumania. The proposal to send out a Mission to this country was given consideration, but it was decided that the sending out of a Commercial Secretary with a knowledge of the country would meet the requirements of the case. A Commercial Secretary has been appointed for Greece and Serbia, and will shortly assume his duties, which will largely consist in re-establishing British trade in these countries and assisting British interests to capture the trade and financal interests previously held by German and Austrian subjects and companies.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of his recent statement that it is the policy of His Majesty's Government to maintain the integrity and independence of Persia, it is proposed to withdraw the British force operating on the Bushire-Shiraz road, whose presence is said to be obnoxious to the Persian people and has formed the subject of a protest by the Persian Government?

:Yes, Sir; the British force in question was originally sent with great reluctance to South Persia in view of urgent military requirements necessitated in a large measure by the activity of certain enemy agents who were engaged during the War in inciting the j tribesmen in Fars to acts of hostility against us. In the absence of any effective Persian forces in those districts, the presence of British troops was essential. As, however, the situation in Persia has greatly improved since the collapse of the Central Powers, it has already been possible to reduce largely the British forces there, and it is hoped that all those in Fars may be withdrawn as soon as possible.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether, seeing that the permanent premises of His Majesty's Stationery Office in Stamford Street have now been completed and occupied by that Department, he will state what is proposed to be done with the obsolete premises which the Department occupied situated at the back of Westminster Hospital; and whether he has considered the advisability in the interests of public economy, of disposing of that site and realising the large sum of money which the site would produce and whereon suitable and valuable rate-producing premises might be erected?

In answer to the first part of the question, the premises, which were erected for His Majesty's Stationery Office and His Majesty's Office of Works in Stamford Street, and were utilised during the War as the King George Hospital, have never been occupied by the Stationery Office, but are about to be occupied by the staffs of various Departments, in order to release important hotels. I have considered the possibility of a sale of the site in question, but, in view of the uncertain requirements of Government accommodation at the present time, I am disinclined to dispose of a site so useful for Government buildings, nor can there be any question of sale until the Stationery Office are housed in some other building.