asked the Secretary of State for War when Private W. E. Pincott, ¼th Devons, who went out to India in 1914 may be expected home; and, if he has not already started, if orders may be at once given to this end?

Inquiries are already being made in respect of this man's release, and my hon. and gallant Friend will be informed of the result as early as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether Sergeant Neal Gillies, No. 400212, 20th Territorial Force Depot, Royal Engineers, was wounded on 21st August, 1918, and was informed he reverted to the rank of corporal and his pay reduced; whether, on all his demobilisation papers, he is ranked as sergeant; and whether he is prepared to grant this soldier the difference between corporal and sergeant's pay from August, 1918, until the date of his demobilisation?

I am informed that Gillies held the rank of acting sergeant only, and that when wounded he automatically reverted to his substantive rank of corporal on leaving his unit. The rank of sergeant is correctly shown on his demobilisation papers, as he held the acting rank for over six months, but he is not entitled to any grant of pay on this account.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the hardship caused to wounded and invalided officers, under Article 540 of the Pay Warrant, whereby a sick or wounded officer placed on the half-pay list while under treatment can only count one year of his half-pay, service towards promotion and pension; and whether, in view of the fact that this loss of health is attributable to service to the country, he will take steps to prevent this being made a penalty in regard to promotion and pension?

Under Article 305 of the Royal Warrant, a, sick or wounded officer may draw full pay up to a maximum period of eighteen months. The one year on half-pay referred to in Article 540 is in addition to this. A maximum of two and a half years away from duty seems to meet the necessities of the case.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether Mr. C. Place, late No. 05410, lance-corporal, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, was demobilised on 7th June, 1919; whether his accounts are not yet settled owing to non-receipt of documents from India; and what action he proposes to take to arrive at an immediate settlement?

I will have the matter investigated, and will inform my hon. and gallant Friend of the result.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that an officer with five years' commissioned service and twenty-three years in the ranks, total twenty-eight years' service, only receives the same pension as an officer with one year's commissioned service and fifteen years in the ranks; and if he is prepared to consider the matter further, with a view to more equitable treatment?

My hon. and gallant Friend is, I think, misinformed. An officer with five years' commissioned service and twenty-three in the ranks would get £165 a year retired pay as against £150 for the other officer. The latter rate is an overriding minimum, and when such a minimum is applied, it naturally follows that some officers will give more than the minimum qualifying service without increased benefit.

asked the Pensions Minister if the Ministry of Pensions will give an undertaking that all patients suffering from mental diseases aggravated or attributable to war service shall immediately be removed to private homes or hospitals and receive special treatment which may be the means of bringing back mental efficiency; and, failing adequate accommodation at the present juncture, will the Ministry immediately take steps to provide such accommodation?

I must refer the hon. Member to the replies given to similar questions on the 11th and 13th instant, of which I am sending him copies.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to cases in which members of the Joiners' Union have declined to handle joinery made in districts where the recognised district rate is lower than the rate obtaining in the district where the houses are to be erected; whether such action tends seriously to prejudice the prompt execution of housing schemes; and what action ho proposes to take in the matter?

Two such cases have been reported. I am informed that the usual custom in the building trade is for work to be paid for at the rates obtaining in the district in which the work is executed, but I am making further inquiries in the matter, and I propose to consult my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour as to the best means of adjusting the difficulties which have arisen in these cases.

asked the Minister of Health if he can state the number of cases of scarlet fever and of diphtheria notified in the county of London in the months of September and October, and how many cases have been treated in the institutions of the Metropolitan Asylums Board; and whether any difficulty has been experienced by the various borough councils in finding accommodation for infectious cases?

The following was the number of cases notified in the county of London during the months of

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the great difficulties that are being experienced by warehousemen and manufacturers at Norwich in obtaining deliveries of consignments of goods, especially from the Midlands, owing to delays and inadequate transport facilities on the railways; and what steps he proposes to take in order to remedy this state of affairs?

I am aware that delays are being experienced as a result of the congestion of the railways, and I can assure the hon. and gallant Member that the whole question is engaging the closest attention of the Ministry with a view to alleviating the position. No specific complaints have reached me regarding Norwich.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether privately-owned railway wagons are still commandeered by Government-directed railway companies; whether he is aware that a wagon loaded from the Oxcroft Colliery to London on 24th March did not arrive back into the traffic of the owners until 15th May; that a wagon similarly loaded on 24th March did not arrive until 12th June; that a wagon loaded from St. John's Colliery, Bradford, on 25th September is still standing at its destination under load; and what is the reason for the delay?

I have been asked to reply to this question. Privately-owned railway wagons are not commandeered, but wherever possible such a wagon in returned loaded instead of empty. Inquiries into the instances quoted by the hon. Member will be made if he will give information as to the owners of the wagons, the identification number and their destinations.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that there are still a large number of demobilised men suitable for appointments as clerks; whether he is aware that there are many requiring such employment whose qualifications do not appear to be known at the Labour Exchanges; and whether he will take steps to see that such men of clerical experience shall be employed under Government in preference to those who have not served in the Navy and Army?

There are about 20,000 ex-Service men with clerical qualifications registered at the Employment Exchanges. I have no means of ascertaining the number of such men who are unemployed but have not registered at the Employment Exchanges; nor is it possible for me to assist them effectively unless they do so register. As regards Government employment, a definite preference is given to ex-Service men.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether, in view of the fact that the value of the eggs and poultry produced in England and Wales is estimated at present prices to be about £15,000,000 per annum, and to be capable of considerable expansion, he will consider the desirability of establishing a special section of the Board, of which the officials should be practically expert in this branch of food production, and whose work would be to encourage to the fullest extent efforts on the part of county councils and county education committees to extend the business of poultry-keeping in every part of the country?

The Board are establishing a special branch to deal with poultry-keeping, and I can assure my hon. and gallant Friend that, in the selection of the staff, the importance of expert qualifications will be fully recognised, and the Board are also encouraging the appointment, by County Agricultural and Horticultural Committees, of poultry instructors—of whom forty-four have already been appointed. The chief duty of these officers will be to encourage to the fullest extent the development of the poultry industry in every part of the country.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the lack of organisation in the distribution of coal which has resulted in an insufficient supply to working-class consumers can be remedied; and whether the Government can put an end at once to the present conditions by utilising the registration of coal to all householders according to their needs during the coining winter?

Shortages in supplies to consumers are mainly due to transport difficulties, and not to the manner in which the coal is distributed to the trade. Every effort is made to secure for merchants sufficient supplies of coal to enable

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can state how far the present excessive cost of necessaries of life is caused by a shortage of supply or by an inflation of the currency; and whether a statement showing the supply of wheat, meat, wool, cotton, hides, and timber in pre-war years and the present year can be given?

issued the following information, as promised in his reply to the above Question on Monday, 10th November:Estimated Production in 1919 of Wheat, Cotton and Wool so far as particulars are available.