asked the Secretary of State for War (1) whether he is aware that, under the present proposed Regulations governing the award of the special Territorial Force medal, only those who took part in the fighting after 1st January, 1916, will be eligible for the one decoration which signifies pre-War voluntary service;(2) whether, seeing that thousands of 1914–15 stars have been awarded to those who joined up after 4th August, 1914, and who had no pre-War service at all, the award of the Territorial Force medal is in itself a guarantee that the holder is a pre-War member of the force;

I regret I can add nothing to the answer which I gave on the 9th March with regard to the conditions governing the award of this medal.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is unable to reconsider the terms of the award whether members of the Territorial Force who are eligible for the decoration, but who are debarred from it because they are eligible for the award of one of the stars, may have the option of waiving their claim to the latter in favour of the former should they so desire?

It is not considered desirable to adopt the hon. and gallant Member's suggestion.

asked the Secretary of State for War upon what authority a soldier or ex-soldier is, in consequence of a criminal conviction, deprived of the honours awarded him for bravery in the field; and whether it is desirable that an offence committed by such a person should be punished in an appropriate fashion without the addition of the drastic penalty of the forfeiture of honours granted to the offender for gallantry, into the granting of which no considerations of moral character entered and to the holding of which no condition of future good behaviour was attached?

The conditions governing the forfeiture of medals awarded to officers and soldiers are laid down in the Army Act (Section 44 (xi)) and the Royal Warrant for Pay, etc. (Articles 637, 785 and 1236–1239). Orders and decorations are forfeited under the Royal Warrants governing the award. The Regulations clearly show a recipient that he is liable to be deprived of his medal or decoration if he misbehaves. With regard to the latter part of the hon. and gallant Member's question, it is considered undesirable that men convicted of serious criminal offences should continue to wear medals and decorations awarded for bravery seeing that they have by their conduct forfeited the honour and respect attached to holders of those honourable distinctions.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he can see his way to make Presteign, the county town of Radnorshire, the headquarters of the Third Welsh Brigade, Royal Air Force howitzer battery, in view of the patriotism displayed by that county during the great War?

The location of the headquarters of units of the Territorial Force is at present under discussion.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he will have inquiry made into the case of Colonel H. B. Moss; whether he is aware that Colonel Moss was re-employed captain and adjutant of a volunteer unit of the Manchester Regiment on the 6th March, 1917; whether he has been refused any gratuity for this period of service owing to a War Office instruction which was issued after his appointment; and, if this is so, whether it is fair to alter to his detriment the apparent terms on which an officer is employed after he has accepted the employment?

This officer was first appointed on 6th March, 1917, as stated, the terms of the appointment not being then defined. On 23rd May a circular defining terms and explicitly stating that gratuity under Article 497 would not be granted was addressed to all county Volunteer regiments. I can find no record that this officer, whose duty it was, as adjutant, to keep himself closely acquainted with all such matters, made any claim or protest. He accepted confirmation in the appointment in September, 1917, at which time there was no doubt about the terms.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, seeing that the desirability of recognising the superior services of Army officers whose duties during the War necessitated their holding temporary or acting rank higher than their normal rank has been assented to in the case of officers giving up their commissions or placed on the unemployed list by Army Order 376, of 1918, which grants to such officers the permanent retention of the highest rank they may have held for an aggregate minimum period of six months, he will now complete this recognition by extending it to Army officers who continue to serve their country on the active list by granting to all such officers honorary rank equivalent to the highest temporary or acting rank which they may have held during the War for a minimum period of six months, thus giving in both cases equal recognition for equal service and at the same time eliminating the present differential treatment to officers on the active list?

It is not considered desirable to extend the provisions of Army Order 376, of 1918, in the manner suggested. Where an officer's services in a higher rank have been such as to merit the grant of higher rank while still on the active list, such recognition is given by the grant of brevet rank.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the civilian clerks in the Labour Corps records offices in Nottingham receive only £2 15s. 3d. per week, while the labourers at Chilwell receive £3 5s. per week, and the road sweepers in the employ of the corporation of Nottingham receive £3 1s. 6d. per week: and whether, in view of the rising cost of living and the nature of the work performed, he will revise the salaries in this Department, so that the civilian clerks, many of whom have served in the War with distinction, may receive an adequate salary?

These clerks are being paid, over and above the permanent rate applicable to the post, the full war bonus awarded by the Civil Service Arbitration Board to meet the present situation.

asked the Secretary of State for War if the British military mission in South Russia is being retained for the purpose of guarding stores; if these stores are of any considerable value; if the work of the mission is likely to be prolonged: and if he proposes to relieve the rank and file, who are automatically due for relief under the provisions of the Military Service Act?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The stores are naturally of considerable value. As regards the third and fourth parts of the question, it has been decided that the time has arrived to withdraw the bulk of the mission. A few only will remain. Their numbers and the duration of their retention must depend upon the situation and our obligations to General Denikin. They are not serving under the Military Service Act, but are all volunteers ad hoc.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether pre-War Army service pensioners employed in the Royal Army Ordnance Services at Aldershot are excluded from the new scale of pensions because they did not re-enlist during the War owing to the fact that they were forbidden to do so; whether men in a similar position who did re-enlist during the War, in defiance of the orders of their superiors, are now in receipt of the in creased scale of pension; and the reason for this treatment of the pre-War pensioners who did not re-enlist?

I would refer the Noble Member to my reply on the 16th February to the hon. Member for Silvertown (Mr. J. Jones).

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether, in view of the resentment which exists regarding the refusal to reassess the pensions to pre-war Army pensioners, it can be stated what extra cost would be incurred to reassess all pre-War pensions to post-War rates; whether he will state the extra cost involved to grant a bonus of 3s. per week to each non-reassessed pre-War pensioner, thus making a private's pre-War pension equivalent to an old age pension; and whether he will give the cost to the State of reassessing all pre-War pensions not reassessed of those over 60 years of age?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given on the 11th March by the Prime Minister, in which he stated that the Government have appointed a Cabinet Committee to consider the question of possibly meeting cases of exceptional hardship.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland what increase in expenditure is estimated to take place as a result of the Irish Education Bill, and what is the estimated annual loss in Ireland on the postal services?

It is not quite clear whether my hon. and gallant Friend means increase in expenditure generally, or increase in expenditure by the State. It is impossible to give any figures regarding the general increase, as this will depend on the extent to which the Education Authorities will exercise their voluntary powers. As. regards the increased State charges, it is estimated that in respect of the financial year 1919–20, the additional amount that will have to be provided (in the event of the Bill passing) by the State is £301,910, approximately. With regard to the latter part, I would ask my hon. and gallant Friend to address his question to my right hon. Friend the Postmaster-General.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of revenue derived from the following sources in Ireland for the financial year 1918–19, namely, Customs and Excise, Income Tax, and Excess Profits Duty; and what was the total amount of revenue derived from all sources in Ireland during the same period?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the Revenue and Expenditure (England, Scotland, and Ireland) Return (Sessional Paper No. 163 of 1919), which contains all the information available on this subject.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions what are the terms upon which auctioneers are employed by them; and will he give the largest sum paid or payable to any auctioneer from the 1st April, 1919, to the 1st January, 1920, and the terms on which this auctioneer was employed?

One salaried auctioneer is at present employed. The remainder have been paid on a commission basis. The terms, which have formed the subject of discussion with the auctioneers' institute, vary between ½ per cent. and 5 per cent. according to the nature of the property to be sold and the value of the property included in a particular sale. The largest sum earned by any firm of auctioneers during the period from 1st April to 31st December, 1919, was £13,028. This represents an average commission of less than 1 per cent. of the amount realised.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions if he is aware that at the National Projectile Factory, Lancaster, there are about 120 men employed on wagon repairing, 75 per cent. of whom are ex-Service men; that there are seven men classed at ridge fixers, five of whom are on staff salaries, and also four staff foremen with four charge hands; that there are two staff men to every five workmen; and if he will take action in the matter?

The hon. and gallant Member has been misinformed. At the Lancaster Projectile Factory there are at present 204 men and 8 boys employed on the repair of railway wagons. Of this number 89 are skilled men, 20 of whom are ex-Service men; the remaining 123 are unskilled of whom 90 are ex-Service men. The factory employs 678 men and there are 5 rate fixers engaged on the general work of fixing rates for the whole factory. One of these rate fixers, for a part of his time only, is engaged on fixing rates in respect of wagon repairs. There are three foremen engaged on wagon repair work, but no charge hands. It is not the fact that there are two staff men to every five workmen.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions what are the names of firms or individuals which have made contracts for the purchase of motor lorries of over £150,000?

The following have made contracts of over £150,000 for the purchase of motor lorries:—

asked the Minister of Health whether, as recommended by a Select Committee, it is proposed to introduce the necessary legislation to enable urban district councils to superannuate their employés, as is the case in the Civil Service.

The question of legislation upon this matter is receiving consideration in connexion with the Report of the Departmental Committee on the Superannuation of Persons employed by Local Authorities in England and Wales.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether a charge of £1 is made by British Consuls in Switzerland for an endorsement on an annual visa of the passport of British residents in that country, while such an endorsement is given gratis in the case of a British subject passing through Switzerland into another country?

British subjects do not require a British visa to reside in Switzerland nor, according to British Regulations, is it necessary for a British subject to obtain a British visa to return to the United Kingdom. Where the Regulations of any foreign Government through whose territory a British subject desires to travel en route for the United Kingdom require the traveller to obtain a British endorsement to his passport before granting their transit visa, such endorsement is given gratis on application. A British subject resident in Switzerland does not therefore require an annual endorsement or visa, and there is no Regulation authorising either the grant of such a visa or endorsement to a British subject or the charge of £1 therefor.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the number of overseas ex-service men in his Department; whether a number of non-regimental officers of independent means, some of whom pay super-tax, are still being retained in high-salaried positions, while many ex-service officers are unemployed, capable of filling these positions; and will he appoint a small committee of Members of the House composed of ex-service men to inquire and report?

The number of ex-service men in the Department is 1,211, of whom the majority have served overseas; the exact proportion could not be ascertained without detailed inquiry. As regards the second and third parts of the question, my hon. Friend will doubtloss, on further consideration, appreciate the objections to an inquiry, whether by a Committee of this House or otherwise, into the private circumstances of public officials. I am informed that the Supertax lists are not published. I am not prepared, at the suggestion of my hon. Friend, to substitute one man for another because the latter is suspected of making a large contribution in taxes to the National Exchequer.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is now able to make a definite statement as to the status and pay of uncertificated teachers whose qualifications are recognised by the Board of Education; and whether he can hold out any promise of improving their position?

As I stated on the 15th instant, in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Nottingham West (Mr. Hayday), the matter is still under consideration.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) what is the number of losses of registered and unregistered postal packets reported by the public during the past 12 months;(2) Whether the number of losses of registered and unregistered postal packets reported by the public during the past 12 months constitutes a record; and what is the number of convictions of thieves that have been discovered during the past 12 months?

The number of inland registered postal packets, the loss of which in the post in the British Islands was admitted and paid for during the twelve months ending the 31st March, 1919, is 1,168. The number of unregistered parcels is 21,116. I cannot give a figure for unregistered letters because no compensation is payable in respect of such losses. The number of persons convicted for thefts in the British Islands of or out of postal packets, whether inland or foreign, during the twelve months ending 31st March, 1919, was 233. Figures for the year ending on the 31st instant are not yet available. Theft from the post increased during the War, but the conditions to which the increase was due are now, I believe, to a considerable extent passing away, and I hope that the return will in future show a substantial improvement.

asked the Minister of Food how many applications were made by private consumers for sugar for the manufacture of jam; and what was the aggregate amount of sugar thus disposed of?

The Food Controller is not at present in a position to make any statement on this matter, as the returns from Food Control Committees on the subject have not yet been received and examined, and no allotment has been made.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is a fact that there has been an increase in the assessable value of docks, engineering shops, mills, and business premises under Schedule A for the current year; and, if so, if he can give any figure as showing the average percentage of increase?

The hon. and gallant Member will recall that under the provisions of Section 14 (2) of the Finance Act, 1919, for purposes of Income Tax for the current year the annual value of properties outside the Metropolis are those that were adopted for the preceding year. As regards the Metropolis the valuations under the Valuation (Metropolis) Act, 1869, are conclusive for Income Tax purposes. In those circumstances, I have no information to show generally what fluctuations of annual value may have actually occurred during the year in the classes of properties referred to in the question. The Income Tax assessments in respect of docks are dealt with on a profit basis.