asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps are being taken with regard to the extension of the railway system in British East Africa, and whether contracts in regard thereto are to be put up to public tender?

I regret that I can add nothing to the reply which was returned to the question of the hon. Member for Barrow in Furness on the 18th of May.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether he is aware that since December, 1919, the Kingsbury Urban District Council has been endeavouring to obtain payment of the General District Rate in respect of No. 1 Aircraft Salvage Depot, the Hyde, Hendon, N.W.9; whether a sum of £422 10s. is due in respect of such rate; and whether he will arrange with the Treasury to expedite the payment of the sum due?

Considerable difficulty has been experienced in obtaining the necessary data to enable the Government value to compute the sum to be contributed by the Treasury in lieu of rates. The hon. and gallant Member may rest assured that payment will be made as quickly as possible.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether Form Z 8 has still to be filled in by commercial houses; and, if so, whether he will consider the desirability of its abolition in the interest of economy and the saving of trouble?

In reply to the first part of the question, commercial houses are still being invited to assist the Government with information by filling up the Form Z 8 at quarterly intervals. With regard to the second part of the question, I would refer to the answer which I gave to the hon. Baronet the Member for Walsall on Tuesday last.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if it is proposed not to make payment of the bonuses awarded to established civil servants in the Board of Trade, announced on 12th May, until the end of the present quarter; if similar bonuses awarded to established civil servants in the Ministry of Pensions have already been paid; and whether, in view of the fact that payment of these bonuses was awarded with a view to assisting civil servants to meet the increased cost of living, he will take steps to expedite the payment thereof or pay something on account?

Established civil servants in the Board of Trade to whom the new war bonus applies will be paid the war bonus at the new rates, and arrears under the last award, before the end of the present month. The question with reference to the payment of similar bonuses in the Ministry of Pensions should be addressed to the Minister in charge of that Department.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that under Indian legislation in the computation of taxable income for the purpose of Indian Income Tax, income which has already borne Indian Income Tax is excluded from liability to such tax again but, under The Indian Super-tax Act, 1920, income received by one Indian company as dividends from another Indian company which has already borne Indian Super-tax is again liable to Indian Super-tax; and whether he will recommend that legislation be passed to bring the Indian law into line with the proposed British corporation tax law, under which income which has already borne corporation tax will not be again liable to such tax?

I will bring my hon. Friend's suggestion to the notice of the Government of India.

asked the Minister of Food whether the price charged to manufacturers for sugar is such that the public is supplied at a lower rate than they would be otherwise, but that this difference is reflected in the cost price of such articles as jams and condensed milk, which during the War and during control were regarded as of such national importance as to be provided with sugar at special rates?

Sugar for domestic consumption is being issued by the Royal Commission on the Sugar Supply at a wholesale price of 112s. per cwt., a figure which is below its present value in the markets of the world. Sale at this price has only been made possible by the utilisation of stocks of sugar purchased previous to the recent advances. The price charged to manufacturers is based upon the actual value of the sugar from month to month. With regard to the last part of the question, I cannot agree that sugar for the manufacture of jam and condensed milk was supplied at special prices during the War period.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he can state for the last three months, or any convenient period, the number of cases which have been withdrawn from the county courts, petty sessions, and the High Courts; and the number of cases tried in these courts compared with the similar period of last year?

The information asked for is not available, and could not be procured without an expenditure of time and labour out of all proportion to its public utility.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether, in view of the unprecedented nature of the duties now being discharged by the Irish prison officers, he will consider the possibility of granting these officers some special recognition as apart from other branches of the Civil Service; and whether any reply has been given to the application of the Irish Prisons Officers' Council which was forwarded on the 14th February, 1920?

I am considering the question of granting some special recognition to prisons officers. It has been necessary to ascertain the practice in England in regard to several of the matters referred to in the application quoted. This information has now been received, and it is hoped shortly to come to a decision.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty when the Report of the Napier-Halsey Committee on the Accountant Branch of the Navy will be ready for circulation?

This was a Departmental Committee for the information of the Board of Admiralty, and the publication of the Report is not intended. Any changes decided upon as a result of the Committee's recommendations will be promulgated in due course.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will have inquiry made into the case of Albert Stephens, aged 63 years, who has been a postman at Nailsworth, Stroud, for 20 years, and who having had to retire through illness has been refused a gratuity because he is in receipt of benefit under the National Health Insurance Act amounting to 5s. per week?

I am aware of the circumstances. Mr. Stephens was a part-time postman, and ineligible for any award under the Superannuation Acts. There is a small fund at my disposal to meet cases of distress to which the Superannuation Acts do not apply; but as the regulations of this fund preclude a grant to any person who is in receipt of benefit under the National Health Insurance Act, I regret that it is not within my power to do anything for Mr. Stephens.

asked the Minister of Transport if he can state the amount of the loss on the working of the railways under his control for the year 1919?

As the Government's liability in respect of the working of the railways in respect of 1919 is still subject to the adjustments mentioned in the notes to Statement 2a contained in Command Paper 402/1919, it is not practicable to state the amount of the loss. Apart from the deferred liabilities which cannot yet be ascertained, the amount to be made good under the Railway Agreements for the financial year 1919–20 is estimated at £41,500,000.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will state the receipts of controlled railways in Great Britain for the four weeks ended 29th February, 1920, per ton and per ton-mile, of general merchandise (including live-stock), coal, coke, and patent fuel, and other minerals, respectively?

I regret the information is not yet available, but I hope to be in a position to publish the figures monthly.

asked the Minister of Transport in respect of the railway statistics published by the Minister for the four weeks ended 29th February, 1920, if he will state what is the total amount of collection and delivery applicable to general merchandise only; what is the tonnage of general merchandise traffic collected and delivered or collected or delivered; what are the receipts per ton-mile from general merchandise with and without collection and delivery; whether the amount which the Minister allocates as cost of collection and delivery is the actual cost to the railway companies for the services of collection and delivery, or how the estimated amount is ascertained, and in particular whether he is satisfied that an ample allowance is provided in the return to cover the actual cost of collection and delivery which so greatly exceeds the amounts allowed by the railway companies for these services when the collection and delivery rates were formulated?

The total actual cost of collection and delivery of general merchandise traffic on the controlled railways during the four weeks ended February 29th, 1920, was £819,234. The other information asked for is not yet avail able.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will state how much of the receipt of 98·46d. per ton in respect of the 26,139 tons of yarn carried by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company for the four weeks ending 29th February, 1920, remains for conveyance by railway and for station terminals after the actual cost of cartage has been deducted; and if he will state the amount allocated for each service of cartage out of the 98·46d. per ton?

The information asked for is not available. It is not even possible to give the average distance this particular commodity is conveyed until the period for taking out particulars of the ton mileage of this commodity is reached.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has any control over pre-War railway pensions, and, if so. whether there is any prospect of an increase in the very low rate of pension on which so many old railway men are to-day struggling for existence?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. As regards the second part, that is a matter for consideration by the railway companies or the trustees of the superannuation or pension funds concerned. The view of the Government upon the whole matter was stated in this House in the Debate on 2nd March.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has received any communication from the Chester-le-Street District Council protesting against the Minister's action with regard to Mr. S. J. Edge, until recently Commissioner for Region A, and if he can state what action he proposes to take in the matter?

No communication has been received from the Chester-le-Street District Council with regard to Mr. S. J. Edge.