asked the Secretary for India if he has received any reports from Afghanistan and the border tribes as to the activity of Bolshevik agents in those countries, and if this is resulting in a dangerous effervescence directed against British rule in India; and if he has found Bolshevik agents working in the more disturbed portions of that Empire?

I have received reports on Bolshevik activities in the regions mentioned in the question. I know the Government of India are carefully watching the propaganda, which is, of course, dangerous in any country. I am consulting them as to the publication of a statement on the subject.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will look into the case of Jones Humphreys, of Maes Gwyn, Penrhyn Deudraeth, North Wales, a discharged soldier suffering from the effect of wounds and debility as a result of captivity under the Turks; whether this man was in receipt of unemployment donation until 14th May last from the Portmadoc Employment Exchange; whether, on that date, his donation was discontinued on the grounds that he had been offered and had refused employment; whether he had been offered employment with an insurance company which entailed furnishing a £25 guarantee; whether he has been forced to refuse this offer owing to his inability to furnish this guarantee; whether this fact was taken into account when his out-of-work pay was stopped; and whether this man, together with his wife and child, are still attempting to live on 23s. a week pension?

The question whether Mr. Humphreys was entitled to remain on donation after declining the employment referred to was twice considered by the local Court of Referees. On the first occasion the decision was in his favour, on the ground that the requirement of a financial guarantee was one with which he was unable to comply; the case was later reheard by the Court of Referees, and after hearing further evidence the Court came to the decision that the real reason for the refusal of the employment was the applicant's disinclination to leave his place of residence. They accordingly disallowed the claim, but gave leave to appeal to the Umpire. The Umpire decided on 30th June that donation should be allowed.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that within the last few weeks ex-service officers have been taken on the staff of the Civil Liabilities Department for a period of two years; and whether it is necessary for a Department of such a nature to extend appointments for so long a period, in view of the fact that claims for settlement are likely to decrease?

With the exception of two permanent Civil servants attached to the Department, who are on loan from the Ministry of Health and the Board of Education respectively, all members of the Civil Liabilities Department's staff hold temporary appointments, and are, therefore, subject to one month's notice. No officer of that Department has therefore been taken on the staff for a period of two years, as suggested by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the Controller of the Civil Liabilities Department has appointed his brother to be a commissioner; whether he will state what is his knowledge and experience to qualify him for this responsible position; and whether he complies with the Regulations laid down by the Treasury that all commissioners must be barristers?

I am aware that the brother of the Controller of the Civil Liabilities Department is employed as an examining commissioner in Bristol under the Civil Liabilities Department. The officer in question was transferred to the Ministry of Labour from the Ministry of National Service on the 1st March, 1919, when the administration of the Retail Business (Licensing) Order was transferred to the former Department. As Deputy-Controller for the south-western area in connection with that Order, he had acquired considerable local knowledge and experience in interviewing of a type which are of service in relation to his present work. Accordingly, when it was possible to reduce the staff engaged on the administration of the Order, Mr. McClellan, along with a certain number of the most efficient officers previously engaged on that work, was transferred to duties under the Civil Liabilities Department. When an opportunity offered he was stationed at Bristol, for which post his previous local experience particularly suited him. There has been throughout no question of preferential treatment of this officer on grounds of his relationship to the Controller. I should add, as regards the last part of the question, that there are no regulations laid down by the Treasury providing that Commissioners must be barristers.

asked the Minister of Labour how it arises that, while the staff of the Civil Liabilities Department has been increased by 11 persons, the number of cases dealt with in April, 1920, was 1,215 less than in October, 1919?

My hon. Friend has made the calculation wrongly. The answer I gave him on 15th June shows that in April, 1920, there were 1,215 cases more, not less, dealt with than in October, 1919.

asked the Minister of Labour whether representations have been received from Bournemouth as a result of the conference between the Chamber of Trade and the local employment committee, urging that steps should be taken to provide training for all ex-service men who desire it and who are at present unskilled owing to the fact that their services during the War have prevented them from learning a trade; and whether any action will be taken?

I have received the representations referred to by my hon. and gallant Friend. Fit ex-service men who, on account of joining the Forces at a comparatively early age, did not begin learning a skilled trade, can receive training, under schemes already in operation, where agreement with the trade concerned can be secured. Moreover, in the cases of ex-service men who were apprentices on enlistment, there are agreed schemes in the skilled trades generally which provide for the completion of the apprenticeship, and for State assistance during such completion. There are forty agreed schemes covering about 800 different trades, and under them 38,017 apprentices have been accepted up to date. My hon. and gallant Friend will no doubt appreciate that the first call upon our training facilities must be for disabled ex-service men, of whom we still have, I regret to say, 23,626 on the waiting list for training.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that the total commitments of the State for financing the scheme for the higher education of ex-service men at the universities and other similar institutions is £8,145,000; whether any inquiries are made before these grants are given as to whether there is a reasonable probability that the persons in receipt of these grants will thereby be enabled to secure suitable employment and to earn a livelihood; and whether it is essential, in order to secure efficiency and avoid waste of public money, that such inquiries should be made, and that any savings which after such inquiries may be effected in the administration may be devoted to other methods of training for disabled officers and men.

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. Grants are only made to those applicants who after careful scrutiny have been considered capable of profiting by a course of higher education. The Board felt justified in leaving to the applicants the responsibility for selecting the courses of higher education which they desired to follow, subject to the approval of the heads of the institutions and the university or local committees who recommended them for assistance. For practical purposes inquiries as to the absorptive capacities of the various occupations at home and abroad, two, three, or five years hence, could only have yielded very speculative results. In the Board's opinion it would not have been practicable for them to have administered the scheme on the basis of the specific prospects of the employment of individuals in particular occupations, without intolerable delay, and such discrimination between applicants, particularly between those who were demobilised early and late, as would have given rise to very serious grievances. I do not think that any saving could be made in the way suggested as a means for giving disabled officers and men additional benefits.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will consider the case of Private Thomas Gaskell, No. 100,437, 1st Battalion King's Liverpool Regiment, on compassionate grounds, who is not yet 18 years of age, his father being a helpless invalid with a family of small children, the whole family very badly in need of support; and, since Private Gaskell is the eldest son and to him alone can the parents look for the support of themselves and family, will he consider this case with a view to the discharge of Private Gaskell on the joint grounds of his extreme youth and compassion?

Particulars of this case have been referred to the General Officer Commanding concerned for his consideration, and I will let the hon. Member know the result as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary for War where it has been decided to establish the Junior Commanders' School, the Headquarters' School of Army Sanitation, the Central Machine-gun School, the Training School for Coastal Artillery, and the Military Administration and Cookery School?

The Junior Commanders' School has ceased to exist. The Headquarters' School of Sanitation is now at Blackpool, but it is proposed to establish it permanently at Aldershot. The Machine-gun School is at Seaford, and the Coast Artillery School will be at Golden Hill, Isle of Wight, or at Shoeburyness. The School of Military Administration is at Chiseldon, Wiltshire.

asked the Secretary for War whether there were 719 officers attached to the Supply and Transport Corps of the Indian Army during the War, many of whom were British Service officers; how many of the 719 were paid at the Indian rate of pay and how many at the British rate of pay; whether any of the 62 trained Royal Army Service Corps officers, horse transport, motor transport, and supplies attached to the Supply and Transport Corps officers of the Indian Army, and lent from England, were paid the Indian rate of pay and how many were paid the British rate of pay; and what were the grounds for the discrimination?

The figures quoted are approximately correct. As far as is known, all the attached officers received the Indian rate of pay. The Royal Army Service Corps officers received a special rate of pay until September, 1919, after which date they drew the Indian Army rate.

asked the Minister of Pensions (1) if he can report progress in the case of Private Charles Hudson, No. 16,524, Manchester Regiment, sent to regional (Manchester) headquarters on 12th April last;

(2) if he will inquire into the delays arising in the case of Private J. C. Youd, No. 22,143, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, at the Pensions Issue Office as to the issue of the pension and as to the hearing of the appeal by the Medical Appeal Board;

(3) if he can report progress in the case of Private J. G. Stanton, No. 372,454, Labour Corps, awaiting decision from the awards branch, Burton Court, since March last.

I am making immediate inquiry into these three cases, and will let the honourable and gallant Member know the result.

IMPORTS OF WHEAT AND WHEAT MEAL AND FLOUR INTO THE UNITED KINGDOM. — Cereal Year (Sept.-Aug.), 19137–14. Sept.-May, 1913–14. Sept.-May, 1919–20. Tons. Tons. Tons. Wheat 4,985,823 3,444,289 3,439,625 Wheat Meal and Flour 563,767 448,728 396,336 Total Wheat and Flour (as equivalent grain) 5,768,833 4,067,523 3,968,073

asked what was the average price in America of American wheat for the five months of this year; and what the average price was in England for the same period, giving figures for the difference

asked the Minister of Food if, taking the staple articles of food on which he bases the Return of the cost of living, he will explain the reasons in each case in which there has been a rise in price since 1st May last?

The latest data showing the average retail prices of the staple articles of food which form the basis of the Index Number prepared by the Ministry of Labour, relate to 1st June. On that date, the commodities showing an appreciable increase of price since 1st May were sugar, potatoes and eggs. The increase in eggs was of a seasonal character. That in the case of potatoes was due to a short crop, coupled with the decreased acreage sown last year. The great increase in the price of sugar was due to the shortage of world production and the enhanced price at which the Sugar Commission are purchasing the necessary supplies of sugar.

asked what was the weight in tons of the importation of wheat, in berry and wheat flour, into the United Kingdom in the cereal years 1913–14 and 1919–20 respectively?

The following is the information asked for:—

under the two headings of insurance and freight?

The following table shows the average cost f.o.b North America of the Wheat Commission's purchases in that Continent for the months named, compared with the c.i.f. price in England, analysing the margin between — All per qr. of 480 lbs. Average free on Board Price in N. America of Commission's purchases. Freight. Insurance. Price in England cost freight and Insurance. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. January, 1920 111 0 9 5 5 120 9 February, 1920 112 2 9 1 5 121 8 March, 1920 110 5 9 7 5½ 120 5½ April, 1920 125 6 9 11 5½ 135 10½ May, 1920 138 2 10 0 6 148 8

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture if he is aware that workmen employed on gardening work under the Crown Estate Paving Commissioners at Regent's Park are being paid below the recognised rate of 30s. per week for this class of work, which is the rate paid to the workmen employed on similar work by His Majesty's Office of Works in the same park; and whether he will give instructions for the recognised rate to be paid in accordance with the usual practice in Government establishments?

The gardeners employed by the Crown Estates Paving Commissioners are not Government servants, and the Commissioners of Woods and Forests have no control over them or power to regulate their wages.

I am informed, however, that seven gardeners are employed by the Commissioners in Regent's Park, of whom four are paid £3 per week, and three £3 3s. per week, inclusive of war bonus.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the wages paid to lock-keepers and collectors in the employ of the Lee Conservancy Board are extremely low; whether the advances given during the whole period of the War up to date amount in a number of eases to 4s. per these two prices as between freight and insurances:—

week; whether able-bodied men employed on the River Stort are receiving from 17s. to 21s. per week with house rent free; whether he is aware the Board have refused to meet a deputation from the men to discuss adjustments of wages; and, if so, will he cause inquiry to be made?

In the latter part of 1919 my Department were in communication with the Lee Conservancy Board with regard to claims put forward on behalf of their employés by the National Union of Docks, Wharves and Shipping Clerks, and the Department were informed that after friendly negotiations with the men's representatives certain decisions were arrived at by the Board and accepted by those representatives. With regard to the claim for a further advance of wages, no report of a difference in connection with the claim has been made to my Department, but I understand that the matter has recently been considered by the Board, who have decided that as the case of these men was settled so recently as November last, they could not see their way to re-open the question. I am making enquiries of the Board, and will communicate with my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has received representations from the National Union of Laundry Workers, or others, with reference to a threatened deadlock in the pro- ceedings of the Laundry Trade Board, particularly in the proposed award for male workers; whether his attention has been called to the fact that in the board there are only three active laundry workers compared with 14 representing other trades; and whether any steps will be taken to set up a new board in view of the fact that board has completed its term of office?

While the settlement of minimum rates of wages for male workers in the laundry trade was not reached without much discussion by the members of the Trade Board, the Board eventually agreed on its proposals for these workers. These will be issued for the consideration of the employers and workers in the trade in accordance with the Trade Boards Acts.

The workers' side of the Trade Board consists of representatives of unions having a substantial number of laundry workers among their members and of actual workers in the trade. The Board was established for one year only and steps are being taken to constitute the new Board. I anticipate that the latter will be appointed shortly and, in this connection, I shall be glad to consider any nominations for appointment to the Board of employers or workers connected with the trade.

asked whether any separate Treaty has been made by this country with the Greek Government as to giving the latter help in material, money and men in taking possession of Thrace and that portion of Asia Minor which was allotted to Greece by the Supreme Council?

The answer is in the negative.