asked the Prime Minister when it is intended to publish the latest reply from the Russian Soviet Government?

The hon. Member refers presumably to the reply of the Soviet Government relative to the activity of their submarines. This reply will be published shortly.

asked the Prime Minister whether the British Government is in any way supporting the campaigns against Soviet Russia which are now being conducted by Generals Wrangel and Balahovitch?

It has been repeatedly stated that the British Government is giving no such support.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has yet been able to give the consideration promised on 24th June to the proposal that the terms of mandates should be published in accordance with the precedent of the Covenant before these terms are finally settled by the League of Nations?

There still remains certain points as to which agreement on the terms of the mandates has not yet been reached. Consequently, the subsidiary question whether it would be advisable and convenient that they should be published before being submitted to the Council of the League of Nations has not yet been considered by the allied Governments.

asked the Prime Minister when it is intended to bring forward-Measures dealing with the reform of the Second Chamber?

The Government intend to deal with this question next Session.

asked the Prime Minister what progress has been made with the Government's proposals for dealing with the question of unemployed?

I have been asked to reply. The Government are pressing forward as rapidly as possible with the schemes announced by the Prime Minister on 19th October. Arrangements have been completed with regard to some 25 road schemes, on which work will commence shortly. I understand that in certain cases work has actually started and will grow in volume rapidly. As regards public works other than roads, the possibility of putting schemes in hand is being actively investigated. Measures have already been taken by the Ministry of Health to secure that road and sewer work in housing schemes shall be taken in hand at once to, a much larger extent than had been contemplated. In this way employment will be afforded to a large number of additional men, particularly in the housing schemes of the London County Council, on which work is already proceeding. Negotiations are in progress with the trade unions in the building trades for the admission of additional men in connection with the housing programme, and if, as I hope, work is resumed in a few days' time in the coal mines, the question of the admission of ex-service men into the other trades mentioned by the Prime Minister will be taken up at once.

asked the Minister of Labour whether nurses in general come under the provisions of the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1920; if so, whether district nurses while under agreement to Queen Victoria's Jubilee Institute for Nurses or a county nursing association, and so guaranteed employment, are excepted; and whether candidates in training, who are receiving pocket money but no salary, are excepted?

Nurses employed under contract of service or under contract of apprenticeship with money payment come under the provisions of the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1920, subject to the exceptions under Part II. of the First Schedule. The question whether these exceptions apply in any particular case or class of case is under the Act to be determined by the Minister of Labour, and is at present under consideration. The classes of nurse referred to in the question are normally under contract of service or contract of apprenticeship with money payment, and consequently are insurable, subject to the exceptions referred to above. Candidates in training with pocket money, if it is regarded as payment for services rendered, are considersd to be apprentices with money payment, and are insurable.

asked the Minister of Labour whether officials of his Department, speaking at trade union meetings, are urging the utilisation of compulsory day continuation schools for purposes of technical training; and, if so, will he explain the reason of this action in view of the policy of the Board of Education?

I am not aware of the instances my hon. Friend has in mind of the practice to which he refers, but if he will supply me with details I will have the matter looked into.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty why the Admiralty messengers who were mobilised and liable to active service during the War, being under the age of 55, who were retained at their duties by the Admiralty, are being debarred from receiving any gratuity or increase in pension for 4½ years of war, whilst men similarly so mobilised who were only employed in barracks and depôts received 1½d. per diem on their pensions?

The hon. Member is under a misapprehension in stating that these messengers have been debarred from receiving increases of pension. All Admiralty pensioner messengers who were under 55 at the outbreak of war, and therefore liable to be called up for service in the Fleet, have had their pensions reassessed. There is no justifiable ground for awarding a war gratuity to men who continued to carry out, as messengers in Whitehall, the duties for which they were appointed in peace time.

asked the Secretary of State for Air why W. E. Cool, No. 240453, Royal Air Force, demobilised in February last, has not received his gratuity; whether he was first informed by the Woking paymaster that he was in debt to the extent of £10 15s. 11d., later that the debt was £11 16s. 5d., and later still received a statement saying that it was £15 17s. 11d., as far as could be ascertained; whether he has been told that a £10 gratuity and £l for services are due to him and that in each of the different statements sent him, Cool has been informed that it was the final adjustment; whether Cool has stated that he never contracted any debt and never saw his pay-book after his arrival in India and, having regard to these facts, will he direct that Cool receives hid gratuity forthwith?

I have sent a letter to my hon. Friend giving a full explanation of this case. If it is desired, I will also cause the reply to be printed in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Pensions the terms of reference to the proposed departmental committee on pension delays?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Bridgeton (Mr. M. Scott) on the 28th October, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Labour how many disabled ex-service men, who have completed a course of training under the training scheme, are awaiting employment in Manchester and Lancashire, showing the number of men by trades?

There are 113 ex-service men who have completed a course of training awaiting employment in Manchester and Lancashire, divided among the various trades as follows:

Manchester;
Tailoring	11
French Polishing	2
Upholstery	3
Cabinet Making	10
Joinery	4
Wood Machinists	4
Vehicle Report	15
Printing	1
Dental Mechanics	9
Total	59
Rest of Lancashire:
Tailoring	2
Cabinet Making	9
Plumbing	3
Joinery	8
Painting and Decorating	3
Vehicle Report	13
Grocery	10
Dental Mechanics	6
Total	54

Of these, however, 95 are still retained in Instructional Factories, their training having been extended beyond the normal period, and every effort is being made to find suitable employment for the remainder, who have already received considerable extensions to the period of their training.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been called to the Ceylon Government Sessional Paper IV., of 1920, regarding the grant of increased salaries and pensions to meet the extra cost of living; and whether he will move the Government of India to follow suit and grant an increase to their pensioners, whether resident in or out of India, as has been done in Ceylon?

Yes, Sir, both the Government of India and I are aware of the increases granted by the Government of Ceylon. I am considering with the Government of India the question of granting to their pensioners here and in India some relief to meet the extra cost of living, but I fear it is very improbable that any relief that may be given will extend to officers in receipt of incomes in excess of the maxima fixed under the recent Pensions (Increase) Act, 1920, in the case of pensioners of the British Government.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether the appointment of an Afghan postmaster at Peshawar has been abolished; and whether any other Afghan agent is now permitted to reside in Peshawar?

Yes, Sir, the appointment has been abolished. So far as I am aware, there is now no recognised Afghan agency at Peshawar.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he has received a pensions scheme from the staff of the Congested Districts Board of Ireland; whether a pensions scheme is now in operation; and, if not, the cause of the delay?

:.The scheme of pensions submitted by the Congested Districts Board for their staff has been approved by the Treasury in principle, subject to the settlement of certain matters of detail, and I anticipate that it will be in operation at an early date.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland what provision has been made for the widows and dependants of officers and men of the Forces of the Crown who have lost their lives in Ireland in consequence of reprisals made upon them for carrying out their duty of maintaining law and order; what provision is made for such men if disabled; what the total expense or liability now is under the above headings; how much of it falls upon the British taxpayer; and how much is a charge upon the districts in Ireland in which the outrages are perpetrated?

Liberal provision is made in these cases. As regards the police, in addition to the pension payable under the terms and conditions recently revised and improved by what is known as the Desborough scheme applicable to all police forces, there is a right to claim compensation from the local authority under the Malicious Injuries Act. Pending the assessment of such compensation the Government guarantees, in the case of widows and children of a murdered policeman, the payment of a minimum allowance of two-thirds of the pay of the deceased officer. In the case of members of the military forces, pension at the appropriate Royal Warrant rate is granted provisionally pending the settlement of the claim to civil compensation. In view of the fact that a large number of claims against local authorities are at present outstanding it is not possible at the moment to deal with the latter part of the hon. Member's question.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland what is the present monthly rate of expenditure on the police and any other forces in Ireland apart from the military?

The present average monthly rate of expenditure of the police forces in Ireland is approximately £430,000. There are no other forces apart from the military.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland approximately the number of military and police uniforms which have been stolen or otherwise improperly acquired in Ireland during the last 12 months; and the number of police or military rifles and other arms which have been stolen or improperly acquired?

As regards the police, 342 uniform coats and 111 trousers and 366 firearms of all kinds have been improperly acquired in Ireland during the period named. As regards the military, the number of uniforms and firearms captured cannot be ascertained. As my hon. Friend is aware, there are large quantities of khaki clothing in the country, owing to the fact that all demobilised soldiers are allowed to retain one suit.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that in the published scheme of the local education authority of the London County Council it is suggested that they shall proceed with the erection of 11 new technical institutes and the enlargement, of eight existing technical schools, which they recommend should be undertaken without delay, and that the Council has further decided to increase the number of central schools from 51 to 100 during the next five years; and whether, in view of the shortage of houses and funds, he will recommend that these schemes shall be curtailed?

I understand that the scheme to which the hon. Member refers has not yet reached the stage of final consideration; and that the report does not contemplate that the programme should be completed within so short a period as five years. The County Council arc, I think, fully alive to the urgent demands of housing, and I have no doubt that before an extensive scheme, of building for education purposes is undertaken the matter will be the subject of friendly discussion between the Board of Education, the Ministry of Health, and the County Council.

asked the Secretary for Scotland how many houses are in course of construction in Scotland by private enterprise and assisted by Government subsidies?

The number as at 31st October was 1260.

asked the Secretary for Scotland what is the estimated annual output of bricks in Scotland; what proportion of this output is available for housing; and how many brick houses this would allow to be constructed in one year?

I am advised that the present estimated annual output of bricks in Scotland is one hundred and thirty millions. Of these sixty millions are available for housing. This quantity is sufficient to build 3000 houses in a year.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will take steps to ensure that persons over 70 years of age in Poor Law institutions shall receive the old age pension similar to those outside such institutions; and is he aware that these persons look upon this as a personal stigma upon themselves, causing them to be a greater burden upon the local rates than they would be if they had their dues from the State which their age entitles them to?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to a similar question of the hon. Member for the Houghton-le-Spring Division, a copy of which I am sending him.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he has received complaints from boards of guardians protesting against discharged soldiers having to apply for parish relief whilst waiting for the decision of the Pensions Appeal Tribunal as to whether their disability is due to or aggravated by military service; and will he empower pensions committees to make grants pending such decisions.

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, I must, refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Pontypridd (Mr. T. A. Lewis) on the 29th July last, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government is prepared to give a lead in the matter of the simplification and reduction of prices in passports and visés as outlined at the recent International Conference in Paris?

The resolutions which were passed by the recent International Conference in Paris with regard to these questions are now under examination by the Departments concerned.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that prior to the War the Chinese Government protested against the conditions attaching to the indentures of the Chinese coolies in Samoa; and whether any communication has passed between the Chinese Government and the Foreign Office upon the decision to extend these indentures?

The answer to both parts of the question is in the negative.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the War Office what is this total annual cost of the publication of the Army List; what is the number of persons employed in its production; and, seeing the embarrassment in national finance, whether the issue could be made yearly instead of monthly?

The whole question of the size and frequency of issue of the Army List has recently been fully considered by a Committee and the Army Council, who regard a monthly Army List as absolutely essential in the interests of efficient administration. At the present time the book is in process of reduction to its pre-War dimensions, and any estimate of the cost of production would at the moment be difficult to ascertain, and be of no particular value. The staff has been reduced from over 100 to under 40, and further reductions will shortly take place; but this staff is employed on the quarterly Army List, including the compilation of the War Services, as well as on the monthly list and other miscellaneous work.

asked the Minister of Food if British manufacturers are still compelled to purchase sugar at a control price, although their supply can be obtained in the, world's markets at a much lower price?

There is no restriction either on supplies or prices of British colonial sugar for manufactures. As regards other sugars of suitable quality, it is quite untrue to suggest that adequate supplies can be obtained at a lower price than that at which the purchases of the Sugar Commission are made available to manufacturers. As a matter of fact, as has been repeatedly stated, the Commission's selling price is regularly adjusted to conform to the world price ruling at the time.

asked the Minister of Food whether it is desirable that growers of sugar should be represented on the sugar Commission; whether a statement has been made by his Department to the effect that the work of the Sugar Commission would very shortly decrease in volume and importance; and, if so, whether this implies the early winding-up of the Commission?

The reply to the first part of the question is, in my opinion, in the negative. As regards the remaining parts of the question, I am not yet in a position to make a definite statement on the matter.

asked the Minister of Food whether his inspectors have reported the waste of wheat in rural areas due to want of thatching; and, if not, will he make inquiries in Essex, notably in Southminster, where, eight stacks of wheat are green and at least 60 quarters wasted in each case?

A number of cases of alleged waste of wheat due to failure to thatch ricks have been reported, including one in the district referred to by the hon. Member. These cases are being investigated, and any action that may be found necessary to enforce the provisions of the Waste of Foodstuffs Order will be taken.

asked the Minister of Food whether any form of encouragement is being given by the Government, either in the way of finance or by the supply of fertilisers or seeds, to beet sugar growers in former enemy countries; and, if so, what is the nature, form and extent of this encouragement?

No arrangement of the kind suggested has been made with former enemy countries.

asked the Minister of Food whether he has received representations from or on behalf of the Canadian salmon canners protesting against the continuation of control of salmon in this country; and whether he is aware that certain grades of salmon of a high food value are placed at a disadvantage in competition with other canned products which are uncontrolled, and that considerable resentment is being felt, particularly in British Columbia, against what is considered an injurious restriction upon the Canadian salmon trade in this country?

Representations to the effect stated in the first part of the question have been received; these were given full consideration in connection with the continuance of control of canned salmon. I do not agree that the revised Canned Salmon Prices Order places canned salmon at a disadvantage in competition with other canned products. With regard to the last part of the question, I can only say that I regret any-exaggeration of Canadian feeling on a measure taken for the protection of the consumer.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that the policy of his Department in applying control to apples only at such times as it affects the Australian crop, and removing it to the advantage of foreign sources of supply when the Australian apple season is over, is causing a great deal of dis- satisfaction amongst Australian growers; and what action, if any, he proposes to take to mitigate this grievance?

The hon. Member's question appears to be founded on a misunderstanding. It is not the policy of my Department, as suggested in the question, to apply control to apples only at such times as it would affect the Australian crop. The new Maximum Prices Order will come into force almost immediately and will apply to the bulk of the supplies from North America, which still have to be shipped. Australian supplies do not begin to reach this country until March or April. I am aware that some misunderstanding of the purpose of this Order created a sense of dissatisfaction in certain quarters, but the matter has since then been fully discussed and explained, and I trust that such dissatisfaction as existed has now been removed.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture whether 800,000 acres of land in the United Kingdom have recently gone out of cultivation?

The reduction in arable land in Great Britain since 1918 has been 457,000 acres; in the total area under crops and grass, 502,000 acres. Similar figures for Ireland are not yet available. I may add that the acreage of land under arable cultivation on 4th June, 1920, was 1,022,000 greater than on 4th June, 1914, when the total was 10,998,000 acres.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the dissatisfaction existing among allotment-holders at Dun Street, Swinton, through the failure of the owner of a wall at the allotments to have it repaired; whether he is aware that in consequence of the state of disrepair a considerable area is rendered unfit for cultivation and the allotment-holders suffer considerable loss through trespass upon the plots, and in consequence a number of them are giving up the allotments; and whether he will take further steps to induce the owner to have the wall repaired, and thus prevent the waste of cultivable land and the discouragement to the plot-holders?

Yes, Sir; my attention was drawn to such a case at Swinton, Yorkshire, and the Ministry made every effort to induce the owner of the wall in question to repair it. There is, however, no power to force the owner of the wall to keep it in repair. The allotment society are, I am informed, responsible, under the agreement under which they hold the land from the urban district council, to bear the cost of all fencing, repairs, etc., and it would seem that if the society wish to keep out trespassers they must erect the necessary fencing.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that the train service on the Bundoran branch of the Great Northern Railway, Ireland, has been discontinued, and in consequence the inhabitants of County Fermanagh, who ordinarily use the local post offices at Irvinestown, Kesh, Pettigo, Castle-caldwell, and Belleek, have been deprived of any postal facilities, though the circumstances which led to the stoppage of the trains did not arise near any of those villages; and if it would be possible to run either a horse car or a motor with the mails from Bundoran Junction to Belleek, as in old times and so keep up the postal service which the users of those and other side offices are taxed to maintain, and not put them to the great expense of private conveyance which they are put to at present?

I am aware of the discontinuance of the train service in question, and the consequent stoppage of the conveyance of mails. But having regard to the circumstances in which the trains ceased to run, i.e., troubles arising out of the conveyance of soldiers, I do not feel justified in imposing upon the taxpayer in this and similar cases the cost of substituting road for rail conveyance.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that a number of telephonists employed in the local exchange at Dundee are listed for 8½ hours daily from Monday to Friday; that, owing to the restricted air-space, and consequent overcrowding of the switch-room, and the apparent inability of the Post Office to remedy these condition in the near future, the prolonged attendances are detrimental to the health of the staff; and whether, seeing that the change in the working hours of local factories would permit of the normal Post Office system of duties, he will issue instruction that duties based upon an eight-hour day shall be introduced immediately?

The attendances of the telephonists at the local exchange at Dundee are arranged on a weekly basis, with a gross attendance of 48 hours. Certain improvements in the equipment are being carried out which will necessitate a revision of the staffing arrangements in the near future, and the opportunity will then be taken to reconsider the arrangement of the duties. The exchange is of an obsolete type, and will be replaced by a new exchange, which will be completed as rapidly as circumstances permit. I regret that delay has occurred in the progress of the new build ing, due largely to the labour troubles, but every endeavour is being made to hasten its completion.

asked the Postmaster-General if, in view of the fact that Treasury sanction was received some months ago for the creation of an additional number of assistant inspectorships, and he promised some time ago that steps would be taken to give effect to the proposals, he can state what has been done in the matter?

A number of posts for full-time acting head postmen have been converted into assistant inspectorships, and the consequent promotions will be announced as soon as possible.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Apollinaris Company, Limited, is a British registered limited company whose products are German, and in the production and distribution of which as a beverage German labour is almost wholly employed, and that this company advertises the possession of the British royal warrant, and announces the fact by utilising the royal coat of arms on the bottle; and whether, seeing that this is regarded by the British mineral water trade as operating to its prejudice and hurt, and as an unfair commendation of this German competitor in the British market, he will take any action in the matter?

I have been asked to answer this question. I am informed that this Company hold a warrant of appointment to His Majesty granted in December, 1910, and as such is entitled to display the Royal Arms. The Company is a British registered company, and all the directors and 97 per cent of the shareholders are British subjects. The Home Secretary sees no ground for any action on his part in the matter.

asked the Minister of Transport whether any solution has been arrived at to mitigate the excessive glare of powerful headlights carried by mechanically-propelled vehicles?

I am informed that the investigations of the Departmental Committee appointed to consider this question are proceeding satisfactorily. I hope to be in a position before long to introduce a Bill dealing with the regulation of the lighting of road vehicles generally.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Shipping if he will be able to make a definite statement as to the winding-up of his Department?

I beg to refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for South Poplar (Sir A. Yeo) on the 19th October.

asked the President of the. Board of Education whether the present Government or their predecessors had at any time incurred any legal or moral obligation to purchase the site at the rear of the British Museum from the Duke of Bedford; whether an agreement to purchase was ever actually entered into and subsequently rescinded on terms; whether this entanglement with the Duke of Bedford was the cause for the Government refusing any freedom of choice to the university with regard to a site and caused the restriction of the Government's offer to the site at the rear of the British Museum and no other; and whether the price at which the Duke of Bedford has agreed to accept can now be stated?

The answer to the first three parts of the question is in the negative. The price which the Duke of Bedford and his trustees have agreed to accept is £425,000.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can supply any statistics showing the amount of British emigration since the Armistice to the various parts of the British Empire; and whether the Ministry-is sympathetically guiding this exodus from the country?

I would invite the attention of the hon. Member to the figures contained in the Board of Trade Journal of the 15th of April and 30th of September. He will see that the movement of British subjects from the United Kingdom with a view to permanent residence in other parts of the Empire, which has increased largely since the beginning of 1919, amounted during the year 1919 to 115,369 and during the first two quarters of 1920 to 97,916. With regard to the second part of the question I would refer my hon. Friend to the Report of the Oversea Settlement Committee for the year 1919 (Cmd. 573), which sets out the lines on which information, sympathetic guidance and assistance are given to ex-service men and others who are desirous of settling in other parts of the British Empire. I might add that I shall be glad if the word "emigration," with its implied suggestion of expatriation on the part of the individual and of loss on the part of the community which he leaves, could be habitually confined to migration to foreign countries. Change of residence to another part of the Empire is, I suggest, more appropriately described by some such term as "overseas settlement."

asked the Home Secretary when it is proposed to proceed with the Juvenile Courts (Metropolis) Bill [H.L.]?

As the hon. Member is no doubt aware, the Bill was- read a Second time yesterday.

asked the First Commissioner of Works the cost of the Imperial War Museum for six months?

The expenditure for the six months ending 30th September was approximately £18,600, including £12,500 for the rent of the space occupied at the Crystal Palace. I would like, however, to point out that the Entertainment Tax from 9th June (when the museum was opened to the public) until 30th September amounted to £14,120, and this high figure was undoubtedly reached owing to the very great interest displayed by the public in the museum exhibits.