asked the Prime Minister if he is aware that several thou- sands of men and women desirous of marrying are prevented from doing so until legislation is carried making legal the marriage of a woman with her deceased husband's brother, and that such legislation has been passed in New Zealand, the United States of America, and other countries; and whether he will introduce legislation to this effect, thus equalising the position of the sexes in this matter?

I cannot add anything to replies given on this subject by the Prime Minister on the 8th November last.

asked the Prime Minister if the Department that will take over the work of the Ministry of Food in the near future will have the authority to deal with matters appertaining to net weights and measures, standards, tests of quality, and exhibition of prices, with power to interfere with trusts, combines, or other traders in any action taken by them to the disadvantage of the general body of consumers?

In so far as the powers contained in the Ministry of Food Continuance Act are competent to achieve these aims, the reply is in the affirmative.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that a petition largely signed by prominent and. responsible trade union leaders was recently presented to be forwarded to His Majesty on behalf of ex-Inspector Syme; that the nature of the petition was to have an inquiry into the case; and that the advice of the Minister responsible was to refuse to accede to the granting of the petition; what were the reasons for so advising; and whether he is prepared to recommend the reconsidering of the decision?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply. The answer to the first three parts of the question is in the affirmative. The case has been carefully considered by successive Secretaries of State and Commissioners of Police. It is not suggested that any new fact could be brought forward. I am not prepared to recommend any reopening of the case.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether, when books of drafts are recalled by the Pensions Issue Office for auditing, cases occur where pensioners are unable to get their regular payments; and whether arrangements can be made whereby this hardship may be avoided in future?

It is not the practice to recall allowance form books for audit. When the pension rate is changed, during the currency of a book, for any reason, a substitution book, specially marked, is sent to the Post Office before the old book is returned. Hardship to men to whom payments are due, but whose books may have failed to reach the Post Office, is already obviated as far as possible by the exercise of the power vested in local committees to pay such men on production of their ring papers.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that ex- service men attending hospital on account of their wounds are only allowed to calculate their wages for time lost at the rate of 16s. per week; that many ex-service men are thereby constantly losing, money on account of their wounds; and whether he will provide that they are refunded the wages they have actually lost through hospital attendance?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply. My Noble Friend appears to refer to cases in which disabled men, because of their treatment, have to lose a few hours, only from their work, and are not, therefore, entitled to allowances at the maximum rate. In such cases the Royal Warrant provides reasonable compensation, which is calculated, not at the rate of 16s. a week, but at a rate not exceeding 1s. 6d. an hour, subject to a maximum total for such payments of 16s. in any one week. The full allowances granted by the Royal Warrant in cases where the man is wholly prevented from working by his treatment are based on the same principle of reasonable compensation, being subject to a fixed maximum, regardless of the actual wages earned. My right hon. Friend is not prepared to adopt the suggestion of my Noble Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether the officers of the Hants Aircraft Park Territorial Force are eligible to recive a gratuity; and, if so, at what rate?

An application on behalf of these officers for payment of gratuity has been received and is being investigated. Detailed information as to their individual conditions of service and scales of pay is being obtained, and a decision will be conveyed to them as soon as practicable.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware of the fact that there are cases where gratuity money orders which have been despatched have never been received by the man, or his dependents, they were intended for; and if he will, in such instances, arrange for the proper claimants to be recompensed for the loss accruing to them, which is through no fault on their part?

Gratuities issued by my Department are not paid by money orders, but either by allowance form books or by cheque. Any failure to reach the payee is duly investigated with a view to ensuring that the person entitled does not suffer loss for which he is not responsible.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that ex-Gunner Wallace Smith, No. 933, Royal Field Artillery, of 704, Oldham Road, Manchester (blinded in the War), was originally granted a pension at 100 per cent., which expired on 23rd March, 1920, but was extended for an interim period of four weeks pending the receipt of medical report; that he has had no pension paid to him since that date, although his local pensions committee wrote to the regional headquarters of the Ministry on 5th June asking for the case to be investigated, and, having received no reply, wrote again on 7th September pointing out that the man was suffering hardship through the non-payment of his pension, and that no notification arrived from the regional headquarters until 15th October, when the man was informed that a further award of pension had been made at 16s. per week; that since that date the Pensions Issue Office failed to issue the pension, and refused to pay up arrears pending a statement from the local war pensions committee of any advances made to the man, although the Pensions Issue Office had not then supplied the local committee with the official form on which to make this statement; and why the pension of Gunner Smith should have been arbitrarily reduced from 100 to 40 per cent. although his blindness continues?

I regret that in the short time available, I have not been able to obtain complete information regarding this case, but I am making urgent enquiries, and hope to communicate with my hon. Friend at an early date. In the meantime my hon. Friend will be glad to know that payment of the 40 per cent. award is in issue, and that payment has been made of arrears owing, less certain advances made by the local war pensions committee.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether repeated applications have been made to his Department for news of Lance-Corporal Ankers, No. 196424, who left Constantinople in 1919, under the command of Colonel Rawlinson, on a mission to Erzeroum; whether Ankers was taken prisoner by the Turks; and whether steps have been taken to exchange prisoners with Turkish bands who are believed to have British prisoners in their possession?

Several letters have been received from Mrs. Ankers for news of her husband, and all the information in the possession of the Department has been sent her. Lance-Corporal Ankers is a prisoner of war in the hands of the Turkish Nationalists. Attempts have been made to secure his release together with other prisoners, but, I regret to say, without success. The British Government is, however, now in communication with the Turkish Government on the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether any final decision has yet been taken as to whether the experimental ground at Porton is to be permanent?

No, Sir; I am afraid that the future of the experimental ground at Porton cannot be decided at present.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that men completing 21 years' service at present stationed in the Southern Command have been denied the six months' course of agricultural training which has been admitted in other commands; and the reason for this distinction?

The question of agricultural and vocational training is at present under consideration. If the principle of training soldiers at such courses is adopted, no distinction will be made between commands.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether the Air Ministry is still renting the Star Hill convent, together with its school and chapel, at Farnborough, Hants; if so, how much rent is being paid for the buildings; if they are occupied: and, if not, how long they have remained unoccupied?

Royal Air Force occupation of these premises ceased on 6th November, 1919, on which date they were relinquished. No rent is being paid.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions how many firms in this country that manufactured explosives for the Government during the War claimed compensation from the Government for explosions and accidents at their works and factories; the names of the firms, and the amount of compensation paid to each firm; and the names of the firms who claimed compensation and were refused?

Inquiries are being made, and I will write to the hon. Member when the statement has been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the Reports of the Directorate of Prisoners of War and of the Prisoners of War Information Bureau will be published?

The question of publishing these Reports has been carefully considered, and it has been decided that it would not be desirable, nor in the public interest, to publish them. They are a compilation of detailed notes prepared for Departmental use and reference in the event of any future emergency.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of men, appren- tices, and boys, respectively, employed in His Majesty's dockyard on 1st August, 1914, and on 1st December, 1920; the number of men employed in Devonport, Chatham, and Pembroke dockyards, respectively, on repayment work on 1st December, 1920; the number employed on naval work; and the number employed on the preservation and maintenance of War stores?

The numbers employed are as follow:—

These figures relate to the principal dockyards at home.

The numbers employed in Devonport, Chatham and Pembroke Dockyards on repayment and naval work respectively on 1st December, 1920, were as follows:—

The numbers employed on the preservation and maintenance of War stores are indistinguishable from those employed on the preservation and maintenence of naval stores and material, and are included in the numbers engaged on naval work.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the claim of Messrs. J. and R. White, of Glasgow, for goods consigned to the Admiralty, and burnt by fire shortly after arrival, can be admitted for consideration on an ex gratia basis without admitting liability, in view of the claimants' bona fides and the fact that if such goods had reached an ordinary consignee they would have been covered by insurance?

The suggestion shall receive consideration.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Committee of Imperial Defence is calling expert witnesses, scientists, naval archi- tects, and others before it to give evidence and advice on the subject of the future designs of vessels of war for His Majesty's Navy, or whether a committee of such experts is to be set up by the Committee of Imperial Defence to consider the subject of the future designs of vessels of war?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given by the Prime Minister on Thursday last to a similar question by my Noble Friend the Member for South Battersea (Viscount Curzon).

asked

(1) the First Lord of the Admiralty whether any and, if so, what stocks of tobacco are being held by the Navy Canteen Board; whether any other Government Departments are being supplied with tobacco from that source;

(2) the Secretary of State for War what stocks of tobacco are held by the Army Canteen Board; and whether any other Government Departments are being supplied with tobacco from that source?

I have been asked to answer these questions. The Navy and Army Canteen Board, which is a corporate body, provides canteen facilities for the forces of the Navy, Army, and Air Force. Stocks of tobacco and other commodities are held by the Board on their own account, and, as already explained to the hon. Member on 20th December, such stocks are not Government property. No sales of tobacco have been made to Government Departments.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he is aware of the injustice done to Mr. F. Rothwell, an ex-soldier, by the grant-in-aid of his education have been withdrawn; that Mr. Rothwell is now taking a theological course for ordination at Chichester College, and whose progress is in every way satisfactory to the principal of the college; if he will have careful inquiry made why the grant was suspended; whether he is aware that Mr. Rothwell was taking the course at St. Aidan's College, Birkenhead, prior to the-War; that he joined His Majesty's forces on the outbreak of war, suffered seriously from shell-shock received on the Somme in 1916, was discharged from hospital in December, 1917, took light duties assisting the vicar of Chapel-en-le-Frith in 1918, and resumed his studies at St. Aidan's College in January, 1919, and received the Government grant from that date; that a. new principal was appointed in October, 1919, who presumably had no knowledge of the treatment of students who had suffered from shell-shock, and that Mr. Rothwell was apparently overworked,, which caused a temporary breakdown in health, and he was reported as incapable of qualifying for ordination and the grant withdrawn; that the principal of Chichester College has admitted Mr. Rothwell for training, and after three terms gives him excellent reports; and if he will now have the case reviewed, as the student is unable to find the necessary fees without the assistance of the Government grant?

Mr. Rothwell was 27 years of age at the outbreak of War, when he was a student at St. Aidan's College, Birkenhead, studying for matriculation. He joined the forces early in 1916, and was discharged with shell shock at the end of 1917. He worked as a lay-reader during the greater part of 1918, and in June, 1919, at the age of 32, he applied for assistance to enable him to take a two-year theological course at St. Aidan's College, which he had reentered in January, 1919. As a rule, the Board are not prepared to grant assistance to applicants of 32 years of age who require a full two-years' course to prepare for ordination, but in view of all' the circumstances the Board decided to make him an award. After approximately a year's work, the principal reported that the staff did not consider Mr. Rothwell was intellectually qualified to benefit further from his course, and that he had advised him to withdraw. Mr. Rothwell left the college on 17th December, 1919, and the Board accordingly cancelled his award. Mr. Rothwell subsequently applied for a further two-year course at Chichester Theological College, and in May, 1920, the principal of that college recommended him for a new grant, stating that he considered him capable of following the course with benefit and passing his examination. The Board have received no reports upon Mr. Rothwell's progress at Chichester since that date. The Board felt that they would not be justified in making a new grant, inasmuch as Mr. Rothwell was exceptionally treated in the first instance, was assisted for a course beginning a full year after his discharge, and failed during a year's work to make satisfactory progress at the college at which he was a student before the War and which he chose to re-enter after the War. I am not prepared to reopen the case.

asked the Postmaster-General if substitution committees have been set up throughout his Department in accordance with the recommendations of the Lytton Committee and pledges officially given to ex-service men's organisations; and if he will give an undertaking that no ex-service men will be discharged unless and until substitution committees properly constituted have been set up?

The question of setting up substitution committees in the large clerical Departments of the Post Office is being pursued. No ex-service temporary clerks are being discharged from the Post Office at present.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the Navy and Army Canteen Board has only 29 per cent. of its employés who are ex-service men, while 34 per cent. are women; and whether, in view of the unemployment among ex-service men, he will insist that the Navy and Army Canteen Board employs none but ex-service men?

I would refer the Noble Lord to the answer which I gave on 10th November last to the hon. Member for Southwark Central (Mr. Gilbert). The policy of giving preference to ex-service men is being pursued by the Navy and Army Canteen Board, but in certain departments, and as waitresses in the coffee bar trade, the work is more suitable for women, and their employment in such work has markedly raised the standards of tone and comfort in the canteens.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of his recent statement to an ex-service men's association, he will refrain from substituting in his own Department women whose honest toil is the only thing between them and disaster?

As my hon. Friend is aware, it is the policy of the Government, in pursuance of the recommendations of Lord Lytton's Committee, to substitute ex-service men for temporary non-service staff employed in Government Departments. But the greatest care is taken to prevent, so far as possible, hardship falling upon women wholly dependent for their livelihood upon their earnings.

asked the Prime Minister whether there are any Government contractors who are not yet on the King's Roll; and, if so, whether he will consider the advisability of fixing a definite date after which no contracts will be given to any firm that is not upon the roll?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, but preference is given, wherever possible, to firms on the Roll. The question of adopting such a general rule as the Noble Lord suggests is already being carefully considered.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Shipping if his attention has been called to the injustice to British shipowners arising from the loss of compensation for ships interned in Germany during the War and used by the German Government for their own purposes; whether the Hague Convention provides that the owners of ships interned and used shall be compensated for the use; and what steps are being taken by the Government to obtain proper payment to British ship owners in respect of these claims?

My attention has been called to the special class of cases to which the hon. Baronet refers, but the legal position under the Hague Convention and under the Peace Treaty is not free from doubt, and I should be glad if the question could be repeated at a later date.

asked the Prime Minister what is the present position of the Bagdad railway; whether it is working; if so, by whom it is worked; and on whom its ownership, with all contingent rights, has devolved since the War?

The western portion of the Bagdad railway is at present in territory occupied by Turkish Nationalists. A considerable extent of the line lies in Northern Syria, and, therefore, in the French zone; these portions are presumably worked by the French authorities, but we have no information on the subject. The stretch of railway, approximately 50 miles in length, from Bagdad to Samara is at present worked by the Mesopotamian Civil Administration. The final ownership of the whole system will be determined in accordance with the terms of the Treaty of Peace with Turkey, when ratified.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the 49,431 £10 shares in the British Petroleum Company, held by the German Europaische Petroleum Union Gesselschaft, were taken over by the Public Trustee in 1916, and subsequently transferred to the Anglo-Persian Oil Company; what sum was paid by the latter company for these shares; whether the proceeds have been handed over to the German company that held the shares; and, if not, what has been done with the money?

The answer to the first part of this question is in the affirmative. The 49,431 shares, together with 200,000 shares in the Homelight Oil Company, Limited, and 362,582 shares in the Petroleum Steamship Company, Limited, being allied companies, were vested in the Custodian and sold by him for the sum of £2,650,000. The proceeds have not been handed over to the German company, but are held by the Custodian as subject to the charge for securing inter alia the payment of debts due to British nationals in accordance with the terms of the Treaty of Peace with Germany.

asked the Prime Minister whether the trial in Germany of the alleged war criminals has yet commenced?

asked the Prime Minister whether a date has been fixed for the commencement of the trial before the High Court of Leipsic of the German officers and others charged with breach of the laws of war against British prisoners and soldiers?

I have been asked to reply to these questions. I am informed that preliminary proceedings have been taken in Germany in connection with each of the cases referred to in the British list and that witnesses are being examined. I am not aware that a date has been fixed for the commencement of the trials.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the present policy of cutting off supplies from the Greek Government has been adopted to relieve the British taxpayer or in order to bring to an end the warfare in Asia Minor and restore that land to peace and prosperity?

The reasons for which financial support has been withdrawn from Greece were fully stated in the published decisions of the last Allied Conference.

asked the Prime Minister if the British Government is now making any payment to the Greek Government, and, if so, under what financial arrangement; whether any further sum has still to be paid; how much money has been advanced on loan to the Greek Government since 1914, and at what rate of interest and under what conditions of repayment; and whether any actual financial assistance has been made to it without any intention of repayment?

The British Government is not now making any payment to the Greek Government, and all outstanding Greek claims under existing agreements are in abeyance. The cash advances to the Greek Government since 1914 amount to £15,860,000. Interest is added to this principal debt outstanding, and is charged at 5 per cent. except in one special transaction of a small amount where it varies in accordance with the Bank of England rate. The cash advanced is repayable in part two years after the signature of the Peace Treaty, and in part 15 years after the Armistice of the 11th November, 1918. I am not aware of any advances made to Greece without intention of repayment.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any, and, if so, what charge on account of rent, taxes, subvention, or of any description whatsoever is being, or has at any time been incurred, on account of the occupation of No. 21, Belgrave Square?

I understand that my hon. Friend has put this question to me in connection with the occupation of this house by a Russian Red Cross organisation. If such an organisation rented the house on its own account, no charge in respect of rent, rates, etc., would be incurred by His Majesty's Government. If the Russian Embassy rented the house as a branch establishment for the use of Red Cross work, the reply-given to my hon. Friend's question on the 17th instant covers the case of this house also.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the military authorities have commandeered motor cars in the district of Carrick-on-Suir and Mallow, considerably injured the cars, paid nothing for their use, and returned them in bad condition; and, if so, whether he will take steps to have the owners of these cars compensated for their losses?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply. I am not aware of any such cases, but a report has been called for.

asked the Secretary of State for India how long the official newspaper, the "Tazwari Akhbar,' has been issued for propagandist purposes in India; how many officials have been engaged in its production; how much approximately has been expended upon it; from what source the cost of it is derived; and whether it is intended to bring it to a speedy end?

The paper has been issued for about 18 months. No officials are employed on it. The Government of India has purchased 15,000 copies of each issue. Up till now the issues have been two in each month, and the cost has been at first £300 and lately £320 for each issue. In the coming year the issues are to be monthly, and the cost will be £400 for each issue—a reduction of about £240 a month. The charge is met from Indian revenues. It is not intended to bring it to an early end.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he can now make a statement on the result of his telegraphic communication on the subject of the rice harvest in Burma which will be gathered in December of this year; and whether he has instructed the Government of India that, if the control of rice be continued, a committee, on which the cultivators and Burmese merchants have representation, should be appointed to advise the Rice Controller, and that export licences be issued to Burmese as well as to European merchants?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a question asked on the 8th December by the hon. Member for Wentworth. In view of the decision not to continue the present control the Government of India consider that a committee to advise the Rice Commissioner is unnecessary. Export licences will, I understand, be issued to Burmese as well as to European merchants.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is now in a position to make a statement on the delay in announcing the proposed scheme for Burmese constitutional reforms, which delay is causing serious uneasiness in Burma?

I made a statement to the House on this matter on the 13th December.

asked the Secretary of State for India

(1) whether owing to the rise in value of the rupee and the consequent enhancement in value in pound sterling of contributions of Indian civil servants towards their pensions, the Government reap considerable financial benefit through their contribution towards the pensions being thereby reduced; if an arrangement can be made by which pensioners can participate in this benefit;

(2) Whether the yearly average cost of Indian Civil Service pensions is £530,000; whether, when the rupee is worth 1s. 4d., the average amount contributed by officers is equivalent to £130,000 and the amount contributed by the Government is £400,000, and that when the rupee is worth 2s. the average amount contributed by officers is worth £200,000, and the Government's contribution is reduced to £330,000; and, if the Government do not profit to this extent, how the accounts are adjusted when the exchange fluctuates?

The annuities paid to retired members of the Indian Civil Service amount, approximately, to £530,000, as stated. From the early seventies the annuities have been almost entirely paid in this country. Accordingly, the rupee contributions paid from that time by the service up to 1st April, 1919, over and above the small portion retained in India for payment of the annuities issued in that country, went to meet the pensionary charges in this country, and must therefore be regarded as having been finally remitted when received. The average rate at which the remittances were so effected during the 25 years prior to 1st April, 1919, may be taken at approximately 1s. 4d. to the rupee. With effect from the date mentioned, the cost of the pensions is wholly borne by the Government, and therefore the recent rise in the rupee brings no gain to Government in this connection. On the other hand, when the rupee rises above 1s. 10½d., the sterling value of the annuity, which is now issued at Bs.l0,666f, subject to a minimum of £1,000, is proportionately enhanced.

asked the Secretary of State for India if he can make any statement regarding the promised concessions to officers of the Indian medical service in the matter of passages to and from India?

The concession to officers of the Indian Medical Service of free passages to and from this country when sent home on sick leave has been sanctioned with effect from 1st July, 1919.

asked the Secretary of State for War the reason that it has not been possible to relieve Indian units who served in Mesopotamia in 1915; and how many of such units are still serving in Mesopotamia?

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply on 15th December to the hon. and gallant Member for Melton (Colonel Yate). There is only one Indian infantry battalion in Mesopotamia, which was in that country in 1915. This battalion would have been relieved many months ago if the recent rebellion had not occurred. According to present arrangements, it should leave Mesopotamia within the next two months.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he has had any recent information from Sir Percy Cox concerning the developments in Mesopotamia?

Yes, Sir; I have received a Report within the last few days. I am embodying this in a statement which I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

"A report to the following effect has been received from Sir Percy Cox:—

'The provisional Council of State has now been functioning for a month and has accomplished a creditable amount of preliminary work. The relative duties of Ministers and Advisers and the distribution of work between the various Ministries have been denned by agreement between the Council and the High Commissioner, and the work of the Administration is proceeding satisfactorily. The most pressing problem before "the Administration is the creation of local forces gradually to replace the British Army of Occupation in the task of maintaining internal order and protecting the frontiers. "The Council of State has lost no time in facing this problem, and has appointed an expert Committee under the presidency of the Minister of Defence, Jaafer Pasha, to draw up a scheme of organisation for the consideration of the Council. The Minister of Defence is assisted by the Minister of Finance; and the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, at the request of the Council, was kind enough to depute representatives of the various branches of the Army administration to assist the Committee. The general object of the scheme is to provide for the progressive organisation of local regular forces, so as to allow of a corresponding reduction in the Army of Occupation. This scheme is now being worked out in detail. It has been decided to maintain the existing Levies trained under British instructors at their maximum strength, while the organisation of the National Forces is proceeding. For the present, their primary task will be to maintain internal order and to hold the communications between posts occupied by British troops. Colonel Joyce, who served with the Amir Feisal's army in Syria, has accepted one of the two chief posts in the new military organisation.

With regard to the election of representatives for the National Congress, which is to decide upon the permanent form of the future Government of Mesopotamia, the electoral rules have been submitted to further examination by a Special Committee of the Council of State and are now being presented to the Council for their final approval. Subject to the modifications necessary to adapt them to the special conditions of the coming Congress, the Turkish electoral laws have as far as possible been adhered to. When these laws have been finally approved by the Council, registration of primary electors will at once be proceeded with.

Meanwhile the pacification of the country has progressed satisfactorily. The Shaniyah and Hillah division on the Middle Euphrates may be regarded as having reverted to normal conditions, and the inhabitants have resumed their cultivations and peaceful avocations. It has been found possible to declare an amnesty which has been extended to all except a few individuals charged with serious crimes. The Council of State are consulting with the High Commissioner on the subject of persons deported in connection with the recent disturbances, with a view to their return under suitable guarantees. Some 20 cases have so far been disposed of.

The restoration of normal conditions in the recently disturbed areas of the Middle Euphrates has enabled the Council of State, at the request of the High Commissioner, to appoint a Commission which will visit Samawah, Diwaniyah, Kufah, and Hillah, accompanied by a representative of the High Commissioner, with the object of investigating local conditions and making recommendations for the future administration of these districts and the establishment of reliable communications. The Commission includes two leading tribal chiefs, who are members of the provisional Government.

Proposals are under the consideration of the Ministry of the Interior for a re-arrangement of administrative divisions. It is proposed to divide the country into 10 liwas or divisions. Each division will be administered by a Mutasarrif appointed by the National Government, who will be assisted by a British adviser. Existing British administrative personnel will, in this way, be progressively reduced as the national organisation takes effective shape. Liwas will be sub-divided, as they were under the Turkish system, into qadhas and nahiyahs in charge, respectively, of qaimaqains and mudirs. The Council, with the consent of the High Commissioner, has already taken the first step in the appointment of Arab administrators by selecting Rashid Beg al Khoja, an officer of good reputation who served with the Amir Faisal in Syria, for the post of Mutasarrif of the liwa of Bagdad. Further appointments of a similar character are under consideration.'"

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if a salaried member of the staff of a Scottish railway company, acting on behalf of the other members, called on the assessor in Glasgow with reference to the collection of Income Tax, and was informed definitely by him that in future the tax must be paid to the railway company; and whether, in view of that statement, he san say if the assessor was acting without any instructions given by his Department, or whether the assessor has, on his own initiative, made an arrangement with the railway company to collect the tax?

Rule 7 of the Rules of Schedule E in the First Schedule to the Income Tax Act, 1918, provides that tax in respect of offices and employments of profit held under a railway company is to be charged by the Special Commissioners of Income Tax, and that the tax is to be assessed upon and collected from the company, who are entitled to deduct out of the emoluments of the holder of any such office or employment the tax so charged. This provision has been in force for 60 years.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the Commissioners of Taxes for the public Departments of the Government service refuse to allow civil servants in subordinate positions, as, for instance, postmen, the claim to be assessed on the basis of the average for three years' income, seeing that other Commissioners do allow this basis of assessment, if claimed, to all other comparable civilians; and will be quote the authority for this procedure?

If my right hon. Friend will refer to the Rules of Schedule E of the Income Tax Act, 1918, he will see that the basis of assessment in these cases is the amount of the emoluments of the year of assessment, and that the three years' average is not applicable. My right hon. Friend is under a misapprehension in supposing that civil servants stand alone in this respect. Large numbers, indeed, a majority, of taxpayers are chargeable upon the same basis, for example, employés of municipal corporations and other public bodies, railway employés, and all weekly wage-earners employed by way of manual labour. I may remind my right hon. Friend that the Royal Commission on the Income Tax has recommended that the employments at present assessed under Schedule D in the three years' average basis should be transferred to Schedule E, so that all employés should be assessed under that Schedule on the uniform basis of the earnings of the year of assessment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why civil servants who consider themselves unjustly assessed have not a proper and direct channel of appeal to the commissioners without the intervention of the assessors or the superintending inspector of taxes; and will he quote the authority for the present procedure?

Civil servants are chargeable to Income Tax under the Rules of Schedule E. of the Income Tax Act, 1918, and those rules provide for the deduction of the appropriate amount of tax from the official pay. The charges are based upon the actual earnings of the year of assessment, a matter which hardly lends itself to dispute, and there is no statutory provision for appeals in such cases. I do not quite appreciate my right hon. Friend's difficulty, but if he will furnish me with particulars of any case in which it is suggested that the assessment is excessive, I will have the matter investigated and communicate with him.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he is aware of the large increase of work that has devolved upon the officials of the Revenue Departments responsible for the collection of Income Tax on account of the large increase in the number of persons who are liable to pay that tax; and whether, in view of the hardship and expense that is caused to many workpeople who have to appear in Court to prove their claims, etc., for which they receive no compensation for time lost, even if successful, in establishing their claim, he will consider, at any rate in regard to miners, the revision of the present system, and in consultation with the Department of Mines, who already require fresh statistics to be prepared in colliery offices sufficient to provide the necessary data, in order that the miners' contribution to his average income tax payments may be deducted weekly by a stamp system as for insurance purposes?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, the proposal to collect the Income Tax due from weekly wage-earners by way of deduction from wages has been frequently made, and was one of the important matters to which the recent Royal Commission on the Income Tax gave careful consideration. They expressed the view (paragraphs 492-498 of the Report) that " so long as opinion amongst the wage-earners themselves is strongly against the deduction of tax from wages by employers, the adoption of any such scheme would appear to be quite impracticable." I might add that weekly wage-earners are not required to appear in Court to prove their claims, as my hon. and gallant Friend seems to suggest. The weekly wage-earner, in common with other taxpayers, has full opportunity to make a return of his income, and to claim the allowances to which he is entitled and, if he so desires, to appeal to the General Commissioners of Income Tax. The question of Court proceedings arises only in cases where, the liability having been ascertained in accordance with the provisions of the law, payment of the tax is not forthcoming.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the number of gallons of home-made British spirits on which duty was paid for home consumption during each period of seven months, May to November, 1919 and 1920, in England, Scotland, and Ireland, respectively?

Statement showing the number of gallons of home-made spirits on which duty was paid for home consumption in the seven months, May to November, 1919, and in the corresponding period of the year 1920:—

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been drawn to the French tax upon all business transactions; and if he will inform the House what is the amount, the estimated yield, the actual yield, and its smoothness of working or the reverse?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave on the 7th December to my hon. Friend the Member for Frome (Mr. Hurd), and to which I can now add that the estimated yield up to the end of November was 1,622,000,000 francs, and the actual yield, 739,000,000. For the year 1920 (for five months of which the tax will have been in operation) the estimated yield is 2,084,000,000 francs.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has considered the position resulting from the decision of the Divisional Court in the Binney ease exempting manufacturers' agents acting as commercial travellers from liability for payment of Excess Profits Duty; and whether he will issue directions to the Commissioners of Inland Revenue to refund to the taxpayers in all cases where payment of duty has been demanded in error and paid, and will afford facilities for expediting appeals to the general or special commissioners where claims to refund are, or may be, advanced which the Commissioners of Inland Revenue may consider should be distinguished from the Binney case?

The Commissioners of Inland Revenue in accordance with their custom will repay on application Excess Profits Duty in cases where the question of liability is governed by the decision referred to in my hon. and gallant Friend's question, and will, so far as the matter rests with them, facilitate. the hearing of any appeals arising out of this decision which may properly lie to the general or special commissioners.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been directed to the practice recently inaugurated by inspectors of taxes of issuing questionnaires to manufacturers' agents to elicit admissions as to liability; whether such practice is approved by him; and if, with a view to prescribing broad principles for determining liability on the part of commercial travellers to payment of Excess Profits Duties, he will direct that only such inquisition as may be approved by him shall be employed?

My hon. and gallant Friend will appreciate that it is often necessary to address questions to taxpayers with a view to ascertaining whether they fall within the scope of taxation. If he will furnish me with particulars of any cases in which, in his opinion, unfair questions have been put I will cause inquiry to be made.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether the retiring pension of a civil servant is at present calculated upon his salary plus war bonus; if so, how such pension is reckoned; and whether it is definitely fixed or is subject to review?

The superannuation allowances of civil servants are calculated in accordance with the scales laid down in the Superannuation Acts, 1834 to 1919, upon the actual salary received at the date of retirement, together with 75 per cent. of the bonus appropriate to that salary at the same date, except in cases where they are calculated upon the average salary and war bonus for the three years preceding the date of retirement in accordance with Section 12 of the Superannuation Act, 1834. Pensions are not subject to periodical review in consequence of changes in the cost of living.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will lay upon the Table of the House a copy of the scheme for regulating the war bonuses of members of the Civil Service which was prepared by the Whitley Council of the service, and was adopted by the Government?

I shall be glad to comply with this suggestion.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, in relation to promotions in the Civil Service, Treasury, and Inland Revenue Departments, there is any system of adverse reports similar to that which prevails in the Army; if so, is it the practice to communicate such adverse reports to the person referred to; are they used on an appeal from the promotions committee to the appeal committee; if such reports do exist and are not so communicated, but used by the appeal committee, will he see that this injustice is put an end to; and that, in the interests of fair play, civil servants may be assured the same rights as other branches of the public service, which cannot be so long as secret dossiers are allowed to exist and to be used?

There is no uniform system in the Civil Service in regard to reports on an officer's character or efficiency in the discharge of his duties. The procedure varies in different Departments. The desirability of securing, so far as possible, that no civil servant shall be prejudiced by an adverse report without having been accorded an opportunity of offering any explanation, is fully recognised, and an agreement on the following terms has recently been arrived at by the Civil Service National Whitley Council:

(a) Except in cases which may give rise to criminal proceedings, full particulars of any charge against an officer's conduct shall be communicated to him in writing before any disciplinary action is decided upon.

(b) The procedure to be adopted in the case of reports affecting promotion is a matter for the consideration of the Promotions Committee.

(c) When a report upon an officer in circumstances not covered by paragraphs (a) or (b) reflects adversely upon his character or efficiency in the performance of his duties, he shall be informed of the defects attributed to him in order to enable him to offer any explanation before the Report is placed on record.

The Promotion Committee therein referred to is a special committee of the council which is still deliberating.

asked the Postmaster-General if notices have been given to the War temporary staff in his Department throughout the country terminating their engagements on 1st January next; and if, in view of the widespread unemployment, he will give the House an assurance that these discharges will not be carried into effect in any case where overtime may be necessitated by such discharges?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given to a similar question by the hon. Members for Central Southwark (Mr. Gilbert) and Smethwick (Mr. J. Davison) on the 15th December.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that there are 4,500 ex-service men in Aldershot and Farnborough, many of whom are out of employment; and whether, with a view to tiding over the stress of the present winter, he will make a grant to the Alder-shot Command for the employment of these men during the winter?

I would refer the Noble Lord to the first part of my answer on 15th instant to the hon. Member for Smethwick (Mr. J. Davison).

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the Port of London Authority have placed to the reserve £3,014,616 on account of maintenance and other services postponed in consequence of the War; and, if so, whether he will approach the authority with a view to such postponed work being put in hand at once in order to find remunerative employment for the unemployed?

I will make inquiries at once as to the possibility of employment being provided in the direction suggested.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many factories have suspended operations altogether within the last four months; how many trades are working short time; whether there are any industries now being worked at their maximum capacity; and, if so, what they are?

I have been asked to take this question. No records are available to show the number of factories which have suspended operations altogether within the last four months. A considerable amount of short time is being worked at the present time in a number of industries, particularly in the engineering, boot and shoe, leather and textile trades. At 10th December 88,042 persons were claiming insurance benefit or out-of- work donation in respect of short time working, and of these 50,474 were in the cotton trade, 4,812 in the woollen trade, 10,513 in other textile trades, 8,555 in clothing and boot and shoe trades, and 4,510 in engineering and ironfounding. I am unable to state what industries are now being worked at their maximum capacity, but employment at the end of November was still good in building, coalmining, pottery and cement. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the current issue of the " Labour Gazette," from which he will obtain more detailed information.

asked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been drawn to the serious trouble in the fishing industry due to differences between the National Union of British Fishermen and the Grimsby Fishing Vessel Owners' Exchange Company, Limited; whether he is aware that the employés, a section of whom have been on the same scale of remuneration for 40 years, are willing to refer the dispute to a court of inquiry; and whether any steps have been or are being taken by the Ministry of Labour to settle this dispute with a view to preventing a stoppage of valuable food supplies?

Yes, Sir; I am aware of this dispute. An officer of the Ministry of Labour is at Grimsby, and is attempting to arrange a joint meeting of the parties or alternatively a reference of the points at issue to arbitration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he proposes to take on the Report of the sub-committee of the Standing Committee on Trusts on the subject of glass bottles and jars and scientific glass ware?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Wednesbury (Mr. Short) on Monday, the 20th December.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give a Return of quantities of whisky in cases or otherwise exported from Great Britain and Ireland to the United States within the last 12 months as compared with the 12 months ending 1913?

The records of the Board of Customs and Excise do not distinguish whisky from other forms of British plain spirits, and I therefore regret that I am unable to furnish the desired information. The quantities of spirits, British and Irish, exported from the United Kingdom to the United States, registered during the periods specified, were as follow:

1st December, 1912, to 30th November, 1913.—1,285,586 proof gallons.

1st December, 1919, to 30th November, 1920.—60,710 proof gallons.

asked the Prime Minister whether the British Government is a creditor for £200,000 of the Wet Carbonising Company, stated at a recent meeting called for the purpose of winding up to be without assets; and, if so, in what circumstances this obligation was incurred?

Wet Carbonising, Limited, guaranteed the due fulfilment of a contract by Lochar, Limited, one of their subsidiary companies, to purchase from the Government the Ironhirst Peat Fuel Factory, near Dumfries, which was established during the War for the supply of peat briquettes to the Army. The agreed price was £370,000, but unfortunately these companies have been unable to raise the additional capital required to enable the purchase to be completed. Arrangements are now being made to dispose of the factory elsewhere, but the Government can claim on Wet Carbonising, Limited, for any difference between the amount realised and the price referred to above, and to this extent the Government is a creditor of Wet Carbonising, Limited.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the entire stoppage of a very promising manufacturing industry that has been arranged for in connection with the manufacture in this country of small metal stoves for burning a substance called Sterno, that is composed of denatured wood alcohol and soft soap, which is supplied from the manufacturers in America in tins, the value of such tins complete with the substance being 10 cents each, while the smallest British stove that would be made here and used with it would cost 4s., due to the Customs duty levied upon the consignment note of 459 tins sent to England to the value of £13 5s. being £56 7s. 11d.; whether it is possible to have some revision of the duty that is thus levied upon the material as though it were proof spirits in bulk instead of being small tins of a manufactured product that could not be used for human consumption or the spirits be available for any purpose other than for the production of heat in the stoves; and whether he is aware that the Canadian Customs have allowed the entry of the same Sterno heat substance under their general tariff of 25 per cent. ad valorem plus their ordinary sales tax?

I have no knowledge of the existence of the industry described in the question. I am advised that Sterno is a preparation of denatured ethyl alcohol, not wood spirit, and that as such it is liable to duty in respect of the spirit content. In this connection I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Pudsey (Mr. Barrand) on the 16th instant. I have no information as to the treatment of this article by the Canadian Customs.

asked the First Commissioner of Works how many persons were employed in his Department on 1st May, 1913, and 1st May, 1920, and what was the total cost of his Department for the financial years ending April, 1913, and April, 1920?

The professional, administrative and clerical staff of the Department ( i.e., excluding all industrial staff and other manual workers) numbered 655 on the 1st May, 1913, and 1,543 on the 1st May, 1920, the increase being due to the work of the Department having been extended in connection with the Ministry of Pensions Hospitals, Training Centres and offices, Ministry of Labour Training Centres, Employed Exchanges, considerably increased accommodation for tax collecting offices and new Departments, housing, etc. The total cost of this staff (including salaries, value of accommodation, and other such items incidental to their employment) was approximately £188,700 for the financial year 1912-13, and £488,100 for the financial year 1919–20, which sum also included War bonus.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture what steps have been taken to carry out propaganda regarding the food value of milk, as promised six months ago, so as to remedy the insufficient consumption of milk, especially among children?

I have been asked to reply to this question. The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Board of Education have agreed to co-operate with the Ministry of Health in this matter, and have drawn up a scheme for including instruction as to the value and use of milk in various courses at schools and colleges. I am sending my hon. Friend copies of papers dealing with this subject.

asked the Minister of Food if, on or about the 6th October last, an intimation was given to representatives of the retail trade that he would like them to hold stocks in anticipation of a transport strike; whether, about 18th October, his Divisional Commissioners were asking the same; whether, about the same date, at the Retailers Advisory Committee of the Ministry, they were again pressed, and when asked about reduction of price they were assured none would take place for a month; whether, on 23rd October, the announcement of the price of sugar was made; and, seeing that many retailers acted upon his advice, who, if left to themselves, would not have had such large stocks, what he is prepared to do for such people affected, whose losses run into hundreds of pounds?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on this subject to the hon. and gallant Member for Stafford (Mr. Ormsby-Gore) on the 8th instant. I am not aware that any such assurance as that suggested in the third part of the question was ever given.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture whether it is stlil the case that there are nearly 200 residents in South Oxfordshire who require small holdings, amounting in all to about 5,000 acres; and whether he is now satisfied with the progress which is being made to assist them?

According to the latest Returns furnished to the Ministry, on the 15th November last, the number of ex-service applicants who had been approved in Oxfordshire and had not yet been provided with holdings was 166, who required 3,544 acres. The Ministry has no information as to the proportion of this number residing in South Oxfordshire, and in any case it is not possible to satisfy at present civilian applicants in view of the statutory preference required to be given to ex-service men. In reply to the last part of the question, I am informed that, as a result of certain changes which have recently been made by the County Council, a very considerable improvement in the progress of the scheme in the county may shortly be expected.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture whether the Committee which is considering the treatment and prevention of foot-and-mouth disease is securing a Report on the bacterol treatment which, according to high veterinary authorities, has met with much success in Italy; and why the British Ministry of Agriculture has for 15 months past refused to make experiments with this treatment in this country so as to obviate the heavy losses due to the present Regulations as to slaughter?

The Foot-and-Mouth Disease Committee is carefully watching the efforts being made on the Continent to cure and control foot-and-mouth disease by serum treatment and vaccination. The Ministry is aware of the attempts to deal with foot-and-mouth disease in Italy, Switzerland and France by means of serum treatment and vaccination. The serum treatment of sick animals does not appear to be very effective, though it is said to be curative to a certain extent. The vaccination treatment involves creating fresh centres of disease, and in this country it would result in the wide dissemination of foot-and-mouth disease and its consequences; whereas, although it has been repeatedly invaded, this is the only country in Europe in which foot-and-mouth disease has been prevented by the policy of slaughter and by prompt disinfection of the infected premises from becoming disseminated throughout the country.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can lay upon the Table, or make public in some other form, a copy of the contract in operation between the Ministry and the building guilds in regard to erecting houses at Walthamstow; and what are the variations as compared with contracts entered into with building firms or companies?

I will circulate a statement as to the contract to which the hon. and gallant Member refers.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether, in view of the fact that there are only sufficient bricks and cement available in Scotland to build 3,000 houses in the year, no greater number can be expected to be finished in the next 12 months, or whether he is making arrangemenets to construct a large number of houses with other materials?

The whole question of the supply of building materials for housing schemes in Scotland is at present engaging my constant attention, and I am considering as to the best means to secure an increase in the output of bricks. It is hoped that the supply of cement will be adequate to meet all requirements during the coming year. As regards the erection of houses in materials other than bricks, the Scottish Board of Health have already approved the erection of houses in stone and concrete, and they are always willing to consider any proposals by local authorities for the construction of houses in these or other suitable materials.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he has yet been able to make any arrangements with the Minister of Health to increase the supplies of bricks and cement available to local authorities for house building in Scotland?

I am in consultation with my right hon. Friend on this subject. I hope to be able to arrange for an increase in the supply of bricks and cement available for local authorities in Scotland.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether contracts for building are being entered into or have been entered into by His Majesty's Office of Works on behalf of local authorities; and, if so, whether under such contracts more favourable terms are given to His Majesty's Office of Works than are given to building firms?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply which I gave to a similar question by the hon. and gallant Member for Winchester (Major Hennessy), of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Health if he will supply a statement giving a summary of the cases of venereal diseases treated at the various public centres approved by his Department, and the total national and local expenditure, respectively, in respect of same for each year from the commencement of the public provision of this treatment; and if he will include a statement of this description in his future annual reports?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Smethwick (Mr. J. Davison) on the 10th March last, of which I will send him a copy. Statements as to the numbers of cases of venereal disease treated at the approved public centres, and as to the grants made by my Department in respect of this service since its inception, are contained in the last annual report of the Local Government Board and the first annual report of the Ministry of Health.

asked the Secretary for Scotland the average amount of aliment paid to adults and the average allowance for children under out-door parish council relief in Scotland and the total amount of money disbursed under this head during 1919 as compared with 1914; and whether he will obtain a return giving this information?

I regret that I am not in possession of sufficient information to enable me to reply categorically to the first part of the question. From certain information in the possession of the Scottish Board of Health in regard to industrial areas it would appear that at about 1st November, 1920, the average weekly aliments paid in such areas by parish councils in cases where the recipient had no other income were approximately 14s. for each adult, and 7s. for each child, with clothing in addition. In the case of a child boarded out with strangers, the average aliment is approximately 8s. 6d. weekly. In view of the fact that the physical and economic circumstances of the numerous parishes in Scotland vary so widely, the value of an average figure for the whole of Scotland would not, in my judgment, be commensurate with the trouble and time required to obtain it, but, if desired, I am prepared to obtain information as to the aliments paid in certain representative areas. The total amount of money disbursed by parish councils in the form of outdoor poor relief (including cost of medical relief, cost of removals, maintenance of children in institutions other than poor houses, etc.), was as follows:

During year ended 15th May, 1919, £769,305.

During year ended 15th May, 1914, £594,035.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that boys and girls have for a considerable time been employed to deliver milk and newspapers in the mornings and they have thus been enabled to add to their parents' earnings; that since October the Glasgow education authority issued a warning to shopkeepers telling them that if they employ boys and girls they must clothe them; and that most of these shopkeepers have families of their own to-clothe and are unable to clothe those of others who are often only a few days in their employment; whether, as a result, these shopkeepers are unable to employ boys and girls who thereby suffer hardship as do their parents, who are in the main very poor people, in many cases soldiers' widows with small pensions, and also the citizens suffer being unable timeously to get milk for their families; and whether, seeing that the educational authority is mainly composed of people in comfortable circumstances, he will instruct them to modify these or any similar regulations which make the lot of the poor harder?

I am not aware of the warning notice to which the hon. Member refers. But the authority's bye-laws under the Employment of Children Act, 1903, provide that children engaged out of doors shall have a suitable and convenient cloak or other outer garment capable of protecting the person and clothing of the child from injury by weather. I am not prepared to take exception to a regulation so obviously reasonable and humane.

asked the Home Secretary if he has received the memorandum forwarded to him on behalf of London business interests calling attention to the vast amount of pilfering from goods in transit on the river; and what action he proposes to take either to strengthen the river police or otherwise?

The memorandum has been received and is receiving very careful consideration.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) if he is aware that owner-drivers are being charged 30 per cent. for the privilege of paying the £15 motor tax in quarterly payments; whether he can arrange for the said tax to be paid in four equal quarterly payments of £3 15 s. ?

(2) if he is aware of the serious position in which hundreds of owner-drivers of taxi-cabs in the metropolitan area are being placed owing to the new tax of £15 per annum on motor vehicles having to be paid early in the new year; and will he grant an indulgence and make the tax payable in four quarterly instalments of £3 15 s. ?

The issue of quarterly licences in respect of mechanically-propelled vehicles on payment of 30 per cent. of the annual duty was approved by the House and included in the Finance Act, 1920. I regard the issue of quarterly licences at all as an important concession, and one which will undoubtedly involve increased administrative work and expense. The issue of these licences at 25 per cent. of the annual rate would result in quarterly licences being taken out in respect of nearly all vehicles, as such a concession could not properly be made to any class of owner without being extended to all classes.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, having regard to the widespread distress prevailing among the superannuated staff of the railway companies and to the terms of the resolution carried unanimously in this House on 2nd March, he is prepared to recommend an increase in the pensions of railway servants, retired before or during the Government control of the railways, on the basis of such increases being payable as to one moiety by the railway companies and as to the remaining moiety by the State?

I explained, in the course of the Debate to which the Hon. and gallant Member refers, the reasons why it was not possible for the Government to supplement the pensions of superannuated railway employés at the expense of the general taxpayer. Some months ago I discussed the position with the Railway Companies' Association. I was then informed that in many cases the railway companies were paying considerable sums beyond their legal liability, and that the companies were not in a financial position to do more. I regret that in all the circumstances I am unable to proceed on the lines which the hon. and gallant Member suggests.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that the South Eastern and Chatham Railway Company have definitely refused to reopen Spa Road and Southwark Park stations, and that the Advisory Committee on London Traffic have approved of the decision; whether one of the chief reasons for such approval is the opinion of the Committee that it is more convenient that such districts near the centre of London should be served by means of tramcars and omnibuses; whether he is aware that the London County Council have not yet commenced work upon the 1914 scheme for the electrification of the Southwark Park Road tramways, although the Bermondsey Borough Council have offered to pay one-third of the cost of the additional improvements necessary to provide a double line throughout; and whether he will bring pressure to bear, either on the railway company to reopen the stations, or on the London County Council, to proceed immediately with a scheme of double-line electrification on this route, which is at present derelict and dangerous to traffic, in view of the extreme inconvenience and hardship caused to the inhabitants by the entire absence of any form of transit and by these dilatory proceedings, and in view of the acute distress in the district which such a scheme of work would tend to relieve, owing especially to the number of unskilled labourers necessarily to be employed?

The answer to the first three parts of the question is in the affirmative. The legal and economic aspects of the matter have already been dealt with in a letter written by the Ministry to the clerk of the Bermondsey Borough Council, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy. My right hon. Friend is again in communication with the London County Council to see whether it is practicable for them to proceed with the scheme of electrification mentioned in the question, and my hon. and learned Friend shall be informed of the result.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether his attention has been directed to the concessions and privileges which English school teachers enjoy in the period of qualification for superannuation allowance, and in the rules under which breakdown allowance is granted compared with Scottish teachers; whether he will consider the claim of Scottish teachers now on duty that they be allowed to retire after 30 years' service and be eligible for superannuation; whether, as in the case of the breakdown allowance in England, less than 10 years' service could be recognised in Scotland; and whether on these and kindred points he is prepared to consider revision of some of the Clauses of the Act of 1918, or of Departmental Regulations relating thereto?

It is true that a teacher in England can retire at any time after completing thirty years of service with an assurance of receiving a pension at the age of sixty, whereas in Scotland a teacher cannot retire with the certainty of a pension unless he is in service on or after attaining that age. But, on the other hand, apart from disablement, an English teacher does not get any pension at all unless he has given thirty years of service, whilst the corresponding limit in Scotland is only ten years. As regards breakdown allowances, the English and Scottish conditions are practically the same. A teacher with less than ten years' service is eligible for a gratuity only. The superannuation scheme was framed after consultation with the Scottish teachers, and I have no information to show that the general body of teachers in Scotland would prefer, as an alternative, the conditions laid down in the English Act.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether the Education Authority of the County of London have made arrangements to put into operation on a partial scale as from 10th January, 1921, the Education Act, 1918; what will be the expense to the taxpayer and ratepayer as a result; and how many other county or local authorities are following the same course?

I presume that the first part of the question refers to the provision of continuation schools and the attendance of young persons thereat, and, if so, the answer is in the affirmative. The expense which would fall to be equally divided between the ratepayer and the taxpayer was estimated by the London County Council in their published Scheme at:

£116,000 in 1920-21 (including preliminary expenditure),

£450,000 in 1921-22,

£900,000 in 1922-23,

£1,000,000 in 1923-24,

and in addition to those sums I am informed that an amount rising to £36,000 in 1923-24 for loan charges was included in that Estimate. The figures' are subject to revision.

There are two small areas (Rugby and Stratford-on-Avon in Warwickshire) in which continuation schools are already open; and there are two county boroughs (Birmingham and West Ham) in which it is proposed to open such schools in January. In two other areas (Swindon and Southend) appointed days have been fixed for bringing this part of the Act into operation.

asked the Postmaster-General whether any decision has yet been come to after the recent postal conference to increase the present postage on postcards, or is the present postage on ordinary postcards to remain as at present; and is the present rate of ½d. on picture postcards, if sent as printed matter, with the privilege of a sentence of five written words, still in force for both home and foreign post?

No decision has yet been arrived at in respect of any rate—Inland or Foreign—affected by the recent International Postal Convention. A picture postcard may be sent for ½d. in the inland post if it bears nothing in writing except date and names and addresses of sender and addressee and a formula of courtesy or of a conventional character not exceeding five words or initials. A picture postcard may be sent abroad for ½d., if it bears nothing in writing except date and names and addresses of sender and addressees.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that caretakers of suburban telephone exchanges are not receiving any extra allowance for the coal and gas supplied for the lighting and heating of the exchanges, the present allowance being based upon the prices of coal and gas in 1916; and whether he will rectify this omission?

I do not know of any such case, but if the hon. Member will furnish me with the necessary particulars I will have enquiry made.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the House of Commons Post Office cannot, under present Regulations, accept night telegraph letters; and whether, in view of the value of this service to Members of Parliament representing distant constituencies, to whom late despatches of mails are not available, he will authorise the acceptance of night telegraph letters in the Lobby telegraph office?

I will have enquiry made, and will communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the sole contractors for advertisements in telephone directories, at a time when the available space for provincial books is practically filled, have lost the contract, with the result that the contract has been transferred to a naturalised Austrian; and whether the previous contractors were informed as to what was being done?

In reply to the first part of the hon. and gallant Member's question, I would refer him to the answers already given on the 6th instant to two questions by the hon. Member for Bolton on the subject of this contract. In reply to the latter part of his question, the late contractors were aware for considerably over a year that the contract was going to be put up for tender, and, of course, they were given an opportunity of tendering, in competition with other approved firms, for the present contract. But their tendered terms were substantially less favourable to the public than those of the successful firm.

asked the Home Secretary if he will supply a Return showing the number of clubs in every county and county borough in England and Wales, distinguishing between political, social, athletic, and residential, and giving the registered membership of each class in, every county and county borough?

The number of clubs in every licensing district in England and Wales is shown in Table I of the Annual Licensing Statistics. Requests for the publication of the other details indicated in the question have been addressed from time to time to more than one of my predecessors, and have been refused by them mainly on the ground that the expenditure of time and public money involved in collecting and printing them would not be justified. I see no reason, particularly at the present time, for varying this judgment.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will consider the immediate provision of special passes for Members of Parliament in order that, in common with Government office clerks, they may be able to gain entrance to Government buildings and Departments without suffering the loss of time and delay in carrying through their business that is now inevitable if the police are to efficiently carry out their duties in allowing no unauthorised persons to gain entry?

The arrangements made for preveting the entry into Government offices of unauthorised persons should not cause any inconvenience to Members of Parliament who have business in Department; but if the hon. Member will give me particulars of any case in which difficulty has arisen, I will cause inquiry to be made.

asked the Home Secretary how many aliens have entered this country since the Armistice?

The earliest date for which trustworthy figures can be given is 1st July, 1919. Between that date and 30th November, 1920, the number of aliens who landed in the United Kingdom was 541,558, and the number who embarked, 522,626.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if, in view of his statement that no action will be taken in Kenya in regard to segregation pending further consideration, the Government notification which appeared ,in the official gazette of the Colony on the 13th October last, defining a certain area in Mombassa township as a European residential reservation, has been cancelled?

On the 13th of November a telegram was sent to the Governor of Kenya informing him that the Government of India had asked that a sale of residential plots in Mombassa, which was stated to be in contemplation, might be suspended until their representations with regard to the policy of segregation had been received. In these circumstances no action with regard to the notification appears to be necessary pending a decision as to the policy.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to the fact that the estimated native population of the New Hebrides has diminished under the Anglo-French Condominium administration from 65,000 in 1911 to less than 45,000, and to what cause this depopulation is attributed; and whether any steps are being taken by the administration to arrest this rapid extinction of the native races?

I cannot confirm the precise figures given by my hon. Friend, but I am well aware of the regrettable decrease of the native population in the Pacific Islands, especially those which, like the New Hebrides, are inhabited by Melanesian races. The chief cause appears to be the inability of the native to resist European epidemic diseases, such as measles and influenza. The administration of the New Hebrides takes active measures to protect the natives from disease and drink and grants assistance to the medical work of the missions.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Anglo-French Condominium in the New Hebrides has been denounced as entirely ineffective both by France and Great Britain; and whether any offer has been made to France to exchange her interests in the group for territory in other parts of the world?

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

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether, on Friday morning the 9th instant, three skilled surveyors were engaged in taking the theodolite levels of the ground in the Green Park, near Constitution Hill; whether the surveys of this land are already fully recorded on the Ordnance survey maps; and if the extent, purpose, and cost of repeated Government surveys of this character throughout the country, can be stated?

I have made inquiries and find that on dates between the 4th and 9th November last two draughtsmen and one labourer made surveys in the vicinity of Hyde Park Corner in connection with the question of finding suitable sites for War memorials and statues. The detailed information required for this purpose is not recorded on the Ordnance survey maps; otherwise, the surveys would not have been made. I am not in a position to answer the last part of the question as all Government Departments would be affected by it.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions what was the amount of profit made upon the standard clothing scheme, 1918, under the control of the Ministry of Munitions Supply, Bradford; whether the profit has been appropriated by any Department; and, if not, whether the profit will be utilised partly in reducing the price of raw materials of the present voluntary standard clothing scheme and partly in financing the expenses of the scheme; and, if not, how it is proposed to deal with the profit?

The balance remaining over from the Administrative Fund of the 1918 Voluntary Standard Clothing Scheme on which the expenditure was £10,000,000 was £28,172 11 s. 6d., of which £12,751 11 s. 8d. has been paid over to the Exchequer and the balance of £15,420 19 s. l0d. is at present temporarily held by the Ministry of Munitions pending final receipts of trading profits resulting from the realisation at market prices of cotton lining surplus to the scheme. Of these trading profits £ 12,271 7 s. 4d. has been paid to the Ministry of Munitions, and a further sum of £44,446 19s. 3d., plus interest, will shortly be received. Out of these profits on linings a sum of £14,983 6s. 8d. will be applied for the benefit of the new Standard Clothing Scheme and the balances as above will be paid into the Exchequer.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions how many cases of fraud or other crime have been investigated since the Armistice in connection with transactions in which his Department is concerned; and in how many has a prosecution been instituted?

The answer to the first part of the question is 47, and to the second part 25.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether the whole or any part of Rich-borough has yet been sold; if so, what price has been accepted; for what purpose it has been sold; who are the purchasers; if the whole or any of the stores warehoused at this depot have been sold up to now; and what amount has been realised from such sales?

Negotiations for the sale of the Port of Richborough are still in progress, and I cannot make any statement at the present moment.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether the signing of the proposed trade agreement with the Russian Soviet Government will involve any change in the position of Russian companies registered under the old régime in regard to their rights to property in this country, such companies not having recognised the decrees of the Soviet authorities in Russia?

This is a question of law involving very intricate considerations upon which I cannot venture an opinion.

asked the hon. Member for Greenock, as representing the Charity Commissioners, whether any decision has been reached as to what is to be done with the funds in the hands of the trustees of the Wilby Charity, Suffolk; and whether the scheme proposed in July, 1915, is now acceptable and can be approved in order that the funds may be used for their original and proper purpose?

The four-seventh parts of income of this charity to which the question of the hon. Member is understood to relate are applicable for educational purposes, and are therefore under the jurisdiction of the Board of Education and not of the Charity Commissioners. The Commissioners have no power to decide what ought to be done with these funds, or whether the scheme proposed in 1915 is acceptable and can be approved.