asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will have immediate inquiries made with regard to the whereabouts of Sergeant S. M. Brown, No. 708,349, Chinese Labour Corps, who is believed to have sailed from China in H.M.T. "Dongola" on 15th January, 1920, and has not since been heard of; and whether he is aware that his wife's separation allowances have been stopped, and that the only record that the War Office have of this soldier is that he proceeded on conducting duties to China?

I am making inquiries into this case, and will let the hon. and gallant Member know the result as soon as possible.

asked the President of the Board of Education, in view of the postponement of the enforcement of Section 8 (1) of the Education Act, 1918, and the operation from 1st January of Section 1 of the Women, Young Persons, and Children (Employment) Act, what steps he intends to take to remedy the situation by which, under the existing bye-laws of certain local education authorities, children can still be exempted from school under 14 years of age and be unable to obtain employment?

I am precluded by Section 52 of the Education Act, 1918, from bringing Section 8 (1) of that Act into operation until the official termination of the War. The difficulty, therefore, cannot be surmounted except by legislation. I have no reason to think that the existing situation has resulted in any considerable number of claims for exemption by children who are unable to find employment, or that the difficulty is so great as to call for remedy by legislation.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he will state the approximate number and average age of teachers who retired before 1st April, 1919; the number who have been found not entitled to increase in pension in consequence of their existing incomes exceeding £200 where married and £150 where single; and the approximate cost involved by any proposal to extend to such teachers the benefits enjoyed by those retiring after 1st April, 1919?

The approximate number of teachers in receipt of pensions under the Elementary School Teachers (Superannuation) Acts, 1898 to 1912, and the Code of Regulations for Public Elementary Schools who retired before the 1st April, 1919, and were living when the Pensions (Increase) Act, 1920, came into operation, was 6,400. The average age of these pensioners on that date cannot be given without a detailed investigation. It may be stated, however, that the age of those who retired on the ground of ill-health varies between 34 and 84 years, and of those who retired on the ground of age between 66 and 95 years.The number of pensioners under the above Acts and Code of Regulations who have applied for an increase under the Pensions (Increase) Act, and have been found not to be entitled to such increase, in consequence of their existing incomes exceeding £200 where married and £150 where single, is 320. In addition, 246 were only entitled to a partial increase. No applications for an increase have been received from, approximately, 1,000 pen- sioners, although forms were sent to them, and it may be assumed that the large majority of these have not applied by reason of the fact that their means exceeded the statutory limit laid down by the Pensions (Increase) Act. The Board have no information at their disposal which would enable them to state the approximate cost of extending to such pensioners the benefits enjoyed under the School Teachers (Superannuation) Act, 1918, by teachers retiring after 1st April, 1919.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that a deputation from the Federation of Trades and Labour Councils in Monmouthshire waited upon the Great Western Railway authorities at Cardiff requesting the issue of market tickets from the valleys to Newport, Cardiff, Bristol, etc., and that the reply was against altering the present arrangements; and will he advise the railway companies serving these valleys to comply with this request and thus remove a hardship upon tradespeople and others who have to attend these places for business purposes?

I am not aware that a deputation of the Federation of Trades and Labour Councils in Monmouthshire has waited upon the Great Western Company in regard to market tickets. I am having the matter inquired into and will communicate the result to the hon. Member.