asked the Prime Minister if a ruling of the High Court which has declared that magistrates have no power to grant an extension of the hours for the sale of liquor on market days has been brought to his notice, and that, in consequence of this ruling, the extensions previously granted for market days have been revoked, to the very great inconvenience of all attending those markets; and if he will use his influence with the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic) to induce them to issue such Regulations as may make the granting of such extensions legal?

I regret that I can add nothing to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in reply to a question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Dulwich on Wednesday last.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that a London newspaper has stated that it is officially informed that the existing Orders of the Ministry of Food relating to the sale of beer and spirits are to remain in force after 31st March, and that they will be enforced by the Board of Trade; if the statement is correct, can he say why the information has not in the first place been afforded to this House; and will he state when the necessary Order in Council will be made?

No information of the character indicated in the question has been officially given to any newspaper, nor has any decision been taken on the point. The House has already been informed that it is proposed at the end of the financial year to transfer certain powers of the Food Controller to the Board of Trade, who will thereupon become responsible for the enforcement of any Orders which it may be decided to continue.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the salary of the Chief Inspector of Taxes has recently been permanently increased, together with the salaries of certain other officials of his branch of the Board of Inland Revenue; and, if so, whether this is to be regarded as the initial step in the regrading of the clerical staff of the said Chief Inspector's branch, now long overdue?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. With regard to the second part, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply which I gave him on the 10th instant.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether it is the intention of the Government to remove the embargo on Canadian cattle.

There is no embargo on Canadian cattle as such. They can be brought to this country for slaughter at the ports, and a consignment of cattle from Canada is en route at the present moment. The Diseases of Animals Act, 1896, however, prohibits the landing of cattle from anywhere outside the United Kingdom for any purpose except for slaughter, and an exception in favour of Canada or any other Dominion or foreign country could only be made by an amendment to that Act.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether the inspector has reported on the condition of horses from Great Britain as they arrive at the Continental ports; whether his report will be published; and whether the Government contemplate the introduction of further legislation on the matter so that all horses shall be slaughtered in England.

The report of the inspector has not yet been received, and until it has been received and considered it is impossible to decide on the question of its publication. For the same reason it is not possible at the present moment to make any statement as to whether legislation should be proposed or not, but the Ministry is well aware of the importance of the question and the interest taken in it.

asked the Secretary for Mines if he is aware that the domestic coal shortage in Weardale, county Durham, is still causing inconvenience to the people there, that some people have not had coal for weeks, that one person went to a station with a cart on three occasions last week but had to come away empty, and that when coals go they are unfairly distributed; and if he will try to get an adequate supply of coal to all parts of Weardale and make such arrangements so that the poorer classes will have a chance of getting a supply compatible with their needs equal with those who can get an excess.

As I promised the hon. Member on 25th February, I have been making enquiries into this matter, and have now ascertained that during the period 1st January to 18th February, 1921, the quantities of coal supplied for retail sale to the stations of Westgate-in-Wear-dale and St. John's were 118 tons 13 cwts. and 149 tons 19 cwts. respectively. It is understood that this compares favourably with other years for the same period. It is clear, however, that a shortage of household coal exists in the district through causes referred to in my reply to the hon. Member's question of 23rd ult., and I am taking such steps as are possible to remedy the deficiency.

asked the Secretary for Mines if he will state for the years 1913 and 1920 respectively, the cost of raising an average ton of coal, specifying wages, timber stores and other costs, royalties, and owners' profits; the number of persons engaged in the industry; the amount of coal raised; and the amount per person, together with the amounts shipped abroad as cargoes or bunkers for each of these years?

The information asked for is as follows:—

The owners' profits in the year 1913 were at the rate of 1s. 6d. a ton. The standard profits payable to the owners under the Coal Mines (Emergency) Act for the year 1920 are estimated to amount to £29,000,000 or at the rate of 2s. 6½d. a ton—

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in the case of all domestic servants on the register for the receipt of unemployment donation, he causes direct investigation to ascertain if they have been offered or have sought situations; whether any such domestic helpers are declining employment for fear of losing such money payments; and what action he takes in all cases of this nature which are brought to his notice?

Whenever claims to benefit are made the applicants are required to state their last employers and an inquiry is sent by the Exchange to those employers in order to ascertain among other things why the employment was terminated. If it appears that, for example, the applicant left his or her employment voluntarily without just cause, benefit is refused. As regards subsequent opportunities for obtaining employment, the Local Employment Committee's before admitting claims under Section 3 of the new Act, must satisfy themselves that applicants have taken steps to obtain employment by registering at an Exchange and otherwise, and will if necessary call upon applicants to produce evidence that they have done so. In any case in which it is brought to the notice of the Exchange that suitable employment has been refused, benefit is suspended.

asked the Minister of Transport whether any reply has yet been made to the representations he has received against the grouping together of the Scottish railways?

My right hon. Friend, the Minister of Transport, has received several important deputations on this subject and discussed the matter with them. He cannot, however, anticipate the proposals of the Bill shortly to be submitted to Parliament.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware of the circumstances attending the purchase of premises known as 4–10, Amelia Street, Belfast, the vendors being Messrs. Sefton and Company, by the Board of Works for the use of the Ministry of Pensions; whether he is aware that the vendors were fined in £500 on a mere technical objection, namely, failure to deliver the entire premises on the date arranged, 1st November; that the Treasury solicitor was not ready to complete on that date nor for two months later; that the premises were not required by the Ministry of Pensions at that time nor have been used by them even yet; that the vendors had to pay an obstructing tenant £200 to secure his removal; and that the entire premises were delivered over on the 1st December; and whether, in view of all the circumstances, he will direct that the fine of £500 be repaid to the vendors?

Yes, Sir, I am aware of the circumstances attending this purchase, and I think that the hon. Member is under some misapprehension as to the facts. The price originally offered by the Commissioners of Public Works for these premises was £18,000, and they agreed to the price of £19,000 only on the express condition that vacant possession of the entire premises would be given to them on or before 1st November. There was no "fine" of £500. The so-called fine of £500 is really a matter of the proper reduction of price paid in view of the failure to hand over possession on the 1st November, and of the bearing of negotiations on that point preceding the fixing of the price of £19,000, The Commissioners came to the conclusion that a reduction of the price by £500 to £18,500 was proper and reasonable; and the vendors agreed to accept this price. Possession was taken on 1st December; but the vendors did not make satisfactory title until the beginning of February; there is therefore no substance in the hon. Member's suggestion that the Treasury Solicitor was not ready to complete the sale until the 1st November. The arrangement between the vendors and their sub-tenant for surrender of the sub-tenancy on 30th November was initiated and carried through by the vendors without knowledge of the Commissioners. It is true that the premises have not yet been used by the Ministry of Pensions, but that is not because that Department did not urgently need them, but because they had to be diverted for use by the Ministry of Labour for the still more urgent purpose of paying Unemployment Benefit. In the circumstances, I am not prepared to direct that any increase in the purchase price should now be made.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether any pension is payable to a teacher of however long service if retirement takes place before the age of 60 for other than reasons of ill-health?

Under the Superannuation Scheme for Teachers in Scotland, a teacher is not entitled to a retiring allowance (except in the case of disablement) unless he is in service at or after the age of 60.