asked the Prime Minister whether the Government ha" come to a decision with regard to the Report of the Committee on Members' Salaries, and when he will be able to make a statement on the subject?

I had hoped to be in a position to announce the Government's decision to-day, but other and graver pre-occupations have prevented us from considering this question.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether, for several years past, repeated applications for land for small holdings and sites for proper dwellings have been made to the Board of Agriculture for Scotland by a number of landless people living in insanitary conditions in overcrowded hovels on the estate of Banranald, in North Uist, Invernesshire; whether there are available for small holdings on the said estate several farms extending to about 3,000 acres each, at present under sheep and store cattle, belonging to the landlord, Captain Macdonald; whether the landless men waited for years in the hope that the Board would acquire lands on the said estate for the use of those who needed holdings; whether a number of landless ex-service men recently took possession of a few acres on the 3,000 acres farm of Paiblesgarry on the said estate for the production of potatoes and other food so much needed by themselves and their families, and for which plots of land they were willing to pay a fair rent; whether the landlord at once raised proceedings in the Sheriff Court of Lochmaddy, North Uist, to prevent the said ex-service men from using any part of his farms for the production of food or for any other purpose; whether, on being recently informed of the Board's intention to open negotiations with the landlord for their settlement on holdings, the men withdrew on the 9th instant from the lands seized by them, so as to enable an amicable arrangement to be concluded; whether the Board indicated to the men that if they attended voluntarily at the Lochmaddy Sheriff Court and placed themselves in the hands of the Court they would not be punished for their action, seeing they had complied with the orders of the Court; whether, in violation of the said understanding, the men, after submitting themselves to the Court at Lochmaddy, were, on the 21st instant, sentenced to 30 days' imprisonment, without the option of a fine; whether the Government had, through its officer, the Procurator Fiscal at Lochmaddy, given its consent and concurrence to the imprisonment of the said ex-service men; whether the men are advised that the proceedings have been irregular and oppressive; and whether, pending inquiry into the whole facts and circumstances, he will immediately order the liberation of all the imprisoned men?

I am aware that there is an urgent demand for small holdings on the estate of Balranald and elsewhere in North Uist, that a number of the applicants took forcible possession of part of Balranald in December last, and that they were interdicted by the sheriff on the application of the landlord. It is not the case that the Board of Agriculture for Scotland indicated to the men that if they attended voluntarily at the Court they would not be punished. This was obviously not a matter on which the Board could give any undertaking. The Board did, however, intimate that if the men complied with the law their applications for holdings would receive equal consideration with others, but that otherwise they would be struck off the Board's list. It is the duty of the Procurator Fiscal to grant his concurrence where there is a primâ facié case of breach of interdict. My hon. Friend is misinformed as to the sentence imposed by the Court. The men who were convicted were each fined £5, with the alternative of thirty days' imprisonment, twenty-one days being allowed for payment of the fine. They were also each ordered to find caution to the amount of £10 to observe the interdict for one year, with the alternative of a further thirty days' imprisonment. The last part of the question does not therefore arise. I may add that the estate extends to about 2,512 acres in all, and that the greater part of it is rough pasture. It is farmed as one subject by the occupying owner, whose only landed property it is. Although the formation of a scheme of land settlement on a subject of this nature is not free from difficulty, the Board are at present in negotiation with the owner for the acquisition of the property.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies how much of the last Uganda cotton crop has yet been purchased by Lancashire firms; how much still remains on hand; and whether efforts are being made to urge on British firms the desirability of purchasing such surplus as there may be with the object of main taining at its highest output the growing cotton industry in this British Colony?

I regret that I have no information as to the proportion of the last Uganda cotton crop which has already come into the hands of Lancashire manufacturers, but I understand that of the small sales in recent months Uganda cotton has had its fair share. In any case, the majority of firms operating in Uganda protected themselves by transactions in "futures," and the present absence of demand for cotton of any kind does not affect their prospects of buying the new crop, which must depend on the relation of current prices in Liverpool to the price for which the native growers are prepared to sell their seed cotton. Every effort is being made to secure that, as far as possible, the new crop shall be bought, in order that the natives may be encouraged to re-sow this year, but I have no reason to suppose that such measures as my hon. Friend suggests would have any effect on the new purchases, and it is, therefore, not desirable to make any special appeal to spinners to buy cotton which in the present depression of trade they do not require.

asked the Home Secretary if he is aware of grave unrest among the staff and prisoners at Dartmoor prison as a result of a rigid application of the silence rule; if, since the appointment of the Honourable Major French, the new deputy-governor, stern military discipline is being imposed by authority of the Prison Commissioners0; if the Commissioners have received a protest from a meeting of the staff and petitions by prisoners against the deputy-governor, whether the Commissioners recently expressed regret to the staff in reference to the matter; whether the chairman of the Prison Commissioners has only visited this prison two or three times during the last 20 years; and whether military methods of discipline are being applied to Durham and Camphill prisons?

I am satisfied that the allegations against the deputy-governor to which the hon. Member refers are entirely without foundation and emanate, so far as can be ascertained by careful inquiry, from only a few members of the staff. Discipline at the prison had become slack in some respects in consequence partly of War conditions and partly of the ill-health of the governor, and in the opinion of the Commissioners of Prisons, with which I entirely concur, credit is due to the deputy-governor for his zeal and discretion in circumstances of considerable difficulty. Any regret the Commissioners may have felt with regard to certain incidents that have occurred, was certainly not on account of the deputy-governor's methods or behaviour. It is no part of their chairman's duty to visit convict prisons regularly; this duty is specially assigned to one of the directors and to the inspectors of prisons. Discipline is essential for the proper management of a large convict prison, and among a large staff of warders there will always be some who resent it, but I have no reason at all for thinking it has been enforced with too great severity at Dartmoor. At Durham steps were taken a few months ago to guard against the possibility of an attack on the prison, but neither there nor at Camp Hill have any military methods been adopted in the prison discipline and administration.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that on 12th July, 1918, the then Home Secretary, Sir George Cave, promised to refer the question of amendments in the law of nationality to a conference of experts who would consider these matters and recommend legislation; when and how often did this conference sit; and whether it has yet reported and made recommendations for legislation?

The question was answered on the 23rd ultimo.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether under the new Reform Act now in force, whereby absolute control over finance and appointments over a wide area of government is given to the various Indian provincial councils and their elective majorities, a British-born subject can now sue for breach of contract for personal service in India; if so, whom he should sue and where for a breach in India or for a breach in this country; whether such subject will now have the right to know the medical grounds, should the India Office Medical Board certify him incapacitated for further service in India; whether such contracts will be still deemed subject to the will and pleasure of the Crown; what authority or powers over such contracts is it contemplated transferring to the independent high commissioners who will represent the various Indian governments; and whether such actions as Dr. Denning recently attempted to bring will be outside the domain of the British Government?

As regards the first part of the question, the new Act in no way affects the pre-existing right of a British-born subject to sue for breach of contract for personal service in India. As regards the second part, contracts for service under the Government of India are made with "the Secretary of State in Council." Such subject would presumably sue the Secretary of State in Council in respect of a breach either in India or in this country. The action could be brought in this country or in India according to circumstances. As regards the third part, the position will remain unaltered, in so far as an officer certified by the India Office Medical Board to be incapacitated for further service in India is not regarded as necessarily entitled to know the medical grounds on which such a certificate is given. As regards the fourth part such contracts are not subject to the will and pleasure of the Crown, except that, as stated in answer to the hon. Member's question on 2nd March, the Crown has in law the right to dispense with the services of its officers, and it would not be in the power of the Secretary of State in Council or of a government in India to alter the law in this respect or to limit this right of the Crown when entering into such contracts. As regards the fifth part, the Secretary of State in Council will remain the authority for the recruitment of those services which are now known as "all-India services" —such as the Indian Civil Service, the superior police service, the Indian educational service, and so forth, and consequently will remain the contracting party for these. Recruitment in this country of services, the members of which are now to be appointed and controlled by provincial governments, will probably be made over for the most part to the High Commissioner for India, and he would necessarily, subject to instructions he receives from the authorities in India for whom he is acting, have power to contract on their behalf, but in the name of the Secretary of State in Council. The answer to the last part of the question, if I correctly understand the hon. Member's meaning, is therefore that it will still be open to officers like Dr. Denning to sue the Secretary of State in Council.

asked the Secretary of State for India if he has yet received from the Government of India a number of memorials from members of the Public Works Department, recruited in India, on the subject of the technical allowance, with the comments and opinions of the Government thereon; and if he has come to a decision on the matter?

No, Sir, but I have recently received information from the Government of India that I may expect them shortly.

asked the Chief Secretary whether it is by authority that Crown forces order newspaper proprietors to insert certain information in their journals?

I am not aware of any case of the kind mentioned outside the martial law area. If any such requirement has been made inside that area it has been done by authority of the Military Governor under martial law.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether a decision has been reached regarding an application that was made by the society representing the search-room attendants employed in the general registry office at Somerset House so far back as 30th September, 1920, for certain improvements in their conditions and rates of pay?

The matter is under consideration and a decision will be reached as soon as possible.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what were the total numbers of the staffs, respectively, of the Ministry of Munitions and the Ministry of Shipping on the 31st March, 1921, and how many persons belonging to those staffs are being transferred to other Departments?

The staffs of the Ministries of Munitions and Shipping on 31st March, 1921, were as follow: Ministry of Shipping: Headquarters staff 750 Ex headquarter staff 76 Total 826

Ministry of Munitions: Headquarter staff 2,258 Ex headquarter staff (Industrial). 5,398 Non-Industrial 670 Total 8,326

The following staff were transferred to other Departments with effect from 1st April, 1921:

By the Ministry of Shipping: Headquarter staff 680 Ex headquarter staff 76 Total 756

By the Ministry of Munitions: Headquarter staff 2,014* Ex headquarter staff (Industrial). 5,100 Non-industrial 650 Total 7,764

The numbers employed on the 1st January, 1921, were:

By the Ministry of Shipping: Headquarter staff 804 Ex headquarter staff 178 Total 982

By the Ministry of Munitions: Headquarter staff 2,749 Ex headquarter staff (Industrial) 5,700 Non-Industrial 855 Total 9,304

*Of whom 74 are under notice of discharge during April.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of his estimated revenue of £1,800,000 from the ad valorem duty on sparkling wines during the current financial year has so far been received?

Particulars of the revenue from sparkling wines for the year ending 31st March last are not yet available, and for the moment I can add nothing to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Dulwich (Sir F. Hall) on the 22nd March.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give, for the purpose of showing the relative betterment from war conditions, the percentage cost of living in respect of food for the United Kingdom and the United States for the latest months available for both countries as compared with the figures of 129 for the United Kingdom and 79 for the United States in November, 1918, at the period of the Armistice?

I have been asked to reply. The following Table, showing the changes that have taken place in the level of retail food prices in this country and the United States respectively since the period of the Armistice will, I trust, enable my hon. and gallant Friend to make the comparison he has in view:

Changes in Level and Food Prices in United Kingdom and United States.

(i) Position at period of Armistice (as compared with July, 1914):

United Kingdom: 129 per cent. increase.*

Month. Increase (.) or Decrease (-) as compared with July, 1914. Increase (.) or Decrease (-) as compared with Period of Armistice. United Kingdom.‡ United States.§ United Kingdom.‡ United States. 1920. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. July … 158 115 + 13 + 20 August … 162 103 + 14 + 13 September … 167 99 +17 +11 October … 170 94 +18 +8 November … 191 89 +27 +6 December … 182 75 +23 -2 1921. January … 178 69 +21 -6 February … 163 55 +15 -13 March … 149 -§§ +9 -§§ 1st December, 1918. † 15th November, 1918. ‡ On 1st of each month. ‡ On 15th of each month. § Figures not available.

United States: 79 per cent. Increase. †

(ii) Movement since July, 1920 (when highest point was reached in the United States):

asked the Secretary of State for War whether it is intended to publish an Annual Return of the Territorial Army, in continuation of the last Return of the Territorial Force for 1913; if 'so, when the Return will be available; and up to what date the figures will be brought?

An Annual Return of the Territorial Force will be published at an early date to bring the information up to 30th September, 1920.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can arrange for an official of a local employment exchange to attend at any works where short time is being worked, and where 75 workpeople are employed, as is done in the case where 100 workpeople are employed, and by so doing prevent unemployed workpeople having to wait from one to four hours outside an employment exchange before they can be attended to?

There is no hard and fast limitation of numbers for these arrangements, which have in fact been made in a number of cases where fewer than 75 persons are employed. My hon. Friend will appreciate, however, that such arrangements can only be made so far as trained staff is available for the purpose.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state when the Government intends to give effect to the promises made to the local government officers by introducing a measure into Parliament dealing with the question of superannuation on behalf of those people?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on Tuesday last to the question of the hon. Member for the Widnes Division, of which I an sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the necessity for increased consumption of milk, especially by children, he will take steps to secure a reduction in the retail price, fixed at 8d. per quart in London for the summer months?

I have been asked to reply. The prices of milk have been entirely free from control for more than a year, and it is not proposed, unless it should prove necessary in an emergency, to utilise the powers of the Board of Trade to fix prices.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he is issuing any instructions with regard to the school-feeding of children in the mining districts where work is completely stopped, so as to ensure that at least these children are subjected to the minimum of suffering which any large amount of unemployment must inevitably entail?

I do not think that the local education authorities require any instructions from me as to the desirability of making arrangements to meet the needs which are likely to arise. But I will circulate a copy of the hon. Member's question and this answer to them.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he can give the number of calves slaughtered during the months of January, February, and March, respectively, in this year and 1920?

The estimated number of calves slaughtered in Great Britain in the months of January, February and March of 1920, and of January and February of 1921, is as follows: 1920 1921 January 85,000 69,000 February 89,000 81,000 March 157,000 —

The figures for March of this year are not yet available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, having regard to the powers conferred upon the Trinity House Whitley Council under the terms of its constitution, and to the fact that the reorganisation scheme for the Trinity House service has notwithstanding been drawn up without the staff representative having been consulted, he will issue instructions for the reorganisation scheme in question, before the requisite Order in Council is laid before the House, to be submitted to the Trinity House Whitley Council for ratification or amendment, as may be considered desirable, in accordance with the method adopted for the Civil Service, as set forth in the Treasury circular dated 17th April, 1920?

A scheme for the re-organisation of the Trinity House service was submitted to the Board of Trade last year prior to the date when the constitution of the Trinity House Whitley Council was approved. This scheme is receiving the careful consideration of the Board, and I am informed by the Trinity House that, when its details have been provisionally settled, it will, before being embodied in the necessary Order in Council, be communicated for discussion in the Whitley Council in accordance with the terms of the circular to which my hon. Friend refers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of new companies registered during 1919 and 1920 and the issuable capital?

The number of new companies registered in the United Kingdom during 1919 and 1920, and their nominal capital, are shown in the following table: Number of Companies. Nominal Capital. 1919 10,725 £412,967,204 1920 11,011 £593,189,032

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that, since the passing of the Profiteering Act, the cost of living has substantially increased; if it is the intention of the Government to put into force the Act where on inquiry undue profits have been made; and if he can state how many trusts or combine companies have been fined under the Act?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I do not quite follow the hon. Member's suggestion that the Profiteering Act should be put into force, since it is and has been in operation for a long time.The central committee and local committees in the exercise of powers delegated to them by the Board of Trade have authority not only to order the refund of excessive amounts charged by sellers but also to take proceedings against seller before a Court of Summary Jurisdiction if, as a result of any investigation undertaken on their own initiative or on complaint made to them, it appears to them that the circumstances so require. No trust or combine company has been fined as a result of a prosecution at the instance of the central committee, and the information in the possession of the Board of Trade does not enable me to say whether any trust or combine company has been fined as the result of a prosecution at the instance of a local committee.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) what would be the cost of restoring the last collection of letters to pre-War times in the districts of Oxen-hope, Haworth, and Oakworth; and how much is saved by collecting the letters as now at about six o'clock;

(2) 'whether he has received any representations, and, if so, of what nature, against the reduction of postal facilities as compared with pre-War conveniences; and why, when practically all rates have been at least doubled, he cannot give country residents in many districts a system of final collection of letters later than six o'clock, especially when they were accustomed before 1st August, 1914, to enjoy this advantage?

Reduction of postal facilities is naturally unpopular, but the Post Office is obliged to adapt its services to secure the utmost economy as well as to meeting administrative difficulties which either did not exist or did not exist to the same extent before the War. It is true that postage has doubled, but the cost of services has more than doubled, and the additional expense of late collections, though it may be relatively insignificant in individual cases, becomes a considerable item if extended to every district.The cost of restoring the late collection from the places mentioned would be about £173 a year.