asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he has received information of the disastrous effects of a terrific storm which swept over the Outer Hebrides on 16th March, in the course of which a large number of crofters' and fishermen's dwellings had the roofs blown off and were otherwise so seriously damaged as to render many poor people homeless and dependent upon their less unfortunate neighbours for shelter, and resulting, in one house, in the loss of four lives; whether, owing to the failure of the fishing, the absence of work, and the stagnation in the tweed industry, the economic conditions make reconstruction of the ruined homes impossible without external aid; and whether he will at once cause inquiries to be made into the extent of the damage and into the resources of the people who suffered, with a view to advising the Government to give financial assistance in necessitous cases for repairing the dwellings as was done in connection with the Louth disaster last year?

I am aware that a considerable amount of damage has been caused in the Outer, Hebrides by the storm in March, but I have not yet received detailed information as to individual losses, or as to the resources of the sufferers. Inquiries are being made in the districts affected.

asked the Secretary of State for War if a major of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps is being employed at the War Office whose term for foreign service is long overdue; will he cause strict inquiry to be made as to why the rules as to foreign service have been broken in this instance; and by whose authority this officer has been kept hack to the detriment of officers sent out in his place, and another officer debarred from home staff service?

The only major, Royal Army Veterinary Corps, employed at the War Office was serving in the United Kingdom when he was appointed by the Army Council as Deputy Assistant Director-General, Army Veterinary Services. The most suitable officers are selected for appointments at the War Office, irrespective of whether they are serving at home or abroad, and in this respect the Royal Army Veterinary Corps does not differ from other branches of the Army.

asked the Minister of Labour if he received a communication from the Working Men's Club and Institute Union, Limited, addressed to him on 16th February last in reference to the liability of clubs and their servants to unemployment insurance; and, if so, when an answer may be expected by the union?

The Working Men's Club and Institute Union, Limited, were informed on 24th January of the decisions I have given under Section 10 of the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1920, as to the insurability of servants employed in members' clubs, and the attention of the union was further directed to Section 10 of the Act which relates to the method of appealing against my decisions. On 16th February the union wrote a further letter making certain suggestions with regard to the form of appeal, and I presume this is the letter to which my hon. Friend refers. Section 10, however, provides for the regulation of appeals by Rules of Court to be made by the Rule Committee of the High Court, and it is not open to me to entertain any alternative procedure such as that suggested by the letter in question. There is, therefore, no alternative but to await the passing of the Rules, which it is hoped will be made shortly.

asked the Minister of Labour if he can give the total number of persons receiving unemployment pay, and the amount paid to them, for the first week in March, 1921, and the corresponding week in 1920?

The number of persons receiving unemployment pay (including both unemployment benefit and out-of-work donation) from the Ministry of Labour for the first week in March, 1921, was approximately 1,483,000, as compared with 328,000 for the first week in March, 1920. The total amounts paid in those weeks were £892,000 and £359,000 respectively. These figures should not be regarded as an accurate index of the relative amount of unemployment at the two periods, as the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1920, which greatly extended the number of persons entitled to receive unemployment benefit when unemployed benefit came into operation in November, 1920.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that a communication was forwarded to the Ministry regarding the case of W. F. Flux, 81, Alfred Road, Clive Vale, Hastings; whether he is aware that no acknowledgment has been received to this communication; and whether he will have inquiries made into this matter?

My hon. Friend presumably refers to a letter sent to the Employment Department by Mr. Flux on the 15th February, asking if his case could be considered for renewal of unemployment benefit. This was acknowledged on the 16th February and inquiry was made of the Department's local officers as to his position. It was ascertained that his case had been fully explained to him locally. Meanwhile the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1921, had come into operation and further inquiry showed that Mr. Flux's case had again been considered in the light of the new Act, and his position under that Act also fully explained to him early last month by a local officer of the Department. In these circumstances, it did not appear to be necessary to send any further reply to Mr. Flux.