asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether, in view of the stringent medical examination applied to new entries in peace time, which should make attributability more pronounced in the case of death or invaliding, some form of independent appeal board will be instituted to deal with any post-War cases in dispute, observing, for instance, that pneumonia might be clearly due to the service on which the man was employed, but that there is no machinery for recording or giving due consideration to the circumstances attending each case, nor for bringing them to the notice of the medical officers whose duty it is to decide this important matter at present?

As my predecessor informed the hon. Member in reply to his question of the 21st March, it is not considered that any form of independent appeal board is necessary. I cannot agree with the statements in the latter part of the hon. Member's question. From the time a man enters the Royal Navy to the time he leaves it a careful record is kept of his medical history, and before any man is invalided for injury or disease all the details of such injury or disease are fully known to the board of survey who definitely give their opinion as to attributability on special forms provided for the purpose. Such a disease as pneumonia might well in exceptional cases be definitely given as attributable to service. The surveying officers are medical men intimately acquainted by personal experience with the conditions of life at sea, and the Admiralty consider that no more efficient machinery could be devised for deciding the question of attributability. The same considerations apply to the death of a man or officer.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that Mr. C. J. Keeble, of 3, Mons Terrace, Britannia Road, Ipswich, was instructed to be prepared to enter Springfield Training College on the 1st February, 1921; that he thereupon abandoned his employment; that he has not yet been admitted to training; and, seeing that this man has been unemployed and landed in financial difficulties for over 10 weeks, thanks to the training department, what compensation is he prepared to give?

The circumstances are substantially as stated by my hon. and gallant Friend. It was originally hoped that the training institution at Springfield might be ready for opening by 1st February last. Unfortunately the building alterations have required a much longer period than was anticipated. The course at Springfield will, however, open on the 20th April, and Mr. Keeble has been furnished with a railway warrant to enable him to report on that date. I am considering the possibility of compensating Mr. Keeble, and will communicate further with my hon. and gallant Friend on this point.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that A. E. Gerrard, No. 10,638, 1st Royal Welsh Fusiliers, who has been five years in Army hospital receiving treatment for epilepsy resulting from wounds and gassing during the early period of the War, has made application for ex-soldier's unemployment donation, and has been refused on the ground that he had not sufficient stamps on his card; and whether it is possible for him to arrange that this ex-soldier, who could not be in hospital and working at the same time, may have the benefit which has been promised to all ex-soldiers?

The information given is not sufficient to enable the case to be identified. If the hon. Member will furnish me with further particulars as to the private address, and the Employment Exchange concerned, immediate enquiry will be made and the result communicated to him.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his records show that any officers or soldiers who earned the Victoria Cross in the late War are unemployed, destitute, or in receipt of Poor Law relief; and whether, if this is the case, he will give the details, omitting names?

No, Sir. There are no such records in the War Office. If my hon. Friend is aware of any oases of distress, I should be glad if he would communicate with me.

asked the Prime Minister if he is aware that in many cases serious hardship is incurred by the family of a man who enlists in the Defence Corps owing to the non-receipt of any separation allowance for some days, especially where the man has been previously out of work for some time; can the Government arrange under such exceptional cases for a payment on account to be made as soon as the man is mobilised in order that his family may not foe left penniless until the first ordinary separation allowance payment(is made?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. I am not aware of any cases of hardship. Paymasters have paid marriage allowance within 24 hours of the receipt of the necessary documents, and the local War Pensions Committees have been authorised to make advances in any cases where any delay occurs in forwarding the documents.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty when any men of the Naval Fleet Reserve have been transferred to the War Office without any wish or even sanction of the men concerned; whether any such men have been made full soldiers, with soldiers' equipment; if so, for what purpose; and whether such men will receive naval ratings or soldiers' allowances?

In accordance with the Royal Proclamation issued on 8th April, the Royal Fleet Reserve, Class B, have been called up. The reasons for the course were fully explained by the Prime Minister in his statement in the House on 8th April regarding Emergency Defence Measures. The men of the Royal Fleet Reserve have been formed into battalions commanded and officered by naval officers; the officers and men wear naval uniform and receive naval rates of pay and allowances. The naval forces employed on land are under the supreme control of the general officers commanding as is usual when naval and military forces co-operate. This is in accordance with the Naval Discipline Act and Army Act.

asked the Prime Minister the names of the members of the Commission that will go into the subject of the Canadian cattle embargo?

I regret that I am not yet in a position to add to the reply which I gave yesterday to a question on this subject by my hon. Friend the Member for Frome (Mr. Hurd).

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether, as no mention is made in Admiralty Monthly Order, No. 2359 of 1920, Welfare Requests, 1919, of a request being advanced by the men for chief petty officers to be allowed to wear white woollen gloves, he will state why this request was omitted from the list published for the information of the lower deck; whether there are any other requests advanced by the men which have been similarly treated; and is he aware that white woollen gloves were authorised in the naval uniform regulations of 1901 as an optional article of kit for chief petty officers?

With regard to the first part of the question there was no omission in the published list, white woollen gloves being covered by General Request No. 50: "Dress of chief petty officers to be altered." The second part of the question does not arise. The answer to the third part of the question is in the affirmative; and as my predecessor informed the hon. Member on the 22nd March, white woollen gloves have again been added to the optional kit of chief petty officers as the result of a request to the Welfare Committee.

(Clitheroe) asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that Dr. Barr, of Rishton, the certifying surgeon, has recently examined several miners suffering from mystagmus, and that he has issued certificates to that effect, but owing to him being without official Government certificates, for which he has written to the Home Office without avail, he has been compelled to issue his own private certificates; whether he is aware that Mr. Barlow, one of the directors of the Altham Colliery Company, Altham, near Accrington, is objecting to the forms issued, with the result that the men get no compensation; and whether he will take steps to ensure the necessary supply of official forms to the certifying surgeon?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply. No application from Dr. Barr for a supply of these forms can be traced in the Home Office, nor has any complaint in the matter reached the Department. A fresh supply of the forms is being sent to Dr. Barr.

asked the Secretary for Mines what were the net profits and paid Up capital of each coal mine or group of coal mines under the same management for each of the five years preceding the control by the Government and for each year during Government control; and what, if any, profit it is anticipated the terms at present offered to the miners will leave to each mine or group of mines?

I regret that the information desired by my hon. Friend cannot be given, as it would conflict with the statutory obligations of secrecy imposed upon the Mines Department to divulge particulars of the profits and capital of individual undertakings.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that two houses built under the guild system for the Bentley-with-Arksey Urban District Council, near Doncaster, were completed last month at a total cost of less than £760 each, as certified by the local council's surveyor, who stated that the workmanship was exceptionally good, and that this cost is about £200 per house less than private builders' prices for the same type of house in that district; and, under these circumstances, will he encourage the further erection of houses throughout the country under the guild system?

As I informed my hon. Friend in answer to the similar question which he addressed to me last week; I do not think that until a larger number of houses has been completed and the costs verified any useful comparison of costs can be made. I am having an investigation made into the question of guild contracts.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state exactly what kind of risk to the community would have been involved if the Ministry of Health had sanctioned the acceptance of the building guild tender for houses at Heywood, which was £16,000 below one and £26,000 below another tender from private contractors for the same work?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave on Monday last in reply to a similar question by the hon. Member for Spen Valley (Mr. Myers).

asked the Minister of Health whether he will consider the advisability of introducing legislation with the object of releasing local authorities from the obligation which may fall upon them under the existing law to maintain as sewers the combined drains of more than one house?

I am afraid that it will not be possible to introduce legislation on this subject at the present time, but the subject has not been lost sight of.

asked the Minister of Health whether it is by his authority that official representations have been made to the Harrow Urban District Council requesting them to raise the salary of their Medical Officer from the agreed sum of £180 per annum, plus £20 allowances, to the sum of £230 per annum, plus £20 allowances; and whether he will state the grounds on which such representations were made?

The approval of the Minister of Health being requested for the Appointment of a new Medical Officer of Health at Harrow at the pre-War salary of £180 per annum, plus allowances, as stated in the question, the Urban District Council were informed that the salary was considered too low in present conditions. The appointment and rate of salary were, however, sanctioned, as it appeared that the council themselves con templated an increase at the end of three months. On the application of the council an increase to £230, plus £20 allowances, was subsequently sanctioned.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that, though Acts to provide for the registration of nurses received the Royal Assent on 23rd December, 1919, the English Act has, so far not been carried into effect, and that efforts are being made departmentally to coerce the General Nursing Council of England and Wales to agree to provisions incorporated in the Rules framed under the Scottish Act, of which that council does not approve; whether such provisions, if adopted, would have the effect of reducing its authority in certain important directions to that of a recording body under the Scottish Board of Health, without power of discrimination; and whether he will inquire into this matter with a view to satisfactory Regulations being brought into force without further delay?

The hon. Member is under a misapprehension. The General Nursing Council submitted a rule purporting to give them a discretion to refuse to admit to their register nurses already on the Scottish and Irish registers. I am advised on the highest authority that this is ultra vires, and I am bound to ask the Council to amend the rule in question, so as to bring it into conformity with the Act. Subject to the submission of an amended rule to give effect to the reciprocity provisions of Section 6 (3) of the Act, I am prepared to sanction at once the rules for the admission of existing nurses. I cannot accept the suggestion contained in the latter part of the question, but in any case I have no power to sanction a rule in the form desired by the Council.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that on the night of the 16th instant Crown forces in the neighbourhood of Tralee completely burnt down the co-operative creamery at Ballydwyer which had been rebuilt since its partial destruction in November; that they also burnt the presbytery of Clogher Catholic Church, six or more houses, and farmhouses with their hay and corn; and that a man named John Reidy was fired at and killed, and several calves were burnt to death; whether this wholesale destruction is to be regarded as an official reprisal for the murder of Major Mackinnon; and, if not, what steps have been taken to punish the perpetrators of the outrage?

This place is in the Martial Law area and I have, therefore, called for a report from the Commander-in-Chief. If the Noble Lord will repeat the question, of which I only received notice yesterday, on Thursday of next Week, I hope then to be in a position to furnish him with a reply.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he has any information that other governors of provinces propose to issue circulars similar to that issued by Lord Sinha in Behar and Orissa suggesting that standing committees of legislative bodies should be attached to certain Departments of the provincial Government?

No, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether the export of egret feathers is still prohibited by the Indian Government; and, if so, how does he account for the large imports into this country of the feathers of the lesser white egret from India?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. If Indian egret feathers are being imported into this country, they are, presumably, being smuggled, and I shall be glad if the hon. Member will supply me with any information he may have on the subject.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the proposed new Rules relative to companies (winding-up), published in the "London Gazette" of the 5th April, have yet been laid before Parliament in accordance with Section 237, Sub-section (2), of the Companies (Consolidation) Act, 1908; if so, the date they were so laid; whether he is aware that copies of these Rules cannot be obtained by the public at His Majesty's Stationery Office, and that by the operation of certain of the proposed new Rules the rights of creditors under Section 188 of the Companies (Consolidation) Act will, in practice, be seriously diminished and prejudiced; and whether, before giving his concurrence to the proposed Rules, or otherwise allowing them to become operative, he will undertake to hear the representations of persons, concerned thereon?

The proposed new Rules relating to companies winding-up have not yet been formally made, and, therefore, have not been laid before Parliament in accordance with Section 237, Sub-section 2, of the Companies (Consolidation) Act, 1908. These Rules were published by His Majesty's Stationery Office on the 13th April, and copies can now be obtained. So far as I am aware, the rights of creditors in a voluntary winding-up will not be prejudiced by the proposed new Rules, but before my right hon. Friend gives his concurrence to those Rules any; representations made to him will receive careful consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction in many quarters with the administration of the Commercial Relations and Treaties Department of the Board of Trade; that in connection with the increase in foreign tariffs such Department has declared its inability either to obtain information, take any action, or give any advice; that certain firms with interests abroad have complained that such Department affords little help to ambassadors and commercial secretaries abroad in their endeavour to protect British trade interests; that in consequence trade associations are required to send representatives to make the necessary inquiries and take action on the spot; and whether, under such circumstances, he will state the position of the Commercial Relations and Treaties Department, its system of co-operation and liaison with commercial secretaries abroad, and the intention of His Majesty's Government as to its continuation or not?

I am not aware of any dissatisfaction with the Department or that it has been found unable to carry out what is one of its main functions, namely, to advise His Majesty's Government as to the policy to be pursued in regard to increases in foreign Customs duties, but the hon. and gallant Member will appreciate that it is not possible for the Department to recommend representations to a foreign Government in every case where an alteration in a foreign tariff is made by that Government or is desired by British traders. The Department is kept, through the Foreign Office, in close touch with British "representatives abroad. I shall be happy to look into any specific complaints which may be brought to my notice in connection with the administration of the Department, but I may say at once that in my opinion it is highly efficient, and I feel no doubt that British trade has benefited greatly from the activities of the Department in this and other directions.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that a 33⅓ per cent, import duty upon are-lamp carbons will restrict the manufacture of this article to one firm in the United Kingdom, with the result that the cinema industry, among others, will he faced with a monopoly and subjected to a precarious supply of an article vital to its continuance and prosperity; and whether he will therefore eliminate are-lamp carbons from the list of articles included in the Government Resolution?

I am unable to accept the propositions laid down by my hon. Friend, and I think he has overlooked the need of these articles for searchlight purposes in connection with national defence, but there will be ample opportunity for discussing these questions when the Financial Resolutions are moved. In the meantime the answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that the freights charged for eggs from Ireland to Glasgow are 500 per cent, higher than those charged in 1914, and for small quantities 800 per cent, higher than pre-War rates; and whether an immediate and substantial reduction can be made in these freights?

My attention has been called to this matter. Inquiries are being made, and I will advise the hon. and gallant Member of the result. It will be appreciated, however, that as the steamships plying between Ireland and Glasgow are not railway-owned, the Minister of Transport has no control over the freights which they charge.

asked the Minister of Health whether his Department is prepared to take any steps towards reducing the price of road materials and other essentials so as to enable local authorities to carry out their programme of work for the coming year, which otherwise they may not be able to do?

I have been asked to answer this question. I am not aware of any effective steps that could be taken by the Government towards the reduction of the price of road materials, but I shall be glad to consider any proposals to that end that may be submitted by local authorities.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will recommend the restoration to commercial travellers of cloak-room charges as they existed prior to the War?

The present cloak-room charges are as recommended by the Rates Advisory Committee, and my right hon. Friend the Minister does not see his way to reduce them.

asked the President of the Board of Education what provision is made by the Department of. Education for the teaching of simple economics, so as to preclude the perpetuation of industrial troubles mainly due to ignorance on this matter?

Instruction in economics is given in a considerable number of technical and continuation schools, and in a substantial proportion of the university tutorial classes. The subject is also taught in many secondary schools, particularly those which provide commercial courses.

asked the Minister of Health whether any restrictions are placed on local authorities as to the number of meals that may be given each day to cases of necessitous children attending schools; the number of meals that are allowed to be given per day; and whether these meals are allowed to be given during week-ends and while the school is in recess?

I have been asked to reply to this question. I would refer the hon. Member to the Education (Provision of Meals) Acts, 1906 and 1914, which I have no authority to interpret; but the Act of 1914 expressly provides that meals may be given, both on days when the school meets and on other days.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether parish councils have the power to co-opt on the appropriate committee representatives of local allotment associations with a view to assisting these councils in the management of allotments; and, if so, whether he will represent to the Eaglesliffe Parish Council, County Durham, the advisability of that council co-opting representatives of the Eaglescliffe and District Allotment Association in accordance with the desire of the local allotment holders?

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

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the official report upon the subject, he can see his way to recommending the abolition of the traffic in worn-out horses between this country and the Continent?

The Diseases of Animals Act, 1910, as amended by the Exportation of Horses Act, 1914, prohibits the shipment of any horse, ass, or mule unless it has been inspected by a veterinary inspector appointed by the Ministry and has been certified in writing by him to be capable of being conveyed and disembarked without cruelty, and to be capable of being worked without suffering. It is not possible, therefore, to ship worn out horses which are fit only to be slaughtered if the existing statutory requirements of the Acts referred to are complied with. The Ministry recognises that, as stated in the Report referred to, cases have occurred in which horses have been shipped which did not comply with the standard laid down, and energetic steps are being taken to prevent any repetition of these unfortunate occurrences. The Ministry has had under consideration the possibility of legislation to prohibit the traffic entirely. The difficulty lies, however, in making any proposal which would not interfere with the legitimate trade in fit horses. The Ministry is endeavouring to negotiate with the Governments concerned to ensure the slaughter of horses intended for food before shipment, and does not propose to bring forward any legislation until the result of these negotiations has been seen.

asked the Home Secretary whether the Advertisements Regulation Bill is to be reintroduced this Session?

The Advertisements Regulation Bill of last Session was not a Government measure, but was introduced in the other House by a private Member. I would refer the hon. Member to the statement which was made in that House on behalf of the Government on 16th December last. I can hold out no hope of a Government measure on the subject.

asked the Home Secretary whether the Report of the Committee appointed to inquire into and report on the Law of Adoption has been printed; and when it will be available for Members?

The Report is now being printed, and I hope it will be available shortly.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether, in considering the qualification of the postal and telegraph staff for promotion to superior appointments, it is his custom to base the selections purely on merit; whether it is the practice to ignore seniority; and whether, having regard to the dissatisfaction with many recent appointments, he will give an assurance that seniority, together with merit and efficiency, will be taken into account in all future vacancies which arise in the higher classes?

As stated in my reply to the hon. Member for Central Edinburgh (Mr. W. Graham) yesterday, the claims and qualifications of all eligible officers are carefully considered before promotions are made. Due regard is paid to seniority, but merit rather than seniority is the basis of selection. I am not aware of the existence of any widespread dissatisfaction in the matter.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that William Padovan, of Preston, Brighton, aged 76, has failed to obtain an old-age pension because he is unable to prove his British nationality; that he is believed to have been born in Corfu when that island was a British Protectorate; that he served for 18 years in the Royal Navy; that he has lived and worked in England since his discharge; and whether consideration will be given to his case?

I find on inquiry that William Padovan's claim for an old-age pension was disallowed by the local pension committee on the 18th instant, on the ground that he is not a British subject. He has the right of appeal to the Ministry of Health against that decision, of which he has been specially reminded.