asked the Chief Secretary whether he proposes to introduce legislation to enable compensation to be made from the Treasury to civilians in Ireland who have been proved before civil or military courts to have been injured in person or property by unauthorised damage inflicted by the forces of the Crown?

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to my reply to the hon. and gallant Member for Central Hull (Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy) on the 9th March, to which I am not at present in a position to add anything.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he has seen the Report addressed to the Lord Lieutenant by County Court Judge Bodkin on 22nd April, in which he gives a summary of a number of cases in which compensation was claimed before him for injuries committed by the forces of the Crown, such injuries including shooting, assault, and the burning of houses; and what steps he proposes to take to compensate the victims of such proved outrages?

My right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary has received, but has not yet had time to consider, this further report from Judge Bodkin.

asked the Chief Secretary how many prisoners have been killed while attempting to escape from custody since 1st January, 1920; how many have been wounded while attempting to escape; and how many have succeeded in escaping?

The figures are as follow:—

asked the Chief Secretary whether Peter Dempsey, a man who had served four years in the Royal Air Force, was killed by members of the Crown forces in a lorry at Summer hill, Dublin, on the evening of 22nd April; whether an inquiry has yet been held, and with what result; and whether the perpetrator of this outrage has been identified?

I have not yet seen the finding of the military court of inquiry held in this case, and I am not in a position therefore to make any statement on the matter at present.

asked the Chief Secretary whether an inquiry has yet been held into the death of William Moran, an ex-soldier, at Dungarvan on 13th April, and with what result; whether on the same night four houses were destroyed; whether this was done by the Crown forces; and, if so, whether it was an official or an unofficial reprisal?

I have not yet seen the finding of the military court of inquiry held in this case. As regards the last part of the question I am awaiting a report from the Commander-in-Chief.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that Mr. J. D. MacCarthy, for twenty-seven years clerk of the Crown and peace for the county of Carlow, was, on his return from a business visit to Dublin, accompanied by his wife and four young nephews, attacked in the middle of his own avenue by three masked men, armed with Webley or automatic pistols, who stated that they were Black and Tans, and pressing a weapon to his chest informed him that they were going to shoot him; whether they ultimately refrained from shooting him, but took his watch and money from his nephew; whether Mr. MacCarthy subsequently found that they had entered his house, opened the letters delivered during his absence, and stolen a parcel containing a cardigan jacket; and what steps are being taken to bring to justice the authors of this outrage?

The facts of this case are generally as stated. The assailants were not members of the Crown forces. The case is under close investigation, and I am hopeful that the perpetrators of this outrage will be brought to justice. The Noble Lord will, of course, agree that every person who commits an outrage and describes himself as a Black and Tan is not necessarily what he purports to be.

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 cooperative 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?

These allegations are at present the subject of inquiry. With regard to the last part of the Noble Lord's question, no reprisals were authorised in connection with the murder of Major Mackinnon.

asked the Chief Secretary whether any inquest or military inquiry instead of inquest has been held on the death of Thomas Hodgett, postmaster, Navan, county Mayo; and, if so, what was the result?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a similar question by the hon. and gallant Member for Central Aberdeen (Major M. Wood) on Thursday of last week.

asked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been called to a letter from Mrs. Hodgett appearing in the Irish Press of 6th April, in which she indignantly denies the statement made in the Weekly Survey of Irish Affairs, issued by Dublin Castle on 2nd April, to the effect that her husband was in friendly relations with the forces of the Crown, and asserts that, on the contrary, he had mere than once reported constabulary for robbing a sub-office; and whether, in view of this denial, he will take steps to have the statement in the Weekly Survey withdrawn?

The letter referred to has been brought to my notice. The finding of the Military Court of Inquiry in lieu of inquest was one of murder by some person or persons unknown. My right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary is giving the case his personal attention, and is having the matter thoroughly investigated.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that letters are constantly tampered with and delayed in transit in certain districts in county Donegal and that, owing to the prevailing terrorism, people who are victimised are afraid to complain; and will he institute an inquiry into the manner in which the local post offices are conducted in county Donegal and, in cases where dereliction of duty is proved, appoint fit and proper persons to carry out the necessary duties?

Letters are not infrequently opened and delayed in Ireland by those who are lawlessly using force against the Government, and it is probable that senders and addressees are often afraid to complain. I am not aware that either in County Donegal or elsewhere in Ireland such acts are being committed by Post Office servants contrary to their duty. If my hon. Friend will be good enough to supply me with any facts which support this suggestion, the matter will at once be dealt with.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the fact that in October, 1918, the War Office purchased from Mr. R. J. Partridge, of Badnocks, Asheldham, Southminster, 34 tons of oat straw and 13 tons of pea straw at 75s. per ton; whether since the date of purchase this might have been sold up to £7 a ton; whether he is aware that it is still lying at the farm above named and that the interest upon it amounts annually to £21 11s. 3d.; and if the balance of the purchase money, £78 15s., can now be discharged and the straw removed, as the farm work is being hindered in view of the necessity for growing food in this country?

I am informed that no oat straw or pea straw was purchased from Mr. Partridge by the military authorities in October, 1918. Seventy-four tons of wheat straw were purchased from Mr. Partridge in that month, but these were all lifted before August, 1920. If my hon. Friend will let me have the information on which his question is based, I shall be happy to cause further inquiries to be made.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider the advisability of setting up a small Committee at the War Office to inquire into the events that have so far prevented the publication of any official despatch or record of the campaign in East Africa in the years 1914, 1915, and 1916; whether, in view of the serious character of some of the incidents reported, he will seek the co-operation of the Admiralty in investigating the events of the original landing at Tanga; and whether officers whose military careers have suffered may give evidence?

I am carefully considering this matter, and meanwhile am not prepared to set up a Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is prepared to act in accordance with Article 497 in the Royal Warrant for Pay to the effect that officers employed under the conditions of Article 496, namely, retired officers compulsorily recalled to service under Article 518 and other officers taken into employment by reason of a national emergency, shall, provided that they served for the full period of their engagement or of the emergency in respect of which they were employed, be entitled on the cessation of such emergency to a gratuity at the following rates, namely, cases and rates gratuity appended; and, if not, why not?

Articles 496 and 497 Royal Warrant for Pay were placed in abeyance by Royal Warrant promulgated in Army Order 392 in September of last year. They do not apply to the present brief emergency.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the fact that the sum due for the purchase of the discharge from the Army of Bombardier A. L. Furneaux, No. 282,677, Royal Field Artillery, was paid to the War Office authorities by his father as long ago as 21st September, 1920, and was accepted by them; and whether, in view of this, his continued detention in this country with His Majesty's Forces is justifiable, his services being urgently required for a long time past on his father's farm?

The purchase money was paid as stated in the first part of my hon. and gallant Friend's question. Bombardier Furneaux was at the time serving in Mesopotamia and notification of the payment of the purchase money was sent to the General Officer Commanding. He embarked for the United Kingdom on 26th January last with a view to discharge on arrival, but delay occurred through difficulty in tracing the unit to which he had been despatched on landing in this country. Instructions have now been issued for his discharge to be completed forthwith.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if four commissioned warrant officers who have qualified under M.O. 4,017/18 are not to be promoted till 31st December, 1921, in order that other officers may have fair opportunities for taking courses and passing; and if he is aware of, and if he will repeat, the undertaking given by his predecessor to the Member for Portsmouth North (Sir B. Falle) that the delay already incurred will in nowise prejudice these candidates who have now qualified?

I have sent the hon. Member a copy of an Admiralty Weekly Order recently issued on the subject, which, I think, will give him the information he desires. With regard to the first part of his question, however, I should like to point out that no promise has been, or can be, given that the four commissioned officers from warrant rank who have qualified by examination for earlier promotion to the rank of lieutenant will necessarily be promoted on the 31st December. Promotion under the scheme will be by selection in conjunction with seniority, and the selection will be made from all the qualified candidates, and not from a proportion only. With regard to the second part of the question, I cannot admit that any undue delay has occurred. As I informed the hon. Member on the 16th March last, the first promotions under the scheme cannot he made until all who were eligible to become candidates when the scheme was announced, including any serving at sea and abroad, have had a reasonable opportunity of undergoing the courses and qualifying. The candidates who have already qualified will be in no way prejudiced in relation to other candidates.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, in view of the statement contained in Admiralty Weekly Order 620/1920 concerning the sum of £150,000 profits of the Navy and Army Canteen Board to be paid into the United Services Fund in the event of the lower deck wishing to join that fund, and that the lower deck expressed by means of a ballot their unwillingness to join the United Services Fund, but wished to administer their own fund, i.e., the Grand Fleet Fund, whether the Admiralty will authorise the accumulated interest for the years 1919 and 1920 on the sum of £150,000 canteen profits to be paid into the Grand Fleet Fund?

My hon. Frind is mistaken in thinking that the ballot taken last year included any expression of opinion in regard to the Grand Fleet Fund. The good work done by that fund is recognised, but with its existing organisation it is not altogether a suitable body for acting as the central authority for administering benevolent funds on behalf both of the serving Navy and ex-service men. A scheme for incorporating it in a larger and more suitably organised body has been approved in principle after discussion with those responsible for the working of the Grand Fleet Fund, and the necessary legal steps to give effect to this are now under consideration. As soon as the arrangements have reached the proper stage, the question of the funds to be placed at the disposal of the new Trust will be sympathetically dealt with.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether the Navy, Army, and Air Force Institute have taken, or are about to take, over the control of the Royal Naval Canteen at Gibraltar; and, if so, what is the proposed disposal of the accumulated profits to date which have been accrued whilst the canteen was under the management of the men?

The Navy, Army, and Air Force Institute and the Navy and Army Canteen Board before it have administered the canteen at the Royal Naval Pavilion, Gibraltar, which it is presumed is the one referred to, since April, 1917, and have paid to the Canteen Committee the usual rebate. The question of the disposal of such rebate and of any accumulated funds is a matter for the local Canteen Committee.

asked the Under-Secretary of state for Foreign Affairs whether it is true that there are indications that the Jugo-Slavs intend to apply sanctions against Bulgaria in case the latter should not comply with Article 127 of the treaty concerning the delivery of cattle and also if the compulsory labour law remains in force; and whether any steps can be taken to prevent an outbreak of hostilities between these countries?

The answer to the first two parts of the question is in the affirmative; as regards the third part, His Majesty's Ambassadar in Paris has already been instructed to draw the attention of the Ambassadors' Conference to the situation which has arisen between Jugo-Slavia and Bulgaria, and to suggest that a friendly warning should be addressed to the Serb-Croat-Slovene Government to the effect that no hostile action by them in respect of Bulgaria can be authorised. As regards the compulsory labour law in Bulgaria, the Inter-Allied Commission of Control is taking steps with a view to its repeal.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs with what countries has the British Empire treaties of general arbitration or agreements which, for the purposes of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, are regarded as such treaties; and with what countries has Japan similar treaties absolving her from coming to our assistance under Article V of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance of 13th July, 1911?

Neither this country nor, so far as I am aware, Japan has any general arbitration Treaty with another country. The position with regard to the United States of America, with whom this country has concluded a Peace Commission Treaty, was explained in reply to a question put by the hon. and gallant Member for Dulwich (Sir F. Hall) on the 1st March last. Limited Arbitration Treaties or Peace Commission Treaties also exist between this country and Brazil, Chile, Denmark, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, or Uruguay. I am not, however, prepared to express an opinion as to the possible bearing of these Treaties on Article 4 of the Anglo-Japanese Agreement of 1911, which relates only to questions affecting Eastern Asia and India.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has any information as to the influx of gold from Moscow to pay for Communist propaganda in some of the most loyal trade unions; and whether any steps can be taken in the matter?

I would refer the hon. Baronet to the replies given on the 20th and 25th April to questions on this subject by the hon. Member for Newcastle North (Mr. Doyle).

asked the Prime Minister if an Empire war memorial shrine is to be erected in Westminster; if so, if the site is chosen; who is responsible for the design; and where it can be seen?

No such proposal has reached the First Commissioner of Works, who would be the Minister primarily concerned.

asked the Prime Minister whether, to meet the national wishes for a cessation of industrial unrest and to enable the country to re-establish its trade on lines beneficial to all, he will consider the appointment of a special Investigating Committee to decide how this can be best effected, and to study aspects of policy which can be most usefully recommended to the State, to the employers, and to the employed?

Yes, Sir. This matter is at present under close consideration, but I am not yet in a position to amplify the replies which were given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on the 28th April in answer to questions by my Noble Friend the Member for Hitchin (Lord R. Cecil).

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the pamphlet issued by his Department, entitled "The New One Hundred Thousand," written by Ian Hay, was issued with the Department's responsibility; and whether the Government agrees with the contents of the same?

I have been asked to reply. This information was given to-day in the House in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Leith (Captain W. Benn).

asked the Prime Minister whether, for the purposes of national education in the significance and effect of strikes and stoppages of work, he will arrange to have compiled some approximate official estimate of the cost, at its close, of the present industrial trouble, taking, in so doing, the loss to the miners in wages, in coal output to the community, in precautionary outlay by the State, and in indirect damage of all kinds to trade and commerce other than mining?

It is most desirable, as the Prime Minister has repeatedly said, that the result of general strikes or stoppages of work should be widely understood by the community, but I do not think that the publicity which an official compilation of statistics on this subject might effect would be commensurate with the cost involved.

asked the Prime Minister whether he can assure the House that under no circumstances will the offer to the miners of £10,000,000 be subject to increase, and that the offer will be subject to modification in the event of non-acceptance as circumstances may dictate?

The Government have no intention of offering any further sum than that already offered for the temporary supplement of the wages of the miners. I am not in a position to make any statement as to the course which will be pursued in the event of the miners persisting in refusing the offer made to them; but it is obvious that the longer the refusal continues, the greater becomes the drain on the country's resources, and the less able it is to keep such an offer open.

asked the hon. Member for Cheltenham, as Chairman of the Kitchen and Refreshment Rooms Committee whether that committee proposes to respond to the Government appeal that restaurants and boarding houses should only serve one hot meal daily during the coal shortage?

As the House of Commons is neither a restaurant nor a boarding house, the appeal which my hon. and gallant Friend alleges has been addressed by the Government to those institutions scarcely seems to apply to our Committee. I may, however, add that every method of economy in the consumption of coal is being studied and adopted in the kitchen of the House of Commons.

asked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to the system of co-partnership in general use in the gasworks trade; whether 5,000,000 tons of coal are carbonised annually under that system; whether the workmen co-partners have £1,250,000 sterling invested in the gasworks where they are employed, and if they elect workmen directors upon the respective boards; the number of years the co-partnership system has been in operation in the gas trade and the date of the last stoppage from dispute in that trade; and whether the Government would consider the appointment of a Select Committee of this House to inquire into the possibility of applying the co-partnership system to the coalmining industry?

I am aware that a large number of company-owned gas undertakings are carried on under a co-partnership system. One of the schemes has been in operation for 30 years, and others for more than 10 years. In two cases the employées are represented on the board of directors, but I have no information on the amount invested by workmen co-partners. The last stoppage from a dispute in the gas industry occurred this month, but not in an undertaking which had a co-partnership scheme. Several stoppages occurred last summer, but only one undertaking with a co-partnership scheme was then affected. In 1918 there were stoppages at a number of gasworks in the London area where co-partnership schemes were in operation. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the full discussion on this subject which took place on the 29th July last, and in particular to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

asked the Minister of Transport whether any increase in railway fares is contemplated to meet the losses caused to the railways by the coal strike?

The answer is in the negative. The losses will fall upon the general taxpayer through the operation of the railway agreements.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any of the surplus stores of the defunct Food Ministry have been absorbed by the War Office, Admiralty, or Air Force; and, if not, will he take steps to see that His Majesty's forces, including the Defence Force, are fed by the food stocks already in this country?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative; the second part, therefore, does not arise.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if their vendors of bacon are offering bacon at 60s. to 75s. per cwt., which is much below initial cost; whether this bacon is fit for human consumption; and, if so, why is it not unloaded on to the War Office and the Admiralty, and thus reduce the loss as far as possible?

The answer to the first two parts of the question is in the affirmative. With regard to the third part, no saving is effected by bookkeeping transactions between one Government Department and another.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what amount was paid for potatoes by the Farina Mill Company, at King's Lynn; what was the cost of producing the 150 tons of farina manufactured there; and at what price was the farina sold and to whom?

Potatoes were purchased as grown, at varying prices based on the current market rates. As regards the rest of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the Reports from the Committee of Public Accounts (House of Commons Paper, 231). He will find the evidence as to cost of production and sale price on pages 284 and 285. It will also be seen from the Committee's Report on page XVI that they are deferring their main consideration of the matter till this year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that Nobel's Industries, Limited, have practically a monopoly of important explosive constituents used in the manufacture of ammunition; whether the Central Profiteering Committee has had the matter under consideration; and, if so, has any recommendation been made in respect to immediate legislation on this matter in the national interests, or will the Committee of Inquiry be disbanded without completing its work?

A Sub-committee under the Profiteering Acts was appointed on the 14th September last to inquire into the existence of any trade combinations of makers of explosives, and the effect of any such combinations, if found, upon supplies and prices. The Sub-committee has not yet made any recommendation, but I hope to receive their Report before the expiration of the Acts.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has given consideration to the complaints made against the Nurses Co-operation, 22, Langham Street; and whether he is prepared to make a reply to those complaints?

The answer to the first part of this question is in the affirmative. My Department are, however, awaiting further information which a former member of the staff of the Nurses' Co-operation has promised to supply.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what stocks of Government wool are still here in the hands of the Government and what stocks have been disposed of but not yet marketed by the purchasers; whether there are any stocks of Government wool which have not yet arrived in this country from the place of origin; and what is the official policy in regard to the disposal of the balance still in hand?

I have been asked to answer this question. The unsold stock of wool in the United Kingdom forming part of the Imperial purchase consists approximately of 430,000 bales of New Zealand wool belonging entirely to the Government, and 1,050,000 bales of Australian wool, of which half belongs to the Government and half to the British Australian Wool Realisation Association, Limited, representing the Australian growers. The Government have no information regarding the marketing of wool by purchasers. The answer to the penultimate part of the question is in the affirmative. With regard to the last part, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to a question put by the hon. and gallant Member for Jarrow (Major Palmer) on the 18th April.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of the representations made from time to time by the borough council and chamber of commerce of Walsall in respect of the rebuilding of the railway station in that town; and, having regard to the amount of suitable labour available, will he see that the promises to rebuild are given effect to without delay?

I am informed that the railway company has no intention of unduly delaying the commencement of the work at Walsall Railway Station.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that the Argentine has been closed to pure-bred Scottish stock owing to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Bolivia; and will he take steps to have this very important and urgent business resumed?

The Ministry is not aware of the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Bolivia, but it has received information through the Foreign Office that the Argentine Government has temporarily prohibited the importation of all classes of livestock and fodder from Europe, including the United Kingdom, on account, of an outbreak of cattle plague in Brazil, which is attributed to Indian cattle which went to Brazil via Europe last July. On receipt of this information, instructions were sent by cable by the Foreign Office, at the instance of the Ministry, to the British Minister at Buenos Aires, urging the immediate withdrawal of this embargo so far as the United Kingdom is concerned, on the ground that cattle plague does not exist, and has not existed, in the United Kingdom for over 40 years.

asked the Minister of Labour if there are a large number of casual labourers working at gasworks that come under the Unemployment Insurance Act, who cannot get any State unemployment pay; and can some arrangements be made so that the casual labourers, when not working, could receive their unemployment benefit in accordance with the Act?

Large numbers of casual workers are drawing unemployment benefit, but I understand some difficulty is caused in this class of employment owing to the rule requiring the unemployment book to be lodged at the Employment Exchange during unemployment and to be "lifted" for each casual job in order that it may be handed to the employer for stamping. In order to meet this difficulty it has been decided, as an experiment, to issue a special book, to be called a "Casual Employment Book," to casual workers claiming benefit and likely to obtain casual jobs in insurable employment.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the Wembley Urban District Council has, owing to the urgent necessity of providing work for the unemployed in its district, recently entered upon work providing employment for a considerable number of men; that the council has applied to the Unemployment Grants Committee for a contribution towards the cost thereof, and that, by reason of the refusal of the Ministry of Labour to grant a certificate, the Unemployment Grants Committee are unable to accede to that request; and whether, having regard to the state of unemployment in the district and the usefulness of the work being carried out, he will reconsider the refusal to grant the necessary certificate?

I am aware of the circumstances referred to. Applications can be considered by the Unemployment Grants Committee only when a certificate has been given by the Ministry of Labour that serious unemployment, not otherwise provided for, exists in the area. The case of Wembley has been repeatedly reviewed since the local authority first applied for a grant, but it has not been possible to give the necessary certificate, because the amount of unemployment in the area is considerably below the standard which it has been found necessary to adopt. I should add that the standard adopted by the Ministry is much below the average unemployment for the whole country, and all relevant circumstances are taken into account before decision is reached.

asked the Minister of Labour the cost of the journey made on the 18th instant by Mr. R. Bowles, His Majesty's inspector, who hired a motor car from Colchester to Braintree, and then on to Finchingfield and Yarmouth, the object of which journey was to interview an unemployed carpenter at Finchingfield who had neglected to sign an application form to procure an unemployment book, although that business could have been cleared up by letter; and if it has now been satisfactorily disposed of?

I find that the inspector mentioned by my hon. Friend travelled from Colchester to Braintree by train. He went on to Finchingfield by motor car, since there is no railway between Braintree and that place. The complaint referred to in the question was originally made to the Department by the employer in January last, and an unsuccessful effort had been made to deal with it by correspondence. It was passed to the inspector only when he had other reasons for visiting the district. The officer returned to Braintree by car and proceeded on his journey by rail, not by car, to Lowestoft (not Yarmouth). The cost of the hire of the car between Braintree and Finchingfield return was £1. The visit of the inspector resulted in the ground for complaint being removed.

asked the Minister of Health when he expects to settle the difficulty about gas in connection with the Desborough housing scheme; whether he is aware that 12 houses are already let, and all that is in dispute is the question of allowing gas to be laid in the houses from the main, the latter being less than six feet away from the houses; and, seeing that the question in dispute is trivial, but the matter one of urgency for the people, will he expedite the decision?

I understand that the majority of the houses referred to cannot be served by gas unless the existing main is extended. The gas company decline to extend the mains to these houses, or to those not yet completed, unless a gas cooker is paid for by the authority and installed in every house, in addition to the coal cooking range already provided. It is open to the company to let gas cookers on hire to any of the tenants who desire them, and I am unable to agree that the additional capital cost of a gas cooker should be incurred as a charge to the housing scheme. The additional cost would ultimately fall to be borne by the taxpayer, whose interest in this and other cases is by no means so trivial as the hon. Member suggests.

asked the Minister of Health what is the total number of houses approved under housing schemes in the West Riding of Yorkshire, in eluding the cities and county boroughs therein; how many of these houses have been commenced and how many completed; and is it proposed to complete the whole number?

As regards the housing schemes of local authorities and public utility societies in the West Riding of Yorkshire, tenders have been approved for 17,180 houses, and contracts have been signed in respect of 16,708 houses. These are houses in respect of which definite commitments have been made, and so far as I am aware it is intended to complete all of them. At the beginning of last month, the latest date for which complete figures are available, 8,348 houses had been commenced, of which 2,429 had been finished. In addition, 1,533 houses proposed to be built by

asked the Minister of Health if his attention has been called to the following figures relating to the cases of small-pox notified in 1919, namely: 294, as shown on pages 34 and 39 of the First Annual Report of the Minister of Health, and pages 27 and 241 of the Annual Report of the Chief Medical Officer for 1919–20; 288, as shown on page 215 of the last-named Report, and 361, as shown on page Ixviii of the Registrar-General's Annual Report; the reason for these differences and was the total number of cases notified or discovered in 1919, and how many of those cases occurred amongst each of the civilian, military, and naval sections of the population, and how many in port

private builders under the Housing (Additional Powers) Act had received preliminary approval, and of these 711 have been completed.

asked the Minister of Health if he will submit a Return showing the total expenditure defrayed out of national funds in respect of each of the administrative sections under the control of his Department during each of the last two completed financial years, and also the estimated similar expenditure in respect of the current financial year?

I am not quite clear what the hon. Member has in mind. If, as I assume to be the case, he refers to grants made by the Department out of voted moneys towards the cost of housing, national health insurance and miscellaneous health services, the information is as follows:

sanitary districts; and how many deaths occurred in each of these sections?

The figure 288 shown on page 215 of the Annual Report of the Chief Medical Officer of the Ministry for 1919–20 is the total number of cases of small-pox notified under the Infectious Diseases (Notification) Act during 1919. Twenty-three of these cases were afterwards withdrawn on the ground of incorrect notification, and 29 cases were discovered in the civilian population which had not been notified. The figure 294 shown on pages 34 and 39 of the first Annual Report of the Minister of Health and on pages 27 and 241 of the Annual Report of the Chief Medical Officer, which is arrived at by adding 29 to the figure 288, and deducting 23 therefrom. is the actual number of cases of smallpox occurring in the civilian population during 1919. Of these cases 38 occurred in port sanitary districts. In addition, 13 military and four naval oases occurred in this country, and 50 service men arrived in this country convalescent from small-pox incurred abroad. The figure 361 shown on page Ixviii of the Registrar-General's Annual Report is arrived at by adding these 50 cases to the total number of civilian, naval and military cases which occurred in this country. The number of deaths was 25 in the civilian, four in the military, and none in the naval sections of the population.

asked the Minister of Health how many deaths from small-pox have occurred amongst children under five years of age in each year since the passing of the Vaccination Act, 1907; and how many deaths of children under five years of age in each of those years have been certified by the doctor in attendance as having been caused by or associated with the operation of vaccination?

The particulars asked for according to the Registrar-General's Returns, as far as England and Wales are concerned, are as shown in the following table:

asked the Secretary for Scotland how many deaths from smallpox have occurred in Scotland amongst children under five years of age in each year since the passing of the Vaccination Act, 1907; and how many deaths of children under five years of age in each year have been certified by the doctor in attendance as having been caused by, or associated with, the operation of vaccination?

The answer to the first part of the question is 28, of whom 27 were unvaccinated and one vaccinated. The answer to the last part of the question is six.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the fact that applications have been invited by the Ministry of Health for appointments as assistant inspectors under the National Health Insurance Acts, and that the age of the applicant must be between 22 and 25, subject to certain deductions of War service; and whether, in order to meet the case of men between 21 and 22 who have passed the requisite examinations and possess the necessary qualifications, he will reduce the minimum age for applicants to 21?

The minimum age for the appointments in question was fixed at 22 after very careful consideration of the duties to be assigned to the post, and I am not prepared- to reduce the age as suggested.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, in the event of the Inland Revenue authorities taking over all or nearly all the duties now performed in the offices of the clerks to the Commissioners of Taxes, as proposed in the Revenue Bill, they will also take over the staffs, or at any rate the senior members of the staffs, of the clerks to the commissioners at rates of remuneration not less than each member of the staffs so taken over at present rates of pay?

If the proposals of the Revenue Bill transferring to the Inland Revenue Department the purely clerical duties of the clerks to Commissioners are carried into law, the Board of Inland Revenue will, as far as possible, provide clerical employment for those members of the staff of clerks to Commissioners who are engaged solely upon Income Tax work, and an assurance to this effect has been given to clerks to Commissioners. In view of the fact that remuneration may vary by reference to fluctuations of the cost of living, my right hon. Friend will appreciate that it is impossible to give an unqualified undertaking to continue the present rate of remuneration, but I may say that, subject to variations by reference to cost of living, it is the intention of the Board of Inland Revenue, broadly speaking, to provide employment at not less than the normal remuneration which may have been received from the clerk to Commissioners.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer under what rates of pay are men and women now being appointed at the Government laboratories at Clement's Inn; and on what date did the present scale come into force?

The initial scales for future entrants to the chemical assistants' grade at the Government laboratory will be £160—£10—£220 for men and £140—£10—£180 for women. The latter scale will come into force when occasion arises to engage any new women chemical assistants.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions what War stores still remain for disposal; whether these include any articles of food: and, if so, of what nature?

A description of the War stores still remaining for disposal would necessarily be of considerable length, but I am sending to my hon. Friend a copy of "Surplus," the official organ of the Disposal Board, which gives a general idea of the quantities and the nature of such stores at present available. With regard to the second part of the question, the answer is in the affirmative. The bulk of food stores declared surplus has been sold, and the remainder consists mainly of preserved meat, together with other items such as chicken broth, Worcester sauce, and a small quantity of jam and marmalade.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will inquire into the case of Frederick and Lucy Sapwell, of Great Linford, near Newport Pagnell, Bucks., who have been frying for five months to obtain their old-age pensions but without success; is he aware that, although endless forms have been filled up by them and although they have appealed and finally been refused, no reason has been given them; that they have had ten children, of whom six were in the Army; that Mrs. Sapwell is paralysed and has been in bed for four years; that she gets 4s. 7d. a week pension for her late soldier son; that she is obliged to keep one daughter at home who, in consequence, can earn nothing; and that the financial difficulties and all the attendant circumstances of Mr. and Mrs. Sap-well, in the opinion of the whole neighbourhood, warrants an immediate grant to both of them of an old-age pension?

I have been asked to reply to this question. The Pension Committee disallowed the claims in these cases upon the ground that claimants' means exceeded the statutory limit, and their decision was upheld upon appeal. The husband was in full work at wages of 49s. a week.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been called to complaints in the Press of the inconvenience imposed upon the public by restriction imposing the pre-payment of wine, beer, and spirituous liquors, avowedly in furtherance of the defence of the realm; whether he will explain how it contributes to that avowed purpose; and why, being a War measure, its operation continues to be enforced in peace time, to the great inconvenience of the public?

My hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. I am informed that the restriction referred to, like others imposed by the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic), was designed to curtail, and has in fact curtailed, the pre-War facilities for overindulgence in drink and its detrimental consequences to the health and efficiency of the nation. The effect obtained does not cease to be of value with the cessation of fighting; but a number of relaxations of the restrictions have been made by the Board since the date of the Armistice, and, as the hon. Member will be aware, it has been announced that the question of further relaxations is to be considered.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if the allowance for making industrial methylated spirits in Section 11 of the Finance Act, 1920, can be amended in respect of the existing preference of 2s. 6d. per gallon, which in practice prevents import of industrial spirit from America and Europe into this country?

The allowance of 3d. per gallon on spirits used in making industrial methylated spirit, which was granted by Section 1 of the Revenue Act, 1906, and extended by the Finance Act, 1920, to spirits used in making power methylated spirits, represents the cost of Excise restrictions to the home distiller. I have no reason to think that this allowance is insufficient for that purpose, and I do not see my way to amend it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what time will be allowed to those firms who have completed their seven years' accounting period to make their claims for the return of the Excess Profits Duty who, owing to the abnormal fall in values since their last stocktaking, find now that such stocktaking does not represent their financial position, for whereas the last stocktaking showed a liability for the payment of Excess Profits Duty the position to-day shows a considerable loss; and whether, in accordance with the White Paper issued in 1917, where a period of two years was promised to review the value of stock, he will issue an order to all firms who are in this position to take stock at a later date, say 30th June, in order to ascertain the true liability?

As stated by my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House in the Budget speech, I am giving careful consideration to the question of the valuation of stocks in connection with the proposed termination of the Excess Profits Duty, but I am unable at the moment to commit myself to the details of a proposal and I must request that my hon. Friend will await the Finance Bill.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total funded and unfunded debt at 5th April, 1920; what was the total funded and unfunded debt at 5th April, 1921; what were the different stocks, bonds, and other issues and liabilities making up the debt at those two dates; what were the actual amounts received in respect of the different classes of debt for the year to 5th April, 1921; what was the nominal indebtedness incurred in respect of such receipts; what were the liabilities to premiums upon such receipts; what were the actual payments for the year to 5th April, 1921, in respect of the different classes of debt; what was the nominal amount of the different classes of debts paid off by such payments; and what premiums were included in such payments?

For the estimated totals of the deadweight debt and of the Floating Debt on 31st March, 1921, I would refer the hon. Member to the Budget Statement. Precise figures, including the details of the various issues, are not yet available, but will be published in due course in the annual Finance Accounts. The figures as at 31st March, 1920, are given in the Finance Accounts, 1920/21 (House of Commons Paper 124 of 1920).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it would be possible to impose an export tax of, say, £15 per horse on old horses exported from this country for the purpose of use for human food?

The tax suggested is not practicable, as Revenue officials would have no means of checking a statement that a horse was not being exported for the purpose of use for human food.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what steps, if any, the Government have taken to give effect to the recommendations contained in the Report of the Departmental Committee on Local Taxation, 1914?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Frome on the 25th October last.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether British officers of the Indian Medical Service have any right of appeal if the contention is upheld that such officers have no right of appeal under Section 42 of the Army Act, and with special reference to the notification in the "London Gazette" of the 15th March, page 2099; and, if so, by what procedure can they appeal?

I am advised that officers of the Indian Medical Service have no right of appeal under Section 42 of the Army Act, but have a right of appeal to the Governor-General under Section 180 (2) ( d ) of that Act. If dissatisfied with his orders they may then appeal to the Secretary of State for India, and through him to His Majesty the King.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Canadian Government have decided to appoint an accredited diplomatic representative to Washington; and, if so, whether, in order to avoid a duplication of diplomatic representation where the necessity may not be so great as it appears to be in this case, he will consider the advisability of including the consideration of this question on the Agenda for consideration at the forthcoming Imperial Cabinet?

The circumstances in which it is proposed to make this appointment have already been explained in the House, and I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by the late Leader of the House on the 10th May last. It is not possible to add anything at present. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if his attention has been called to a notification in the "Kenya Official Gazette" of the sale by public auction in Nairobi of a 999 years' lease of 16 farms, the sale being subject to the condition that European British subjects will be permitted to bid and purchase, while non-British subjects will require the consent in writing of the Governor; if a condition which deprives Indian subjects of the King-Emperor of the right of bidding in open market for State land is consistent with the position laid down by the Government of India that there is no justification for assigning to British Indians in a Crown Colony or Protectorate a status in any way inferior to that of any other class of His Majesty's subjects; and if he will give instructions for the removal of a condition which sets up an invidious distinction to the disadvantage of Indians, and refuses to Indians a right from the enjoyment of which foreigners of every nation in Europe are not shut out?

The Governor's action in confining to Europeans the alienation of agricultural land in the highlands is in accordance with the decision of the late Earl of Elgin in 1908, confirmed by Viscount Milner last year. The principle is one of the questions concerning Indians in Kenya which I have at the moment under my consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether numbers of Germans who fought against us in East Africa are returning to the Tanganyika district under the guise of citizens of Danzig; whether he has any report as to this; and, if not, whether he will get the fullest information and indicate what steps he proposes to take?

As far as I am at present aware, four citizens of Danzig, who had renounced German nationality in accord- ance with the provisions of the Treaty, and whose cases were individually referred to and examined by the Governor, have been allowed to return to Tanganyika. I am advised that none of these persons took an active part in the campaign in East Africa. All possible precautions are taken to prevent the return of undesirable aliens to the territory, and I am making inquiries to satisfy myself that these precautions are effective.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any form of conscription has been instituted in Nyasaland; and, if so, whether he has approved of it?

The reorganisation of the Nyasaland Volunteer Reserve and the provision of a force for the defence of the Protectorate have been under consideration since the close of the War. The draft of an Ordinance providing for compulsory service in the Defence Force for non-natives between the ages of 16 and 60 has been received from the Governor and is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of Orders in Council, dated 18th January, 1921, whereby the importation into Nigeria of motor vehicles fitted with wheels adapted for solid tyres or double tyres is prohibited; and the reasons for such prohibition?

I understand that the Order in Council in question was introduced for the purpose of preventing the comparatively lightly metalled roads of Nigeria from being rendered useless to the general public, and the cost of their repair and upkeep prohibitive, owing to the damage caused to them by motor vehicles furnished with solid tyres.

asked the Postmaster-General the reason why No. 1,439 Victoria could not be connected with No. 6,212 Mayfair between the hours of 10.5 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Sunday, the 17th instant, and why, when the connection was secured, the call was cut off immediately and a wrong number given before the right number was restored; whether he is aware that some 10 persons were within hearing distance of the telephone No. 6,212 Mayfair during the entire period; why, on Wednesday, the 20th instant, the House of Commons telephone No. 6,240 Victoria could not be connected with No, 1,439 Victoria at 3.55 p.m., on one ground that the latter line was out of order; whether he is aware that investigation, three minutes later, from No. 1,439 Victoria proved the line not to be out of order; why, on Friday, the 15th instant, No. 1,121 Mayfair could not be connected with No. 1,439 Victoria between the hours 5.30 p.m. and 6 p.m., on the ground that the latter line was out of order, though this was proved not to be the case; whether he is aware that incidents of this nature are of daily occurrence on the Victoria exchange; and what steps he proposes to take to introduce a greater measure of efficiency into that exchange?

I am sorry that the call to Mayfair 6212 was inadvertently terminated by the telephonist. Repeated attempts were made to gain the attention of the Mayfair subscriber between 10.25 and 10.50 a.m., but were unsuccessful. The circuit was electrically tested later on without revealing any fault; a test call was made at 12.20 p.m., and the subscriber was rung at intervals for over 10 minutes without any reply being obtained. The engineer thoroughly overhauled the line next day, but could trace no fault. The Exchange record shows that the difficulty of the 20th instant was due to the failure of the Victoria subscriber to clear the line after a previous conversation, which made it impossible to call him. The trouble of the 15th instant was probably due to the same cause. The lines in question will be kept under special observation for a time.

asked the President of the Board of Education if the West Ham Education Committee has spent just over £3,000 for peace celebrations; the reasons why the Board of Education have intimated their intention to exclude that amount in calculating the substantive and deficiency grants; and if he is aware that, if no alteration is made, it will mean a loss to the West Ham Board of Education Committee of an anticipated grant of £670?

Yes, the facts were brought to my notice. The expenditure on these peace celebrations, which took the form of school children's excursions to Epping Forest at various dates, was held to be a charge that should not fall on Parliamentary grants, but should be defrayed out of local funds.

asked the Secretary for Scotland the number of local government electors on the register in Scotland in November last; and the number who voted on each of the three options, respectively, under the Temperance (Scotland) Act?

The electorate on which polls were taken in November last under the Temperance (Scotland) Act, 1913, was 1,697,251. The number of votes recorded for No Change, Limitation, and No Licence, were respectively 708, 727, 19,400, and 453,278. A Return giving these and other particulars regarding the first polls under the Act has been presented to Parliament and will, I understand, be available within the next few days.