asked the Prime Minister if he is aware that, acceding to the request made by the League of Nations to all the Governments of its members, the Belgian Cabinet has decided that the Army Estimates for the forthcoming financial year should not exceed those of the last budget, except in cases when an increase was recommended by the League or when an extraordinary situation arose, an exception of which the League is to be notified in accordance with the Covenant of the League; and whether it is the intention of the British Government to accede, as Belgium has done, to this request by the League of Nations?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. Owing to the pressure of other business the Government has not yet had an opportunity of deciding their attitude towards the Recommendation of the Assembly of the League of Nations on this subject, but it is hoped that it may be possible to deal with it at an early date.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the number of cattle in England and Wales in 1913 and in 1919, respectively?

The number of cattle (including calves) in England and Wales on 4th June, 1913, was 5,716,944 and on 4th June, 1919, was 6,194,539.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he has received a claim from Mr. Joseph A. Farman, trawl skipper, in respect to loss and damage suffered through wrongful dismissal; and what decision has been arrived at in the matter?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. With regard to the second part, it was decided, after full consideration, that Mr. Farman had been regularly discharged from the Royal Naval Reserve and that his claim was, therefore, without foundation.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he can state the amount that can be deducted from the pension of a soldier who is detained in a mental hospital; and whether, in the case of a man receiving a full pension, it is competent for the authorities to deduct the whole amount?

In cases where the mental disability is due to or aggravated by military service, pension is suspended during treatment and the usual treatment allowances are paid without deduction to the man and his family. The men are treated as service patients, and the cost of their maintenance is paid by the Ministry of Pensions. If, however, the insanity is neither due to, nor aggravated by, service, nor forms part of the invaliding disability, and the man is drawing a pension in respect of a different disability, such pension may be appropriated by the Guardians towards the cost of his maintenance in the institution. In such cases, however, the Guardians concerned are invited to waive their claim to the pension in favour of the pensioner's wife.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to statements in the press to the effect that a Nationalist demonstration was fired upon by order of the governor at Tantah on Friday last, whereby three men were killed and 71 injured; whether this occurrence has aroused acute indignation in Egypt; and what is the official account of the disturbance?

The disturbance at Tantah on 29th April was the result of speeches made in the Mosque after midday prayers when a quarrel arose between the supporters of Adly Pasha and those of Zaghloul Pasha. The police, whose assistance was requested by the Chief of the Mosque, were stoned by the rowdy elements in the mob, and were eventually ordered to fire in the air. Unfortunately in doing so one man wounded two demonstrators, one of whom afterwards died. This aroused considerable feeling against the Commandant of Police, and attacks were made on his house and the police station, the windows of which were broken and inflammables thrown in. The Mudir arrived with four notables in order to pacify the crowd, but they were attacked and stoned and compelled to take refuge in the police station. The Mudir's car was burnt, and the police were ordered to fire again. So far as is known at present the total casualties were four killed and 60 wounded—of whom 24 were wounded by rifle fire and the remainder by stones. This includes police and other casualties, the exact number of which is not known. One hundred and fifty troops of the Egyptian army were sent at once, and the news of their arrival led to calm being restored. The incident is being investigated by the native Procureur-General. No British official was concerned in any way.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will ascertain why Emily Lawson, of 23, Lowergate, Clitheroe, an ex-service woman, Voluntary Aid Detachment, G. S. Section, who was enrolled at Queen Mary's Hospital, Whalley, on the 7th of December, 1918, and demobilised on the 5th of July, 1920, is unable to obtain unemployment insurance benefit?

I am causing inquiry to be made in this case and will communicate the result to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can state those British industries in which a reduction of wages, rendered inevitable by the economic situation, has been approved by the men, and in how many of these cases an initial ballot was required; and in how many cases a proposed reduction was negatived, and whether in these also a ballot was taken?

In nearly every case of reductions of wages affecting an industry or part of an industry—indeed I know only of one to the contrary—the reductions now in force have been agreed after consultations between employers' and workpeople's sides of Joint Industrial Councils, or between associations of employers and trade unions in those trades in which no Joint Industrial Council exists. It is within the discretion of the workpeople or their representatives to decide the method by which their views can be ascertained. Ballots have to my knowledge been taken in the vehicle building, hosiery, shipbuilding and other trades, and ballots are in progress in the building trade, Scottish baking trade, and among the seamen. In other cases I have no doubt that the workpeople's representatives have taken such steps as seemed to them proper to inform themselves of the views of their constituents. As regards the actual reductions of wages, the following statement, though not exhaustive, includes the principal cases. They cover a large section of industry. I may add that I am greatly impressed by the way in which Joint Industrial Councils and other similar bodies have with mutual goodwill and respect reached a satisfactory settlement of these difficult and intricate questions.

Reductions of Wages in Industry, 1921.

(1) The following list (based upon particulars published, or about to be published, in the "Labour Gazette") indicates the principal reductions in wages that have been arranged in recent months:

Iron Ore Mining (Cleveland, North Lincolnshire, Ayrshire).

Shale Mining (Scotland).

Fireclay, etc., Mining (Scotland).

Limestone Quarrying (South Durham and other districts).

Gypsum Mining (Nottingham, etc.).

Iron and Steel (certain districts).

Coke and Bye-Product Manufacture.

Engineering Shops (Boys and Youths) (Birmingham).

Shipbuilding.

Ships' Tackle Trade.

Blacksmiths and Farriers (Glasgow, Edinburgh, etc.).

Civil Engineering.

Vehicle Building.

Engineering and Foundry Trades (South Wales).

Metallic Bedstead Manufacture (Midlands).

Dyeing and Dry Cleaning (England and Scotland).

Warehousemen (Manchester).

Tailoring (Liverpool).

Hat Manufacture (Atherstone).

Glove Making.

Paper Making (Youths and Girls) (Lancashire).

Wallpaper Manufacture.

Railways.

Road Transport (Scotland, London).

Chemicals.

Soap and Candles.

Cocoa and Confectionery.

Bakers (London: certain firms).

Local Authorities Non-Trading Services (Northern District).

Electricity Undertakings (London).

Fishery Coopers (East Coast).

Fellmongers (Glasgow).

Pottery Manufacture (Scotland).

Basket Making (Yorkshire).

Piano Industry (London).

Waste Paper Trade (London).

Glass Bottle Manufacture (London, Yorkshire, etc.).

Lock, Latch and Key Industry.

Malleable Foundry Trade, Women (Willenhall district).

Boat Builders (Midlands).

Nut and Bolt Manufacture (Midlands).

Tinplate.

Drop Forging Industry (Birmingham).

Precious Metals (London).

Screw Manufacture (Birmingham and district).

Military Musical Instrument Making (London).

Spring and Axle Manufacture (West Bromwich).

Wool Textile, Carpets, Silk, Linen (Kirkcaldy).

Hosiery.

Asbestos.

Bleaching, Dyeing and Finishing (Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Scotland).

(2) Negotiations are in progress in respect of further large groups of industries, e.g., building, engineering and foundry trades, electrical contracting, mercantile marine, Scottish bakers, flour milling, and others.

(3) The reductions of wages have been effected by three principal methods and a few examples of cases arising under these methods are given below:

( a ) Reductions brought into operation as a result of agreements by which wages vary in accordance with the Ministry of Labour Cost of Living Index figure.

Railways. —Under the operation of the sliding scale, 650,000 workpeople had a reduction of 4s. per week as from 1st April.

Wool. —In the woollen industry four reductions each of 10 per cent. on basis rates have been effected since the beginning of the year, representing a total reduction on the minimum rates of approximately 8s. per week in the case of women, and 12s. per week in the case of men. Between 200,000 and 250,000 workpeople are affected by these reductions.

Civil Engineering. —Wages in this industry have been reduced by 1d., 2d. and 3d. per hour, and a new sliding scale agreement has been adopted.

Hosiery. —In accordance with a new sliding scale agreement for the regulation of wages based on the Cost of Living Index Figure, bonuses have been reduced by 1d. in the shilling. Fifty thousand workpeople are covered by the agreement.

( b ) Reductions made in accordance with sliding scales based on the selling price.

Iron and Steel. —Wages in these trades in nearly all districts vary in accordance with the selling price of pig-iron, or of manufactured iron and steel. Reductions have taken place in some districts varying from 22½ to 66 per cent. on standard rates, equivalent to amounts varying from about 7½ to 20 per cent. on current earnings. About 125,000 workpeople are affected by the reductions

( c ) Agreements negotiated between employers' associations and trade unions, etc.

Shipbuilding. —As a result of negotiations between the Shipbuilding Employers' Federation and certain unions and federations having members employed in the shipyards, an agreement has recently been negotiated under which there will be a reduction of wages of 6s. per week for time-workers and 15 per cent. for pieceworkers, the reduction to come into operation in two equal instalments, the first in the week ending 7th May, and the second in the week ending 4th June. About 250,000 workpeople are concerned.

In addition, the wages of coal-miners were reduced in January and February by the withdrawal of the advances granted under the "output" agreement, of October, 1920, consequent on diminution of output; the number of workpeople affected was about 1,200,000.

It may be added that reductions in wages which have already taken place this year, or have been arranged to take effect in the near future, affect about 2,750,000 workpeople (including the coal miners).

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that a firm of rope and twine makers at Bridport have refused to pay the rate of wages fixed by the rope, twine, and net Trades Board; if he is aware that the firm in question were members of the Bridport Manufacturers' Association, and as such had agreed to pay the rates agreed upon between the association and the trades unions, and afterwards sanctioned by the rope, twine, and net Trade Board; if he is aware that the firm is only paying 26s. 1d. instead of 33s. 1d., the agreed rate; if he is aware that other firms in Bridport who are paying the rates agreed to by the Trades Board have stated that, unless the Ministry of Labour insists upon the firm paying the agreed rate, they have threatened to reduce the rates of pay; and if he can state whether his Department intend taking any action against the firm so as to make the employers carry out the decision of the Trades Boards Act?

I am aware that a firm of rope and twine makers at Bridport have paid certain of their workers at a rate less than the minimum rate fixed by the Rope, Twine and Net Trade Board and that in certain cases the underpayment was of the order stated in the question. I have no information upon the other matters indicated in the question relating to the firm, nor as to any proposed action by other firms in Bridport. Arrears of wages appear to be due in respect of two types of work. These arrears have been paid to the workers engaged upon one of these types of work, and I am in communication with the firm regarding the other.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether a firm of Manchester importers which buys goods from Austria and produces a certificate of Austrian origin can safely ask for delivery of such goods from the sellers without coming under the German Reparation (Recovery) Act, even if the goods are in fact transmitted to England through German territory?

The answer is in the affirmative, provided that a Consular certificate as to Austrian origin in the prescribed form is produced, and the goods, when they leave Austria are, in fact, consigned from the Austrian sellers to their customers in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for India what is the present position of the Indian gold standard reserve fund; how the present position compares with that existing in 1916; and, if the comparison is in favour of the position in 1916, what steps are being taken to bring the reserve back to its former level?

On 30th April, 1916, the gold standard reserve stood at £26,300,085. On 30th April, 1921, the corresponding figure was £39,241,537, representing an increase of nearly £13,000,000. The last part of the question does not therefore arise.