asked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the case of Mr. Robert Campbell, a jeweller, of Roscommon, who was awarded £92 by Judge Wakely at Roscommon quarter sessions on account of malicious injury on the part of two soldiers, who admitted having broken his window and stolen watches and other articles; whether, upon his sending an application to the military, a portion of the goods, namely, 50 watches and some jewellery, had been returned; what disciplinary measures have been taken against the soldiers involved; and whether the taxpayers of Roscommon will have to make good the remainder of his loss?

Two soldiers were charged, convicted and sentenced to two years' imprisonment for the burglary referred to and two other soldiers were convicted and sentenced to two years' imprisonment for receiving some of the stolen property, the greater part of which, I am glad to state, has since been returned to the owner. In regard to the last part of the question, I am advised there is no liability on the ratepayers to make good loss due to ordinary theft, but the award referred to apparently related only to malicious injury and is a charge on the ratepayers.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he has information that women decoys are used for the purpose of assassination in Ireland, the actual assassin in a street murder passing the revolver to the female companion of the victim, knowing that she will not be searched, even by a woman official, who is rarely available; and whether, if this is the case, special warnings are issued to the Crown forces?

It is well known that after their murderous attacks the assassins frequently pass their firearms to female accomplices for concealment on their persons knowing that the standard of decency scrupulously observed by the Crown forces will prevent these women from being searched except on the rare occasions when a female searcher is immediately available.

asked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been called to the published assertion that during the raid on the offices of the "Freeman's Journal," on 29th April, several of the staff were assaulted by Auxiliaries; and what is the official account of the incident?

My attention has been called to this assertion and I am satisfied after inquiry that it is without solid foundation. On the evening of 29th April bombs were thrown at a motor tender containing a party of Royal Irish Constabulary which was passing along Great Brunswick Street. A detachment of Auxiliary police was immediately sent to patrol the vicinity and while so engaged they were fired upon. As the shots apparently came from the "Freeman's Journal" offices, the premises were entered and all male inmates were searched. In the course of the search an altercation arose between an Auxiliary and a civilian, and the civilian was struck, but on the matter being subsequently inquired into he admitted that he had invited such treatment and deserved it. With this exception, I am assured, that the proceedings were perfectly orderly.

asked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been called to the arrest by the military at Ballybofey, county Donegal, on the night of 27th-28th April of the following men: Joseph Bell, Patrick Conway, Charles Doherty, Francis Kelly, Hugh, M'Lean, James M'Gowan, and Mick Magee, and to the fact that no charge was made against them; whether his attention has been called to the events which took place on the night of 25th December, 1920, when the military broke all the windows of the Catholic residents in the towns of Drumboe and Ballybofey; and will he explain why motor-car permits are not granted to Catholics by the authorities, though the prevailing political belief of these people is constitutional nationalism?

My attention has been called to the cases of the seven men referred to in the first part of the question. They were arrested with a view to their internment and internment orders are being made against them under the Restoration of Order in Ireland Regulation, No. 14 B. As regards the second part of the question: On the night of the 25th December, an unarmed soldier was assaulted in the streets of Ballybofey by a number of civilians with the result that a certain amount of fighting between other unarmed soldiers and civilians occurred, in the course of which windows were broken in eight houses, not all of which belonged to Roman Catholic residents. Drumboe is not a town, but a private residence near Ballybofey. It has been occupied by troops since November last. There is no foundation for the insinuation in the last part of the question that the grant or refusal of motor permits is affected by the religious belief of the applicant.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the sum of nearly £7,000 is still owing by the Treasury to the Glasgow Corporation for the balance of registration expenses due on the second register in March, 1920, and the third register in October, 1920; that representations were made to the Treasury on 12th March and 22nd April without success; and whether he will issue instructions for the sum due to be paid without further delay?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The total sums claimed by the Glasgow Corporation as the Exchequer contribution in respect of Registration Expenses for the second and third Registers were £5,039 16s. and £4,625 11s. 8d. respectively. The advances made by the Treasury were £4,032 and £3,700 respectively. The balance has not been paid as the claims are regarded as excessive. Representations on the subject have been made by the corporation, and a statement fully setting out the Treasury objection to the claims is being communicated to the corporation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the Entertainment Duty is levied on payments made by the public for admission to exhibitions of the Glasgow and West of Scotland Horticultural Society and also on subscriptions paid by members of the society: whether he is aware that the society is not carried on for profit, but to promote and encourage horticulture: and if, under such circumstances, he will give instructions that this society should not be held liable to this tax?

Flower shows as such are not entitled to exemption from Entertainment Tax. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer is therefore unable to issue the instructions suggested by the hon. and gallant Member.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has received representations from the Scottish Federation of Merchant Tailors to the effect that the trade board in this industry should be abolished and replaced by a Whitley Council formed from employers' and workers' associations; and whether he is prepared to give this request favourable consideration?

I have received the representations to which my hon. and gal- lant Friend refers, and I have asked all the employers' and workers' organisations and the Trade Board concerned for their observations on the proposal. I shall give those observations my careful consideration.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the reconstruction of Hungarian finances by rigid economy and high taxation has led to the suggestion from Roumania and elsewhere that reparations can now be secured from Hungary, and to a proposal to send for that purpose a Reparation Commission to Budapest; and, if so, what is the attitude towards such a proposal of His Majesty's Government?

The Reparation Commission provided for in the Treaty of Trianon is the same Commission as that established by the Treaty of Versailles. The Commission is by Article 163 of the first-named Treaty to constitute a Hungarian Section, but I am not aware of any proposal to set up such a Section before the coming into force of the Treaty with Hungary.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Allies are still convinced that Germany intends to give effect to her acceptance of the ultimatum of 5th May?

It would be inexpedient that I should answer questions generally on behalf of all the Allied Governments. As far as we are concerned, we expect Germany to fulfil her obligations, and shall assume, unless we have proof to the contrary, that she intends to do so.

asked the Minister of Labour what action the Government intend to take with regard to the Eight-hour day Convention passed at Washington?

We propose to take an early opportunity of making a statement on this matter.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) how many Whitley Councils are in active existence and how many have ceased to exist:

(2) whether he has any information as to the working of Whitley Councils and Works Committees; and whether it is proposed to hold any inquiry into the working of the scheme?

There are in active existence 59 Whitley Councils; 10 other Councils have been set up, but for various reasons are suspended. In addition, 32 Interim Industrial Reconstruction Committees were set up about the time of the Armistice to enable the industries concerned to deal with their special reconstruction problems. Of these, 12 have converted themselves into Whitley Councils, 8 are in a state of suspension, and the remaining 12 are functioning. In the case of some of these bodies to which I have referred as being in suspense, there is a possibility of a resumption of activity on a somewhat different basis. A number of the Councils have set up Works Committees. The exact number of Works Committees is not known, but there are probably over 1,000, and, of course, there are other joint bodies with somewhat similar objects, though not formed precisely on the lines laid down in the Whitley Report.

I cannot, within the limits of this answer, describe in detail the working of these Councils and Committees. A report on the working of the Whitley Scheme is in preparation, and will shortly be published. I may, however, repeat what I have said on previous occasions, that, in my view, the Whitley Councils are a national asset and an important factor in avoiding industrial unrest. Nearly all the Councils have made arrangements for the joint consideration of wages which are regulated by national instruments. It will be appreciated that at the present time these problems are full of difficulties; these difficulties are, however, greatly minimised by the activities of the Councils. Further, much useful work is done in connection with hours and conditions of labour, training and apprenticeship, safety and welfare, research and the preparation of statistics, unemployment insurance, and other matters.

asked the Minister of Labour if he can inform the House in what three industries, apart from the coal industry, there is the greatest amount of unemployment?

If whole-time unemployment alone is taken into account, the three industries, apart from the coal industry, with the highest rates of unemployment on 6th May were: Pottery, earthenware, etc., 75 per cent.; iron, steel and tinplate, 37 per cent.; and glass, 35 per cent. If short-time working is also included, precise figures with regard to the rate of unemployment cannot be given, but the industries with the highest rates of unemployment on this basis appear to be: Pottery, earthenware, etc.; iron, steel and tiplate; linen and hemp; cotton; jute; bolts, nuts, etc.; glass; woollen and worsted; and lace.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that, although the members of the defence forces of those Crown Colonies and Protectorates which are not defined as a theatre of war in Army Order XX of 1918 and Army Order 301 of 1919 were not actually within the fighting zone, they had to perform much arduous work throughout the War of a military nature and more often than not on a voluntary basis without pay; and whether he will say, in these circumstances and having regard to the fact that over two and a half years have elapsed since the Armistice, how soon a decision will be reached in the matter?

I hope that a decision will very shortly be reached.

asked the Minister of Pensions when the new post-war scale of pension will be in operation?

The publication of post-War scales of pension is a matter for the Service Departments. With regard to pre-War life disability pensioners who served again in the Navy in the Great War, and were again invalided, I am glad to be able to inform my hon. Friend that their case has now been satisfactorily settled. They will be treated in the same manner as the men whose service was continuous, and they will accordingly, if otherwise eligible, be given the benefit of the increased rates which I announced on the 4th May, 1920, in answer to a question put to me by the hon. and gallant Member for the Fylde Division of Lancashire. Awards on this basis will be made forthwith. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the answer to which I have referred.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in connection with the temporary appointment by the Hastings Board of Guardians of a master for the Hastings institution, he will state how many boards of guardians have asked that such appointments should be limited; and whether he has taken into consideration as to how far his Department or a board of guardians is entitled to abrogate statutory obligations in such circumstances?

The Hastings case is the only recent one in which a board of guardians have asked that the appointment of a master of a workhouse should be temporary. All such appointments are terminable on due notice at the end of the first twelve months of service.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, when a holding of War Loan has been treated for purposes of Excess Profits Duty as an asset employed in the business, a deduction is allowable in the computation of profits in respect of the net amount of any depreciation in value arising in the period during which the War Loan was treated as an asset so employed; and, if so, whether the depreciation in value which is referred to is the difference between the amount subscribed for the War Loan and the amount realised there for or, if not realised, the difference between the amount subscribed and the value at the close of the last accounting period?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. Assuming that the War Loan is regarded for purposes of the Excess Profits Duty as part of the capital employed in the tax payer's business throughout the accounting periods during which it is held by him, the depreciation would, subject to Clause 23 of the Finance Bill becoming law, normally be measured by the difference between the cost price and sale price if sold before the 31st December, 1921, or between the cost price and the value at the 31st December, 1921, if held until that date.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will consider the desirability of recommending a change in the procedure of the House affecting the Second Reading of Bills, whereby it would not be possible to take the Second Reading of a Bill unless copies of such Bill had been on sale at His Majesty's respective Stationery Offices throughout the country for at least 14 days prior to the date upon which it was proposed to take such Second Reading, with the proviso that Mr. Speaker should have the option of certifying that a particular Bill was a matter of urgency and that the 14 days' publication in that case was dispensed with?

No, Sir. I am not prepared to adopt my hon. Friend's suggestion.