asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether Admiralty Fleet Order No. 1,625 (N.L. 7,083–13/5/1921) is to be understood as meaning that relatives are forbidden to erect private memorials over the graves of naval officers and men who died during the War and who are buried in England; and, if so, whether he will state by what authority this order was made and what power the Admiralty have to interfere with the wishes of the relatives of sailors buried in this country?

The Fleet Order referred to by the Noble Lord is an instruction to the Admiralty officers not to permit private memorials to be erected in naval cemeteries or naval reservation plots over which the Admiralty has control. In this matter the Admiralty are carrying out the policy of the Imperial War Graves Commission, which, as the Noble Lord will remember, was accepted by the House in a Debate on the 4th May last year.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many paymaster-lieutenant-commanders or paymaster-lieutenants have been appointed to coastguard offices, maintenance captains' offices, and drafting offices in the various areas and commands to relieve chief writers; and whether, in view of the fact that these duties were efficiently carried out both before and during the whole period of hostilities, such appointments are necessary or economical?

No chief writers in these offices have been relieved by paymaster-lieutenant-commanders or paymaster-lieutenants. The last part of the question, therefore, does not arise.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will recosider the case of Private Allbrook, No. G71129, 29th London Regiment, Territorial Force, who, although entitled to the concession of 60 days' leave with full pay that was granted to all men of the North Russian relief force and to men demobilised from North Russia, is refused the payment by the War Office owing to his claim having been made after the appointed date; whether Private Allbrook received no official notification of the concession from his own record office, and only heard of it by chance some time after it was offered; and whether, in view of these facts, he will allow Private Allbrook to receive a sum of money to which his service undoubtedly entitles him?

The grant of pay in lieu of leave for soldiers who had served in Russia was an indulgence authorised on condition that any soldier eligible for that grant claimed it before 21st May, 1920. This time limit has been enforced in all cases, and I regret that exceptional treatment cannot be extended to Private Allbrook.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that Gunner Kenneth M. Kerr, No. 198177, Royal Garrison Artillery, was granted a pension plus bonus of 8s. for himself and 5s. 11d. for wife and children from 3rd September, 1919, and 12s. for himself and 8s. 10d. for wife and children from 30th December, 1920, to 3rd January, 1922; that he has only received £4 and was promised the remainder in due course; and that the £4 was paid six months ago, since when no further payment either of arrears or current pension has been made to this man; and if he will take immediate steps to have this man's pension paid to him together with all arrears?

I regret the delay in this case, but I am glad to inform the hon. Member that payment of current pension, with arrears, has now been authorised.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that Peter Gilchrist, at present a tuberculosis patient in Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow, has had his treatment allowance stopped on the ground that he never was in the Service, although this man was present at the battle of Jutland; that an allotment of 18s. per week was paid to his wife between 13th August, 1915, and 2nd November, 1916; that the number of his certificate of identity was M.F.A. 7,484, and the allotment paid to his wife at the Anderston post office, Glasgow; and whether, in view of these facts, his treatment allowance will be restored to him together with arrears?

From the information at present available this case appears to be one for the Admiralty. I am in communication with my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Admiralty regarding it.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether his attention has been drawn to the case of John Wotherspoon, late No. 201,867, 19th Western battalion, Rifle Brigade, who joined up, at the age of 43, on 14th July, 1915, was passed A 1, demobilised 22nd March, 1919, category B 2, served three years and two months overseas with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, was granted 20 per cent. pension, which was reduced by the medical board in the Adelphi Hotel, Glasgow to 5s. 6d., which expires on the 21st June, 1921; whether this man has been on treatment in the out-patient department of the Bellahouston Hospital since 2nd February; and whether, in view of his category being A 1 when he joined and B 2 on demobilisation, and the further fact that he is still receiving treatment in Bellahouston Hospital, he will reconsider this case for a continuation of the payment of his pension?

This man received outpatient treatment from 2nd February to 16th April, and on the 2nd May a further course which still continues, was commenced. At present he is in receipt of full treatment allowances for himself and his wife. The final allowance of 5s. 6d. a week which was awarded for 52 weeks, is in accordance with the degree of disablement found by the medical board which examined him on 29th April, 1920. No occasion for re-assessment arises whilst the man is under treatment and receiving treatment allowances; but it is open to him, at the conclusion of treatment, to apply to his local committee to have his case reconsidered.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware that Captain D. G. Cownie, of the s.s. "Wayfarer," had his ship torpedoed in April, 1916; that owing to his bravery he received much praise from the Press and a public presentation by Lord Derby; that he received a temporary allowance from Government, and that this amount is now cancelled, although it is proved beyond doubt that Captain Cownie's debilitated health was attributable to his War service; and can this case be reconsidered?

I have been asked to answer this question. In view of further medical evidence received since the allowance in this case was terminated, the case has been reopened, and the question whether any further allowance can be granted is being considered.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if deductions from their assessment to Income Tax, which can be claimed by Members of this House for the costs of carrying out the duties of their office, are inadmissible where a Member does not claim the salary attaching to his office?

The deduction under the Income Tax Acts, in respect of expenses wholly, exclusively, and necessarily incurred in the performance of the duties of an office or employment, is allowable only from the assessment upon the emoluments of the particular office or employment, and is not allowable from the assessment upon income from any other source.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the pay of British officers serving on control commissions in enemy countries is subject to Income Tax; and, if so, could the case of these officers be reconsidered owing to the fact that British officers' pay in India or the Colonies is not liable to British rates of Income Tax?

My hon. and gallant Friend appears to be under a misapprehension. Under the provisions of the Income Tax Acts the emoluments of British officers, paid from British funds, are assessable to British Income Tax, whether the officers are serving in the United Kingdom, in India, in the Colonies, or elsewhere.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in the case of Income Tax payers who derive part of their income from foreign countries and also spend part of their income in foreign countries, he can state how the correct amount received by them and spent in a foreign country is to be calculated in view of the fluctuating rate of exchange; and is it proposed to calculate these amounts on an annual or a monthly average rate of exchange, or whether each item of dividend and income received abroad has to be converted into sterling for the purpose of paying Income Tax at the rate of exchange of the day upon which such dividend or other item of income was credited to the account of the Income Tax payer in the bank of the country in which his income is collected?

I understand that the general practice of the assessing authorities in computing liability to United Kingdom Income Tax under the Rules of Cases IV and V of Schedule D of the Income Tax Act, 1918, is to convert the income from foreign securities (assessable to United Kingdom Income Tax on the full amount of such income arising in the year of assessment) at the mean rate of exchange for the year of assessment. As regards income from foreign stocks, shares, or rents (which is assessable to United Kingdom Income Tax on the basis of the average income of the three preceding years), the income for any Income Tax year included in the average is converted at the mean rate of exchange for that year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether instructions have at any time been given to His Majesty's inspectors or surveyors of taxes to demand production from any taxpayer of books for inspection; if in certain cases this course has been adopted; and, if by order of his Department, under what authority?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. As regards the second part, cases arise from time to time in which inspection of a taxpayer's books is desirable to resolve doubts or settle questions outstanding, but such an inspection is in no case made without the taxpayer's concurrence.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in lieu of deduction from Income Tax of expenses wholly incurred in the performance of his office, a deduction which will not benefit poorer Members, he will consider the payment of a salary of £5 less Income Tax, but not eligible for the deductions from Income Tax above referred to, for each working Parliamentary day of six hours put in by a Member?

The suggestion made by the hon. and gallant Member clearly involves the general principles on which Members receive remuneration, and in view of the recent Debate on this subject and the decision of the House thereon, I do not think the matter can be usefully re-opened at the present time.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, under the proposals for the termination of Excess Profits Duty, a company (whose seventh accounting period ended on 31st March, 1921) which had purchased as at 1st April, 1920, a business (not having paid any Excess Profits Duty) whose seventh accounting period ended on 30th September, 1920, would have a claim for recovery of any of the Excess Profits Duty it had paid; and, if not, and having in mind that such a company may have made a considerable loss on the year's trading, can he see his way so to amend the proposals as to ensure to every firm, business, or company not less than seven full accounting periods?

On the facts stated it would appear that the company in question would be entitled, if Clause 23 of the Finance Bill is passed in its present form, to claim repayment of Excess Profits Duty in respect of the losses it has sustained up to the 30th September, 1920. As regards the latter part of the question, I may refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the Amendments to this Clause which have been put down on the Order Paper, and I anticipate that the matter to which his question relates will be discussed in Committee in connection with those Amendments.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether it is proposed to continue as a permanency to pay boys of 15, engaged in the Ministry of Health, 33s. 2d. per week, and boys of 17 from £2 to £2 11s. 9d. per week; and whether similar salaries are being paid to boys of the same age in any of the other Government Departments?

Only one boy is paid 51s. 9d. per week. This is a purely temporary rate, and, if our anticipations as to the cost of living are fulfilled, the wage will be reduced to approximately 43s. in September next, and 39s. 9d. in March. The great majority of the boys in question do not rise beyond 33s. 9d. per week inclusive of bonus at the present rate. With the exception of a small class of laboratory boys, which is peculiar to the Ministry of Health, the rates are common to the service. Except in the case of four boys who are paid at consolidated rates varying from 40s. to 43s. 6d., the rates will be automatically reduced on the revision of Civil Service bonus in September next.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that Mr. F. Smith, of 43, High Street, Burbage, Wilts, who has been employed for six and a half years in the Ordnance Department at Tidworth, has received notice to leave his employment on 22nd June; that this man volunteered for the Army at the commencement of the War, but was rejected on account of his age, and that at the request of the military authorities he gave up his business in Marlborough in order to take up Government work as a clerk in the Ordnance Department at Tidworth, and that while in that employment he met with an accident while on duty, result mg in a rupture, in consequence of which he is rendered physically unable to return to his pre-War trade; and whether, in view of this, and of this man having given satisfaction during his six and a half years' employment under the Ordnance Department, he will consider the possibility of retaining him in his present employment?

Inquiries are being made, and I will communicate with my hon. and gallant Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether the entire proceeds of the recent 7 per cent. Government of India Loan will be utilised for the purchase of railway material in the United Kingdom in accordance with the promise contained in the prospectus advertised when the loan was issued?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether, and, if so, why Mr. Satyamurti has been prohibited from visiting the Native Indian State of Puddacotta?

I have seen references to an Order issued by the Rajah of Pudukota prohibiting the entry into or residence in the State of Mr. Satyamurti; but I have not seen the text of the Order, or received any official report on the subject, and cannot therefore give precise information.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the large catches of haddock and other marketable fish by the fishing boats of Aberdeen, and to the subsequent destruction of considerable portions by dumping the fish back into the sea or throwing portions on the dungheap; if these statements be true why such a waste has been permitted, when large industrial populations, both in Scotland and the North of England, are in urgent need of food by reason of the prevailing conditions of extensive unemployment; and whether, if there be no power to deal with such action, he will consider the desirability of initiating immediate legislation to prevent its repetition?

I have been asked to reply to this question. It is the case that during last week 196 boxes of small haddocks and other fish were returned to the sea at Aberdeen. These fish were in such bad condition, owing to delays in landing and the hot weather prevailing, as to be unfit for human consumption. Normally these fish would have been sent to manure factories, but the latter are at present closed down owing to lack of coal. In these circumstances, the last part of the question does not appear to arise.

asked the Secretary for Scotland if he can yet state whether the annual financial and statistical Reports of the Scottish universities for the year ending 30th September, 1920, as required by Clause 30 of the Scottish Universities Act of 1889, will be available for Members of the House; and whether the tables contained in the Returns from universities and university colleges just issued by the University Grants Committee are intended to take their place?

It has been decided that the annual financial and statistical Reports relating to Scottish universities for 1919–20 and future years will be made available for members of the House in the form in which they appear in the Returns from universities and university, colleges issued by the University Grants Committee.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that the home of Mr. M. Ryan, of Govan, was visited at 7 a.m. on 31st May by the police and searched; that Mr. Ryan is chairman of the Govan Irish Club, which is merely a social and holiday club, which breaks up every year in June and divides the surplus funds among its members; who issued these instructions to the police and for what purpose this visit was made; and whether, in view of the fact that the club rooms were visited, he will issue instructions that such visitations by the police shall cease?

I am informed that the house of Mr. M. Ryan, 1, Prince Street, Govan, was visited by the police about 7.30 a.m. on 31st May. The house was not searched. I am unaware of the nature of the Govan Irish Club and of Mr. Ryan's connection with it. The club was searched and Mr. Ryan's house was visited by the police in the ordinary course of investigations which they were pursuing, and I see no reason to issue any instructions in the matter.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of the effect of the proposals to abolish the Sunday postal services in Scotland and the industrial districts of the North of England; that the suspension of travelling post offices on either Saturday night or Sunday will be to cut off these areas from London and the South of England for a period of from 24 to 30 hours; that the hours of duty of postal workers are already harassing and unhygienic and will be made still more irksome and more unhealthy; and that the work, instead of being performed on Sunday, will be done in the early hours of Monday morning from midnight onwards, involving a great increase in night duty, which will lead to more sickness and expense and lowered efficiency; and if he will take action in the matter?

The abolition of Sunday postal labour has the effect suggested by the hon. Member, as far as communication by post is concerned; but there has always been a gap of from 24 to 30 hours in postal communication at the week-end in London and other places where there was no Sunday delivery. As regards the effect of the changes on the attendance of the staff, I may say that I have arranged for discussions to take place at an early date with the Union of Post Office Workers.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has considered the suggestions of the Post Office Workers' Union to the effect that additional revenue could be earned by the Post Office and the public benefited if non-urgent telegrams were accepted at half-price and a system of postal cheques adopted; and, if so, what decision, if any, he has arrived at?

Suggestions have often been made for the establishment of a half rate non-urgent telegram and have been carefully considered. With costs at their present level it is extremely improbable that such a service would bring in any additional net revenue, and unless it were very distinctly inferior to the present service there would be serious risk of the present revenue being considerably reduced. In view of the widely extended banking system in this country and the general use of bank cheques and postal orders for remittance purposes, I do not think there would be any substantial demand for postal cheques, especially having regard to the high fees which it would be necessary to charge to cover the cost of the service.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, until recently, at the public call office at the Supreme Courts of Justice in Scotland, anyone telephoned for was not charged for listening at the telephone, the caller-up paying the 1d. or 2d. charge (now increased in public call offices to 3d.) for the use of the telephone; whether, in addition to the call-up charge of 3d., the listener at the telephone is now also charged 3d., so that each call between public call offices now costs 6d.; whether the charge for listening is imposed per incuriam; and will he direct it to be stopped?

A charge for the use of this call office, both for outgoing and incoming calls, has been made for many years. The charge for the latter is necessary because a messenger is employed to summon to the telephone the persons required. The Courts authorities are being asked to consider whether they can arrange for the summoning of persons required to the call box, in which event the Post Office charge will disappear.

asked the Prime Minister (1) whether he will now consider the advisability of publishing the despatches of the naval and military authorities covering the operations of the expeditions to East Africa in 1914, 1915, and 1916; whether instructions will be given that the official history of the campaign in East Africa can be made available for study by military students, in view of the fact that the need for secrecy has been removed by the publication in Germany of a full account of the operations from a German point of view;

(2) whether he is aware that in the autumn of 1914 the Commander of His Majesty's Ship "Pegasus" entered into an agreement with the German authorities which neutralised the town of Tanga; that as a result of that agreement, when there appeared before Tanga, on Monday, 2nd November, 1914, His Majesty's Ship "Fox" and a convoy of some 16 transports conveying the Expeditionary Force from India, the Commanding Officer of the "Fox" gave the local resident German magistrate formal notice under the terms of the "Pegasus" Treaty; that the Expeditionary Force, having once appeared, was forced to retire and lie off for the stipulated period contained in the Treaty, thereby enabling the Germans to make every preparation to meet the impending attack; that when the attack was made it failed to overcome the resistance of the enemy on account of preparations made by the Germans for the defence of the place during this period of grace; and why was it that those responsible for the expedition did not inform the military and naval commanders of the existence of this Treaty beforehand, thereby avoiding the failure and great loss of life that attended the initial landing?

The question of publishing these despatches is under consideration by the Government Departments concerned. I hope that an early decision may be arrived at, and I would suggest to my hon. and gallant Friend that any statement in regard to the details of the operations to which he refers should await that decision.

asked the Prime Minister whether any fresh steps have been taken by His Majesty's Government to settle the Silesian question; and whether he still takes his stand by the letter of the Treaty of Versailles?

Every effort is being made to settle the Upper Silesian question. The answer to the second part of the question is in the affirmative.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, taking into consideration wages and hours worked, he can state how the cost of production in France, Germany, and Belgium compares with the cost of production in this country at the present time; and whether he can in each case give its relation to pre-War cost of production?

It is not possible to make any general comparison between costs of production in the different countries named, and their changes since the outbreak of War, without a series of special investigations. Conditions are, moreover, changing somewhat rapidly in various industries. So far as selling prices may be taken as indicative of costs of production, some comparisons have been made in the Board of Trade Journal, of which I am sending a copy to my hon. Friend. I am endeavouring to obtain corresponding comparisons for a later period than is covered in the article in question.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether his advices from China show any likelihood of the export trade in woollen goods for Britain being affected as a result of any Chinese boycott over the Anglo-Japanese alliance?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given yesterday by the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the hon. Member for Ashton-under-Lyne (Sir W. de Freece).

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that an owner of cottages at Newick, Sussex, on being approached by ex-service men with regard to the tenancy of two empty cottages, has persistently refused to let these cottages, which still remain empty; whether he has any power to prevent the unreasonable refusal to let; and, if not, will he take steps to obtain such power forthwith, in order to prevent the housing shortage being thus needlessly increased?

I have no power to enforce the letting of houses and I think it would be undesirable to take such powers for the reasons which I gave during the Debates on the Housing Bill. I would point out that local authorities already have power to purchase, if necessary by compulsion, houses suitable for working-class occupation.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the result of his inquiries into the subject of the provision of allotments to members of the March and District Allotments and Small Holdings Association?

Application was made in July, 1920, by the March and District Allotments and Small Holdings Association to the March Urban District Council for 30 acres of land. The matter was discussed at a meeting of members of the council and of the allotments association on 10th August, 1920, when it was pointed out that the land applied for could only be acquired at a price which would involve an economic rent higher than the association were prepared to pay. It is hoped that the demand by ex-service members of the association for small holdings will be satisfied by the county council, but it is not possible for applications by civilians for small holdings to be dealt with until all the suitable ex-service applicants in the county are satisfied. The urban district council now provide 35 acres in 1 acre allotments, and if the individual members of the association who require, allotments will apply to the urban district council I have no doubt that the council will endeavour to satisfy their requirements if it is possible to do so on an economic basis.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is yet in a position to notify the local education authorities as to the allocation of appropriate scales for elementary school teachers; and, if not, whether he will explain why the secondary school teachers practically throughout the country should be receiving the salaries recommended by the Burnham Committee on salaries for secondary school teachers while the teachers in elementary schools, except those in London and a few other areas, should be still waiting several months after the Committee on the Salaries of Elementary Teachers has reported?

As regards the first part of the question, I regret that I am not yet in a position to announce the Government's decision; the financial and other issues involved require full consideration. As regards the second part of the question, I would remind the hon. and gallant Member that the elementary school teachers had the advantage of the Provisional Minimum Scale as from the 1st January, 1920.

asked the Home Secretary whether it is the intention of the Government to introduce a Bill dealing with workmen's compensation?

As I informed the hon. Member on Thursday last, I can add nothing to the replies given to his previous questions on the 17th February and 5th May last.

asked the Home Secretary the latest statistics of infantile mortality in each of the West Indian Governments, British Guiana, and British Honduras?

The figures regarding infantile mortality in the West Indies, including British Guiana and British Honduras, are as follow:— Colony Year. Death Rate. Bahamas Not available — Barbados 1919 306 Bermuda 1919 166 British Guiana 1919 185 British Honduras 1919 215 Jamaica 1919 161 LEEWARDS. Antigua 1918 177 Dominica 1920 146 St. Kitts 1918 255 Nevis 1918 264 Anguilla 1918 95 Trinidad 1919 155

Colony. Year. Death Rate. WINDWARDS. Grenada 1920 115 St. Lucia 1919 (Apr.-Dec). 143 St. Vincent 1919 (Apr.-Dec). 111

Note.—The figures given are the deaths of children under one year of age per one thousand living births.

asked the Secretary for Mines, in reference to his reply to the hon. Member for the Consett Division (Mr. A. Williams) last Session, whether the promised Government Bill dealing with damage to houses and other buildings caused by subsidence in mining areas has been prepared; and, if so, when it is likely to be introduced?

In the present state of business and the unsettled position of the mining industry, it has not been possible to put forward proposals for dealing with this complex subject, but it will receive further consideration at the earliest practicable date.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the new rates of wages submitted by the Grocery and Provision Trade Board, which would give an immediate increase in wages to all sections of workers in the food distribution trade, were approved by the Trade Board by a majority of three, the minority of 25, consisting of the employers' representatives; whether, seeing that the confirmation of these rules by the Ministry of Labour would involve an increase in the cost of food to the consumer, he will refer the rates back to the Board for reconsideration on the ground that when these rates were first agreed by the Board the cost of living was much in excess?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer, of which I am sending him a copy, given on the 8th June to questions on this matter. I should add that I have since heard personally the representations of the employers' and workers' sides of the Board, and a full statement of all aspects of the case has been placed before me.