asked the Secretary of State for War whether Spike Island was used during the War as a segregation camp for soldiers suffering from venereal disease, and was so used up till the early part of this year; whether the patients were then removed to the military hospital at Cork in order to make way for Irish prisoners; what interval of time elapsed between the sick soldiers moving out and the Irish prisoners moving in; whether the camp was disinfected in the interval; what was the rank of the medical officer who inspected it before the Irish,' were moved in; and if he is satisfied that there was no risk of infection?

The hutment at Spike Island was used for the purpose mentioned during the War and until 7th December, 1920. The hospital was closed in accordance with the policy of treating venereal cases in sections of general hospitals, and had no connection with the accommodation of Irish prisoners. Seventy-four days ( i.e , 7th December, 1920, to 19th February, 1921) elapsed between the sick soldiers moving out and the Irish prisoners moving in. During this interval the camp was disinfected, and all bedding and blankets disinfected and removed, the latter being replaced by entirely new bedding and blankets. These measures were carried out under the supervision of an officer of the Royal Army Medical Corps. The Assistant Director of Medical Services, Irish Command, inspected the camp before the prisoners moved in, and he is satisfied that there is no risk of infection. No case of venereal or other disease has occurred among the prisoners which is traceable to their location at Spike Island.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the office of the newspaper "The Examiner," at Dundalk, was broken into on the morning of 19th June; that all the machinery and type were broken up, and damage done to the extent of £6,000 or £7,000; whether there is any foundation for the allegation that this raid was committed by-Crown forces; and whether he has any information as to the cause of the raid?

I am informed that the "Examiner" office was broken into at about 1.30 a.m. on the 20th June, and the type and printing machines were maliciously damaged apparently by means of some heavy instrument, such as a sledge hammer. A claim for £6,000 compensation has been made. There is no foundation whatever for the allegation that the outrage was committed by Crown forces.

asked the Chief Secretary whether any compensation was given to the workers thrown out of employment by reason of the raid on the office of the Dundalk "Examiner"?

I am informed that four of the employés of the "Dundalk Examiner" are in receipt of unemployment benefit.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War the total inclusive annual cost of a Territorial infantry battalion, a Territorial infantry brigade headquarters, and a Territorial divisional artillery headquarters, respectively; and if he will circulate a table showing the amounts under convenient sub-heads in each case?

The inclusive annual cost (including non-effective) of a Territorial infantry battalion is £19,000, made up as follows:

The cost on the same lines of a Territorial brigade headquarters and a divisional artillery headquarters is £2,600 each.

asked the Minister of Labour regarding the Appointments Department, how many inquiries and interviews it has held; how many applications for appointments have been received; how many applicants have been placed; how many names are still on the register for employment; how many applicants for training under the Boards of Education and Agriculture have been dealt with; how many different applicants have had their cases considered and dealt with; and how many cases (including men undergoing educa- tional, agricultural, and technical training), trained men, and other approved applicants) it is estimated still require to be placed?

The information asked for is as follows and relates to the period March, 1918, to the end of June, 1921:

asked the Minister of Health whether there is now any prospect of the establishment of homes for those ex-service men who are mentally afflicted, owing to shell shock, and who are now confined in company with certified lunatics?

I am informed that the Board of Control is not aware of any ex-service men in asylums or hospitals for the insane, other than those who have been certified as insane. Amongst them there are cases in which insanity has supervened upon shell-shock. There are several neurological hospitals under the control of the Ministry of Pensions where ex-service patients whose mental symptoms do not amount to confirmed insanity-are being treated.

asked the. Minister of Pensions whether, on 27th May, 1921, a conference was held between the Ministries of Pensions, Health, and Labour on the question of the bonuses to be paid to men undergoing training during their treatment in sanatoria; whether, having regard to his previous statements in respect of the payment of such bonus, he will state whether the conference recommended any difference of procedure with regard to this matter; and how many men who had undergone training arranged by the local insurance committee during a course of treatment had been paid the bonus prior to the date of the conference?

One of several conferences on the matter referred to by my hon. Friend took place on the date in question. The character of the training in individual sanatoria which would satisfy the conditions necessary for the payment of bonus was discussed and agreed, and effect is now being given to the conclusions arrived at. I regret that the information asked for in the last part of the question is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that the arrangement by which unemployment insurance benefit was till recently paid to unemployed and partially employed workpeople in the paper mill at Chart-ham, Kent, without requiring them to visit the employment exchange in Canterbury, six miles distant, has been abandoned on the alleged ground that short time in Chartham has ceased to be regular and has become spasmodic; that the only justification for this pretext is that the employers, in their anxiety to find as much employment as possible, were able, during one or more weeks, to find jobs for a few of the workers, but that the number receiving benefit in the week ending 18th June was almost the same as it had been a fortnight earlier and has, since that date, remained almost constant; and whether, seeing that short time is not more spasmodic than must always be the case in times of slack trade, he will restore the arrangement which relieved the unemployed workers, many of whom are women, from the necessity of making the journey to Canterbury every time benefit is drawn?

I should be prepared to consider the reinstatement of this arrangement if the number of claimants entitled to benefit appeared to justify this course. To have to send clerks to works regularly to deal with cases where only a few claimants were concerned would be more costly in staff than to deal with the claimants at the local office. I understand that only a small number of the employés in question are still entitled to benefit, and on 6th July none of them attended at the Canterbury Exchange, as they should have done if they desired to remain in receipt of benefit.

asked-the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that dependants of soldiers who are deprived of their allowances on the ground of alleged misconduct have at present no right of appeal; and whether he will consider the question of allowing an appeal in such cases to the pension appeal tribunals?

I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to pensions of widows and dependants of deceased soldiers. This matter is at present engaging the attention of my right hon. Friend in connection with the recommendation made to him in paragraph 258 of the Report of the Departmental Committee of Inquiry.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether his attention has been called to the case of Mrs. W. Ayris, widow of Private W. Ayris, No. 41779, Middlesex Regiment, who joined up m 1916, passing A 1, was discharged 14th September, 1917, medically unfit, and who died on 23rd July, 1920; whether he is aware that this man received a pension for himself and his two children till his death; that since his death his wife was granted and received a pension of £2 4s. 2d. per week for her four children aged twelve, eight, and three years, and fifteen months, but that she has just received notice that this pension is being reduced to 6s. 10d. per week on the ground that her husband's death was not due to his military service; will he inquire into this case in view of the hardship involved; and what caused the Ministry of Pensions to change their mind?

I am reconsidering this case personally and will communicate with my hon. and gallant Friend at an early date.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether a warrant officer with over 20 years' service, prevented from completing 21 years by wounds received in action, receives service pension on a lower scale than a warrant officer who was able to complete 21 years by remaining in this country; and whether this anomaly can be adjusted?

I have been asked to reply to this question. As I announced in reply to a question by the hon. and gallant Member for the Fylde Division of Lancashire (Colonel Ashley) on 4th May, 1920, a warrant officer with over 20 years' service who is prevented from completing 21 years by being invalided in consequence of wounds received in action is entitled to receive (in addition to disablement pension at the rate for Class V) an allowance for service with additions for rank at the rates laid down for service pensioners in Army Order 325 of 1919, if more beneficial to him than the Service pension which might have been granted him under the Warrant of 12th October, 1918 (Army Order 330 of 1918).

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many British officers and men are attached to the Greek Army which is based on Smyrna; and whether such officers are permitted to advise in respect of the movements of Greek troops or to supervise the treatment by the Greeks of their Turkish prisoners?

I have been asked to reply. There are two British military officers at present attached to the Greek Army for the purpose of keeping the Government informed of the situation. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Greek operations in the Sea of Marmora and the Gulf of Ismidt are being carried on with the approval or the countenance of the Allies?

His Majesty's Government greatly regret the continuance of hostilities and the failure of their recent effort to arrest them; but the Greek operations in question call for neither approval nor disapproval from them.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether it is competent for an inspector of taxes to demand the production of a balance sheet in addition to the ordinary trading and profit-and-loss account?

I understand the hon. Member to allude to the requirements made by the Board of Inland Revenue in connection with Excess Profits Duty and Corporation Profits Tax. Under the provisions of Part III of the Finance (No. 2) Act, 1915, and Part V of the Finance Act, 1920, the Board are empowered to require traders to furnish returns of profits and such other particulars as they may require. The production of a balance-sheet is normally requisite for the due assessment of these duties.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of money invested by the Government in public companies, stating separately the name of each company and the amount invested in each company?

If the hon. Member will move for the particulars given in House of Commons Paper 180 of 1920 to be brought up to date, a statement in that form will be circulated.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when a further Supplementary Estimate may be expected to meet the railway deficit in connection with the coal stoppage?

Next week.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the Chinese Government has entered into an agreement with the American General Electric Company and the Radio Corporation for the erection of high-power stations in China which will bring Washington into direct communication with Pekin; whether he is aware that by this means the 800 daily newspapers of China will be provided with a cheap and steady flow of world news through American channels; and what comparable British news services will be available in the Far East under the British Government's scheme?

The question of wireless telegraphy in China is at present the subject of diplomatic communications between His Majesty's Government and the Chinese and other Governments concerned. I understand that no such agreement as that referred to by the hon. Member is in existence; but I would point out that the receipt in China of news sent out by wireless stations in other countries depends upon the existence in China of suitable receiving stations and not of high-power stations capable of transmitting to other countries. If such receiving stations exist, they would be able to receive news from stations of the proposed) Imperial Chain— e.g., Hong Kong, Singapore, and possibly India—in the same way as from stations in other countries.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware of the diffi- cult position local fire brigades are placed in when called on to render assistance in other local localities where the local fire brigade is not competent to deal with an outbreak of fire; and whether he will consider the advisability of forming a co-ordinated scheme for the fire brigade service of the country generally, on somewhat similar lines to that adopted for large munition centres during the War?

Experience has shown the need for some further provision for co-operation of fire brigades, but, apart from the emergency powers under the Defence of the Realm Regulations to which the hon. Member refers, the matter is one in which the Home Secretary has no jurisdiction. The whole question of the Fire Brigade organisation of the country is now under the consideration of a Royal Commission appointed in January last.

asked the Home Secretary what books a Church of England prisoner in the third division is supplied with during the first month of his sentence; and whether they are changed at all during the month?

He is supplied with a Bible, a prayer book, with hymns, educational books, and, if necessary school books. Frequent changes in the educational books may be made by the chaplain.

asked the Minister of Health whether the letters addressed to medical men who have certified deaths as due to vaccination, and the visits of medical officers of the Ministry to make personal inquiries into the circumstances, have resulted in an alteration of the death certificate; and, if so, in how many cases has this occurred?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and the second part does not therefore arise.

asked the Minister of Health how many houses have been constructed under the Housing and Town Planning Act of 1919, and how many are under construction; whether work on any of the latter have been or is being stopped; what is his calculation of the additional houses urgently required to meet the shortage; whether any new plans or tenders for houses are being passed; and whether any change in the Government's housing policy of 1919 has taken place or is about to take place?

Up to the 1st July, 45,065 houses had been built under the Housing, Town Planning, &c, Act, 1919, and a further 76,200 houses were in course of construction. In addition 15,058 houses have been completed by private builders under the Housing (Additional Powers) Act, 1919. Work on houses under construction is not being stopped. As regards the remainder of the question, I hope to be in a position to announce the policy of the Government on Thursday next.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, if the £75,000 first debentures of the Kelham Sugar Company have now been placed, and if the issue was taken by the public?

No debentures have been issued, but a first mortgage of £75,000 has been arranged.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he is aware that in February last an inquiry was conducted into a proposal to incorporate the town of Aldershot; that the result of the inquiry was favourable; that in the expectation that the incorporation would come in sufficient time for the elections in November, contemplated contests in the urban district council elections were cancelled; that the authorities interested have now been informed that, owing to pressure of business, the Privy Council and the Law Officers will be unable to complete the necessary formalities in time for the November elections; and whether, in view of the time already elapsed, steps will be taken to expedite the granting of the charter in order that incorporation may come into effect by November?

The grant of a charter under the Municipal Corporations Act is a lengthy process, and the attendant scheme embodying the necessary adjustments has to undergo the scrutiny of a very large number of authorities. I fear that all these steps cannot be completed in time for the November elections. But I will take care that all that is possible will be done.