asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date it is pro- posed to abolish the new Departments and staffs established for purely war purposes?

The Departments referred to will be wound up as soon as-the business entrusted to them is completed. In the nature of things, they will come to an end on different dates according as they are dealing with purely temporary liquidating services or with services, such as those performed by the Ministry of Pensions, which will necessarily continue over more prolonged periods. Each Department is under instructions to review its expenditure with a view to a general reduction of services, and my hon. Friend may rest assured that every effort is being made, and will continue to be made, to secure the maximum possible reduction in personnel.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the approximate number of officers in the Civil Service and the Army and Navy, respectively, whose total emoluments at the present time exceed £2,000 per annum?

I could not give a reply to this question that would not be misleading without anticipating the statement that my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer proposes to make with regard to the Civil Service bonus when the Treasury Vote comes up for discussion. I should therefore be obliged if my hon. and gallant Friend would repeat his question after the statement has been delivered.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the Lords of the Treasury issued a circular to heads of Departments stating that the appropriate grade for the assimilation of women clerks was the lower clerical; if so, whether he will explain the reason for this statement in view of paragraph 67 of the Reorganisation Report, which lays down the executive grade as one of the appropriate grades for women clerks; whether the circular in question carries out the recommendations of the Reorganisation Report as to the appropriate classes for assistant clerks and second division clerks; and, if so, why it is only the women who are de-graded pending reorganisation?

A Treasury circular was issued on the 28th October last authorising the absorption, subject to individual fitness, of second-class and first-class women clerks in the appropriate new class (the Clerical class) and the payment to them of assimilation terms accordingly, without prejudice to eventual appointment to a higher grade or to the revision of Departmental establishments. Pending determination of the number of vacancies in the training grade of the Executive class, it is not possible immediately to transfer members of the classes in question to that grade; the course adopted was in strict accordance with the paragraph cited which recommends appointment to the clerical class of first and second-class women clerks not so transferred. The effect of the circular is to transfer these clerks to a class with a maximum of £180 a year plus bonus as against their previous maxima of £120 and £150 a year respectively, and they cannot be said to have been degraded. The circular in question carries out the recommendations of the Reorganisation Committee's Report as regards assistant clerks, but does not deal with second-division clerks, whose case was dealt with in pursuance of the Committee's recommendation in a later circular.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the persons found guilty of the murder of John O'Connor, of Gloundaegh, Farranfore, County Kerry, by the military court of inquiry have yet been identified; whether the driver of the motor car, containing the three officers who returned from Farranfore on 15th December and shot O'Connor, has been interrogated; and whether he has received letters from the hon. Member for Central Hull (Lieut.-Commander Ken-worthy), giving him the names of the driver of the motor car, of the officer who shot O'Connor, and of another officer present at the time?

I am informed by the Commander-in-Chief that further inquiries are being made in connection with the letters which my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary has received from the hon. and gallant Member, and the Commander-in-Chief is awaiting a report.

asked the Chief Secretary whether, in the smaller Irish prisons, principal warders are still engaged on store and other clerical duties contrary to regulation and to the system which obtains in the English prison service; if so, will he now arrange that officers of the proper class be allotted to perform those duties as in England; whether, in the Irish prisons generally, the permanent staffs are largely reduced in numbers and, in many cases, the permanent discipline officers are less in number than the temporary officers; and, in view of the unsatisfactory condition of those staffs, will he take immediate steps to have a sufficient number of officers appointed to the permanent staffs?

In some of the Irish prisons temporary arrangements are in force whereby officers of principal warder rank are doing duty in the office and stores branch. This temporary arrangement will cease as soon as suitable officers have acquired the necessary knowledge of the duties to warrant the General Prisons Board in appointing them to the new grade of clerk and schoolmaster. Such temporary arrangement is necessary in connection with the staffing of the prisons consequent on the assimilation of the English and Irish services. There are at present 40 permanent vacancies unfilled in the Irish Prisons Service, but these are being filled by promotions from the temporary staff as suitable men become available. In three prisons of obsolete construction it has been found necessary to appoint a temporary staff in excess of the numbers of permanent staff. I cannot undertake to alter the arrangement by which the Board before recommending a permanent appointment must satisfy themselves by experience of an officer's reliability and efficiency.

asked the Chief Secretary whether ex-service men in that country who satisfy the authorities that their lives or property are in danger owing to their having served in His Majesty's forces are now permitted to arm themselves for the purpose of protection?

In the altered circumstances which have come about since this question was put down it is hoped that the necessity for affording special protection to any class of civilians in Ireland will no longer exist.

asked the Minister of Pensions what sum has been granted to the widow of Thomas Birchall, No. 35,234, Royal Defence Corps, as widow's pension; whether the pension, if any, takes into consideration that she has two children aged 6 and 9 years, respectively; and, if not, will he speed up the decision regarding the amount due to her for dependent children?

As there was no connection between the cause of the husband's death and his military service, Mrs. Birchall is only eligible for an award of 6s. l0d. a week under Article 17 of the Warrant. Pension under that Article does not carry additional allowances for children. It is still open to Mrs. Birchall to appeal to the Pensions Appeal Tribunal through her local committee.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether ex-service men who have been totally disabled through service in His Majesty's forces prior to 1914 are receiving the same pension as men totally disabled through services under the Crown since that date; whether the widows of ex-service men who lost their lives through service in the forces previous to the recent War are receiving the same pension as widows whose husbands lost their lives since 1914; and, If not, whether His Majesty's Government will consider the advisability of taking steps to place the older ex-service men and their dependants on the same footing as the younger ex-service men and their dependants?

Men disabled through service in former wars are now entitled to pension at the increased rates applicable to men disabled in the Great War, and the pensions previously in payment to the widows of men who died in former wars have been similarly in- creased. If my hon. Friend is referring to disability or death incurred on military service in peace time, he should address his question to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether his attention has been called to the case of G. H. King, late private, No. 647,383, Labour Corps, of Rose Cottage, Pibsbury, Langport, Somerset; whether he is aware that Mr. King was in perfect health when he joined the Army in 1914 at the age of 36 years; that after vaccination in the Army the operation affected his health to such an extent that his whole system became poisoned, this resulting in a discharge from his arms, head, legs and eyes; that on two occasions his blood was tested for venereal disease with negative results; that Mr. King possesses two certificates from Army officers permitting him to wear slacks instead of puttees because of the eruption resulting from vaccination; that, owing to his inability to carry out his Army duties, he was made an officer's servant; that after his discharge from the Army he underwent a thorough examination by Dr. Vereker, of Curry Rival, who certified that he was suffering from a largely dilated heart and neurasthenia, and that he was unfit for any form of hard work; and that the local pensions representative has stated that only treatment in a neurological institution would benefit Mr. King; and, as Mr. King has sold practically everything on which he could raise money and is in a state of destitution, whether an adequate pension could be allowed to this man, who has a wife and child and has been unable to work since his discharge from the Army in May, 1919?

This man's disability is neurasthenia and the extent of disablement when he was last examined was assessed at 30 per cent. A pension was awarded at that rate but the man has persistently refused to draw it. He was also refused to accept any kind of medical treatment. The Ministry is anxious to do whatever is possible to restore Mr. King's health, but it is impossible to help him so long as he persists in his present attitude. Perhaps my hon. Friend can persuade him to be medically examined with a view to the provision of suitable treatment if it is still considered necessary in his interests.

asked the Minister of Pensions what is the number of pensions originally awarded as attributable to war service which have, during the 12 months ended 30th June this year, been altered to aggravated and the number of pensions assessed as aggravated which have been altered to aggravation passed away?

I regret that I am unable to give the desired figures, but my hon. Friend will, perhaps, be interested to learn that a recent test made for a period of seven weeks showed that less than two per cent. of the cases dealt with are changed on re-boarding from "attributable" to "aggravated."

asked the Minister of Pensions whether the decision of the War Pensions Appeal Tribunal of the 20th April, 1921, is to be considered final in the case of James Jamfrey, who enlisted as a sapper in the 258th Tunnelling Company, and was invalided home on the 13th December, 1918, suffering from the effects of a poisoned tongue, contracted in France, and who is now receiving 30s. a week from the Houghton guardians, County Durham?

This man did not claim to be impaired when he was demobilised in January, 1919, nor did he make any claim to pension until July, 1920. The decision of the Pensions Appeal Tribunal is by Statute final.

asked the Minister of Pensions if the executive council of the Association of Local War Pensions Committees of England, Wales, and Ireland, representing 268 local war pensions committees, have protested in the strongest possible terms against the action of the Ministry of Pensions in proceeding with the War Pensions Bill, now before Parliament, without waiting for the Report of the Departmental Committee to be made public, in time to be considered; if by such action the association have been deprived of the opportunity to meet and make such representations on the Bill as they would have desired; the reasons why the executive of the local war pensions committees were in no way consulted about the matter; and what action he intends taking?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Debate which took place on the Second Reading of the War Pensions Bill on the 8th July, in the course of which the reasons which actuated me in introducing the Bill at the present time were fully explained.

asked the Minister of Health whether the Marylebone Borough Council have submitted a housing scheme for the erection of working-class dwellings on a site given to the borough for that purpose by Lord Portman; and, if so, what decision his Department has come to with regard to the scheme?

I have informed the Council that in the special circumstances of this case, which in fact involves dealing with an unhealthy area, I shall be prepared to approve the scheme and to allow the expenditure to rank for financial assistance if the scheme is completed by 31st July, 1925. But in view of the amount of housing work at present in progress in the Metropolis, I have asked the Council to defer obtaining tenders for the present.

asked the Minister of Health whether builders have in certain instances promoted public utility societies with a view to obtaining profitable building contracts; what safeguards the Ministry have against housing grants being made to public utility societies where the societies are practically in control of the builders; and what safeguards the Ministry have against such societies being charged an unreasonable price for the erection of buildings?

If the hon. Member will give me particulars of the case he has in mind I shall be very glad to look into it.

asked the Minister of Health whether any limit is placed by regulation as the amount of rent which may be charged for houses built under the housing schemes; whether he has estimated that the average loss per house built under the housing schemes is £60 a year; if so, what is the average cost per house on which such estimate is based; and what would be the average cost of such houses reduced so that such loss would be eliminated?

The Regulations provide that local authorities in first fixing rents shall have regard inter alia to prevailing rents for existing similar houses in the locality. The figure of £60 is the estimated annual loss to be met by the Exchequer on a house costing in all £1,100 to £1,150. At the present price of money I estimate that the cost of houses would have to be reduced to about £300 to be self-supporting.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether arrangements have been made to hand the 1914 Star to the next-of-kin to deceased officers and men of the Royal Naval Division who gained this medal in the Gallipoli campaign; and, if so, when the distribution will be completed?

My hon. Friend presumably refers to the 1914–15 Star. Arrangements have been made for the issue of this Star and the other War medals earned by deceased officers and men of the Royal Naval Division to their next-of-kin, but it-is not possible to state when the distribution will be completed.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office the reason of the delay in relinquishing possession of Deptford cattle market, now used as a storage depot by the War Office; whether he is aware of the many public meetings that have been held in the neighbourhood protesting against the delay, and resolutions carried at such gatherings and at meetings of the local authorities, declaring that opportunities now exist to use the market for the landing and slaughter of imported cattle and. sheep, one of the purposes to which the market was put; that the restoration of this trade would provide raw materials for a number of industries, lessen unem- ployment, cheapen food, and save the War Office £10,000 per annum now paid as rent for the use of the market; and, having regard to these facts, will steps be immediately taken to meet the views expressed by traders, residents, and local authorities?

I am aware of the local view of this question, and very much regret the impossibility of meeting it. With the object of satisfying local wishes, the whole case was most carefully investigated, and it was found quite impossible to relinquish the War Office occupation of this market at present, both on account of the expense involved in moving the stores and the impossibility of finding suitable alternative accommodation.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is now able to state the result of inquiries regarding the case of a number of disabled ex-service men employed as second-class writers in-the Royal Army Ordnance Department, Woolwich Arsenal, being placed on industrial work under the short-time-scheme, whilst a great many civilian War entrants, men with much less service in the Arsenal and others with private means, are being retained in the Ordnance Department; whether the chief ordnance officer has been asked to grant an interview to the disabled ex-service men concerned; and whether, in view of the fact that the discharges from the Ordnance Department take effect immediately, he can take any action to suspend the notices pending further inquiries into the matter?

I am informed that a certain number of ex-service writers surplus to requirements in the depot in question were offered industrial work under the short-time scheme as an alternative to discharge and that a few civilian war entrant writers are being retained temporarily because their immediate discharge would interfere with the efficiency of the depot. In the normal course the latter individuals will be discharged in the near future. I understand that the Chief Ordnance Officer has recently interviewed one of the ex-service men concerned and has issued an explanatory memorandum to each individual. I regret that under the circumstances I cannot see my way to suspend the notices.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether, in the retrenchment of clerks in the Scottish Education Department, 50, Harrow Road, W., ex-service men are being dismissed whilst three women are being retained, two of whom are girls with no dependants; and, if this is the case, why is preference not being given to ex-service men?

The Scottish Education Department are dispensing with the services of a certain number of temporary male clerks, as the special work connected with the Leaving Certificate Examination for which they were engaged is nearing completion. The work in question is seasonal and recurs from year to year. During the War it was carried on by a large staff of temporary women clerks, who have all been replaced by ex-service men with the exception of the three referred to in the question. Their employment until the end of the present month has been sanctioned by the Joint Substitution Board of the Treasury and Ministry of Labour. The question of their retention for a further limited period on account of their experience and efficiency is at present under consideration.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether it is the intention of the Government to cease the subsidy to ex-officers who are finishing their course of training for doctors at the various hospitals?

I have been asked to reply to this question. If the hon. and gallant Member refers to the grants made by the Board of Education in respect of courses approved under the scheme for the higher education of ex-service students, the answer is in the negative.

asked the Prime Minister whether it was the intention of the Government, in setting up the Lytton Committee, to do anything prejudicial to the position of established women in the Civil Service compared with that of established men; or whether it was only the Government's intention to pay special regard to the interests of ex-service temporary civil servants as compared with those of women temporary civil servants in regard both to temporary posts on duties approximate to the clerical class and establishment in that class?

The terms of reference of Lord Lytton's Committee are to consider the existing arrangements for the appointment of ex-service men to posts, whether permanent or temporary, in His Majesty's Civil Service, and to advise what modifications, if any, should be made therein. The intention of His Majesty's Government in setting up the Committee is best expressed, I think, by these terms of reference.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, having regard to the impossibility of the appeal in the case of the North British Railway Company against the Ministry being heard until after the summer vacation of the Court of Session, he will now accept the arrangement provisionally made by the Lord Advocate with the company on 16th June, on the suggestion of the Railway and Canal Commission, and make payment of £500,000 to the company, leaving the final amount due to be adjusted after the end of the period of control?

An application at the instance of the North British Railway Company was presented to the Court of Session to expedite the hearing of this appeal, but was not granted by the Court. My hon. and gallant Friend invites me to reconsider my decision to decline to sanction the proposed terms for a purely temporary settlement of the question at issue, which, on the suggestion of the Railway and Canal Commissioners, had been discussed between Counsel for the parties. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport has given the matter full consideration, but regrets he must adhere to his previous decision, inasmuch as any such payment as asked would effect a preferential concession in favour of one individual railway company.

asked the Minister of Transport if an application has been received for a grant of money for road-making and repairing from the Zetland County Council; if such grant is made, will he make it a condition that the Fair Wages Clause shall be observed; and, if no wage agreement exists as between the council, workmen, and the employers, will he insist upon the same rate of wages being paid to the labourers employed by the council as is now being paid on the Lerwick housing scheme?

The Zetland County Council have been requested to submit a statement of their estimated expenditure on the maintenance of Class I and Class II roads, and on these estimates grants from the Road Fund towards the cost of maintenance will be based. The Zetland estimates have not yet reached the Edinburgh Office of the Roads Department. A condition attaching to these grants from the Road Fund is that the Fair Wages Clauses are inserted in any contracts entered into by highway authorities in connection with the normal road and bridge works towards which the grants are made, and the same condition applies to similar works carried out directly by a highway authority. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the Grant Form in which this condition is clearly set out.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the terms of issue of the new Treasury Bonds were arranged after consultations with the leading banking institutions; whether the general view was that a new Government loan of any kind just now would not be welcomed; whether bankers consider the term too long for the money market; and whether any modifications in this issue on the first announcement are contemplated?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative and to the last part in the negative. As might be expected in the very difficult circumstances of to-day, the views expressed by the various persons called into consultation were very divergent. It was not, however, disputed that something must be done, and there was general agreement that whatever the Chancellor of the Exchequer might decide to do would be severely criticised.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that the length of time taken to meet claims for the repayment of Income Tax is causing great hardship to large numbers of people, particularly old people, retired and living on the interest from their savings; and will he take steps to ensure that claims for the repayment of Income Tax will in future be more quickly dealt with?

I would refer the Noble Lord to my reply on the 13th June to the hon. Member for Kensington South (Sir W. Davison). I am sending the Noble Lord a copy of that reply.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that, arising out of the abolition of the graduation of the Income Tax and the substitution therefor of personal allowances to all Income Tax payers, a system has now been adopted by many companies by which the directors and other employés receive out of the companies' funds cash bonuses equivalent in value to the Income Tax allowances which they would have received had they paid their own Income and Super-taxes, which sharing out is again allowed as working expenses in computing liability to Income Tax; whether, in view of the fact that personal allowances and half rates are not allowed to companies in computing Income Tax, a considerable sum of Income Tax under Schedule D and a considerable sum of Corporation Profits Tax is lost by reason of these practices; whether under such arrangements every increase of Income and Super-taxes brings a substantial increase in emoluments, rising in value according to private means, and not according to the nature of the work performed; whether this system has continued during the whole period of the War, thereby not only entirely relieving all such directors and employés of their personal share of War taxation upon their earnings for that period, but by a continuation of that practice as taxation increases these grants have become more and more valuable, sometimes doubling the value of the nominal salaries paid, and this at a time when all other classes are suffering reduction of wages; whether he is aware that this system of employers relieving their employés of Income Tax is causing great confusion in the Inland Revenue Department, and thereby adding considerably to the cost of administration, so that the country is not only losing revenue but is being put to additional expense by this system; and whether the Government intends to take any steps to stop the practice?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on this subject on the 4th July, in which it was explained that payments made by employers on behalf of their employés on account of the tax with which the latter are chargeable in respect of their salaries, fees, etc., are additional emoluments and are so treated for tax purposes. I am aware that in some instances employers, in addition to paying the net tax assessed on their employés, pay to the employé's sums equal to the amounts by which that tax has been reduced by reason of the Income Tax allowances and deductions. In such cases the amounts so paid to the employés are also additional emoluments. I do not agree that the practice necessarily involves any net loss of revenue. On the general subject I would refer the hon. Member to paragraphs 174 and 176 of the Report of the Royal Commission on the Income Tax (Cmd. 615).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that, where companies relieve their directors and other employés of their obligations to pay their share of personal direct taxation in the shape of Income and Super-tax, and the Inland Revenue officials treat such relief as an addition to the remuneration of such employés, the companies again relieve their directors and other employés of the Income and Super-taxes which are levied upon the said tax, bonuses, and so on; that such additional payments are again allowed as working expenses in computing the liability of those companies, not only under Schedule D for the Income tax, but also for the purpose of computing Corporation Profits Tax; and whether the Government intends to take any steps to stop this practice?

I am dealing with this matter in a reply which I am making to-day to another question placed on the Paper by the hon. Member.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in cases where investments in Government securities have been regarded for purposes of Excess Profits Duty as part of the capital employed in the taxpayer's business, and where such investments have not been sold at the date of the final accounting period, it is proposed that the taxpayer shall be entitled to value the investments at the price they would have realised if sold on the last date of the final accounting period, and to charge the depreciation against the profits of that accounting period?

Where a holding of Government securities has been treated for purposes of Excess Profits Duty as part of the capital employed in the taxpayer's business, a deduction is allowable in the computation of profits for that duty in respect of any depreciation in the value of such securities. Assuming that the securities are regarded as capital throughout the accounting periods during which they were held by the taxpayer and that they were not sold before the 31st December, 1920, the depreciation would, subject to Clause 27 of the Finance Bill becoming law, normally be measured by the difference between the cost price and the value at the 31st December, 1920. The amount of the depreciation would be allowed as a charge against the profits of the final accounting period, except in so far as any part of it may have been allowed in an earlier period.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what quantity of waxed and russett kip butts the Government hold to-day; whether a quantity of this leather has recently been disposed of by the Government for export; if so, what quantity and at what price, and to what market; and whether, before this leather was sold for. export, it was offered to manufacturers in this country and at what price?

There are no waxed or russett kip butts in the possession of the Government to-day. The answer to the second part of the question is in the affirmative. The quantity involved in the recent sales was, approximately, 815,000 lbs., but it is inadvisable in the public interest to state the prices at which sales were effected. The sales were made for export, but the ultimate destination of the goods is not known to the Department. These goods had been, for over a year, on offer to the home industry at list prices for any quantity, however small, with an intimation to enquirers that the Department were prepared to negotiate special prices for large quantities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what quantity of East India tanned kips the Government hold to-day; if any of this leather has been offered for export and, if so, at what price; and whether this leather has been offered to manufacturers in this country, and at what price?

The quantity of East India tanned kips held by the Government at the present time is approximately 28,800 bales. With the exceptions (a) of a small quantity of 289 bales stored in Cologne, the storage of which gave the Government some anxiety, and ( b ) of limited quantities which have from month to month been sold through the public sales at market prices (about 6,000 bales this year), the kips have been offered either for home consumption or for export at the prices set out on the; published schedules. No special offers for export have been made.

asked the Postmaster-General whether on 29th June a telegram was despatched from the Albert Square Post Office, Manchester, at 9.59 a.m. to an office in Queen Street, Albert Square, Manchester, about 400 yards distant from the post office, and was not delivered until 11.8 a.m.; and whether he can account for the delay in delivery?

The telegram to which the hon. Member refers was handed in at the time stated at an office at which telegrams are accepted for despatch, but from which they are not sent out for delivery. Normally, the telegram would have been sent to the Manchester Head Office by pneumatic tube for delivery from that office, but owing to the necessity for conserving power in consequence of the coal strike, the tube was shut down, and the telegram was delayed through having to be conveyed to the head office by hand. The sender omitted to furnish the street number in the address, and this led to further delay in effecting delivery.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if employés of the Ministry are allowed to act as advocates or agents of employers; whether his attention has been called to the persistent attacks by the manager of the Beaumont Estate, Colchester, upon the Wages Boards, and his repeated incitement to farmers to refuse to pay the legal harvest wage and to cut down wages; and whether this person receives a salary of £600 per annum through the Ministry of Agriculture?

The official referred to is employed by the Essex County Council. The hon. Member's question has been communicated to the Clerk of the County Council, who states that he has no knowledge of the matters referred to in the question. It will, therefore, be necessary for further inquiries to be made, and I will communicate the result to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what progress has been made in providing cold storage in fruit-growing districts for perishable fruit?

So far as I am aware no arrangements are in contemplation at present for the provision of cold storage in fruit-growing districts for perishable fruit. Investigations are in progress as to the application of cold storage and other preservative processes to perishable fruit, but I am not in a position to say whether these experiments are likely to lead to developments of such methods on a commercial scale.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether regular Yugo-Slav forces have invaded Albania; and what information he has?

The Serb-Croat-Slovene Government have assured us that there has been no movement of troops whatsoever.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that Mrs. Stan Harding, a British subject and a journalist of high standing, was, in June of last year, thrown into prison by the Soviet Government in Moscow whither she had proceeded relying on the safe conduct of that Government; whether she was condemned to death on a baseless charge of being a British spy; whether she was kept for months in solitary confinement under foul conditions in order to induce her to enter the espionage service of the Soviet Government; whether the British Government have made any application for redress for these injuries to the Soviet Government; and, if so, with what result?

A report on Mrs. Harding's experiences has been received by His Majesty s Government through Lord Emmott's Committee, and the facts appear to be generally as stated, though it is not clear that the lady was condemned to death. The answer to the fourth part of the question is in the negative, Mrs. Harding having proceeded to Russia on her own responsibility with a safe conduct from the Bolsheviks at a time when it was known that His Majesty's Government refused to give passport facilities for Russia.

asked the President of the Board of Education what persons con- stitute the Board of Education, how often the full Board meets, the number of persons present at its last meeting, and the date of such meeting?

The Board consists of a. President, the Lord President of the Council (unless he be appointed President of the Board), His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, the First Commissioner of His Majesty's Treasury, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. I have no record of any meeting of the Board.

asked the Minister of Labour whether Section 8 (2) of the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1920, in referring to an insured person who voluntarily leaves his employment without just cause as being liable to suffer a six weeks' disqualification is held to apply to a person who has suffered a 14s. reduction in his wages during the past five months, and who objects to working for considerably less than the standard rates of pay?

The question whether a reduction of wages would constitute just cause for leaving employment would depend upon the particular circumstances of the individual case, and would be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Act as set forth in Section 11 by the insurance officer, subject to appeal to the courts of referees and to the umpire.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the fact that the Government now has in its possession the findings of the conference appointed to produce an agreed policy with regard to licensing reform, he can now state how long it will be necessary for the public to submit to the present restrictions, more especially in view of the delay in the presentation of the promised Government Bill?

I can add nothing to the statements already made to the effect that it is hoped to secure a settlement of this matter by a Bill to be introduced at an early date.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether it is true, as stated in the Press, that great distress at present exists in the Malay Straits Settlements owing to unemployment; what are the causes; and whether any action is being taken to remedy this state of affairs?

The depression in rubber and tin has undoubtedly caused unemployment in Malaya, the course of which as elsewhere must depend mainly on general trade conditions. The Governor and High Commissioner states that there is no foundation whatever for the reports which have recently appeared of great distress among Europeans. As regards non-European labour every effort has been and is being made to relieve displaced labour which cannot be absorbed elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies who is the custodian of enemy property concerned for the Tanganyika territory about to be sold; will he take any part in the sale, and did he ever express any opinion as to-the value of the property; and, if so, what is that value?

The name of the custodian of enemy property in the Tanganyika territory is Mr. Ernest Adams. The sales, which begun in May last, are conducted by him in accordance with the provisions of the Enemy Property (Disposal) Proclamation No. 3 of 1920. It is not a part of the custodian's duties to estimate the value of the properties, and I am unaware-that he has ever done so.