asked the Secretary of State for War how many regular, temporary, and Indian Army officers respectively are holding staff appointments in the United Kingdom; how many of these officers are employed on instructional duties and how many on administration; and what are the corresponding figures for 30th June, 1914?

The number of officers holding staff appointments in the United Kingdom on 30th June, 1921, was 875, and the number on 30th June, 1914, was 635. I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement giving in detail the information asked for by my hon. and gallant Friend.

The following is the statement promised:

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the number of inspectors of Army horses boarded out under the War Office scheme with farmers; what is the size of the district allotted to each inspector; what is the pay for these appointments; and what is the number of horses under the scheme?

The number of district remount officers, one of whose duties it is to inspect the horses boarded out under the War Office scheme, is 78. The districts allotted to these officers are shown on pages 312 and 313 of the current Army List; the districts vary in size. The appointment is held by re- tired officers and is a whole time post; the pay is £200 a year, plus cost of living bonus, in addition to any retired pay to which the officer may be entitled. No increase of pay has been granted to them for the work connected with the boarding-out scheme, which has been added to their pre-War duties. The number of horses at present boarded out under the scheme is 12,804.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of pre-War pensioners and men in the ranks who were commissioned during the South African War; the number of temporary and regular commissions given, respectively, to pre-War pensioners and men in the ranks during the great War; the proportion of officers who had formerly served in the ranks to the total number of officers who served during the great War; the number of pre-War pensioners and other officers commissioned from the ranks who rose during the great War to a rank higher than that of captain; and the number of officers commissioned from the ranks who are still serving?

The whole of this information is not available, and it would involve enormous research to prepare, not only in the War Office but also in Army Record Offices, and at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea. In view of the reductions in staff and the need for economy, I regret that I cannot undertake to obtain the information. As regards the first part of the question however I would refer the hon. Member to the return showing the number of commissions granted from the ranks during the years 1885 to 1913, which was published in 1914 (House of Commons Paper 224). Taking the South African War as covering the years 1899 to 1902 it will be seen from the return that, excluding district officers of the Royal Artillery, and officers of the coast battalion, Royal Engineers, 86 commissions were granted from the ranks. As regards the second part, it is not possible to give the number of temporary commissions from the ranks, but 6,720 permanent combatant commissions were granted to non-commissioned officers and men during the recent War; this number possibly includes certain pre-War pensioners who were re-enlisted on normal attestations, but the number would be very small. As regards the last part, 4,058 officers, who had been granted permanent commissions from the ranks during the War, were still serving in June, 1920, but it is impossible to bring these figures up to date without much labour.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that an officer of the Defence Corps was gazetted on the 9th April, 1921, to the 18th London Defence Regiment as a captain, but, owing to the establishment of defence battalions only allowing for eight captains, Ids gazette was subsequently altered to lieutenant; that this officer was given command of a company on the 17th May, 1921, which command he retained until he was demobilised on the 13th July, 1921; and that during the two months in question this officer held the same rank and drew the same pay as the subaltern officers under his command; and whether he has considered the position of those officers who were compelled to take the place and assume the responsibilities and duties of their seniors when the latter were sent on indefinite leave?

I have been in communication with the hon. and gallant Member regarding this case. I am having the matter further considered and will inform him of the result as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can make any general statement as to the Tank Corps and the reason for the increase in personnel?

Notwithstanding the importance attained by mechanical methods of warfare in 1918, the process of demobilisation reduced the Tank Corps to a very small nucleus. It has, therefore, been necessary gradually to reconstitute this corps in which a very high standard of mechanical as well as tactical knowledge is necessary. Further, since 1918, experience has clearly demonstrated the value of armoured cars, and still more that of a suitable light tank, not only as a weapon but as a means of economising man power both in peace and war. Consequently, those armoured car units which existed in 1920 and which were manned by personnel drawn from various arms, have been reorganised as standard Tank Corps units. In addition to the armoured car units existing in 1920, further units have been formed and sent to India and Mesopotamia, and units are to be formed in the near future at the request of the Government of India for service in that country. Apart from administrative and instructional establishments there are at present:

2 Service Tank Battalions serving at home.

2 Cadre Tank Battalions which it is proposed to expand in 1922–23.

12 Armoured Car Companies, 10 serving abroad and 2 at home.

Much progress has been made recently with tank design and it is hoped to evolve before very long a light tank which will be a much more efficient machine than the present armoured car.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether it is proposed, in view of the reduction of the Territorial Forces, to maintain a total permanent staff almost equal to that for the year 1920–21?

It is hoped to make a proportionate reduction in the unit permanent staff consequent on the reduction of the 21 surplus battalions of the Territorial Army. As regards the staffs of brigades and divisions, I would refer the hon. Member to the oral reply to-day to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Hulme (Lieut.-Colonel Nail).

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the number of personnel voted in connection with military prisons and detention barracks; whether there is any increase for the present year; and, if so, why?

I would refer the hon. Member to page 96 of the Army Estimates for 1921–22 and to the footnote on page 97. There is a net increase of one officer and four other ranks over the establishment for 1920–21. This is due to the necessity for maintaining a military prison and detention barrack in Mesopotamia, Constantinople, and Palestine, the staffs for which have been almost entirely met by reductions at other stations.

asked the Secretary of State for War why, in view of the fact that the total of British troops voted has been decreased by 30,000 in the present financial year, there is an increase in the number of the Royal Army Pay Corps?

I would refer the hon. Member to page 4 of the Army Estimates for 1921–22, from which he will see that the establishment of the Royal Army Pay Corps for 1920–21 was 332 officers, and 1,364 other ranks, a total of 1,696; for 1921–22 the establishment is 277 officers, and 1,107 other ranks, a total of 1,384. There is thus a decrease in the current year of 312. In the Army Estimates for 1920–21, the officers were shown under Staff and Departments as officers of the Royal Army Pay Department.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the reason for the increase in the charges for educational establishments and working expenses of hospitals and depots in the Estimates for the present year?

I understand the question to refer to the total of Head III of the Estimates, entitled "Cost of Educational, etc. Establishments and Working Expenses of Hospitals, Depots, etc." which shows the full cost of the various Army institutions and establishments for which working expense accounts have recently been instituted under the new system of Army accounting. The increases as compared with 1920–21 are mainly due to two causes; firstly, as in the case of depots, to the expansion of this sub-head to include classes of depots not previously costed; and secondly, as in the case of the schools and technical establishments, to fuller information, disclosed by the new accounts, as to the actual cost of these institutions, including such items as stores consumed and rental value of the properties. Notes will be found on the explanation pages of the Estimates opposite each individual institution, and in any particular case I shall be happy to supplement the information there given as far as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for War why the cost of half-pay, retired pay, pensions, and civil superannuation has risen in the Estimates for the current year by £1,488,000?

The hon. and gallant Member is making a comparison with the original Estimate for 1920–21 and is omitting the further £1,705,000, provided in the Supplementary Estimate of December, 1920. Taking the two together the provision in the current Estimates shows a decrease of £216,300. Full explanation is given on page 130 of Army Estimates for 1921–22.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the nature of the commissions abroad involving the maintenance of 272 officers and 442 other ranks?

I would refer the hon. Member to the note contained on page 17 of the Army Estimates for 1921–22 under the heading "Commissions Abroad."

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he expects an early reduction in the number of British troops in the Rhine plebiscitory areas?

The only plebiscitory area in which there are British troops is Silesia, and, in view of present conditions, it is not desirable to make any forecast as to their reduction.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether his Council is attempting to build up a separate medical service from the Army and Navy; if so, how many medical officers are there; whether casualties or invalids are sent both to naval and mili- tary hospitals, or exclusively to military hospitals; and whether any hospitals have been, or are, being built for the Air Force?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, and to the second part, 124. This figure excludes medical officers employed at the Air Ministry. With regard to the remaining parts, casualties and invalids are sent, where possible, to the nearest naval, military, or civil hospital. No hospitals have been, or are being built for the Royal Air Force, but Royal Air Force hospitals have been established in buildings at Halton and Cranwell which were formerly occupied by other units. In addition, a temporary hospital for officers exists at Avenue House, Finchley. The latter is a private house, hired for the purpose, and has not been altered.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many steam yachts are kept in commission and in commission in reserve, including the Royal yachts, the Admiralty yachts, and the admirals' yachts or despatch vessels, on the various stations; and what is the total annual cost?

The vessels referred to are as follow:—

"Alexandra"—Royal yacht. Full commission.

"Victoria and Albert"—Royal yacht. Full commission.

"Enchantress"—Admiralty yacht. Full commission.

"Alacrity"—China station. Full commission.

"Surprise"—Mediterranean. Full commission.

With regard to the "Enchantress," I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Sir W. Joynson-Hicks) on 25th July. With regard to the Royal yachts, the annual cost, apart from dockyard repairs, is mainly for fuel and other stores consumed on cruises, and is very variable. The average of the two financial years completed since the Armistice, is as follows:—

With the exception of five officers and 43 men retained on mobilisation, the complements of the Royal yachts are used for manning fighting ships on the outbreak of war, and would equally be required if the yachts were not in existence. The estimated cost for the current financial year of the "Alacrity" and "Surprise" is £56,425 and £44,200 respectively. These figures include all charges incurred in connection with the personnel of these yachts, which are not normally laid up on the outbreak of war, and become available as despatch vessels.

asked the Minister of Health how many regional medical officers have been appointed by the Ministry of Health; what are the functions of such officers; and whether their appointment will in any way prevent local authorities having direct access to the Ministry?

Thirty-three regional medical officers have been appointed by the Ministry, of whom one has died, and the vacancy is not being filled. These officers act as medical referees on questions of incapacity of insured persons for work referred to them by the approved societies or raised direct by insured persons. In addition they act as consultants to insurance practitioners, and generally assist in maintaining the efficiency of the insurance medical service. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many officials have been transferred to his Department from the Ministry of Food; what proportion of these are permanent officials who were lent to that Ministry; whether any of them have received a change of status from temporary to permanent service; and what is the extra cost for salaries which is thereby thrown upon his Department?

The number of officials transferred on 1st April from the Ministry of Food to the Board of Trade was 1,606. This number is being progressively reduced, and on 1st August stood at 1,183, including emergency services staff. The answer to the second part of the question is 16, and to the third is one, this being a clerk who was successful at the recent competitive examination for clerical officers. The additional monthly salary cost to the Board of Trade was at 1st April approximately £32,000, and is to-day £22,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is yet possible to have candidates from the North for positions from the temporary to the permanent Civil Service examined in Leeds or Manchester, and so lessen the expense to such candidates?

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that, in the examination that is to be held for typists' posts in the pensionable Civil Service open to temporary typists and ordinary students, London is the only centre advertised for England; whether a large number of girls living in the neighbourhood of Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, and the North generally are most anxious to sit for this examination; and whether, in view of the fact that a large number will be debarred from sitting owing to the heavy expenses involved in proceeding to London in addition to the fees, he will consider the possibility of making Manchester a centre for this examination?

Leeds and Manchester were included among the centres for the limited competition for the Clerical Class; but for the typist competition it is neither desirable nor economical to hold competitions elsewhere than in London, Edinburgh and Dublin, to which places the great majority of successful candidates will be assigned.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if the Government have accepted the recommendations of the third Report of Lord Lytton's Committee; and, if so, when the further examinations suggested in that Report will take place?

It is hoped that it will be possible to hold the further examinations for the Clerical Class recommended in the Committee's Report, towards the end of the present year.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can make a general statement explaining the increase in the War Office staff as compared with the staff in 1914?

I would refer the hon. Member to the oral reply given to-day by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on the subject of reductions of staff and expenditure generally.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Government officials whose claims against the Turkish Government are based on identical legal grounds as those of non-officials have received from the British Government advances up to 50 per cent, of the amounts of their claims; can he assign any reason for such preferential treatment of officials; and why were not similar advances made to business men in furtherance of British trade with the Near East?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to my reply to a similar question addressed to me on the 25th July by the hon. Member for Islington East (Mr. Raper), and with regard to the last part of the question, to the answer which I gave him on this subject yesterday.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government has advanced to the Turkish Government the sum of £48,000 to defray the cost of repatriating Turkish soldiers, prisoners of war, from Vladivostock by Japanese steamer; and why was not this sum, if available out of the funds of His Majesty's Treasury, devoted to helping British merchants whose claims have not yet been satisfied by the Turkish Government?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply which I gave on July 25th to an identical question put by the hon. Member for East Islington (Mr. Raper).

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Allies have returned the sum of £1,400,000 in gold to the Turkish Government; and was this a fund available out of which to meet advances on the said reparation claims?

I have nothing to add to the reply given by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for Islington East (Mr. Raper) on the 27th July, in answer to a similar question addressed by him to the President of the Board of Trade.

asked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been called to the case of Arthur Allen, labourer, employed under the Sneyd Colliery Company, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, and engaged on premises away from the colliery known as the Bycar's, isolating fire which had broken out on a waste heap; is he aware that when notice was given to the miners in March last the whole of the workmen engaged in digging out the fire also received notice; that Allen's father was one of his fellow-workmen; that when Allen called for unemployment benefit he was sent from place to place, and eventually was told there was none for him, although his father and others working on the same work received the benefit from the commencement; that Allen was a member of the North Stafford Miners' Federation, whilst his father was not a member; and that Allen appealed against the decision of the exchange office, but up to the present has not heard of any result; and whether he will inquire into the matter with a view to Allen being paid unemployment benefit at an early date?

I am making inquiries, and will let my hon. Friend know the result.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the numbers of men, women, girls, and boys registered in the London labour exchanges on the 20th July; what plan, if any, he has for dealing with unemployment in the coming winter; and whether he has in view any special scheme for dealing with unemployment pending normal conditions obtaining in industry and the insurance scheme becoming solvent?

I give below the figures asked for by my hon. Friend:

My hon. Friend will be glad to know that, as compared with 30th June, there has been a decrease of 12,735 in the London County Council area, and of 19,681 in the Greater London area. I would point out that under the Unemployment Insurance Acts provision is made for the payment of 22 weeks' benefit in the period from March-November, 1921, and for another 16 weeks, which may he increased to 22 weeks, in the period from November, 1921, to July, 1922.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the fact that under Clause 57 of the new Constitution of Malta (page 110, Cmd. 1321), which gives priority to the teaching of English in the schools, the Government is aware that when a similar freedom of choice was granted under Sir Gerald Strickland's Administration more than 90 per cent, gave priority to English over Italian; whether, now that freedom is established as a reserved matter under the Constitution, students who give priority to English will be able to pass from one class to another or into the university, notwithstanding any conse- quent inability to pass examinations in Italian; and whether the children of the working class, many of whom have not had time to learn Italian, will be able to become engineers and doctors without passing examinations in Italian?

It is not the case that priority is given to English in schools. Under Clause 57 (2) it is laid down that English and Italian are recognised as equal languages of culture and that priority in choice rests with the parents of school children and with the students at the university. It will, of course, be open to the Governor, under Clause 67 of the Letters Patent, to make further provision by way of definition in the Sections dealing with the language question if necessity arose, or if such further provision were in accord with the general wishes of the Maltese population. It is the fact that a large preference was shown for English in the past.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, under the new Constitution of Malta, the emoluments reserved in favour of the Lieutenant-Governor or the Chief Justice are greater than those previously provided, notwithstanding that the work has been diminished; if so, what is the amount and the reason for the increase; whether weight will be given to the foregoing circumstances in deciding whether the Imperial grant to Malta should be increased; whether the Imperial grant already paid was made to give a fair start to the new Constitution; and, if so, how much of the grant has been diverted to the bread subsidy or to pay oft other deficits?

If the Noble Lord will refer to paragraph 23 of the Secretary of State's despatch to the Governor of Malta of the 9th of April, which is to be found on page 95 of Cmd. 1321, he will find that the increase in the salary of the Lieutenant-Governor is from £1,600 to £2,000, and is due to the great increase in the cost of living since the emoluments were fixed. A salary of £1,400 has been suggested for the Chief Justice in place of £1,000 for the same reason, and because it was felt that a salary of £1,000 a year was not adequate for an officer of the dignity and importance of the Chief Justice; but reference to the same paragraph will show that it was intended to leave the salaries of the judges to be determined by the Governor, on the advice of his Ministers, though some alteration may be made by way of fixing the Chief Justice's salary. I am not prepared to endorse the suggestion that the work of either officer will be diminished. The Imperial grant to Malta was a lump sum, and was paid over to Malta, and has been used along with the general revenue of the island. It has been mainly spent on meeting the special difficulties of the years 1919–20–21, including the bread subsidy. I am not aware of any proposal that it should be continued or increased.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether His Majesty's Government will cause a definition to be adopted of the priority of choice of language in Malta under Clause 57 (2) of the new Letters Patent without undue regard to the interests of those who wish to force Italian on a majority unwilling to learn it and thus restrict the decision of jury cases to a particular class?

The hon. Member's attention is invited to Section 57 (3) of the Letters Patent which appears to be sufficient to prevent the consequence which he fears. The Governor will no doubt consider whether any Amendment of Section 57 (2) is necessary or desirable and make representations accordingly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether no one in Malta is allowed to serve on a jury unless he is able to read and write Italian; whether the number of such is less than 10 per cent, of the population; whether, seeing that the number of Maltese who speak English is many times greater, it is unjust that Maltese should be tried for their lives and liberty in a language they do not understand; and whether the Regulations governing service on juries may be modified in this respect?

While it has been the case hitherto that the language of legal proceedings has been Italian and that the jurymen were consequently required to know Italian, yet if any person not born in Malta applied for trial in English the court must order that the proceedings should take place in English, and a special jury, acquainted with English, was summoned. If my hon. Friend will examine the provisions of Section 57 (3) of the new Letters Patent for Malta he will observe that any person, whether a Maltese or not, may henceforth demand that proceedings shall be conducted in English on the ground that he is not sufficiently acquainted with Italian, in which case a jury possessing knowledge of English would be empanelled.

asked the Minister of Transport if his attention has been drawn to the very large increases in the railway rates for the carriage of fish, for example, in the carriage of two quarters weight of fish from Hull to Aberdare, a rise from 2s. 9d. to 4s. 10d.; from Hull to Aberydon, from 2s. 7d. to 4s. 6d.; from Hull to Accrington, from 1s. 9d. to 3s. 10d.; from Hull to Amesbury, from 2s. to 5s. 10d.; and from Hull to Ashwater, from 2s. to 5s. 10d.; from Hull to Hurstlowne, from 2s. to 5s. 8d.; and if he will consider a reduction in these charges, on account of the fact that it is now almost impossible to run fishing trawlers at a profit while freights remain at their present level?

The increases in the railway charges for conveyance of fish are in accordance with the recommendation of the Rates Advisory Committee made after very careful consideration of the facts placed before them at a public meeting. The attention of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport has not previously been drawn to the specific instances named by the hon. and gallant Member. I am enquiring into them and will inform him of the result.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has any official knowledge of the reported intention of the railway companies to reduce fares; and, if so, the percentage of reduction contemplated and the likelihood of the Underground railways of London being associated with the companies taking this step.

The railway companies have already introduced many cheap travelling facilities and have announced their intention of re-introducing others at an early date, but my right hon. Friend the Minis- ter of Transport has not been informed what views they may entertain in regard to ordinary fares which, I presume, the hon. Member has in mind.

asked the Home Secretary if his attention has been called to a recent case tried by Judge Atherley Jones at the Old Bailey, where a man found guilty of a criminal assault upon a girl of tender years was sentenced to 18 months' hard labour; whether the judge has reported his expressed opinion that the law operated inequitably as between crimes against male and female; whether 10 years is the maximum for a similar crime against a male; and will he consider the revision of this legal inequality?

I understand that in a recent case the learned judge commented upon the difference between the maximum penalties which may be imposed under Section 52 and 62 of the Offences against the Person Act, 1861. I have received no communication from the learned judge upon the subject. Ten years' penal servitude is the maximum penalty for indecent assault upon a male person. I do not see my way to introduce legislation amending the Act of 1861.

asked the Home Secretary what procedure is adopted when the inmate of a prison becomes insane; is any medical certificate required besides that of the prison doctor; is the requisite judicial authority represented by one of the visiting magistrates signing a reception order; and at what date after reception into a county asylum do the ordinary provisions of the Lunacy Act become applicable to him?

When a prisoner in prison becomes insane he can be so certified under the Criminal Lunatics Act, 1884, by two members of the prison visiting committee (who, of course, are Justices), and two legally qualified medical practitioners. If the prisoner is then removed to an asylum, he continues to be subject to the Act until the ex- piration of his sentence. If at the expiration of his sentence he is still insane, provision has to be made for him under the ordinary lunacy law. This reply refers to persons certified insane while in prison, not to persons found insane by verdict of a jury on evidence.

asked the Secretary to the Board of Trade whether there has recently been a rise in the price of butter; if so, to what extent; is he aware that very large consignments of butter from the Dominions have been imported and are now in cold storage; why was not that butter released so as to prevent the rise in prices; to what point will it be necessary for prices to the consumer to rise before this imported butter can be sold without loss to the Government; and will he consider the desirability of discontinuing State trading?

The market price of the various qualities of butter has risen during the last month by about 6d. on the average. The Government stocks of butter, imported from the Dominions and placed in cold store, have never been withheld from consumption, traders being free to purchase without any restriction as to quantity. It would be undesirable while liquidation is in progress to disclose the average price at which Government butter could be sold without loss. The Government has purchased no butter since the termination of contracts with the Dominions on 31st March last, and has been engaged only in liquidating its stocks, selling prices being fixed weekly in accordance with market conditions.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether the price of coal has been advanced to the consumer since the reduction in miners' wages; whether in any other recent cases the price of the commodity to the public has been raised after a reduction of pay to the labour handling it or producing it; and whether, as the representative of the public, he will carefully watch to avert, if possible, this new economic tendency?

I have been asked to reply. I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to questions on this subject by the hon. Members for Finchley (Colonel Newman) and Southwark (Mr. Gilbert) on the 25th July.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the average time taken in carrying His Majesty's mails from London to Peking; what portion of the journey are the mails conveyed overland; if at present any use is made of the railway through Moscow, Vladivostock, Mukden, Shanhaikwan, and Tientsin; if not, the reason; and what are the prospects, if any, of resuming the pre-War mail service between this country and the Far East?

The average time taken from London by the mails for Peking is about 40 days. The mails for Peking are sent across Canada to Vancouver when there is a sailing of a fast Empress steamer from that port across the Pacific. On other occasions they are despatched overland to Marseilles for conveyance with the Indian mail by the Suez route. The Siberian route is not yet being used for the transmission of mails to China; and there appears to be no immediate prospect that this route will offer the necessary conditions of speed and security which would justify its use for mails. Whether sent viâ Vancouver or viâ Suez, the mails for Peking are landed at Shanghai, and are then forwarded by rail to their destination.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has received reports lately regarding the development of the Nieuport estate, near Kington, Herefordshire, as a small holdings scheme; whether he is aware of the general opinion held by practical men in the locality that these proposed small holdings will afford no means of livelihood to their contemplated occupiers; and whether he will instruct the authorities concerned to take the whole matter into immediate and special consideration, giving full regard to the alarming situation brought about in the district by high rates at the present time, and the prospect of soaring rates in the future?

The periodical reports which have been received with regard to the development of the Herefordshire County Council for small holdings of the Nieuport Estate have not indicated that the pessimistic views expressed in my hon. and gallant Friend's question are correct. I will, however, instruct the Ministry's District Commissioner to confer with the county council and furnish a special report on the matters referred to.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the Hertfordshire County Council propose to provide milk for tuberculous persons and that the provision made will allow for a supply of milk to 47 persons, in addition to the supply provided by the insurance committee for 153 insured persons; whether the limitation of the supply to persons with tubercle bacilli in the sputum excludes many persons, especially children, for whom milk is necessary; and whether, in view of the inadequacy of one pint of milk per day for the purpose, he will consider, in the interests of public health, withdrawing the Regulation which limits the expenditure of local authorities, if they are to receive Government aid, to £2 per 1,000 inhabitants?

I understand that the scheme of the County Council provides for the supply of milk to about 200 tuberculous persons at any one time, and that this is the maximum provision which can be made within the limits of an expenditure of £2 per annum per 1,000 inhabitants of the county. The limitation of the supply to persons with tubercle bacilli in the sputum does not apply to cases of non-pulmonary tuberculosis, the majority of which are children. The Exchequer grant allows, on the average, an expenditure of double that hitherto incurred by the insurance committees. I can hold out no hope of an increase in the amount of the grant.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware of the grave dissatisfaction that is felt at the arrangement which at present exists of deducting from the amounts payable for old age pensions any sums derived by the recipients from other amenities, etc., to which they have subscribed; and whether he will consider some other arrangement less detrimental to thrift?

I have been asked to reply. His Majesty's Government are not prepared to reopen the settlement of this question embodied in the Old Age Pensions Act passed in December, 1919.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what is the decrease per month in the sale of savings certificates since the Armistice; and whether any corresponding reduction in head quarter's staff and advertising has been effected?

The sale of certificates during the last three months of 1918 were, in round figures:

The corresponding figures for the first six months of 1919, 1920 and the present year were respectively as follow:

During the last three months of 1918 an intensive selling campaign was in progress, "Guns Week" and "Thanksgiving Week" being held, whilst the sales during April-June of the present year have, of course, been adversely affected by the coal stoppage and general industrial depression. The staff of the National Savings Committee has been reduced from 391 at the Armistice to 277 on 1st July, 1821, and further reductions are being made. The total cost of the staff is now under £80,000 per annum. The expenditure on advertising has been reduced by over 80 per cent, since September, 1918. I do not agree that there is any such direct connection between the cost of the organisation and the proceeds of certificates, as the hon. and gallant Member appears to suggest.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the statements made by the Lord Chancellor, he can state when it is proposed to introduce a Bill to raise the status and emoluments of the Secretary for Scotland?

It will not be possible to deal with this matter in the present Session.

asked the honourable Member for the Pollok Division of Glasgow, as representing the First Commission of Works the nature of the work on the royal palaces calling for an additional expenditure of £23,000, for which authorisation is sought on page 3 of the Supplementary Estimate, Government Return 172?

£27,000 has been granted each year for the external maintenance of palaces in the personal occupation of the Sovereign, the unexpended balance not being liable to surrender. This sum was barely adequate before the War, and at the present time some £70,000 would be required to maintain the same standard. Owing to the heavy increase in cost of labour and materials it has only been possible to carry out essential services during the last two years by absorbing the balance which accrued during the War owing to the postponement of all new works and periodic maintenance such as painting, repair of stonework, &c. Certain work, for which no funds are available, is now absolutely essential for the preservation of the fabric.