asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the practice of labelling imported bacon, hams, and lard under the Defence of the Realm Act still continues and is obligatory; and, if so, when it will be abolished?

The obligation of labelling imported bacon, hams, and lard continues by virtue of the Sale of Food Order, which was made, not under the Defence of the Realm Act, but under the Ministry of Food (Continuance) Act. 1920, and the Ministry of Food (Cessation) Order, 1921. The Order will automatically expire on the 21st August, 1922, unless sooner revoked.

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider the propriety of an earlier termination of the currency of this Order?

indicated assent.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can give the House the name of the referee or referees proposed to be appointed in connection with Part I of the Safeguarding of Industries Act; and, if no referee has yet been appointed, is he prepared to allow goods now held up by His Majesty's Customs and as to which dispute has arisen in connection with their liability to duty to be released forthwith until such time as a tribunal of appeal, such as the Act allows, becomes in practice available to importers?

The referee appointed by the Lord Chancellor to decide complaints under Section 1 (5) of the Safeguarding of Industries Act is Mr. Cyril Atkinson, K.C. A notice of his appointment appeared in the Press on Thursday of last week.

Has any provision been made for the salary of this gentleman and for the compensation of the people who have had to wait so long for the release of their goods?

Not that I know.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the referee appointed by the Lord Chancellor to determine cases in dispute, as provided by Part I of the Safeguarding of Industries Act, will hold his courts in public; whether he will be assisted by other referees at the various ports throughout the kingdom; and will these inquiries be held in public?

In view of the nature of the matters to be considered, it is not intended that cases arising under Section 1 (5) of the Safeguarding of Industries Act shall be heard by the Referee in public, but his decisions will be published. The answer to the second and third parts of the question is in the negative.

Does the right hon. Gentleman not think that greater delay will be caused by the fact that there is only one Referee, and that cases will be held up?

That depends entirely on the number of cases that come up. If in practice it is found that there is a necessity for an additional Referee, the matter will be considered.

What opportunity will be given to those interested to place their views before the Referee?

Every opportunity.

Will this Referee, who is an English lawyer, adjudicate upon questions arising in Scotland?

This matter has only just been brought to my notice, and I cannot say.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he could inform the House what are the formalities which British traders have to observe, or what are the questions which it is necessary for them to answer, when applying to him for the issue of an Order under Part II of the Safeguarding of Industries Act; whether a private interview was recently accorded by him to representatives of the Federation of British Industries, who waited upon him to secure some modification in the formalities referred to above; and whether he proposes to publish a report of what transpired at that interview, so that all parties concerned in the operations of Part II of the Act may know what transpired?

It is impossible to lay down any strict rule applicable to the varying conditions of all the different industries, except that applicants must make out to the Board of Trade a primâ facie case that the conditions precedent to the reference of a complaint to a Committee, as set out in Section 2 (1) of the Act, are complied with. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of Memoranda which are sent to applicants explaining the procedure, and indicating the kind of evidence which it is desirable for them to submit in support of their complaints. In reply to the second part of the question, a deputation representing a number of industries which had submitted or proposed to submit, complaints under Part II of the Act discussed with me some points of difficulty as to the precise evi- dence which might be required. One of the Memoranda I have referred to embodies the Board's views regarding the guidance that should be given to industries as to furnishing information. These views were formed by the Board after consideration of the question as a whole including the difficulties brought forward by the deputation, and as I have already stated the Memorandum in question is sent to all applicants. The answer to the last part of the question is, therefore, in the negative.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what the definition is of the term optical glass within the meaning of the Safeguarding of Industries Act; whether a scientific definition is used for the purposes of administering that Act; and, if not, whether he will request the Royal Society of Great Britain to provide a formula by which optical glass possessing certain variations of dispersions and refractive indices may be distinguished from other glass without such characteristics often, and perhaps incorrectly, described as optical glass?

For the purpose of Part I of the Safeguarding of Industries Act the Board have adopted as a standard the formula that optical glass is that type of glass, other than unworked spectacle glass, ordinarily used in imaging systems. I am satisfied that any attempt to define optical glass on the basis of constants is impracticable, and no useful purpose would appear to be served by setting up a complex formula which would present insuperable difficulties in administration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, seeing that Part I of the Safeguarding of Industries Act imposes a flat-rate duty of 33⅓ per cent. on goods such as ophthalmic glass, dolls, toy magic lanterns, toy cinematographs, etc., in which both French and German exporters are competing for the English market; that in nearly all cases of such competition in similar goods the German exporter can sell his commodities in the English market at a cheaper rate than the French exporter, owing to the bounty on the German exchange; and that in such case the effect of a flat-rate duty is to impose a heavier duty on French exports than on German exports, he will state whether it is the policy of His Majesty's Government to constitute a preferential tariff which discriminates against French goods in favour of German?

It is clearly impossible for me, within the limits of an answer, to retraverse the ground covered by the Debates in this House on the Safeguarding of Industries Bill, but the answer to the question is in the negative. As regards the particular commodities instanced, I may point out that they are not all dutiable.

Is not the effect of the policy as stated in the question?

I think that is open to argument.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that pocket flash-lamp batteries are being detained by His Majesty's Customs on the ground that the small piece of carbon rod which they contain comes under the category of arc-lamp carbon as set forth in the Schedule to the Safeguarding of Industries Act; and, if so, will he state why large dry-cell batteries containing much larger pieces of carbon rod are not liable to duty under the same Act?

In a reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Central Hull on Monday last, I stated that the ruling that the carbons in the small dry cells for pocket flash lamps fall within the heading of arc-lamp carbons was being reconsidered. As a result it has been decided that there is sufficient difference between the carbons in pocket flash lamp batteries and arc-lamp carbons to take the former outside the scope of Part I of the Safeguarding of Industries Act, and the Customs have been informed accordingly.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the delay in coming to that decision has caused serious loss to traders in these articles, and will they be compensated?

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that in the case of the duty imposed under the Key Industries Schedule upon magnetic compasses, etc., these goods are exempted from duty if they take the form of toys; and as toy gyroscopes are likewise held to be exempted, he will state why the same principle is not applied in the case of other articles such as dolls' eyes, toy magic lanterns, etc., when they are imported by toy dealers and sold in toyshops alongside of the gyroscope and magnetic compasses referred to?

Toy magnetic compasses and toy gyroscopes are clearly not scientific instruments, as they are not of sufficient accuracy for scientific use and they do not fall under any other heading of the Schedule to the Safeguarding of Industries Act. Dolls' eyes are, however, lamp-blown ware, and magic lanterns of all kinds are comprised within the general heading of optical instruments.

Is there any truth in the rumour that the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in order to raise revenue, has offered the dramatic rights of this Act to the authorities of the Savoy Theatre?

Does the right hon. Gentleman think that, in the case of imported articles of the kind, the ingredients, dolls' eyes and so on, of toys ought to be included at all in a Schedule of an Act for the safeguarding of industry, and the protection of key industries?

It is not always easy to say where an article begins, and ceases to be a toy.

The dolls' eyes candidate!

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state why, seeing that the Board of Trade under the Safeguarding of Industries Act is not permitted to tax food, lactose or milk sugar, an important ingredient, in the manufacture of infant food, has been scheduled for taxation?

Articles of food or drink are expressly excepted only from the operation of Part II of the Safeguarding of Industries Act, and not from Part I, under which lactose of a certain grade of purity is dutiable.

Was not a distinct pledge given by the Government that food should not be taxed?

In regard to Part II, certainly; in regard to Part I, I would not like to say. I would remind my right hon. Friend of a fact of which he is doubtless aware, that the Board of Trade spent a certain amount of money during the War in trying to develop a section of this trade in order to use what has hitherto been waste.

Are we to understand then that there is to be a tax on food in order to develop trade here?

I do not know that I should like to put that on an election poster.

Nor yet dolls' eyes!

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that a large number of proprietary articles of Continental origin included in the Key Industries Schedule of the Safeguarding of Industries Act are used by hospitals, and that, owing to the duty now imposed, these hospitals will have to pay much higher prices; and whether he is prepared to allow a drawback to these hospitals on such medical chemicals, in view of the low state of the finances of these institutions?

A number of the commodities covered by the general chemical heading of the Schedule to the Safeguarding of Industries Act are no doubt of the kind stated by the hon. Member. The experience of the War years showed, however, the grave danger of dependence upon foreign sources for important medical supplies, and the need of action to prevent, so far as possible, its recurrence, and I am not prepared to introduce the legislation necessary to give effect to the hon. Member's suggestion.

Is it not a fact that no part of these duties add anything to the cost of the articles to the consumer, and that the duties paid are a part of the profit which the importers have been making?

I think the hon. Gentleman is probably correct.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the Minister of Health said in this House that the object of these duties was to increase the cost and so increase the cost of everything in this country?

I am afraid that is a matter for debate.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that a considerable number of the 4,000 articles in the Fine Chemical Schedule of the Safeguarding of Industries Act are the registered trade marks of German patented proprietary articles; if it would be advisable to give the chemical names, if known, of these substances instead of advertising the foreign trade-mark names; is it permissible for British manufacturers to prepare and sell such patented proprietary articles under the registered trade marks; and, if not, whether he is prepared to delete such articles from the Schedule, in view of it not being possible to manufacture and offer them for sale without infringing existing trade-mark rights?

I am aware that a number of the names appearing in the lists of chemical products issued under Section 1 (5) of the Safeguarding of Industries Act are registered trade names of German proprietary articles, but in the majority of such cases the equivalent chemical designation also appears in the lists. As regards the third part of the question it is open to British manufacturers in certain cases to manufacture and sell such products under the German trade names. I would emphasise the fact that the lists are issued to remove doubts as to the commodities covered by the particular headings of the Schedule to the Act and for the convenience of traders.

Is not the Government giving a free advertisement to these proprietary articles?

I do not think so.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that, in the case of commodities imported under the Key Industries Schedule, Continental firms have already suggested to British merchants that they should despatch their export orders direct from the Continent, and that every facility will be given for such direct export; that such adoption of this suggestion will mean that a serious loss will result to this country from the restrictions of the Safeguarding of Industries Act and the German Reparation Act, and that loss will also result to our shipping and to our revenue from port dues and charges, inward and outward, and thus cause reduction of employment in the shipping and transport industries; and what steps does he propose to take?

I have no evidence that the course suggested by the hon. Member in the first part of the question is being adopted on any appreciable scale. No doubt the operation of legislation of the kind mentioned causes at the outset some temporary inconvenience to merchants, but I am confident that British traders can readily make arrangements which will obviate the difficulties which the hon. Member has in mind, but which, I think, he greatly exaggerates.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the average weekly value of goods and produce of all kinds being imported into this country from Ireland, and what proportion represents the product of the North of Ireland area; and what is the weekly value of British exports to Ireland, North and South, respectively?

I regret that I am not in a position to furnish the information desired by my hon. and gallant Friend, as the aggregate figures of trade between Great Britain and Ireland, which are prepared by the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland, are not yet available for any part of 1921. In any case, the information obtained, on which these compilations are based, has not hitherto distinguished the products of different portions of Ireland or classified imports into Ireland according to the areas for consumption in which they are intended.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether new Regu- lations relating to the examination of engineers in the Mercantile Marine are about to be issued; and whether he will consider the advisability of inserting a provision making it possible for engine-room artificers of the Royal Navy, who have a practical knowledge of internal-combustion engines, to sit for a motor engineer's certificate?

A new edition of the Regulations relating to the examination of engineers in the Mercantile Marine is in course of preparation. Both the current Regulations and proposed new Regulations make it possible for an engine-room artificer of the Royal Navy, who has sufficient experience of marine internal combustion engines, to sit for a motor engineer's certificate.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Government still hold any stocks of grain or flour in this country; if so, if he will state approximately what quantities; and what recent action has been taken by his Department to dispose of these stocks?

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

asked the President of the Board of Trade the reason for the delay in carrying out the arrangements made through the German clearing office for the liquidation of pre-War debts to British firms by crediting at once the Treuhander or trustees' debts; is he aware that the large sums involved would be welcome to British firms to-day, and would assist them materially in grappling with the present unemployment; and would he further urge on the Controller of Enemy Debts to bring pressure to bear upon the German Government for the payment at once of these amounts?

Of the £18,750,000 of proceeds of liquidation admitted by the Treuhander to be in its possession. in which debts collected by that office during the War are included, £12,000,000 have now been credited through and have been paid or are in course of payment. Constant pressure is being exercised by the British clearing office upon the German authorities to secure a more rapid crediting of the remainder. In view of the delays which have occurred, individual claimants may care to consider taking advantage of their right to bring their claims before the Mixed Arbitral Tribunal for adjudication. Amounts of proceeds found due by the tribunal will immediately be paid by the clearing office.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman realise that the continual locking up of British money in German hands is one of the causes of the present unemployment in the textile trade, and is it not of vital importance to British labour that all outstanding claims, amounting to £6,000,000, should be promptly settled without further shuffling on the part of Germany?

That is in the nature of a speech.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the secret agreement between Great Britain and Japan, which contributed to the settlement of the Shantung issue at Paris, is still in existence and possessed of any value; and, if so, whether, under the altered circumstances, it is proposed to abrogate it?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Chesterfield on 25th October last.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what proportion of the total reparations should have been paid by Bulgaria during the year 1920–21; what that proportion amounted to; and what was the sum total of her Budget in 1920 and in 1921?

I have been asked to reply. As the answer is rather long, and contains a number of figures, I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

The following is the answer :—

Article 121 of the Treaty of Neuilly provides that Bulgaria shall pay in respect of reparation the sum of 2,250,000,000 francs gold, and that this amount shall be discharged by a series of half-yearly payments on 1st January and 1st July in each year beginning on 1st July, 1920, subject to the following provisions, namely: the payments on 1st July, 1920, and 1st January, 1921, shall represent interest at the rate of 2 per cent. per annum from 1st January, 1920, on the total sum due by Bulgaria. Thereafter each half-yearly payment shall include, besides the payment of interest at 5 per cent., provision of a sinking fund sufficient to extinguish the total amount due by Bulgaria in 37 years from 1st January, 1920. The sum therefore payable under the Treaty by Bulgaria during the financial year April-March, 1920–21, was 45,000,000 gold francs. For the year 1920–21 the figures of the expenditure and revenue were 2,995,000,000 and 1,803,000,000 levas paper respectively, and for 1921–22 the latest revised figures are 2,670,810,000 and 2,556,890,000 levas paper respectively. The average rates of exchange for 1920 and 1921 may be taken as follows:

For 1920, 100 paper levas=7·37 gold francs

For 1921, 100 paper levas=4·99 gold francs up to 30th September.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Government still hold stocks of wool, and if he will state, approximately, what quantities and what steps have been taken recently in order to dispose of these stocks; and whether only small quantities are offered from time to time with a high reserve price, which has the effect of maintaining the present high prices of wool and of all articles made from this raw material?

I have been asked to answer this question. The Government-owned stocks of wool have been consigned under agreement to the British Australian Wool Realisation Asso- ciation, Limited, for realisation, and at the present date stand at approximately 2,000,000 bales. The disposal of such wools is proceeding continuously and at as rapid a rate as they can be absorbed by the trade. Since 30th June last to date, the Realisation Association has disposed of more than 275,000 bales in the United Kingdom. In addition, more than 200,000 bales will be offered for auction by the British Australian Wool Realisation Association before the 31st December. From January to July of next year continuous sales have been arranged at which it is intended to offer over 750,000 bales. The answer to the last portion of the question is in the negative. Present market prices rule in almost every case above reserve prices, rendering the latter inoperative.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that a quantity of serum urgently required for the treatment of swine fever arrived in England on the 13th of September, but owing to the effect of the Reparations Act was not obtainable until 21st October; that owing to this long delay the animal had already been slaughtered before the goods arrived, causing not only loss to the trader importing the goods, but a loss to the swine breeder who had hoped to save part of his stock by inoculation with the serum in question; and will he inquire into this?

I am unable on the information furnished to trace the consignment referred to; but, if the hon. Member will furnish me with full particulars, I will cause further inquiry to be made into the matter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that many complaints are being made by gas companies at the delay of the Board in replying to their applications for relief under the Gas Companies Regulation Act, 1920; and whether, in view of creating employment in works of extension and renewals, steps will be taken to expedite the Board's decision when these applications are made?

I understand that a few complaints have been made of delay in dealing with particular applications for a revision of the statutory price of gas. There has been no avoidable delay in dealing with the applications, but it will be realised that each case requires careful and detailed examination, and while every effort is made to expedite the decisions of the Board, I fear that it will be some time before the whole of the cases can be dealt with.

asked the Prime Minister if his attention has been called to the attempts by Japan to force on China an alleged Shantung settlement before the Conference meets at Washington; whether Great Britain, as the Ally of Japan, approves these methods; and whether, since China strongly objects to the Japanese proposals, he will suggest to the Tokyo authorities that the prospects of partial disarmament will not be improved by the adoption of demands of this nature?

I am aware of the proposals which have recently been made by Japan for a settlement of the Shantung question, but I am not aware of any such intention on the part of Japan as is imputed to her in this question. I hope that the presence of representatives of the countries concerned at Washington will afford an opportunity of reaching a satisfactory settlement, either in or outside the Conference. His Majesty's Government do not propose to intervene as suggested by the hon. and gallant Member.

asked the Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether the British Government still recognises the principle of spheres of influence as applied to China; and, if so, what spheres of influence are still regarded as existent in that country?

The policy of spheres of influence in China has been superseded by one of international cooperation, and the further development of this policy will no doubt form one of the subjects of discussion at Washington.

asked the Prime Minister if the Government has any knowledge of, or has given, any encouragement to the project reported in the Press of 15th October for the exploitation of tobacco in Greece by a group of English capitalists; will he state what attitude the Government may adopt towards any project which would deflect capital from this country and help Greece in war expeditions in Anatolia which have been undertaken against the advice of the Allied Governments; if his attention has been directed to the statements attributed to King Constantine that it was the intention of the Greeks to occupy territory outside of the Smyrna enclave ceded to them by the Sèvres Treaty; and, if so, if the Government has taken, or intend to take any action thereon?

In reply to the first part of the question, I would refer my right hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. and gallant Member for Gateshead on the 25th instant. As regards the second point, the decision taken by the Supreme Council at Paris on 10th August last was that while the Allied Governments should refrain from assisting either Greeks or Turks with troops, arms or credits, this should not infringe the rights of private firms to freedom of trade. His Majesty's Government do not exercise any control over the flotation of loans in the London market, but is is of course desirable that issues of capital which will relieve unemployment in this country should have preference over others. The answer to the third and fourth parts of the question is that the Greeks, as a result of their recent operations, occupy territory much in excess of the Smyrna enclave, but the measure which they are reported to have taken to assimilate its administration with the administration of Smyrna, do not, according to our present information, call for any action on the part of His Majesty's Government.

Has the Government no power to prevent the issue of such a loan? Would not the issuing of it inevitably be assisting the Greeks against the Turks?

My information is that His Majesty's Government have no power to prevent the issue of such a loan.

asked the Prime Minister if he will consider the introduction of legislation to make money lenders show on their promissory notes or other similar documents the rate of interest per annum which the borrower will have to pay?

I have been asked to reply. I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer given on the 27th June to the question asked by the hon. Member for Wrexham, a copy of which I am sending him. I am at the present time unable to add anything to that answer.

asked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to the recent decision in regard to betting by cheque; and whether, to regularise the position so cheated and provide revenue to the State, he will introduce legislation, if the same is necessary, legalising betting on the parimutuel or totalisator principle, a fixed percentage of the money passing to be paid over to the State and, in the case of betting by cheque, the transaction to be valid in point of law only when a Government stamp of specified value is affixed to the cheque of the payer or payee?

I have been asked by my right hon. Friend to answer this question. The answer to the first inquiry is in the affirmative; to the rest of the question in the negative.

Would not the voluntary hospitals like to have a cheque for £1,000,000 from the pari-mutuel?

Is the Home Secretary prepared to consider the result in comparative cost of police protection to ordinary citizens at these functions under the pari-mutuel or the totalisator, as against the anarchical methods which now prevail?

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a request to the competent Sinn Fein authorities that, in accordance with the terms set out in the Paper recently laid upon the Table, the property of loyalists in the South of Ireland will not be interfered with during the period of the cessation of active operations in Ireland?

Every complaint of interference with property contrary to the terms of the Truce is at once taken up with the representatives appointed by Sinn Fein to receive and deal with such complaints. My right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary will be glad to receive particulars of any such cases which have come to my hon. and gallant Friend's knowledge, and will have immediate action taken, if this has not already been done.

Is it not a fact that the gentlemen in Ireland who lead the Sinn Feiners cannot deal with these matters; and would the right hon. Gentleman make representations to the Commander-in-Chief of the Irish Republican Army, Mr. Michael Collins, to take immediate action?

I have told the House and the hon. and gallant Member what course of action we have pursued. I think that course is the one most calculated to secure redress and, at the same time, to preserve peace.

Is it not a fact that there are cases in which persons have been threatened with death, since the Truce, unless they clear out of Ireland within a certain time; and is it not a fact that they have also been told that if they mention this fact they will also suffer death and, therefore, the case is an extraordinarily difficult one?

I have no information to that effect, and those very circumstances must explain my ignorance of this matter. Any cases of this kind brought to the notice of my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary would at once be taken up, as they would clearly be a breach of the Truce.

On what grounds of justice are loyalists in the South of Ireland being compelled to pay taxes when they do not receive any protection from the English Government? Why should the Government go to a third party to do what they ought to do themselves?

His Majesty's Government are giving, and will give, to the loyalists in the South of Ireland all the protection in their power.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the British Government have ceased to function in the South of Ireland?

asked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to the fact that a sum of approximately £8,000,000 has been awarded by the courts under the Criminal Injuries (Ireland) Acts against local authorities in Southern Ireland as compensation for the malicious burning of houses, destruction of property, wounding of the person, and loss of life; whether he is aware that only a negligible proportion of this sum has been paid, whereby many persons whose property has been destroyed, or whose relatives have been wounded or murdered are suffering severe privation and distress; and whether he will state what steps the Government propose to take to secure to these unfortunate persons the payment of the compensation to which they are entitled?

I have been asked to reply to this question. The facts are as stated in the first part, and it is the case that owing to the attitude of local authorities in the South and West of Ireland the awards made have not in most cases been paid. The Government are fully sensible of the hardship resulting in many cases from this default, and they accordingly obtained powers in the Restoration of Order in Ireland Act, which enabled them to apply sums withheld from recalcitrant local authorities towards meeting such claims. The sums available for this purpose are, however, relatively small, and the Government were under an obligation to give priority to the claims of Crown servants and other persons who had suffered loss as a direct consequence of services rendered to the Crown in combating the rebellion in Ireland. Arrangements have, however, now been made which I hope will enable the Irish Government to afford some relief in other pressing cases of genuine hardship.

Will the right hon. Gentleman not recognise that a man who has had his house burnt down has to provide one for his wife and family, and that he requires money to do so? Surely, the money ought to be provided by the Government, seeing that the house was burnt down owing to the failure of the Government to give him protection.

Surely it is the duty of the State to provide compensation for its own servants without coming on this fund.

Unless this House grants the larger portion of this money it is not possible to compensate everyone according to the awards given, many of which, in my opinion in reference to property, are exaggerated. I am doing the best I can with the money under my control, and nothing further can be done without the support of the House of Commons.

May I press for an answer to my question if it is not the duty of the Government to provide' compensation for those who suffer in its service?

Has the right hon. Gentleman a statutory right to vary any award by a court in Ireland?

I have not attempted to vary any award. Obviously I have not a right to do so.

Does the right hon. Gentleman, when he says the awards are excessive, mean that the claimants will get nothing?

My hon. Friend is not to understand that. I said in reference to some of the awards dealing with property, I think they are exaggerated. Of course, I cannot interfere with them.

What are the new arrangements the right hon. Gentleman proposes to make?

The new arrangement is that, as the intercepted money comes in, I am endeavouring to deal with particularly hard cases affecting people who are not Crown servants, but who have suffered by reason of service to the Crown.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the Chief Secretary's statement that the searching of ships' cargoes for arms by the police forces was suspended for 10 weeks, he can say under what provision of the truce agreement, as issued by Sinn Fein, it was thought necessary to suspend these important precautionary measures?

It has never been suggested that this step was in compliance with any of the terms of the truce agreement. The circumstances in which it was taken were fully explained by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary for Ireland in reply to a question by my hon. and learned Friend the Member for York (Sir J. Butcher) last Thursday, and I have nothing to add to the statements then made by my right hon. Friend. Every precaution to prevent importation of arms into Ireland is taken, not only in Ireland, but in Great Britain and elsewhere.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Chief Secretary said last week that this searching for arms had been suspended for 10 weeks; and that, owing to this neglect to protect Ireland from being inundated with arms, very large quantities of arms have gone into Ireland, which will cause great loss of life if hostilities are resumed?

My hon. and gallant Friend has first of all misapprehended the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary. It is not that the search for arms has been suspended, but that the particular search at certain ports by auxiliary police has been suspended. The ordinary precautions and search are going on as before, and there is, as far as I am aware, no evidence of the large importation of arms of which my hon. and gallant Friend speaks.

Are not the Customs officials Sinn Feiners in many cases?

Was this suspension the result of a Cabinet decision?

I will not answer a question of that kind. It would be entirely contrary to constitutional practice to do so. It was a decision for which the Government are responsible.

How is the right hon. Gentleman able to explain why it became necessary for the General Officer Commanding to issue such an order as is alluded to by the hon. and gallant Member?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware—he must be aware—that some 50 coastguard stations have been closed down or destroyed by Sinn Feiners, and in these circumstances is it not impossible for the Government to prevent importation of arms into Ireland?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the search for arms by Custom House officers proved to be totally ineffective, and that for that reason the services of the police were invoked until those services were suspended for 10 weeks?

I am not pretending to the House that there has been no importation of arms. I think there has, and I think that any importation of arms during the Truce is a legitimate ground for complaint by ourselves. But I do not believe that there has been any importation on a large scale, and I do not think that the temporary suspension of the special examination at these ports led to the results suggested by my hon. and gallant Friend.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that an official bulletin, which is not marked confidential but, on the contrary, for circulation amongst the troops, was issued on the 14th October from the headquarters of a large command in Ireland, paragraph 2 of which reads as follows: Gun-running is now so general and free from molestation that the equipment of many Irish republican army units is proceeding apace; and, in view of the necessity of preventing gun-running in order to minimise loss of life, will he assure the House that greater vigilance to prevent the importation of arms into Ireland shall be exercised?

I have been asked to answer this question. It is the case that a bulletin containing the statement referred to has been circulated to some of the troops in Ireland, but I am not in a position to confirm its accuracy. In regard to the last part of the question, I am assured by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary for Ireland that the necessary steps to prevent the importation of arms are being taken.

Why is the stable door closed after the steed has been stolen?

As this official statement that gun-running was going on in Ireland has been published, will the hon. Baronet bring that to the notice of the Leader of the House, who has just said that he did not think there was much gun-running?

That is not what I said.

asked the Prime Minister whether any statement is possible as to the exact state of the negotiations with Sinn Fein Ireland?

No, Sir. As the Prime Minister stated on Thursday last, it is regretted that it is not possible, during the sittings of the Conference, to make statements from time to time in regard to the exact state of the negotiations.

Is it a fact that the Conference is continuing?

I think my hon. and gallant Friend might await the Debate to-day. It is quite obvious that no Conference on any subject between parties who are divided in opinion can be successfully held if daily statements are to be made.

In view of the Motion on the Paper, would it not be of great advantage to the House if we could be given some information as to exactly how far negotiations have got? —[HON. MEMBEBS: "No! "]

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the so-called Department of Trade and Commerce of the Irish Republic in March, April, and May of this year issued orders forbidding the importation into Ireland of many articles of British manufacture, including agricultural machinery of all sorts, and have, as late as the present month, during the continuance of the truce, refused to withdraw such orders until British troops have evacuated Irish territory; whether, in consequence of these orders, British manufacturers have been prevented from sending goods over to Ireland for sale; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter?

I must refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by the Prime Minister to a question on this subject on the 24th instant. The Government will be prepared to deal with any breach of the law committed in connection with this attempted boycott.

Has the right hon. Gentleman taken any steps that would prevent the distribution of this very large number of boycotting circulars—hundreds of thousands—throughout Ireland, which has caused most serious loss to many small traders in the South of Ireland?

These circulars, if found, are commandeered, and people distributing them will certainly be arrested. If posted they will be torn down. I do not think there is any information on which the statement can be based that hundreds of thousands have been issued.

Has the right hon. Gentleman read a report furnished only two days ago to a meeting of Sinn Fein delegates in Dublin, in which it was stated that 225,000 notices had been distributed boycotting British goods, and has he taken any steps to stop that?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that Wool-worth's stores in Dublin were closed the other day by the so-called Irish Republican Army police, while eight members of the Dublin Metropolitan police were looking on, and no steps were taken to prevent them from closing those stores, because they were selling British goods?

Notice should be given of that question.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will give instructions that overtime in Government offices be reduced to a minimum in order that the necessity for further discharges of ex-service men may be obviated to the greatest possible extent?

Every effort is made to reduce overtime in Government offices to a minimum, and, so far as can be ascertained, no overtime is at present being worked which could be obviated by the engagement of additional staff or the postponement of discharges of redundant staff.

asked the Prime Minister whether it is intended on the ground of economy to transfer the powers and duties of the Minister of Transport to the President of the Board of Trade; and whether he is aware that it is urgently necessary, in order to facilitate the proper conduct of the business of the Ministry of Transport, including the signing of official documents, that a decision on this matter before the House rises is very desirable?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave on Wednesday last in reply to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham. As regards the last part of the question, I am fully alive to the desirability of arriving at an early decision on this subject.

Will a decision be arrived at before the House rises?

My hon. Friend may rest assured that the Prime Minister will lose no time in coming to a decision, but he realises, of course, the many preoccupations of the Prime Minister at this moment.

May I suggest that, if the Prime Minister is to wait until he has leisure to look into the subject, someone else should be asked to do so?

asked the Prime Minister the names of the British officials who have been engaged in studying questions of disarmament at the League of Nations or in this country in connection with it?

In addition to Captain J. R. Seagrave, C.B., R.N., Colonel G. S. Clive, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., and Group Captain P. R. C. Groves, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., the British Members of the Permanent Advisory Commission for Military, Naval, and Air Questions, set up in accordance with Article 9 of the Covenant, my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Education has hitherto been a member of the Temporary Mixed Commission on the Reduction of Armaments, which was appointed in pursuance of a Resolution of the First Assembly of the League. The question of his successor is under consideration.

asked the Prime Minister whether, with a view to assisting the stabilisation of exchanges in Europe, the Government is in communication with the American Government regarding the cancellation of the European War debts; and whether, in view of the unpopularity in the United States of America of the proposal mutually to cancel these debts, he will consider the desirability of approaching the American Government with a proposal under which the United Kingdom will agree to cancel half of the War debts owed to her, excluding Russia, this half amounting to £612,000,000 in round figures, on condition that the United States of America will accept responsibility for the other half, excluding Russia, likewise amounting to £612,000,000, thus relieving the United Kingdom of £612,000,000 of her total debts of £862,000,000 to the United States, which were incurred by the United Kingdom entirely for the purpose of reloaning to European Allied Governments for war objects after America entered the War?

The answer to both questions is in the negative.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether this matter will be considered at the Washington Conference, and whether it may be proposed there that a joint Committee be set up by this Government and the American Government to consider the whole matter?

I gather from the Press that the American Government has made it perfectly clear that no economic question can be taken at the Washington Conference. I will ask my hon. Friend to take it from me that the public canvassing of this question at the present time is calculated to create difficulties rather than to allay them.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the whole question of disarmament is an economic question? Would not the cancellation of War Debts do more to restore peace than anything else?

asked the Prime Minister whether he will give consideration to the suggestion of a cancellation by this country of the War debts owed to us by our European Allies?

There is no phase of the question relating to international War indebtedness which has not received consideration by His Majesty's Government.

Is it not highly likely that no country would benefit more by cancellation of debts than Great Britain?

asked the Prime Minister whether a decision has yet been come to as to the future residence of the ex-Kaiser Karl; and whether the settlement of the West Hungary question may now be considered assured as originally contemplated in the Trianon Treaty?

The Powers are still in communication as regards the future residence of the ex-Emperor. As regards the second part of the question, it may be assumed that the Treaty of Trianon will be carried out, subject only to the terms of the agreement recently signed at Venice by the Austrian and Hungarian Governments, which provides for the holding of a plebiscite in the town of Sopron and surrounding district. The Allied Governments have intimated that they desire to raise no objection to this arrangement.

What troops are now in occupation of West Hungary, and under whose ægis will this plebiscite be held?

Those are not questions which naturally arise out of the question which the hon. and gallant Member put on the Paper, and I must have notice of them.

asked the Prime Minister whether he can give any estimate of the number of men who would receive employment through the construction of the Channel Tunnel?

No, Sir, I am not in a position to give any such estimate.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the enormous increase in the costs of road construction and maintenance and the present disproportionate burdens upon various classes of the community arising there-from, he will set up an independent Committe of Inquiry for the purpose of advising as to the equitable distribution of such burdens amongst the taxpayers, the ratepayers, road vehicle users of all classes, and the owners of land whose property is improved in value owing to roads expenditure?

I have been asked to reply to this question. Most of the points referred to by my hon. Friend form part of the larger question of the relationship of national and local finance, and I doubt if they could be usefully dealt with separately.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that there is considerable dissatisfaction as between the different classes of traders—the one who uses mechanical and the one who uses other forms of transport—the one being heavily penalised while the other escapes scot free?

I am aware that there is some dissatisfaction.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, as the present high railway charges are detrimentally affecting trade and agriculture, he is in a position to announce a reduction of railway rates?

The effect of the general depression of trade and the coal stoppage on railway finances rendered any general reduction in rates before the end of Government possession impracticable. It is, however, provided by Section 60 of the Railways Act, 1921, that any representative body of traders may apply to the Railway Rates Tribunal to reduce charges.

With regard to the last part of the question, can my hon. Friend give us any idea when he will be in a position to announce a reduction of these very high railway charges?

When the Rates Tribunal have been approached by representative bodies of traders, and, after hearing, the Tribunal have come to the conclusion that the rates ought to be reduced.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has received applications from local authorities in the country for power to run systems of electric railless traction vehicles along public roads; whether the operation of such systems cannot be undertaken without specific Parliamentary authority, which cannot be obtained until next August; and whether, having regard to the necessity for creating immediate employment both in the construction of the vehicles and the construction and erection of the electrical apparatus, arrangements can be made at once, after due inquiry, to sanction in proper cases the construction and operation of any such systems?

I am aware that certain local authorities are considering the desirability of substituting a system of railless electric vehicles for sections of their tramways. Power to give the sanction in the manner suggested by my Noble and gallant Friend would require general legislation.

Does not the hon. Gentleman think an expression of opinion by the Ministry might help the local authorities in coming to their decision, thereby aiding employment?

Wherever we can help trade we do that, but no sanction can be given with legislative force without an Act of Parliament.

Then nothing can be done in the matter until next August?

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that when local authorities promote Bills of this character they always get tremendous opposition from what is known as private enterprise?

asked the Minister of Transport whether complete plans for the electrification of the line between London and Brighton were prepared before the War; whether, seeing that this is a work which it is desirable should be under taken in the public interest, and which will provide direct and indirect employment for a large number of persons, he will say what steps he is taking to expedite the progress of the scheme?

I am at present discussing with the company as to whether it is possible for them to make an early commencement of the work in respect of which the preparations are (I am informed) in an advanced state. The scheme is one which is desirable on its own merits and from the point of view of finding substantial employment, both directly and indirectly. As stated by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in reply to a question on the 24th October, the terms of the Trade Facilities Bill would cover a guarantee of capital raised for such a scheme.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport whether his attention has been drawn to the position with regard to the arterial road in course of construction in the neighbourhood of Wanstead and known as Eastern Avenue: whether he is in a position to inform the House as to the reason for the suspension of the work on part of the road; and whether any and, if so, what steps are being taken to complete the scheme?

I am fully aware of the circumstances attending the construction of the Eastern Avenue between Wanstead and Romford—an undertaking on which more than 1,500 men are continuously employed. No suspension of the work has occurred, but there is one section, three-quarters of a mile in length, which has not yet been begun. This section traverses land which formed part of the City of London Housing Estate, and arrangements had been made for the Corporation of the City to pay, as part of their housing cost, for the construction of this section. The suspension of their scheme has necessitated a reconsideration of the position, and friendly negotiations are in progress. I have no doubt that the work on this section will be commenced at an early date

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that thousands of men will be employed if he will only expedite this matter and these inquiries?

There will be no delay.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether some of the richest tobacco fields in Turkey lie within a zone in Asia Minor for the possession of which Turks and Greeks are now struggling?

The Smyrna zone assigned to Greece by the Treaty of Sèvres contains tobacco-growing districts, but I am informed that they can hardly be counted among the richest in Turkey, which lie on the Black Sea.

Will any steps be taken to prevent Greeks from raising loans on securities which belong to the Turks?

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to Lord St. Davids' recent speech with reference to the serious predicament the English-owned railways of the Argentine Republic find themselves in owing to the refusal of that Government to allow the railway companies to increase their rates to meet the increased cost of operating; and whether, in the interest of many thousand British shareholders, he will do all that is possible in the way of diplomatic representations?

My attention has been called to the speech in question, and His Majesty's Minister at Buenos Aires is furnishing a full report on the situation. As soon as this arrives it will receive the earnest consideration of His Majesty's Government.

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware of the proposal before the French Government for the abolition of the passport in France; and whether the Government is now prepare to consider a similar suggestion and so give a lead to the nations of Europe to return to pre-War conditions in this matter of such considerable importance to the travelling public?

His Majesty's Government have no information as to any such proposal, and are not prepared to consider a similar suggestion for depriving British subjects of this valuable and, in present conditions, irreplaceable means of establishing their identity and nationality when travelling abroad.

Will the hon. Gentleman consider the identity card, which would be just as useful and far more easy to obtain?

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the fact that the Italian Government have increased their price for the Italian visa from 8s. to 10s. at a time when our French and Belgian Allies have abolished the visa altogether for British subjects; and whether His Majesty's Government will urge upon the Italian Government the advisability of reciprocally abolishing the visa for passports of their respective nationals?

The charge of 10s. now fixed by the Italian Government as the price for an Italian visa corre- sponds with the fee of 10 gold francs, calculated according to the international dollar exchange, in conformity with the recommendations of the Paris Conference of October, 1920, which His Majesty's Government have also adopted. The answer to the latter part of this question is contained in the reply given by the Secretary of State for the Home Department to a similar enquiry of my hon. Friend on the 26th instant.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what further progress, if any, has been made between this country and allied nations, in addition to France and Belgium, for mutual abolition of the visa on the passports of their respective nationals?

I have been asked to reply to this question. I beg to refer to the' answer which I gave on Wednesday last to a very similar question put by the hon. Member for the English Universities.

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise from personal experience the difficulties of foreign travel of to-day, and has not the time arrived when some combined effort might be made to cut away this international tangle?

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Polish authorities are holding a census in East Galicia with a view to showing that the inhabitants of that country are Poles; and whether he has any information that the last two independent Ukrainian papers in Lemberg have now been suppressed?

I have no official information on either of the points mentioned in my hon. and gallant Friend's question, but I have seen the allegations made by the so-called President of the National Ukrainian Council of the Galician Republic to this effect. I am causing inquiries to be made from His Majesty's Minister at Warsaw.

Has any progress been made in settling the status of East Galicia?

No, Sir.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Reuter communiqué sent to Egypt last Tuesday regarding the alleged conclusion of the negotiations between the British Government and the invited representatives of the Sultan of Egypt was issued by the Foreign Office; whether this communiqué has been the cause of great mystification in Egypt; and whether he will take steps to make the matter quite clear to the Egyptian public so that the position of the Egyptian Ministers may not again be similarly prejudiced?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the negative. As regards the last two parts, the reply made by the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Twickenham on the 27th instant will have removed any misapprehension in Egypt.

In view of the harm already done by this communiqué, will the hon. Gentleman cause specific inquiry to be made at the Foreign Office as to who is responsible for issuing this unofficial information?

I am not aware that there was an unofficial Foreign Office communiqué.

Then will the hon. Gentleman approach the editor of the "Daily Chronicle" and ask him who was responsible?

I can scarcely be expected to consider that proposal.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the president of the Inter-Allied Police at Constantinople is reported to have favoured the side of the tramway and electricity company against the men; and will he draw attention to the importance of British officials in occupation in Constantinople maintaining absolute impartiality between capital and labour where any partiality may react unfavourably on our good name in the East?

I have been asked to reply to this question. I am aware that each party to the tramway dispute in Constantinople has made allegations suggesting that the other party has been favoured by the military authorities. I am satisfied that these allegations are unfounded, and that there are no grounds for the issue of any special instructions of the nature referred to.

Has General Harington been asked for his view on the matter?