asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Dublin Metropolitan Police are going to be disbanded; and, if so, on what date?

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

asked the Chief Secretary whether, in calculating the pensions of the Royal Irish Constabulary, allowances upon which Income Tax has been paid are to be reckoned in the basic rate for commutation of pensions; if not, why Income Tax has been deducted on account of these allowances; and whether the Income Tax on allowances will be refunded if these allowances are not counted for pension purposes?

Allowances drawn by members of the Royal Irish Constabulary cannot be taken into account in calculating pensions, whether Income Tax has been payable on such allowances or not.

asked the Chief Secretary whether officers of the late Auxiliary Division of the Royal Irish Constabulary, who joined the Royal Irish Special Constabulary, now serving in Ulster, are having the gratuity which was given them at the termination of their service in the Royal Irish Constabulary deducted from their pay at the rate of £7 per week, notwithstanding that their pay is only £7 19s. per week; and why these officers are being made to refund their gratuity because they have taken service in Ulster?

Members of the Auxiliary Division who on demobilisation joined the Special Constabulary are to receive full Auxiliary Division pay in addition to Special Constabulary pay and allowances up to 31st March. Those whose contracts with the Royal Irish Constabulary extend beyond that date are to receive half pay at Auxiliary Division rates in addition to Special Constabulary pay and allowances for the remaining period covered by their contracts. I understand that deductions made by the Government of Northern Ireland from the Special Constabulary pay of these ex-cadets are now being refunded.

asked the Chief Secretary if rewards for acting as ex-officio Inspectors of Weights and Measures in Ireland have been paid to such ex-officio inspectors for the year 1920–21; if not, why have such rewards not been paid; if moneys received as fees from traders in Ireland for the verification of weights and measures, and weighing instruments under the Weights and Measures Acts by ex-officio Inspectors of Weights and Measures, have been paid out as rewards for good police duty to others than ex-officio inspectors; if so, will he give the authority for such payments; and what has been done with the sum of £637 3s. 8d. transferred from account for fees for verification of weights and measures on 31st March, 1921, to Subdivision A of Reward Branch, Constabulary Force Fund, and the sum of £1,247 11s. 7d. transferred to the same Subdivision for Sub-division B of the same fund?

The payment of appropriate rewards for ex-officio Inspectors of Weights and Measures for the financial year 1920–21, has now been authorised. Owing to the frequency with which the Royal Irish Constabulary during the recent troubles were called upon to display the highest qualities of bravery and devotion to duty, and owing to the magnificent manner in which the members of the force responded to the calls made upon them, a shortage of money arose in Sub-division A of the Rewards Branch of the Constabulary Force Fund from which rewards for good police duty are paid. The amounts to be paid to the Inspectors of Weights and Measures for the past year had not then been determined, and in order to provide funds for the payments of rewards for good police duty which were already approved, the balance to the credit of Sub-division B was transferred to Subdivision A. It was never intended to deprive the Inspectors of Weights and Measures of their due rewards and funds are available for the payment of their rewards for 1921–22, as soon as the necessary recommendations have been made.

asked the Chief Secretary if it is his intention to release from prison R. Purcel, James Connolly, and Gilbert Barrington as political prisoners; and why they have not been released under the Anglo-Irish Free State Treaty and the general amnesty arising out of the aforesaid Anglo-Irish Treaty?

I have been asked to reply to this question. The three men referred to were convicted of offences committed in Great Britain after, not before, the truce. The amnesty which was granted to prisoners in custody for offences committed prior to the truce from Irish political motives does not therefore apply to these men, and I see no ground for remitting the sentences of any of them.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many first and second class women clerks and writing assistants were employed in the Civil Service in 1914 and how many are employed now?

The number of first and second class women clerks employed in 1914 was 3,110, exclusive of 535 women clerks in the Labour Exchanges and Unemployment Insurance Department, and of a number of unestablished clerks on duties proper to women clerks or writing assistants. The number of writing assistants or analogous grades (card tellers and female clerical assistants) was about 1,800. The number of writing assistants at present employed is between 3,500 and 4,000. The grades of first and second class women clerks are now obsolete.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the Depart- ments of the Civil Service that grant a period of annual leave with pay, exclusive of the four public holidays, to their employés, and the classes and grades of those Departments that are in receipt of this privilege?

Civil servants generally are allowed a period of annual leave with pay.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the estimated and the actual expenditure on Civil Services, Army, and Navy Accounts for each financial year since 1905?

The figures are as follow:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the pre-War indebtedness of the Russian Government to investors in this country amounts to little more than the sum of £180,000,000 sterling, made up as follows: Russian Government guaranteed bonds £149,382,684, Russian Government guaranteed railway bonds £18,701,240, and Russian municipal bonds, not necessarily guaranteed by the Russian Government, £14,958,996, making a total of £183,042,920; and whether, for the purpose of re-establishing confidence with the traders and financiers of this country, he will bear in mind the repayment of this debt when re-entering into negotiations for the establishment of future financial and trade relations?

I have been asked to reply. The figures stated in the first part of the question do not correspond to those of the claims registered with the Russian Claims Department. The Government are fully alive, however, to the importance of the matter to which the hon. Member refers, and I would remind him that the recognition of public debts is among the fundamental conditions of official recognition of Russia and of the development of trade in that country laid down in the Cannes Resolution.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the total value of the trade, import and export, between Great Britain and Russia since the Anglo-Russian agreement came into operation?

The total value of merchandise consigned from Russia (including Siberia) which was registered as imported into the United Kingdom during the period from 1st April, 1921, to 28th February, 1922, was £2,793,129. The particulars available do not show what part, if any, of these goods were produced elsewhere than in Russia, or what quantities of goods of Russian production may have been consigned from the Baltic States and other non-Russian countries. Separate particulars for European Russia are not available. The values of United Kingdom produce and manufactures and of re-exports of foreign and colonial merchandise registered as consigned from this country to Russia during the same period were £2,507,028 and £1,306,553 respectively. Any exports from the United Kingdom which may ultimately have reached Russia but were consigned to other countries are not included in these totals.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the amount of German capital invested in Russia before the War; and what Russian industries were especially under German control?

Dr. Ischchanian, whose book "Die Auslandischen Elemente in der russischen Volkswirthschaft" (published at Berlin in 1913) is one of the few sources of information on this subject, estimated the total amount of foreign capital investments in Russian trade and industry at slightly more than 2,368 million marks (about £116,000,000 at par), of which German capital formed 1,000 million marks (about £49,000,000). German capital, he says, was chiefly concentrated in Poland, especially at Warsaw and Lodz. about 150 million marks being invested in the textile, iron, and mining industries of Warsaw and the neighbourhood, while as much, if not more, was invested in Lodz. Other cities where German capital was invested in trade and industry were Petrograd, Moscow, Riga, Helsingfors, Odessa, Kieff, Fovorossisk, Rostow, Tiflis, etc. (five German undertakings alone in Odessa had a capital of over 50 million marks), and German agricultural colonists in Russia, who still remained German subjects, possessed a large extent of landed property.Dr. Ischchanian observes that the estimates of German capital in Russia are "uncertain and very defective," no thorough enquiry ever having been made, although Germans formed over 25 per cent. of the foreign population of Russia. He notes that since 1887 foreign settlers have been forbidden to acquire real property in Russia, and that Bismarck was opposed to the export of German capital, two factors which, in the 10 years preceding the publication of his book, had caused the investment of German capital not to keep pace with the development of other national interests in Russia.It may be added that Dr. Ischchanian estimated that of the foreign State debt of Russia (12,214 million marks; nearly £600,000,000) 3,000 million marks, or about one-fourth, were held in Germany. Much of the area in which German trading and industrial capital was chiefly invested—Poland, Helsingfors, Riga—is no longer part of Russia.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the total number and the gross amount of the claims lodged by British claimants with the Claims Department against the German Government, under Article 297 of the Treaty of Versailles; what is the total number of such claims, and the total amount thereof, which have been allowed and paid; and the total number of such claims, and the total amount thereof, which have been disallowed?

Up to the 14th instant the claims by British nationals against the German Government lodged with the British Clearing Office under Article 297 of the Treaty of Versailles were 10,339 in number, of the aggregate amount of £61,789,995 15s. 3d.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the total number and gross amount of the claims lodged by British claimants with the Claims Department against German nationals under Article 296 of the Treaty of Versailles; and what is the total number of such claims, and the total amount thereof, which have been allowed and paid, and the total number of such claims, and the total amount thereof, which have been disallowed?

Up to the 14th instant 97,302 claims under Article 296, amounting without interest to £71,694,944, had been lodged with the British Central Clearing Office. In addition, a number of claims have been notified in blank which are awaiting completion until the claimants have obtained the necessary particulars. 55,885 claims, amounting to £28,295,485, or with interest added £34,136,816, have been admitted by the German Clearing Office, and paid by the British Clearing Office. Of the remainder, 13,875 claims, amounting to £14,774,144 have been rejected or aban- doned by the claimants, and claims amounting to £27,645,333 have been contested or are under consideration by the German Clearing Office.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will publish on or about the 16th of each month a statement showing how many claims under Article 296 and Article 297, respectively, of the Treaty of Versailles have been settled and the number of claims outstanding, together with the total amount of cash (apart from the realisation of capital assets) which has been received by the Public Trustee in respect of German nationals' property, rights, and interests in the United Kingdom; the total amount which the Public Trustee has realised by the sale of property, rights, and interest belonging to German nationals; the market value of the unrealised securities now in his hands formerly belonging to German nationals which are quoted on the London Stock Exchange; and the estimated value of the other assets formerly belonging to German nationals now in the hands of the Public Trustee; whether, in view of the fact that the clearing office has now been in operation for more than two years, arrangements can be made whereby any claims for less than £5 which are not disposed of by the 15th April next should be treated as abandoned; and whether he will give instructions to the Controller that the request of a British claimant to abandon his claim shall be complied with forthwith?

I regret that I am unable to accede to the request contained in the first part of my hon. Friend's question. The labour involved in the preparation of the returns asked for would, in my opinion, be out of all proportion to their utility. With regard to the last part of the question, the Controller of the Clearing Office would not be justified in requiring creditors to abandon their claims, however small. He will, of course, consider any application by creditors for their withdrawal.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the United States Army Appropriation Bill; and whether plans are now under consideration by those responsible for the armies of the Allies to take over any necessary section of the occupied area in the case of an American evacuation?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. In regard to the second part, if and when the American Government should decide to withdraw the remainder of their troops from the occupied area, arrangements would be made to meet the situation that would then arise.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, before the original publication of the project for an International Conference at Genoa, any invitation to attend such a Conference had been addressed to the United States Government; and, if so, on what date?

The decision to invite the United States Government to attend the Genoa Conference was taken by the Supreme Council at Cannes in the presence of the American Ambassador on 6th January last.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government have communicated to the Soviet Government at Moscow any outline of the proposals in regard to Russian affairs which they contemplate bringing before the Genoa Conference; and whether they have any knowledge of the attitude which the Soviet Government intends to assume towards those proposals?

No official communications have passed on the subject, but there have been a number of statements in the Press.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many British officials paid by His Majesty's Government are employed in China; how many are employed in the service of the Chinese Government; and how many are paid by the Chinese Government?

The number of British officials paid by His Majesty's Government on the Foreign Office Vote (diplomatic, consular and commercial diplomatic services) and employed in China is 106. There are no British officials on the Foreign Office active service list employed in the service of the Chinese Government or paid by that government. There are, of course, a number of British subjects employed and paid by the Chinese Government in their customs, salt and other departments, but details are not available. The hon. Member should refer to the Admiralty and the War Office respectively for information as to the number of British naval and military officials employed in China.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can inform the House of the British delegates on the Commission investigating the question of Chinese tariff and the Commission investigating the question of extraterritoriality in China, respectively; whether he can give the full composition of both Committees; when they are expected to start; and when they are likely to conclude their labours?

The Commission to revise the tariff so as to make it an effective 5 per cent. ad valorem is to meet in Shanghai at the earliest possible date. His Majesty's Government have appointed Mr. H. H. Fox, C. M. G., Commercial Counsellor to His Majesty's Legation at Peking, to represent His Majesty's Government when the Commission is summoned. This will be as soon as the other Powers concerned have appointed their delegates, and the Treaty contemplates that the Commission should conclude its labours within four months from 4th February, 1922. The Commission or Special Conference to deal with the question of abolition of likin and surtax on dutiable imports is to meet in China on a date and at a place to be designated by the Chinese Government. It is to meet within three months after the ratification of the Nine Power Treaty signed at Washington on 6th February. His Majesty's Government have appointed Sir B. Alston, His Majesty's Minister at Peking, as their delegate, and are considering the appointment of technical advisers to assist him. The Extraterritoriality Commission is to be constituted within three months from the adjournment of the Washington Conference, and is to complete its labours within one year from the date of its first meeting. His Majesty's Government are considering the appointment of their delegate, but no decision has yet been reached. I am not in a position to give the full composition of the Commissions, upon which are to be represented not only the Washington Conference Powers, but also other Treaty Powers who may so desire.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that Mr. H. Gullett, Superintendent of Immigration in Australia, has resigned his office in consequence of the delay in the Commonwealth Government's adoption of a definite policy iii regard to immigration; that Mr. Hughes, the Commonwealth Premier, has recently declared that the delay in Australian policy is consequent upon the delay in this country; and will he, to avoid misunderstanding, introduce the Bill relating to overseas settlement at the earliest opportunity?

I have seen Press reports of the matters mentioned in the first part of the question. As regards the introduction of a Bill, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Leader of the House on the 7th instant.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that in the case of ex-Private J. A. Law, of Heywood, a grant of £12 15s. was made to pay his passage to Canada by the Overseas Settlement Office; that the same was cancelled because the man had to return to this country after only being able to obtain work for six months out of 15 months' residence over there; and will he inquire into this case?

I have inquired into the case of ex-Private J. A. Law, and find that he proceeded to Canada with his parents at his own expense in May, 1920, and subsequently applied to the Overseas Settlement Office for a refund of his passage money under the Government Free Passage Scheme for Ex-Service Men. Although refunds are no part of the Government scheme, it was decided as an act of grace to grant Mr. Law's application as it was understood that he was in assured employment, and intended to settle permanently overseas. Before the refund could be made, however, Mr. Law returned to this country, and as he thereby failed to carry out the conditions of the Government scheme, the refund was cancelled. Mr. Law's father and mother are still in Canada, and he has been informed that if he wishes to return to the Dominion, he will be granted a free passage on obtaining the approval of the Canadian authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what is the total number of non-service personnel of all gradings retained at Farnborough; whether a Substitution Committee was set up for this station, and, if not, why; and whether, in view of the greater number of ex-service men, technical, clerical and industrial, now out of work, he will cause a comprehensive investigation to be made and substitution effected wherever possible?

The answer to the first question is 742; to the second, in the affirmative, but, as the very great majority of the employés are industrials, to whom the substitution scheme does not apply at all, while nearly all the remainder are non-substitutable as being either pensionable civil servants, members of the pre-War staff, or women engaged on women's work, there remain only 39 substitutable posts, and for these the Joint Substitution Board are endeavouring to find suitable candidates. As regards the last question, the whole position has just been investigated, and I do not consider that anything more can be done.

asked the Postmaster-General why the publicity officer recently appointed by him was not engaged through the Joint Substitution Board according to Treasury instructions; why a non-service man was selected; what efforts were made to secure a qualified ex-service man; whether the post was advertised; if not, how was this official obtained; whether at the present time numerous trained journalists fully qualified for this post, who have served with His Majesty's forces, are at present unemployed; and will he undertake to make inquiries through the Joint Substitution Board with a view to obtaining an ex-service man for this post?

In view of the special qualifications required for the post in question, my right hon. Friend considered it desirable to obtain the services of a man who had been engaged on similar work in another Government Department. Such a man was available, and in the circumstances he did not consider it necessary to advertise the post. The present holder of the post performs his duties satisfactorily; and it is not considered that it would be in the public interest to replace him.

asked the Minister of Pensions what were the grounds of refusal of any allowance to the widow and two children of the late Bombardier E. R. Wellings, No. 3,857, Royal Field Artillery; whether he is aware that these unfortunate dependants are left without any provision for their future; that both his medical adviser and his employér certify that the late Bombardier Wellings enjoyed good health prior to enlistment; and that after his discharge the medical evidence testified to his suffering from the effects of gas poisoning while on military service abroad; and whether, having regard to this fact, he will see that a provision is made for the widow and children?

The widow's claim to pension was rejected on the ground that the cause of the late soldier's death, which occurred 21 months after demobilisation, was not connected with service. This decision has been confirmed on appeal by the Pensions Appeal Tribunal who had before them all the relevant evidence, including that mentioned in the question; and as the decisions of the tribunal are final, I have no power to reopen the case.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the statement in the public Press of the secretary of the Association of Master Printers that £500,000 per week is the low estimate of the amount which is being lost to labour by the abolition of the halfpenny postal rate for printed matter, and that to delay the reduction of this rate six weeks until the end of the fiscal year will cause a loss to labour of £3,000,000; and will he press upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Government the grave necessity of using the present postal surplus for reducing this and other postal charges immediately, as a necessary means of vitalising industry and commerce and reducing unemployment?

I am aware of the statement referred to. The Government is at present considering the question of reducing postal charges.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the surplus of eight millions now accruing at the Post Office as a result of this year's working will be used to effect reductions in the postal rates?

The matter is under consideration. I am not able to make any announcement at present.

asked the Postmaster-General if he has received representations from public bodies in Nottingham urging that present high postal charges and reduced services are very prejudicial to trade; and, if so, what action he proposes to take?

I would refer my hon. Friend to a reply which my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Clayton (Mr. Sutton) on the 15th March last. The question of a reduction in postal charges is now under the consideration of the Government.

asked the Postmaster-General whether an invention has yet been forthcoming of a reliable system of checking telephone calls so that no call can be registered until the person called has taken off his receiver, presuming that the number asked for is correctly called by the telephone office?

Several systems having the feature mentioned have been devised and investigated. None of them, however, has, so far, proved satisfactory from the combined standpoints of reliability and cost.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has received an application for a licence to operate the telephone service from the Government of the Isle of Man; and what answer he has given to this application?

The Government of the Isle of Man has decided not to apply for a licence to operate the telephone service in the island.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been drawn to the remarks of the Brighton and Hove Chamber of Commerce upon official telephonic eavesdropping; under what conditions this takes place; and whether steps can be taken to stop it?

My attention has been drawn to this matter. It is the practice to record the number asked for in certain cases in connection with a disputed fee account, but listening in is only resorted to, either at the request of or by agreement with the subscriber, when the subscriber requires evidence of the unauthorised use of his telephone.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the serious financial strain the cost of postage places upon private Members and Committees of the House, who occasionally have to circularise Members of the House upon purely public matters and questions; and whether he will allow such communications to be circulated through the post office in the Lobby free of charge?

I understand the hon. Member's suggestion to be that certain communications between Members of the House addressed or re-directed to places outside the precincts of the House, shall be allowed to pass through the post free of charge. Similar suggestions have been previously made, but it has not been possible to adopt them. I may refer my hon. Friend particularly to replies given by my right hon. Friend (the Lord Privy Seal) to the hon. Member for Widnes (Mr. A. Henderson) on the 9th of May last, in connection with the report from the Select Committee on the Members' Expenses, and by the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for West Derbyshire (Mr. C. White) on the 30th of May.

asked the Postmaster-General whether any arrangements can be made whereby British officers, noncommissioned officers, and men serving in the Army in India may have improved facilities for the despatch and receipt of parcels through the medium of the Army postal service; whether parcels addressed to officers and men in India, and paid for at a British post office, are frequently surcharged in excess of the sum demanded at the office of despatch; and whether he will have inquiry made* into this matter so that this hardship may be removed?

Parcels for and from members of the military forces in India are treated, as far as the British Post Office is concerned, exactly like parcels for and from civilians. The surcharges referred to in the second part of the question are probably Customs charges from which parcels for garrison troops are not as a rule exempt. If, however, my hon. and gallant Friend can furnish instances of postal charges apparently raised in error by the Indian Post Office on parcels for the troops, I shall be happy to have inquiry made.

asked the President of the Board of Education the number of children holding free places in the secondary schools who have not been admitted from the elementary schools; the percentage of such children to the aggregate number holding free places in the secondary schools; and to the total number receiving secondary education?

The particulars for which the hon. Member asks are as follow:

asked the President of the Board of Education whether, in view of the popularity of the educational facilities provided for children under six, he can state the percentage of such children as compared with the numbers of all children attending the public elementary schools; and the percentage of the cost of the education of such young children as compared with the cost of elementary education in the aggregate?

For the year ended the 31st March, 1920, the latest year for which figures are available, the children under six attending public elementary schools were 12 per cent. of the total number of children. The material at my disposal does not enable me to separate the expenditure upon particular classes or groups of classes in public elementary schools.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that Mr. M. G. Slingo, an ex-service man, of 17R, Peabody Avenue, S. W., who has a wife and five children under 14 years of age, works as a labourer under the Office of Works in St. James's Park at a wage of 36s. per week of five days; that if he did no work at all he would be entitled to 48s. a week, made up as follows: 15s. out-of-work pay for himself, 5s. for his wife, 5s. for his five children at 1s. per week each, 10s. from the guardians for grocery tickets, 8s. for meat tickets, and 5s. for milk and bread tickets; and whether he proposes to take any steps to bring unemployment benefit into closer relation with existing rates of wages?

The wage of 36s. is, I presume, that paid for relief work and represents 75 per cent. of the ordinary rate for five days' work. The weekly total of unemployment benefit and dependants' grants in the circumstances described would be, as stated, 25s., that is, substantially below the wage for relief work. Moreover, if the workman in question threw up his work without just cause he would thereby disqualify himself for unemployment benefit. According to the particulars given in the question, the weekly total is brought up to 48s. by allowances from the guardians. I would point out that the guardians, in allowing relief, are called upon to take into account the amount of benefit and dependants' grants being drawn.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what progress has been made with the land drainage scheme of the Ministry for the relief of unemployment; how much money has been expended up to the present; and how many men are now employed?

331 schemes have been approved, of which 150 have been submitted by drainage boards and 181 by county agricultural committees. The number of schemes actually in operation at the moment is 166, and a number of schemes have already been completed. The total commitment up to 18th March is £331,500, while the amount so far advanced is £133,844, of which probably more than £100,000 has been actually expended. The number of men employed during the week ending 11th March was 5,157, and the total wages paid during that week was £7,970. The number of men employed a fortnight earlier amounted to 5,686, but bad weather has impeded work in certain places.