asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether the so-called mystery tower in Shoreham Harbour is to be removed; for what purpose was it erected; what it cost; and whether it has over been put to any use?

Objections having been raised to the retention of this tower in Shoreham Harbour, the Admiralty have decided that the most economical course is to demolish it. It was originally built as part of a scheme of defence which was not completed when the War ended. Its cost cannot be given separately, but the unfinished scheme cost about £1,266,000. This tower has not been used.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how much money has been spent by the Admiralty in the Island of Jamaica for oil fuel depots and other purposes since the Armistice; and how much is being spent during the present year?

The amount spent by the Admiralty in the Island of Jamaica in connection with oil-fuelling arrangements, and for other purposes, including the upkeep of the naval wireless telegraph station, is approximately £87,500, of which about £27,500 is in respect of the past year. The amount estimated to be spent in the present financial year is about £32,500, mainly capital expenditure in connection with the oil-fuel installation. Unless the naval wireless telegraph station is taken over by the Colonial Authorities, it will be reduced to care and maintenance party by the end of May.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he can now name the batteries of horse, field, mountain, and heavy artillery to be disbanded?

Generally speaking, the reduction will be effected by absorbing junior batteries in senior batteries, but I am not at present in a position to make a full statement on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for War how he intends to select officers for retirement, owing to the large reduction of our fighting forces; when the scheme for retirement will be published: and if regular officers will be given an opportunity to join the Palestine gendarmerie and Colonial services?

In regard to the first part of the question, I can add nothing at present to my previous statements. I cannot name a date for publication of the scheme. It will be published as soon as possible. The last part of the question should be addressed to my right hon. Friend the Colonial Secretary.

asked the Secretary of State for War if his attention has been called to the allegation that an officer in the machinery department, Royal Dockyard, Woolwich, has recently been retired on a pension on two salaries, plus 75 per cent. of the bonuses attached to each, and that the same officer has now been invited to return and take charge of a new or reconstituted branch of the service; and, if so, will his pension for former service be still paid to him?

I am unable to identify the case referred to, or to understand what existing rules as to pay or pension may have given rise to the suggestions made, but if I am furnished with the name of the officer I shall be happy to inform my right hon. Friend of the true facts as to his remuneration.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that a man named Orr has recently been dismissed from the Chilwell Ordnance Depot; that this man, who is a partial cripple, gave up lucrative employment at the beginning of the War in order to join the Army, and after being frequently rejected on account of his infirmity obtained employment at Chilwell, then a filling factory; that Orr was blown out of the building in which he was working, in the explosion which subsequently occurred at the factory, and in consequence suffered severely from shock; that he was given to understand, on resuming work, that those who survived the explosion and continued their work would be retained so long as the Chilwell Depot existed; that he has borne the highest character while so employed; and whether, in view of the fact that his infirmity precludes the probability of obtaining other employment, that he has a wife and young children dependent on him, and of his patriotic and valuable service to the State, he will give directions that the fullest inquiry be made into the case and in the meantime that his notice be suspended with a view to his reinstatement?

Inquiries are being made, and I will communicate the result to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, under the proposed reduction of bounty for the Territorial Force, under future engagements, from £5 earned to £3 earned, a man leaving under present engagement will continue to get £5, whereas if the senior non-commissioned officers or the company sergeant-major re-engage they will only earn £3 as compared with the young soldier on a four years' attestation earning £5; and, if so, whether, since this is likely to result in a tendency for non-commissioned officers who have War service to retire, thereby causing a serious loss of efficiency, the matter can be reconsidered?

A Territorial soldier who re-engages, whether he be a senior N.C.O. or a young soldier, can do so only under the new conditions as regards bounty. If my hon. and gallant Friend be right in thinking that men will be deterred from re-engaging because others whose re-engagements have not expired are temporarily earning higher bounties, it is to be regretted; but I could not alter the decision without postponing savings in expenditure on the Territorial Army which are urgently required.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether his attention has been drawn to the provisions of paragraph 242 E (1) (a) of the local war pensions committees' handbook, under which it has been ruled that when a man engaged by a municipal corporation or other body contributes to sick pay by weekly deductions from his wages, deductions fall to be made from his treatment allowances under the Ministry of Pensions in respect of this sick pay; and whether, having regard to the fact that he is really sacrificing wages for this provision under the arrangements of these municipal bodies, that that is a special condition of his employment, and that it is unjust that he should be penalised in this manner by the Ministry of Pensions, especially as full treatment allowances are paid to men who have suffered no such deduction from their wages, he will look into this matter?

I would remind my hon. Friend that, by the express terms of Article 6 of the Warrant, the specially increased allowances authorised by that Article are only payable when the pensioner is found to be unable, in consequence of the course of treatment given him, to provide for the support of himself and his family. It is, therefore, a condition of the grant of these allowances that the pensioners shall not, at the same time, draw both the maximum allowance and also either wages or payment, such as sick pay, in lieu of wages. This is a reasonable condition, and is one which the Ministry have consistently adopted since the Pension Warrants assumed their present form in 1917.

asked the Minister of Pensions how many cases have passed through the Pensions Appeal Medical Board, together with the proportion of successful and unsuccessful appeals?

Since their institution in November, 1919, medical appeal boards have examined approximately 126,000 officers and men. In 55 per cent. of the cases the assessment has not been altered, in 33 per cent. it has been raised, and in 12 per cent. it has been lowered. I am assuming that my hon. and gallant Friend refers to the Ministry's medical appeal boards; if, however, he has in mind the pensions appeal tribunals, I would refer him to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Attorney-General to the hon. Member for Workington (Mr. Cape) on the 14th March.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether, in view of the many complaints from disabled ex-service men regarding the treatment by the pensions appeal tribunals of their pension claims, he will agree to the appointment of a Select Committee of this House to inquire into this question?

My information does not agree with that of the right hon. Gentleman. I am informed that the present practice meets with the approval of the ex-service men's organisations and that they would be averse from any reversion to the old system. But if the right hon. Gentleman has any substantial complaints or constructive suggestions that he wishes to bring forward, my right hon. Friend the Minister of Pensions will be glad to arrange for a conference with him at which the Lord Chancellor would be represented.

asked the Minister of Labour whether Mr. K. Saunderson, late company-sergeant-major, King's Own Scottish Borderers, is entitled to a grant from the Civil Liabilities Military Service Committee, seeing that he took a course of commercial subjects in the year 1921 in order to fit himself for such a grant to be used in setting up a small confectionery business, and that he has been strongly recommended by the local committee and also by the joint disablement committees at Edinburgh and Glasgow; and whether, in view of the good prospects before Mr. Saunderson in respect of the proposed business, he will have this matter reconsidered?

Ordinarily a grant under the civil liabilities scheme is regarded as an alternative to training under the industrial training scheme, but a grant may be made to a trainee to set him up in the business or occupation in which he has been trained, provided that the occupation is one in which men commonly set up in independent business and the local conditions make a grant desirable. Mr. Saunderson received a course of training in commercial subjects from February to November, 1921, including arithmetic, book-keeping, shorthand, typewriting and business methods. The trade in which he wished to be set up is not the trade in which he was trained. He is therefore not eligible for a grant. His case, however, is being put before a voluntary organisation in case they may be able to assist him.

asked the President of the Board of Education how many ex-service men were recommended by the specified authorities for a three years' course of commercial training under the payment by his Department both of an annual maintenance allowance and of the customary tuition fees; in how many cases has the tuition thus commenced been terminated by the withdrawal of official support, even in promising cases, before the end of the three years' period; and whether he will state the facts in the case of Bernard Adcock, a partially-blinded ex-service man, whose higher education at Loughborough College has thus been abridged?

483 ex-service students were recommended by the college authorities concerned for a three years' course of commercial training, and awards for a three years' course were made to 425 of these; in 30 cases the Board made no award, and in 28 cases awards for courses of less than three years were made. In no case have the Board withdrawn an award for a three years' course, unless the student's progress and conduct have been unsatisfactory. Mr. Adcock applied for and was recommended for a three years' course, but the Board granted him an award for a one year's course only. He applied for an extension of his award, but in this case, as in many others, the Board were unable for financial reasons to grant it.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that at the Andover Aerodrome an ex-service man who had already been engaged in a similar capacity on Government works has been refused employment as a painter on the ground that he was not a member of a trade union; and whether he will give instructions that ex-service men applying for employment on Government works should not be excluded for the reason stated?

I have been asked to reply The Air Ministry employs no direct labour at Andover, and the case presumably relates to employment by a contractor, with whom I have no power to interfere in such a matter.

asked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been drawn to the numbers of ex-service men who have passed a course of training in technical subjects and who, at the expiration of their courses, find themselves unable to obtain employment; and what steps are being taken to remedy this 6tate of affairs?

Up to the 14th March, 1922, over 60,000 disabled men had received training, which has been given in over 500 trades and occupations. Exact information is not available as to the number of men who on completion of training have found employment in the trades for which they were trained, but no man is trained for a trade for which his physical disability renders him unsuitable. Every effort is made to find employment for trainees on completion of their training and to find improvership vacancies for trainees who require improvership courses to complete their training, and a special staff of canvassers has succeeded in obtaining nearly 3,600 vacancies since the beginning of September, Throughout the winter of 1920–21 it was arranged that no man whose course included an improvership with maintenance should be discharged from the instructional factories even though his factory course had been already completed, unless an improvership has been found for him. From the 1st November, 1921, to the end of February, 1922, the same policy of retaining men unable to find improverships was continued. Early in February it was decided that, since trade had not improved to the extent which could have been desired, the date for discharges (which had been fixed for the end of February) was altered, and a graduated system of discharges extending over March, April, May and June was arranged, based on the amount of extension already received in each case. These concessions are limited to men for whom improverships are not available and who have not received on the dates named a period of training equal to the total period of training to which they are entitled with any maintenance. Further, any ex-service man, other than a regular soldier, who has been trained under the industrial training scheme and who, on the expiration of his course is unable to find employment, may apply, subject to certain conditions, to the Military Service (Civil Liabilities) Department for assistance to set him up in the trade for which he has been trained.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is now prepared to make a statement as to the exclusion of hospital nurses from the operation of the Unemployment Insurance Bill?

Amendments on this point have been set down to the Unemployment Insurance Bill. I am giving very careful consideration to the matter, and will deal with it when it arises in the course of the proceedings in Committee.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the amounts awarded to Yorkshire by the Committee over which Lord St. Davids presides; and how much of the £8,500,000, provided out of the £25,000,000 placed at the disposal of the authorities under the Trade Facilities Act and already ear-marked, has been awarded to enterprises in that county?

The records of the grants made by the Unemployment Grants Committee are not kept by counties. If the hon. Member desires it, I will send him a statement of the total cost of the schemes recognised for grant in Yorkshire cities, boroughs and large urban districts, but in view of the great labour involved, I do not think the time of the small staff of the Committee should be taken up by preparing more detailed statistics. It is impossible and quite contrary to the idea of the Trade Facilities Act guaranteed loans to allocate the amounts guaranteed by the Treasury, now £15,000,000 in all, to specific counties or areas. Indeed, I regard as the most useful of all the loans for developments abroad which at the same time provide for additional work to be done in these islands.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is the intention of the Government that loans guaranteed as to principal and interest by the Government under the Trade Facilities Act are to be negotiated solely through the Government brokers?

The method of dealing with loans guaranteed under the Trade Facilities Act will vary according to circumstances. Any public issues will, as usual, be made through the Bank of England.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport the terms of the contract entered into with Messrs. M'Alpine for the Watling Street and main Kent Road scheme, which was a Grant-in-Aid for relief of unemployment; whether, as the object of the grant is to absorb as many unemployed men as possible, he sanctioned the use of mechanical excavators, each of which do the work of 200 men; and, if not, will he order its discontinuance at once?

The contract which is being entered into by Messrs. Sir Robert McAlpine and Sons is a "measure and value" contract, on a schedule of prices, subject to the operation of certain sliding scales. The employment of mechanical plant on the work is subject to the approval of the responsible officers of the Roads Department. The use of steam diggers has been sanctioned at three points, where the depth of cutting is very considerable. This will enable the pro- gress of the work to be so expedited by the more rapid opening up of new sections as to result in the employment of more men within the near future than would be the case if no mechanical plant were adopted. The more rapidly the excavation proceeds, the larger is the surface made available for the subsequent operations of road construction which call for the employment of manual labour.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he will explain why the amount standing to the credit of the constabulary force, which was stated by him on 11th August, 1921, to amount to £289,358 on 31st March, 1920, is now stated by him to be only £188,000?

The reply given on the 11th August, 1921, referred to the amount of the investments of the benefits branch of the constabulary force fund and gave their face value. My reply of the 7th ultimo, referred to their estimated value at the present time. In this connection I am obliged to my hon. and learned Friend for drawing my attention to these figures, as I find, on further inquiry, that the figure of £180,000, given by me on the 7th ultimo, as to the present value of the investments proves to be an underestimate. That sum invested at 6 per cent. would produce, approximately, the same annual interest as does, in fact, accrue from these investments. The sum of £220,000 represents as nearly as possible their present value.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that 5,000 new houses are all that have been authorised in Glasgow; that there are 17,000 applicants for them; and what steps the Government propose to take to find suitable accommodation for the 12,000 applicants who will be unable to find accommodation?

I am informed that the facts are substantially as stated in the first two parts of the question. As regards the last part, I would point out to my hon. Friend that at the end of March only 1,003 of the houses sanctioned for Glasgow had been completed, 1,890 were then under construction, and 1,919 had not been commenced. These figures suggest that the building resources of Glasgow will be engaged for a considerable time to come.

asked the Minister of Health if his attention has been drawn to reports that, in his opinion, a one-roomed dwelling provides sufficient accommodation for eating, sleeping, washing, cooking, and nursing for a married couple; and will the future policy of the Ministry be to recommend local authorities to build one-roomed houses for newly married couples?

I have on no occasion expressed the opinion to which the hon. Member refers. I have never laid down any standard of accommodation required by newly-married couples. The policy of the Ministry has been, and will continue to be, to lay down a suitable standard of housing accommodation for the needs of the people. I am much obliged to the hon. Member for the opportunity he has given me of contradicting the reports to which he alludes.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is now in a position to announce proposals with regard to loans to private builders to promote the erection of houses at economic costs, with the view of finding employment in industries connected with the building trade, and thus saving national expenditure which will be otherwise necessary to support the unemployed?

Section 21 of the Housing Act, 1919, the operation of which has been extended, already provides for loans by the Public Works Loan Commissions to private builders constructing houses for the working classes.

asked the Minister of Health the number of houses he has authorised to be built that will be completed this year; and the total number of applicants for those houses registered by local authorities?

The housing schemes of local authorities and the builders' subsidy scheme provide for 218,000 houses. Of these, 120,000 have already been completed. There remain some 98,000 to be finished, and I hope that a large proportion will be completed during the coming year. I have no information as to the number of applications received by local authorities.

asked the Minister of Health what number of houses are being erected under the scheme sanctioned by the Ministry for the London County Council; whether he is aware that on or about July, 1921, there was a waiting list for such County Council dwellings of over 20,000 separate applicants; that in Wandsworth alone only approximately 530 houses have been sanctioned, while the waiting list is upwards of 6,000 separate applicants; and what does the Ministry propose to do in aiding the large number of applicants who cannot find suitable healthy residences in the Metropolitan area?

asked the Minister of Health whether the Government sanctioned the building of 29,000 new houses in London; whether the London County Council had registered 23,000 applications by June, 1921; whether the Government has now reduced the number of houses to 9,000; and what steps the Government propose to take to find suitable accommodation for the remaining 14,000 registered applicants?

The approval originally given to the proposal of the London County Council to build 29,000 new dwellings in the course of five years was withdrawn in June last when the Government decided that owing to the urgent need for reducing national expenditure the number of houses to be erected by local authorities in England and Wales with State assistance under the present scheme must be limited. Of the houses which the London County Council have been authorised to build over 5,200 were in building on 1st March and some 2,000 had not yet been started; they have, therefore, a very considerable programme still in hand.

asked the Postmaster-General whether there are six sub-offices in the East-Central district of London with emoluments of more than £500 per annum, exclusive of bonus; and whether, in order to improve public facilities and to give the Post Office direct control over the conditions of the employés, he will cause the sub-offices at Clerkenwell Green, Farringdon Road, 84, Goswell Road, Leather Lane, Old Street, and Tabernacle Street to be converted into branch offices?

It is the case that the six sub-offices named have emoluments exceeding £500 per annum, excluding bonus, but, as I intimated to the hon. Member on the 23rd February, the conversion of such offices to branch offices is only at present being carried out where special reasons exist for this course.

asked the Postmaster-General whether there is a possibility of the ex-temporary sorters who qualified at the last examination held being called up for permanent post office duty before a further examination takes place; and if he will take action in the matter?

The maximum number of temporary sorters to be appointed to permanent posts is 200. Up to the present 157 temporary sorters have been so appointed. I am unable to say whether or not the maximum will be reached; but there is no prospect of a further examination being held in the near future, and in the meantime the temporary sorters who qualified will be given a proportion of the vacancies which arise.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is prepared substantially to modify and relax, at an early date, the existing Regulations restricting the use of wireless telephones; and if he will sanction and promote the daily broadcasting, by established and suitably equipped radio stations, of wireless telephone messages likely to prove of value to trade and industry in this country or being of general public interest?

I am entirely sympathetic towards the idea of utilising wireless telephony for the broadcasting of messages of the kind referred to by the hon. Member. The whole question is being referred to the Imperial Communications Committee in order that the views of the other Departments concerned may be obtained as early as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, with reference to the provision of £33,485,000, set forth on page 23 of the Estimates of Unclassified Services, 1922–23, this amount covers the complete discharge of the liabilities of the State in respect of the Railway and Canal War Agreement?

I have been asked to reply Certain defined liabilities of the Government are excepted from the general discharge given by Section 11 of the Railways Act, 1921, and among them is the making good of any deficiency in net receipts (including interest on capital) up to the end of the period of possession. It is improbable that the examination of the railway companies' claims will be completed by the end of the financial year 1922–23, and it is impossible for me to forecast at this date on which side the balance disclosed on final adjustment will lie, or whether it will be necessary to ask Parliament to vote any further sum.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport if he is aware of the unsatis- factory train service provided by the Midland Railway Company for the inhabitants living between Hemel Hempsted and Harpenden, Herts, and that there is no train service between 8 a.m. and 1.6 p.m.; and will he use his influence to get a more up-to-date service for the people living in this district?

My attention has not previously been drawn to this matter. The railway company inform me that the passenger traffic is very light, and that the running of additional trains is not justified. If the hon. Member is in a position to point to a serious demand for additional services, I shall be glad to place the information before the railway company.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport if he is aware that the Midland Railway Company are charging a single third-class fare of 1s. 2d. from Redbourn, Herts, to St. Albans City, a distance of only five miles; that a motor omnibus runs between Redbourn and St. Albans on Wednesdays and Saturdays at a single fare of 7d.; what is the goods freightage on rail per mile between Redbourn and St. Albans and the number of miles charged for; and will he take steps to protect the public against these charges by the Midland Railway Company?

The distance by railway between Redbourn and St. Albans is 8 miles 10 chains, and for this distance the third-class fare at the present time is 1s. 2d. The rates for merchandise by goods train would also be based on this distance, but would vary according to the classification of the goods carried. I am not in a position to take any action in the matter, but it is within the discretion of the railay companies to reduce their charges as they deem expedient, and under Sections 60 and 78 of the Railways Act, 1921, it is open to any trader or representative body of traders to apply to the rates tribunal to reduce the charges.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport whether railway companies have power at the present time to grant exceptional rates without prejudice to such rates affecting the standardisation of rates by the tribunal, which takes effect on the appointed day under the 1920 Act?

The railway companies have and will continue to have such power. For the conditions under which exceptional rates may be granted after the appointed day I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to Sections 36 to 40 of the Railways Act, 1921.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware of the widespread dissatisfaction amongst the strawberry growers in Hampshire owing to the decision of the London and South Western Railway Company no longer to provide vans fitted with shelves for the conveyance of this fruit; whether it has been proved by experiment that this retrograde step will have a very deleterious effect on the condition in which the fruit will arrive in distant markets and represent a serious loss to the growers from consequent depreciated values, and whether he is prepared to take action, in conjunction with the Minister of Transport, to induce the railway company to reconsider their decision?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. With regard to the second part, an experiment with vans without shelves was conducted in 1921, and I am informed by the growers that the condition of the fruit on arrival in London was unsatisfactory. I am making representations to the Ministry of Transport on the question.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether special instructions have been given to the officers of Customs to collect a duty of 33⅓ per cent. under the key industry section of the Safeguarding of Industry Act on toy magic-lanterns and kaleidoscopes, as well as on magic-lantern slides which illustrate nursery stories; if so, what is the amount of duty so collected on toys during the period 1st October to 31st March; on what grounds this duty is levied, seeing that on other supposed scientific toys, such as gyroscopes, no duty is payable; and if he is prepared to consider the advisability of introducing an amending Bill so as to confine the operations of the Safeguarding of Industries Act to commodities essential for the safety of the Empire in the event of another great war?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the negative. Duty is chargeable in respect of kaleidoscopes or magic-lantern slides so far as these classes of goods are of the nature of articles included in the Schedule to the Safeguarding of Industries Act. Magic-lanterns of all kinds fall within the heading "optical instruments," and are included as "optical lanterns" in the list issued under that heading by the Board of Trade. The information asked for in the second part of the question is not available. As regards the last part of the question, I must refer the hon. Member to the Debates during the passage of the Act through the House.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the position of gas mantles under the Safeguarding of Industries Act; if the case is now before the Law Courts; and whether he has any information as to the approximate date when the matter is likely to be dealt with?

The case is before the High Court, and I understand that, as at present arranged, it will be taken this week.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if a firm of British electric-lamp manufacturers are a party to an application for a duty to be imposed on electric-lamp bulbs imported from Germany; whether his attention has been called to the fact that the only evidence produced to the Safeguarding of Industries Act Committee showing 1921 importation of these goods from Germany, related to a substantial consignment of bulbs actually imported by these complainants themselves, as a result of an order given by them at the time when the coal strike in this country threatened their home supplies; and whether he was aware of this when he referred the complaint to the Committee?

I am aware of the evidence to which the hon. Member refers. The position of the firm in question would, I think, be more correctly described as that of a witness called by the applicants than that of a party to the application. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative. Electric-lamp bulbs were included in the complaint under the general heading of illuminating glassware.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will issue a circular to licensing magistrates suggesting that, in the public interest and in view of the introduction of summer time, they should, where possible, agree to alter the evening hours of Sunday opening of public-houses by postponing the opening one hour and permitting closing to take place one hour later than normal, thus permitting the public to take advantage of the fine summer weather and to obtain the necessary refreshment on their way home at night?

I do not think I can properly take the course suggested.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has received a copy of a Resolution passed by the Good Templar Grand Lodge of England earnestly protesting against the extension of the Carlisle State liquor trade censorship and management, and calling attention to the fact that the Borough of Carlisle, with the liquor trade under State ownership and management, has shown that in proportion to the estimated population year after year that city has produced a larger rate of convictions for drunkenness than a majority of all the boroughs throughout the country; and whether, after this protest from an important temperance organisation, he intends to take any action to abolish the system of State management?

I have seen the resolution referred to. I cannot agree with the statement in the resolution or with the conclusion the hon. and gallant Member and his prohibitionist allies draw from it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider a reduction of the present retail licence duties, seeing that since these rates were imposed the number of hours during which licensees are entitled to sell intoxicating liquors has been reduced by more than 50 per cent.; and whether he will make a corresponding reduction in the rate of these licence duties, in accordance with the principle sanctioned by the Finance Act, 1917?

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has received representations in the sense of my hon. and gallant Friend's question. He is unable to anticipate the Budget statement.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is yet in a position to make any further statement on the result of his investigations into the price of beer sold to the public and, in particular, into the profits made by brewery companies during recent years; how much tax is actually paid on each of the average barrels of beer sold to publicans and to clubs for retail to the public; and if he is aware that the so-called standard barrel of beer is an imaginary unit and the beer actually sold is very much diluted?

I have received the report on this subject, prepared in my Department, too recently to enable me to make any further statement at present. As regards the second part of the question I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to my answer to his question on the 27th March. The answer to the last part of the question is in the affirmative.

asked the President of the Board of Education the estimated amount payable during the coming year for teachers' superannuation and the estimated amount which will be received from teachers by the proposed contribution of 5 per cent. of their salaries?

The estimate of expenditure for the year 1922–23 for the service of the School Teachers (Superannuation) Act, 1918, amounts to £1,568,000. On the basis of the salaries current on 31st March, 1921, a contribution of 5 per cent. as from the beginning of the financial year would yield, approximately, £2,300,000.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that numbers of schools are being closed in the West Riding Division of Yorkshire; that children under the age of six years are being excluded from schools; and that large numbers of teachers are being dismissed; and, if so, whether any instructions have been issued by the Board on the matter?

The Board have in the last two months given consent to the closure of three public elementary schools in the West Riding geographical area, namely, one in the administrative county, and one in each of two of the county boroughs. The number of children on the rolls of these schools was about 108. I have no reason to suppose that any children for whom the local education authorities are bound to make provision are being excluded from school. The Board have no information of the number of teachers whose engagements are from time to time terminated by local education authorities or school managers; but I am confident that local education authorities will consult the Board before taking any action which might imperil the efficiency of the schools. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative, though the Board are inquiring into the staffing of schools in certain areas.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Russian Government notified His Majesty's Government by wireless that fishing within 12 miles of the coasts of North Russia was prohibited; when this notification was received; and what steps were taken to inform British fishermen of this notification and the consequent peril to fishing vessels trawling off the coasts of North Russia?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. Monsieur Tchitcherin's wireless communication reached His Majestys Government through the Soviet Delegation in London in May, and the text of the Soviet Decree in June. His Majesty's Government protested, stating their inability to recognise any extension of territorial waters beyond the three-mile limit. Nevertheless, notices were circulated in each case by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries through the British Trawlers' Association.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the evidence has now been obtained of the skipper and crew of the trawler "St. Hubert," and that it is now quite clear from the bearings of the vessel that it was 14 miles from the land when it was arrested by the Soviet Government, also that the skipper was intimidated by the Soviet officials; and whether, in these circumstances, the Government will now send a gunboat to Russian waters in order to protect British fishing vessels from these illegal arrests by the Russian authorities?

I have seen the evidence relative to the capture of the "St. Hubert," which shows that the vessel was more than 12 miles from land when arrested, under threat of armed force. His Majesty's Government intend to send to these waters a fishery protection vessel, which will sail very shortly.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received a claim for compensation in respect of the recent loss of the steam trawler "Magneta" through the illegal action of the Russian Government; and whether the British Government is prepared to assume responsibility for this compensation pending the result of the efforts to obtain compensation from the Soviet Government?

Yes, Sir. I have received a claim on behalf of the owners of this vessel, and compensation has been demanded from the Soviet Government. With regard to the second part of the question, it is not possible for His Majesty's Government to assume any special responsibility in this connection.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that negotiations have been proceeding between Germany and the Soviet Government of Russia with a view to the resumption of mutual private trading and German recognition of the Soviet Government; and whether representations have been made to Germany on the subject by His Majesty's Government?

I have no official information respecting the first part of the question. The answer to the last part is in the negative.

asked the Prime Minister whether His Majesty's Government intend to move that the League of Nations formally recognises the Soviet Government at an early date and to incorporate Soviet Russia in the League of Nations?

The answer is in the negative.