asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he will inquire in which provinces deferential treatment is actually being given to political offenders; whether this is only done in Bengal and the United Provinces; and, if so, why there should be any difference of practice in this matter in India?

The Government of India have suggested to all the local governments not only that uniformity of practice is desirable in the treatment of political offences, but that many of these offenders, if awarded sentences of rigorous imprisonment, might not unreasonably receive treatment, in the matter of labour, food, clothing and privileges, different from that accorded to ordinary criminals. It is understood that in many provinces such differentiation is made. I shall be glad to inquire as to the result of these suggestions. The hon. and gallant Member will remember that jails are now a provincial subject, and that the rules are framed by local governments.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether provision has been made in the recent Treaty between the British Government and Afghanistan for the safeguarding of the interests of the Kafir tribes of the Hindu Khush and their protection from enslavement and oppression by the Afghans?

The Treaty, which will shortly be published in the Treaty Series of the Foreign Office, did not contain any such provision, nor was it thought to be necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for War in what manner and by what approximate date it is intended to carry out the disbandment of the 12 British battalions; whether the property of the officers' and sergeants' messes of those battalions will be conveyed at Gov- ernment expense to the regimental depots s for safe custody; and whether the band instruments of those battalions will be t available for the use of the 1st and 2nd battalions of those regiments?

It is anticipated that the disbandment of those battalions which are in the United Kingdom or en route thither will be completed within two months and that of the remainder within the current year, and I hope that the terms affecting all concerned will be announced very shortly. The property of the messes, if retained for regimental purposes, and if within the regulated limits, will be sent to the depots at the public expense. Band instruments which are public property will be returned to store or otherwise disposed of in the public interest; any that are private property will be dealt with at the discretion of their owners.

asked the Secretary of State for War what use is to be made of the barracks in Gibraltar, Malta, and other stations where in future a reduced number of battalions is to be maintained; whether, in the event of these barracks being used for other than Imperial military purposes, their upkeep and maintenance will be charged to the account of the Army; and, where barracks are no longer required for military purposes and are disposed of by public sale, the price obtained will be credited to the War Office Estimate for the improvement of existing and necessary barrack accommodation?

I am not yet in a position to answer the first part of the question. The answer to the second part is in the negative. In regard to the third part, normally the proceeds of any such sales would be credited to Army Estimates, but it would not follow that the funds provided for improving other existing accommodation would be correspondingly increased.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether his attention has been drawn to the condition of Catterick Aerodrome; whether he is aware that many huts are going to ruin; that brick and cement hangars remain in an un- finished state, and are rotting; that iron framework, designed for windows, is being used to fill up gaps in hedges; and whether, in view of the fact that these huts and buildings are occupying the best pre-War farm land, he will have inquiries made as to the possibility of restoring the land to agriculture?

This aerodrome is at present in the hands of the War Department, and I have therefore been asked to answer this question. I am aware that some of the buildings are delapidated and that a hangar is unfinished, but all the buildings at present required have been maintained in good repair. It is proposed to throw up the aerodrome to the Disposal and Liquidation Commission at an early date.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the aerodrome at Catterick, Yorks, is shortly to be dismantled or whether any steps are to be taken to preserve the property from further depreciation in value?

It is proposed to hand over the buildings on Catterick Aerodrome to the Disposal and Liquidation Commission at an early date.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether men discharged from the Army prior to 4th August, 1914, are classed as civilians; and, if so, will he take steps to have these men placed on the same footing as soldiers who have been discharged since 1914 by classifying them as ex-service men?

Assuming that my hon. Friend is referring to the order of discharge of civilian staffs of War Department offices, the answer is that (subject to certain conditions as to length of service, etc.) men discharged from the Forces before 4th August, 1914, are in that respect granted the same preferential treatment as is accorded to men whose service with the Forces was rendered during the late War. The second part of the question does not therefore arise.

asked the Minister of Health whether any steps have been taken in fulfilment of his promised recommendation to acquaint the next of kin to ex-service patients with their rights re direction of discharge under Section 72 of the Lunacy Act?

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Houghton-le-Spring (Mr. R. Richardson) on the 15th February.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he can state the actual maladies from which the 61 ex-service men now in West Ham Asylum are suffering; whether there is any hope that they may eventually regain their normal condition; whether they are periodically examined to that end; whether any of them are disabled; if so, how many; whether they are local men; if so, how often are their relatives allowed to see them; if not, will he have them transferred to a place nearer their own home; and whether any of them are untraced?

There are at present 55 service patients in the West Ham Mental Hospital, whose cases may be classified as follows:

Dementia Praecox … … 23 Melancholia … … 11 Mania … … 4 Delusional Insanity … … 6 General Paralysis … … 5 Epilepsy … … 3 Secondary Dementia … … 3

About 20 per cent. of these men may be expected to recover, and all cases are periodically examined. Two of the patients are disabled and both are local men. Relatives are allowed to visit on any day, and there is only one case in which no relatives can be traced.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether a number of ex-service men who are suffering from pensionable disabilities are being ordered to attend their panel doctors; whether this means that no allowance is paid to them; whether these doctors decline to certify the men as fit for work, but certify them as being unable to follow their employ- ment owing to their disabilities; and whether the Ministry pay attention to such decisions?

I would remind my hon. Friend that under the terms of Article 6 of the Warrant treatment allowances are only payable where, as a consequence of an approved course of treatment which the man is receiving for his War disability he is unable to provide for his own support and that of his family.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether ex-service patients who are undergoing indoor treatment in sanatoria for tuberculosis have to wear their own clothes while in hospital; whether ex-service men in other hospitals are supplied with clothes for hospital use; whether in these sanatoria men are expected to do certain duties, some of which render their clothes unfit for wear outside; and whether he is prepared to consider the supply of clothes to these patients while undergoing treatment in sanatoria?

Ex-service patients for whom treatment is provided in sanatoria or other civil institutions at the expense of my Department are received on the same footing as civilian patients, and I can see no good reason for differentiating between these two classes of patient as regards clothing.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether Captain H. F. Hopkinson (retired), Royal Navy, who served continuously from 1st August, 1914, to 19th September, 1919, received any increase in his pre-War pension consequent on this service; and, if not, what reason there is for his not being granted an increase?

Captain Hopkinson's retired pay has not been increased in consequence of his service during the War, as it was already in excess of the scale rate provided under the revised regulations.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether the First Lord is now in a posi- tion to give any reply to the deputation, which lately waited upon him and other Ministers at the Admiralty as to the possibility of anticipating the construction and armament of the two new capital ships?

The Admiralty proposals regarding this matter are still under consideration.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the members of the Nottingham branch of the National Citizens Union protest against the action of the local postal authorities in making the last collection of letters, without notifying the public, in some cases as early as 5.30 p.m., and ask that the later hour of collection be restored, as at present great inconvenience is occasioned by the alteration?

I have received the representation in question. The last collection of letters at Nottingham is still made between 7.45 and 8.45 p.m. Some boxes are cleared about 15 minutes earlier than before, but others from 15 to 30 minutes later. These, and the changes in the afternoon collections, were necessitated by the introduction of motor van working in place of collections by horse-drawn vans or by postmen on foot. It would not have been economical to retain the old hours of collection.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of superintending officers in the London postal service who have been passed over for promotion since 1st January, 1921; whether he is aware of any dissatisfaction amongst this class of officers with regard to this matter: and whether he will make inquiries to establish that efficient senior officers of lifelong practical experience in the work of the Department have not been disqualified for promotion in favour of officers junior in service and less highly equipped for the performance of the duties?

About 270 of the superintending officers at present on the indoor establishment of the London Postal Service have been passed over for pro- motion Such passing over is of course bound to create dissatisfaction amongst the officers affected. The officers selected for promotion are those who are considered to be the best qualified in all respects for higher duties, and I am satisfied that senior officers have not been passed over by juniors with inferior qualifications. I do not consider that any special inquiries such as those suggested by the hon. Member are necessary.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the decision to ignore the break in the service of Miss Rance, assistant supervisor, London telephone service, will enable her to count for pension a period during which she was not in employment; if so, under what authority the decision was given; and whether, in the interests of fairness to other officers, the decision to allow this lady to reckon the interval between her two periods of service for seniority purposes may be reconsidered?

The decision in question had reference only to seniority, and will not in any way affect the question of Miss Rance's pension, which, under the standing practice, will be based on her continuous service. I see no reason for modifying the decision as regards seniority.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the danger arising from the sudden emission of exhaust steam, cinders, and smoke from steam-driven vehicles in traffic; and whether any steps can be taken to deal with such cases?

I would refer the Noble Lord to the reply which I gave to his question on this subject on the 14th March.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport if his attention has been drawn to the definite statement recently made by Mr. S. F. Edge, who has personally driven move miles by night and day during the last 25 years than most motorists, that he favours the use of a red reflecting disc on pedal cycles in preference to a rear lamp, which is most difficult to keep alight; and, as this is the opinion held by many other motorists, will he cause further inquiries to be made before initiating fresh legislation on this matter?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the latter part, I have nothing to add to the answers which I have already given to my hon. Friend on the subject.

asked the Home Secretary whether Mr. J. Greenberg, residing at The Square, Ystrad Mynach, Glamorganshire, made application nearly three years ago for naturalisation papers, and has not yet received any intimation as to the result of such application; that Mr. Greenberg has lived 24 years in this country; and whether, having regard to the inconvenience caused by the delay in dealing with the matter, he will expedite his decision in regard thereto?

The facts are as stated, except that the application was submitted in February, 1920, not nearly three years ago, and that Greenberg then stated that he had been in this country since 1902, that is to say, some 20 (not 24) years now. I regret I can hold out no hope of an early decision in the case.

asked the Home Secretary if his attention has been called to the recommendation of an extension of the provisions of the City of London Fire Inquest Act, 1888, made by the coroner of the City of London (Dr. Waldo) in his Annual Report for the year 1921; and, if he has not already done so, whether he will consider including a fire-inquest Clause in the General Consolidating and Amending Coroners' Bill which he proposes to introduce this Session?

I will give the matter my consideration.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the expense of collecting the revenue of the country; and what rate per cent. did it cost in 1920–21 and 1913–14?

The tax revenue costs approximately £13,300,000 to collect The percentage of cost of collection to revenue collected was in 1913–14 rather over 2.7 per cent.; and in 1920–21 varies from slightly over 1 per cent, for inland revenue, and 1.5 per cent, for Customs and Excise revenue, to nearly 3.5 per cent. for motor taxation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has received representations from the National Mineral Water Association on the question of high taxation in that industry; whether he is aware that some 500 firms have recently become bankrupt, throwing some thousands of persons on the unemployment market; and whether he will give consideration to the question at an early date, with a view to reducing taxation on this important industry?

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has received the representations mentioned by the hon. Member, but he cannot anticipate the Budget statement.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will state the Grants-in-Aid of the maintenance of universities and colleges for the academic years 1920–21 and 1921–22, and for corresponding grants contemplated for the year 1922–23, distinguishing in each case recurrent grants and non-recurrent grants apart from the special superannuation grant, and noting any grants for special purposes transferred to the University Grants Committee from the expenditure and Estimates of other Departments?

The allocation of the Grants-in-Aid for 1920–21 will be shown in the Annual Returns for that year from universities and university colleges in receipt of Treasury grant which it is hoped to publish as a Stationery Office publication before the end of the present month. Similar Returns for 1921–22 will be published in due course. So far as can be anticipated at present, the grants for 1922–23 will be practically identical with those for 1921–22. Liability for the following grants transferred from other Votes has recently been undertaken by the University Grants Committee:

From the Board of Education: £ Birkbeck College, University of London, now in receipt of 15,000 East London College (Technical School grant) approximately 460 King's College, London (Technical School grant), approximately 750 Armstrong College, Durham University (Technical School grant), approximately 100

From Department of Scientific and Industrial Research: Imperial College of Science and Technology (Aeronautics Department) 8,500 Imperial College of Science and Technology (Technical Optics Department) 1,000

From Treasury: (Scientific Investigation Vote Class IV. 8) School of Oriental Studies, London University 5,000

Development Commission: Liverpool University (Department of Oceanography) 800

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will state on what terms the Public Works Loan Commissioners have borrowed the £74,000,000 which they have lent to local authorities for housing purposes, giving particulars of the price of issue and the rate of interest of the perpetual Local Loans Stock which has been raised for tins purpose; and on what terms and after what period these loans can be redeemed by the Public Works Loan Commissioners, and the average rate per cent, of interest which has been paid for such issues made to date for housing loans under the 1919 and subsequent Housing Acts?

The amount of 3 per cent. Local Loans Stock created since the passing of the Housing Act, 1919, is approximately £140,000,000 face value. This stock has been issued at various rates per £100 stock, the main rates being 50 in October, 1920, and January, 1921; 52 in October, 1921, and 57 in January, 1922. The average effective rate of interest on the stock issued is £5.55 per cent. Local Loans Stock is a perpetual stock, redeemable only at par after a resolution of the House authorising such redemption. In present circumstances there is obviously no likelihood that the stock can be redeemed with advantage.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland (1) whether the rank of clerk and schoolmaster in the Irish prison services has not yet been fully assimilated with that rank in England and Wales as regards the allowance of 6s. 6d. when compelled to sleep within the prison walls, and liable to call for duty at any time; will he take steps to settle the assimilation question without further delay?

(2) whether representations have been made to him or the General Prisons Board by certain officers in the Irish prison service to the effect that they are living in fear of their lives; and whether he will consider the advisability of making arrangements by which the officers may be transferred to the English prison service?

I will answer this question and that which follows it upon the Order Paper together. As from the 1st instant, prison officers in Ireland are transferred to the Provisional Government, to whom they should address any representations regarding their conditions of service which they may wish to make. Prison officers who may elect to retire from the service in consequence of the change of Government are, of course, entitled to the compensation laid down in Article 10 of the Treaty and Article 7 (II) of the Provisional Government (Transfer of Functions) Order, 1922, but I am afraid I can hold out no hope that it will in present circumstances be possible to transfer any such officers to the English service.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Scottish Board of Health when the 1,890 State-assisted houses in course of construction in Glasgow will be completed; if their erection is absorbing all the available and suitable building trades labour in the district; if not, why work on the 1,919 remaining houses sanctioned has not yet been begun; when it will be begun; and when the total number of houses sanctioned will be completed?

It is hoped that the 1,890 houses referred to in the first part of the question will be completed within a year. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative. The commencement of work on the remaining 1,919 houses, contracts for 600 of which have not yet been placed by the Town Council, is principally governed by the resources of the contractors engaged, who have commenced new houses during the last six months at an average rate of 119 per month. At the present stage it is not practicable to state when the whole scheme will have been begun or completed.

asked the Secretary for Scotland if he is aware that in the case of an industrial insurance policy, for which premiums were paid for upwards of 26 years, on the life of James Lothian, late of 6, Delamere Crescent, Padding-ton, the relatives have been unable to obtain any payment or explanation from the Scottish Legal Insurance Company of Glasgow; and whether, in view of the prohibitive expense and difficulty of residents in London suing in the Scottish Courts for sums of ten or twenty pounds, he will cause inquiry to be made as to the extent to which policies held by working people are disputed by this company, and the best means of securing the prompt settlement of all just claims?

I have been asked to reply. I am informed by the Scottish Legal Life Assurance Society that there were four policies on the life of James Lothian. Two of these were produced with the death certificate and were paid at once. The claimant has failed to produce the other two policies, but her soli- citors have been informed that payment will be made if an indemnity is given against any other person producing or claiming on these policies. I have no reason to suppose that this society seeks to evade prompt payment of its legal liabilities.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether his attention has been drawn to the sentence of three months' hard labour passed upon four unemployed workmen at the Greenock Sheriff Court on Thursday, 2nd March; what the charge was against these men; is he aware that the evidence of the assistant inspector of the poor showed that no violence had been done and neither money nor papers interfered with; and, in view of the feeling in the district, is he prepared to remit the sentence and release the four men?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply from my right hon. Friend on 29th March in answer to a question on this subject by the hon. Member for Kirkcaldy (Mr. Kennedy).

asked the Minister of Labour what is the total number of unemployed in the port of Leith; and what number are unemployed in consequence of the engineering and shipyard disputes?

The total number of persons registered as unemployed at the Leith Exchange at 3rd April was 5,126, as compared with 5,162 at 6th March. The numbers registered as unemployed in engineering and shipbuilding have shown little change in the last five weeks, remaining at about 700 and 1,500 respectively. There are also about 250 engineers and 400 shipbuilders out of employment who are not included in these figures as they are not eligible for unemployment benefit.

asked the Minister of Health whether Dr. O'Brien, of the Wellcome laboratories, was sent by a medical man in his Department to attend a meeting of the schools committee of the Lambeth Board of Guardians which was considering the use of the Schick test for diphtheria; and what was the reason for Dr. O'Brien's attendance at that meeting?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. I have no information as to the second part.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has contracted with the Wellcome laboratories for a supply of material for the Schick test for liability to diphtheria and for a supply of toxin-antitoxin for immunising purposes; and, if so, what is the cost of this supply and under what conditions are these materials supplied?

No contract has been made for a supply of these preparations. In the few cases in which my Department have supplied the materials, these have been obtained from the firm in question at the following rates—12s. 6d. for 50 doses of Schick toxin, and 40s. for 25 doses of toxin-antitoxin mixture, less the usual discount. There are no conditions attaching to this supply.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been called to the contract definitely made by the Surrey County Council with the county school teachers in July, 1920, that the latter should be paid salaries under Scale III, together with additions amounting to £8,600 without any variation for four years from that date; whether payment was made accordingly up to January, 1922, when the Board of Education declined to pay the contribution of one-half of the said additions, and in consequence the Surrey County Council have informed the teachers that payment thereof will be discontinued, whereby a serious loss of salary is inflicted on a deserving body of public servants; and what steps will be taken to adjust the position?

The position of the Local Education Authority in this matter has been discussed with representatives of the authority and has been very closely considered by the Board. The Board have recognised for grant the expenditure of the authority to the furthest extent consistent with the limitations which, after review of the allocation of standard scales and the total financial effect of the Burnham Committee's proposals, I was obliged to impose.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether the Ministry are observing the progress in the development of electrical devices for farming; and what is the result of such observations?

The Ministry is closely observing developments in the application of electricity to agriculture. A Committee dealing with electro-culture (or the application of electric current with the object of stimulating the growth of field crops) has been in existence for four years, and under its direction a great deal of experimental work has been done. The chairman of the Committee is Sir John Snell, and among its members are the leaders of several branches of electrical and agricultural science. Progress is necessarily slow in a question so complex and difficult, but the work of the Committee has now reached a stage where experiments are being conducted on an economic scale. I shall be glad to send to my hon. Friend copies of three Interim Reports which have been issued by the Committee. So far as concerns the application of electricity to stationary machinery and lighting, a good deal of progress has been made in several parts of the country which are served from urban electricity supplies, and also elsewhere where advantage has been taken of wind-power, steam and internal-combustion engines. The application of electricity to cultivation is of more recent introduction to this country: the Ministry is in close touch with a gentleman who is applying electricity to a large farm, and it has had the benefit of the data derived from his experiments. Some of his results have already been published, and the Ministry has arranged for them to be summarised and published in the Ministry's Journal for the benefit of farmers in general. At the same time it is desirable to say that the development of the uses of electricity in farming must largely depend upon the extension of power stations and cable services, and the utilisation of natural sources of power.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether the foot-and-mouth disease has sufficiently abated to enable him to forecast the time when the restrictions, which now bear so heavily on the farmers, can be removed?

Restrictions are being relaxed, as opportunity offers, in different areas every week, and large sections of the country have already been completely freed. I cannot yet give an indication as to when it will be possible to remove the restrictions entirely from the whole country. It is sometimes possible, however, to forecast tentatively for a particular district the date of the removal of the restrictions, and if my hon. and gallant Friend will inform me of the district in which he is interested I will endeavour to afford him the information desired.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if boys are being employed on the Ordnance Survey purely with a view to enlistment at 18 years of age into the Royal Engineers; whether their parents or guardians are compelled to sign an undertaking to that effect prior to the boys' employment; whether the employment actually consists of a preparatory training to qualify the boys as tradesmen for the Royal Engineers, and that a portion of their working hours is employed on strictly military drill and training; and, if so, why the cost of such training is defrayed out of moneys voted by Parliament on account of Civil Services?

It is the custom to train boys on ordnance survey work for eventual enlistment in survey companies of the Royal Engineers. No boy is taken unless his parent or guardian expresses his willingness in writing, but there is no compulsion in the matter; the training consists essentially in learning branches of survey work to qualify them for ordnance survey. It is not the case that these boys go through strictly mili- tary drill and training, though they have two hours a week on physical exercise to keep them fit. The technical training fits the boys to become efficient surveyors, and is a necessary function of the Ordnance Survey Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Government of Jamaica has been instructed by the Colonial Office to prepare and pass immediately a Bill to prevent the publication of misstatements upon matters of public interest and to confer upon the Governor of Jamaica powers to prohibit the importation into the Colony of any newspaper, book, or document which may be considered unsuitable for the public of Jamaica; whether this instruction has been sent to any other dependency of the Grown; and, if not, what special reason exists for sending this instruction to Jamaica?

No such instructions have been issued, but the attention of the Governor was drawn in 1919 to certain legislation which had been passed in another Colony for controlling the importation and circulation of seditious publications. I understand from the Press that a law shortly called the "Harmful Publication Prohibition Law" has been recently introduced into the Legislative Council of Jamaica. I have not seen a copy of the Bill, but I will ask the Governor to forward one to me.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will furnish the following statistics in sterling in respect to the trade of Great Britain for the years 1913, 1920, and 1921: total domestic production of all kinds; total domestic consumption of all kinds, indicating percentage of domestic production; total export and percentage of domestic production of all kinds, respectively, to foreign countries and to the British Empire, and in addition enumerating separately the principal foreign countries and Overseas Dominions?

From the results obtained through the Census of Production inquiries relating to 1907 and 1912, it may be estimated that the total value of the goods produced in the United Kingdom in 1913, taken at the place of production, was about £1,600,000,000. The exports of produce and manufactures of the United Kingdom in 1913 were valued, free on board ship at the ports from which they were exported, at £525,000,000. Making allowance for the difference between the values at the place of production and at the ports, about 30 per cent, of the goods produced are estimated to have been exported. The exports in 1913 to foreign countries were valued at £330,000,000 and those to the British Empire overseas at £195,000,000, and, on the same basis, these values would represent about 19 per cent. and 11 per cent. respectively of the aggregate of goods produced in that year. No Census of Production has been taken since 1912, and, accordingly, I am unable to give the values of the production in 1920 or 1921.

It has been calculated that, taken at the average values of the exports of 1913, the exports of the last quarter of 1921 represented approximately a rate of £326,000,000 per annum. There are some grounds for believing that the output of 1921 was about 25 per cent. less in volume than that of 1913, and, if this be the case, the exports of 1921 would represent 24 per cent. of the production of that year. The exports to foreign countries and to the British Empire overseas were recorded in 1921 at £404,000,000 and £299,000,000 respectively, and the division of the 24 per cent. in these proportions would assign approximately 15 per cent. to foreign countries and 9 per cent. to the British Empire.

Corresponding figures for individual countries may be calculated from the full details of exports to those countries printed in the official Trade Accounts for January of this year.