asked the Minister of Health the number of applications during the past 12 months for sanatorium treatment, the number of people admitted to such treatment, and the average waiting time between applications for treatment and treatment itself; and whether he can report any check in the growth of tuberculosis?

The returns made to my Department by the local authorities do not provide the precise information asked for in the first three parts of the question, but I am sending the hon. Member particulars of the numbers of persons receiving and awaiting treatment, respectively, in residential institutions from local authorities in England on the first day of each month from the 1st June last. As regards the last part of the question, the numbers of notifications of, and deaths from, tuberculosis in 1919 and 1920 in England and Wales were considerably less than in any previous year. I am sending the hon. Member particulars of the annual notifications of, and deaths from, this disease.

asked the Minister of Health whether, as five starvation deaths have been reported to him in 1920 from Durham and only one in Yorkshire, he will apply to the coroners of Durham for a full account of all the starvation deaths which have occurred in Durham for the years 1920 and 1921; whether he will cause his inspector to make careful inquiries and will publish a full report of the inquests and of the inspector's inquiries; whether he is aware that the statistics show that the number of such deaths in Durham for some years before the War have been out of proportion to its population; that in one London union an enormous decrease of deaths occurred in consequence of the earnest endeavours of the guardians and their officers, and of their taking certain steps; whether his inspector has given any explanation of the numbers of these Durham deaths; whether he has made any endeavour to reduce them; if so, what were the explanations and endeavours; whether he will give the numbers of the starvation deaths which have ben reported to him for London, the provinces, and Northumberland, respectively, for the year 1920, so that the numbers may be compared with those of Durham; and what casual wards in Durham were closed during the War and have not been re-opened?

I am obtaining a special report on the deaths reported as caused by starvation or exposure in the year 1920 in the County of Durham. The number of such deaths in the same year were: In London, 4; in Northumberland, none; and in the provinces, as a whole, 28. The only casual wards in the county which are now closed are the Durham and Auckland Wards.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the case of the Children's Hospital at Sevenoaks for the treatment or hip disease, the work of which has been seriously diminished through the withdrawal by the Ministry of the approval of the institution for the treatment of children between the ages of five and 16 years, owing to the financial inability of the governing body to employ and pay two certificated teachers to instruct the 40 sick children, ordinarily under treatment in the hospital, as required by the Board of Education; whether he is aware that the two teachers are estimated to cost nearly £400 a year, or nearly 12 per cent, of the entire expenditure of the hospital for the year 1920; that the hospital receives acute cases only and is not one for incurables; that the average number of days each patient is resident is 218; and that, though some of the children remain as long as two years, they are not, nor are any of them, in a fit condition, often for weeks together, to receive sustained instruction and are at times too ill to receive instruction at all; and whether he will reconsider the circumstances of the case with a view to enable the hospital to again receive children of school age for treatment without imposing on the governing body any conditions as to the education of these suffering children in view of the present need for economy?

There has been no withdrawal by the Ministry of their approval of this hospital. That approval has throughout been limited, in accordance with arrangements made with the Board of Education, to the treatment at the cost of local authorities of children who are not of school age, on account of the refusal of the governing body of the hospital to provide facilities for the education of children of school age. I am advised that education of a suitable kind is essential for tuberculous children who need prolonged institutional treatment, and in the circumstances I could not properly approve of children of school age being sent by local authorities to this hospital for treatment, unless adequate educational facilities are provided.

asked the Minister of Health whether any decision has been at any time given which prevents the election as chairman of a Poor Law Relief

Description. Class I (Food, Drink and Tobacco). Class II (Raw materials and articles mainly unmanufactured). Class III (Articles wholly or mainly manufactured). Class IV (Animals, not for food). Class V (Parcel Post, non-dutiable articles). Total on all Classes. 1919. Thsd. £ Thsd. £ Thsd. £ Thsd. £ Thsd. £ Thsd. £ Imports 719,118 606,784 295,955 405 3,894 1,626,156 Re-exports 43,339 82,992 38,413 2 — 164,746 Imports Retained 675,779 523,792 257,542 403 3,894 1,461,410 1920. Imports 765,808 710,355 453,440 402 2,644 1,932,649 Re-exports 46,094 122,931 53,649 79 — 222,753 Imports Retained 719,714 587,424 399,791 323 2,644 1,709,896 1921. Imports 567,247 271,176 245,045 394 2,825 1,086,687 Re-exports 30,244 50,054 26,635 119 — 107,052 Imports Retained 537,003 221,122 218,410 275 2,825 979,635 Exports of British Produce:— 1919 33,771 111,290 641,484 1,815 10,278 798,638 1920 50,936 145,516 1,119,740 4,805 13,472 1,334,469 1921 37,458 63,559 588,665 3,448 10,066 703,196

Committee of a person whose son is an assistant relieving officer of the same Committee; and, if so, whether he will issue a statement to the effect that the circumstance of father and son holding these positions for the same Committee is irregular?

I am not aware of any decision to the effect suggested.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give the value of the imports, for home consumption, of food, drink, and tobacco, raw materials, whole or part manufactures, parcel post, for the years 1919, 1920, and 1921: and will he give the exports of British produce of the same for the same years?

The following statement shows the value of imports retained in the United Kingdom during each of the years 1919, 1920 and 1921, together with the value of British produce exported from the United Kingdom during the same years:

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has information to the effect that the American tariff on cotton laces and nets is likely to be increased from 60 to 90 per cent., with corresponding increases in respect of lace curtains and curtain nets; and whether, in view of the already depressed condition of the lace trade, he will make immediate representation to the United States Government deprecating these increases, if it should prove that such are contemplated?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. My right hon. Friend will consider, in consultation with the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, the suggestion made in the latter part of the question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the amount of lace exported during the last 12 months for which figures are available from Great Britain to Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, France and Germany; what are the import duties payable in each of those countries; and what is the amount of lace imported from the same countries into the United Kingdom during that period free of all duty?

I am sending the hon. Member the information which he desires.

asked the Home Secretary whether he proposes to continue the system of State liquor trading in Carlisle and to extend this system to other towns and other places?

The answer to the first part of the question is "Yes," and to the second part "Not for the present."

asked, the Home Secretary if he is aware that Officer Nicholson, Nottingham Prison, who was transferred in the public interest and was unable to obtain official quarters, a house, or furnished apartments, having lost his wife by death, and whose daughter acted as housekeeper, involving the keeping of two homes, was refused the usual subsistence allowance and was regarded as a bachelor with no dependants; and whether his case will be reconsidered?

This is the officer referred to in my reply to a question by the hon. and gallant Member for the Abbey Division of Westminster Brigadier General Nicholson) on the 20th March last. It appeared that the daughter of the officer in question was not living with him and was not dependent on him, and therefore the allowance could not be granted. I see no reason for reconsidering the case.

asked the Home Secretary what is the present position in reference to the financial requirements laid on friendly societies by the Friendly Societies Act?

I have been asked to reply. I am not clear what the hon. Member has in mind, but if the question relates to fees payable by friendly societies in respect of matters to be transacted and inspection of documents under the Friendly Societies Act, 1896, those fees fire set out in the Statutory Rules and Orders, 1897, No. 6; 1903, No. 537: 1912, No. 1,627; 1915, No. 826; 1917, No. 1,194: 1921. No. 1,066 and No. 1,100/S. 56.

asked the Minister of Pensions (1) on what grounds the assessment of the pension of Mr. F. R. Adams, late No. 23646, Lance-corporal, Bedfordshire Regiment, was reduced on the 27th April from 40 per cent, to 30 per cent, by the medical board at Chelsea; is he aware that this is the second reduction that has taken place within the last three months, in spite of the fact that Mr. Adams' leg was so badly wounded as to have been pronounced incurable; and how does he justify the action of the medical board;

(2) whether he will inquire into the case of Private W. T. May, No. 02047S, Royal Army Service Corps (Mechanical Transport); is he aware that this man, after having had 100 per cent, disability pension, had his pension cut down first by 30 per cent., and then by 40 per cent, on appeal, within one month; that he has had to put four of his six children in Dr. Barnardo's Home; and will he cause local inquiries to be made as to how far Mr. May is unable to follow his trade through the effects of his war service?

Large sums of money have been and are being devoted by the Ministry to the provision of the best medical and surgical treatment for those disabled by war service; and, I am glad to say, with good results. Improvement in the man's condition is the sole consideration which influences medical boards to reduce a previous assessment. In the particular cases mentioned the men elected to appeal to medical appeal boards against assessments made by survey boards, being fully aware that the appeal boards could lower as well as raise the assessments and that their findings would be binding for the periods of the current awards. The suggestion in the last part of the question about Mr. May is quite opposed to the principle, approved by this House, that such factors as occupation or earning capacity should be disregarded in arriving at an assessment for disablement pension.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what is the difference in the pension paid to a rear-admiral over that of a captain in the Royal Navy; whether the pension can be claimed after one day's holding of the rank of rear-admiral; and whether the 16 rear-admirals who have retired at their own request on or shortly after promotion from April, 1920, to March, 1922, are in receipt of full rear-admiral's pension?

The average difference of retired pay of a captain before promotion to rear-admiral, and the same, for an officer on promotion, is about £175 a year. Service as a captain qualifies for promotion to rear-admiral; if this service has been given, and the officer promoted accordingly, he is entitled to a rear-admiral's pension whenever he retires. The answer to the last part of the question is in the affirmative. I would, in this connection, refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Rotherham on the 22nd February.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty why the Technical Costs Branch of the Contracts Department is being reduced in spite of a recommendation for extension from the Treasury, which made an investigation into the work of the branch, and although the National Expenditure Committee, 1917£18, also recommended the continuance and extension of its work; and what has been the total saving effected by the Technical Costs Branch since having been taken over by the Admiralty?

A reduction of four is being made in the staff of the Technical Costs Branch after full consideration of the subject, which has led to the conclusion that the present staff is larger than will be required for the amount of work likely to fall upon it in the future. There is no intention to abolish the branch, whose services are utilised by various Government Departments, but it is obvious that with a smaller shipbuilding programme, and less expenditure on munitions generally, the opportunities of usefulness for such a branch must be very considerably less than during recent years. In cases dealt with by the Technical Costings staff since it has been attached to the Admiralty, it has been calculated that it has been possible to place contracts at prices lower by a total of slightly over £350,000 than the prices originally quoted, but it must not be assumed that no portion of this saving would have been obtained without the assistance of this section.

asked the President of the Board of Education the number of discharges of teachers that have taken place in the county of Stafford; whether they are being dismissed on grounds of economy; and what is the present ratio of children to teachers?

I am not aware of any reduction of teaching staff in the area of the Staffordshire Local Education Authority. The number of children in average attendance per teacher on the ordinary school staff on the 31st March, 1921, was 32.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that the Education Accounts (Annual Statement) Order, 1921, issued by the Board on 13th December, 1921, will, if enforced, put county education committees to considerably increased administrative expense owing to the large amount of detail required to complete the forms required by the Board; and whether he will, in the interests of economical administration, withdraw the Order?

I may refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer which I gave on the 1st May to the hon. and gallant Member for the Moss Side Division of Manchester (Lieut.-Colonel Hurst). The advantage of getting fuller information as to local educational expenditure appears to me to outweigh the disadvantage of any additional administrative expense such as may be involved by the work of rendering the information.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether, seeing that the chief examiner in English has reported that in some of the Welsh schools pupils are being turned out with a very limited command of English, that the work in English is becoming less accurate, less definite, and less exact, and that skill in the technical mastery and use of the language as a living medium of expression seems to be deteriorating, and that the Board of Education has declared this to be a grave indictment, he proposes to take any steps to deal with the complaint; and, if so, what?

The Board have already drawn attention to the matter, so far as it affects Welsh intermediate schools, in their Report for 1921 to Parliament under the Welsh Act. They will request the Central Welsh Board to give special consideration to it, and they will themselves, through their inspectors, take similar action with a view to securing the necessary improvement in the teaching of both English and Welsh.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether the Department of Civil Aviation has ever made any attempt to establish meteorological observation posts along the route between St. Inglevert and Paris, either with or without connection with wireless telephone posts for the guidance of British commercial aeroplanes flying to Paris?

There are already meteorological observation posts at Abbeville and Beauvais, from which hourly reports are received by wireless telegraphy through Paris. The question both of increasing the number of such posts and of equipping them with wireless apparatus was brought to the notice of the French authorities last November, and further representations have been made since the regrettable accident. Every possible step is being taken to eliminate risks on the London-Paris Air Route.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in the case of a member of the postal service who had volunteered for service in the beginning of the War before conscription was enacted, and who had been wounded and now requires special medical treatment, which requires his transference to a district other than that where he was employed so that such treatment can be obtained, will be allowed such transference, done at the man's request, to be carried through without it reducing his seniority record for pension purposes?

An officer transferred in these circumstances might lose in seniority, but he would not lose service for pension purposes. If my hon. Friend will furnish me with particulars of any case he has in mind, I shall be glad to inquire into it.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that ex-service men, married or single, who passed or qualified at the recent competitive Civil Service examinations are offered £80 per year, plus bonus, on entering, irrespective of age, whilst permanent civil servants receive the same at the age of 18; and why ex-service men who have served their country in the War are thus treated as boys of 18 when they enter the Civil Service?

The question of the initial salary of ex-service candidates appointed to established posts in the clerical class as the result of the recent examinations was fully considered by Lord Lytton's Committee, which arrived at the conclusion that it would be most equitable to determine the starting rate of pay by reference to the rate received in a temporary capacity. Accordingly successful candidates will enter the clerical class with initial basic salaries ranging from £80-£l50 per annum, or with current bonus from £l64-£274 5s. per annum.

asked the First Secretary to the Treasury how many ex-service men appeared before the Investigating Board set up by the Civil Service Commissioners; whether the ex-service men who appeared before that Board were recommended by the heads of their Departments as thoroughly competent to carry out all the duties of the clerical class; how many were recommended for permanent appointments; and how many were rejected?

1,268 ex-service personnel who had failed to quality at the examination were interviewed by the Investigating Board. Of those, 707 were recommended for permanent appointments, 560 were rejected, and one ease, is still under consideration. In accordance with the recommendations of the Lytton Committee, the Board was required carefully to scrutinise all cases submitted, and to satisfy itself not only of the candidates' complete fitness for appointment, but also of the existence of exceptional circumstances to which failure to reach even the qualifying standard required at the examination could be attributed.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will carry out the recommendations of the Lytton Committee by cancelling the notices issued to Major Gregg, D.S.O., M.C., and Major Short, D.S.O., both disabled officers with distinguished military records and mentioned in despatches, at present employed in the Ministry of Labour, and issue instead notices to two temporary administrative officials who have not served in His Majesty's forces, and who are still employed in non-technical posts in the same Ministry?

With two exceptions, no temporary administrative officers who have not served in His Majesty's forces are being retained in non-technical posts in the Ministry of Labour. One of the officers so being retained will leave at the end of June; while the, other has over 14 years' continuous temporary Government service, and is therefore exempt from substitution under the terms of the Lytton Report. The cases of the two officers referred to by my hon. and gallant Friend have been, and are, receiving the most sympathetic consideration from the Joint Substitution Board to whom they have been referred.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that surveyors of taxes are requiring that working horses, dairy cattle, and breeding ewes should not be reckoned in a farmer's valuations as income for assessment to Income Tax but as part of the capital equipment of the farm, and that the effect of this, while prices are falling, is to increase the farmer's taxation by depriving him of the benefit of the fall in value, of this stock, whereas during the previous period of rising prices he has had to pay on a supposed profit due to the increased value of this stock shown in his valuation; and whether he will reconsider this change of method of assessment at a time when prices are generally falling?

I am not aware of any case where a farmer during the period of rising prices has paid Income Tax on the potential profit due to the increased value of his stock and has been refused the benefit for taxation purposes of the subsequent fall in value. If my hon. Friend has in mind any case in which this method has been adopted, I shall be happy to have the matter looked into if he will furnish me with the necessary particulars.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury in what Department of the Civil Service is Mr. E. Wise, who is reported to be in Genoa, employed; to what Vote is his salary charged; who is his official superior; what are his duties at Genoa; and was he a candidate for a directorship in the bank which Monsieur Krassin endeavoured to found in London?

Mr. Wise is a permanent civil servant attached to the Board of Trade, and his remuneration is borne in part by that Department and in part by the Ministry of Health, from which he is seconded. He is under the directions of the Secretary to the Board of Trade, and forms, with the latter, part of the official staff in attendance on Ministers at Genoa. Mr. Wise has not been at any time a candidate for a directorship in the undertaking referred to or in any other commercial undertaking.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of the import duties, separately, on motor cars, motor car parts and accessories, and clocks and watches?

The amounts of duty collected in respect of the articles in question for the year ended 31st March, 1922, were as follow: £ Motor cars (including motor cycles) 345,310 Motor car (including motor cycle) parts and accessories 418,604 Clocks and watches and parts thereof 450,001

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total amount repaid by the Treasury in the past financial year in respect to the Excess Profits Duty?

The approximate amount of Excess Profits Duty repaid in the year 1921–22 was £92,300,000.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware tht a group of Russian refugees who, in 1920, refused to join Wrangel'e Army in the Crimea are now being supported by the British Treasury on the island of Cyprus; that military officers of the old regime in Russia have expressed the wish that these refugees should be transported to Serbia; that the refugees themselves fear that if this were done they would be mobilised against their will; whether they have expressed the desire to be sent into a European country, Czecho-Slovakia for example, where they would find work and at the end of three months cease to be a burden on the British Treasury; and what action His Majesty's Government proposes to take?

I have no information regarding the points raised in the first three parts of the question. A request has been received from certain refugees in Cyprus asking that they might be sent to Czecho-Slovakia. With regard to the last part of the question, all refugees under British control were handed over to the League of Nations on 1st May, and all further arrangements for their maintenance will be made by the League.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether His Majesty's Government is still paying Emir Abdulla £5,000 a year or incurring any, and, if so, what, recurring charge on account of Trans-Jordania?

The Emir Abdulla receives no direct subsidy from His Majesty's Government. The revenues of Trans-Jordania furnish monthly pay- ments for his personal expenses. Owing principally to the heavy charge for the recruitment of defence services, there is an excess of expenditure over revenue amounting to about £100,000 in the Trans-Jordania Estimates for 1922–23. Provision for this amount, which is not much more than half of what was voted last year, is made in Middle East Services Vote for 1922–23 in the form of a Grant-in-Aid. This will not, however, be a permanent and recurring charge, and I have every hope that only a small Grant-in-Aid, if any, will be required in 1923–24.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) whether he is aware that there is considerable friction between the settlers and the present administration of Swaziland; whether the dissatisfaction has come to a head over the increase in the new estimate of salaries of officials by 18 per cent., while essential public works, delayed owing to the War, have been decreased in outlay by 64 per cent.; whether he can make a full statement on the subject;

(2) whether the present policy in Swaziland is being carried out despite the opposition of settlers; whether the present Council, elected to oppose it, is being overridden; and whether, in view of the friction that is caused, he will suspend all action until sufficient documents have been received, both from the administration and the Government, and have been laid before the House?

I am aware that there has been considerable discussion between the Resident Commissioner of Swaziland and the members of the Advisory Council on various matters concerning the administration of the territory, particularly as regards the state of its finances which, like those of many other countries, are causing anxiety. Hut the information which has reached me indicates that the discussion has been of the most friendly nature, and that the fullest consideration has been given to the views of the members of the Advisory Council both by the Resident Commissioner and by the High Commissioner for South Africa. I do not think that the situation is such as to call for my intervention in the manner suggested.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that 22 Kikuyu natives were shot dead by Government Police on 16th March, 1922, when the natives demonstrated because they were under the impression that their leader in an agitation against increased taxation and reduction in remuneration was to be executed; whether he has conducted an inquiry into the affair; and, if so, whether he will state what penalties, if any, are to be imposed on those responsible for the shooting?

I have no information beyond what has already been given to the House. The Governor's dispatch on the subject may be expected by an early mail.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has received the proposals of the Associated West Indian Chambers of Commerce which recently met at Trinidad for the formation of a standing conference of legislative representatives of each of the West Indian Colonies, British Guiana, and British Honduras to meet periodically and advise the Secretary of State on matters of common West Indian interest; and what reply he is making to these representations?

These proposals were handed to me at Trinidad. The question is discussed in my report, which will be laid upon the Table of the House as soon as practicable, and I would ask my hon. Friend to refer to the views which I there express.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that schemes for providing work on water supplies to farms are being sanctioned for England by the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, but are refused for Scotland; and can he take any steps to obtain similar treatment for Scottish counties as is being done in England?

I am aware that the unemployment relief measures administered by the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries include works for the provision and improvement of water supplies to farms and that the measures administered by the Board of Agriculture for Scotland do not include such works. On the other hand, I would remind my hon. Friend that the Board's land drainage schemes cover a wider scope of operations than the corresponding English schemes, and have proved to be a very satisfactory means of dealing with the problem of unemployment in agricultural districts in Scotland. The available evidence does not suggest that in Scotland the inclusion of water supply schemes would have contributed substantially to the solution of the problem. As regards my hon Friend's suggestion, I would point out that the date fixed in each country for the completion of such unemployment works is the 31st May.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has received a communication from the East Ham unemployment organisation stating that the Government have undertaken the building of a sea wall at Woodham Ferris; that labourers are being advertised for at the rate of 7½d. per hour; that, at the East Ham and Ilford Employment Exchanges, unemployment benefit has been refused to men who decline this work; whether he has been asked to receive a deputation from East Ham on this question; and what action, if any, he proposes to take?

A communication has been received on this matter from the East Ham Trades Council. So far as I have been able to ascertain, unemployment benefit has not been disallowed on account of a refusal to accept this work, but if my lion. Friend can furnish particulars of any cases, I shall be glad to have further inquiries made.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he recently addressed a circular to employers and others engaged in industry on the subject of industry taking over unemployment insurance; whether he has received many replies; whether the majority of the replies express a willingness to give the question consideration; and whether he is prepared to set up a Departmental Committee or recommend the appointment of a Royal Commission to consider the whole question?

I addressed a circular letter on 22nd February last to the associations representing the employers and employés in each industry, asking for their views on the question of unemployment insurance by industries. The replies received up to the present indicate considerable diversity of opinion. In the majority of cases sufficient time has not yet elapsed to enable those concerned to formulate their views. In these circumstances I cannot yet decide on the next step to be taken, but I can assure my hon. and gallant Friend that I do not underrate the importance of this matter, and that I shall not lose sight of it.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that men in the engineering trade suspended before the lock-out for slackness of work are being refused unemployment benefit because of the dispute in the engineering industry; whether this is in conformity with any decision governing the administration of the Unemployment Acts; and, if not, will he give instructions that those so unemployed and entitled to benefit be paid without unnecessary delay?

So far as I am aware, benefit has not been disallowed in cases where men definitely lost their employment before the dispute. I am informed, however, that the Chief Insurance Officer, in accordance with previous decisions of the Umpire, has held that engineers suspended but not definitely discharged before the lock-out are disqualified from Unemployment Benefit. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of these decisions. As he is aware, the decision of the Insurance Officer in any particular case can be tested by an appeal to the Court of Referees and, if necessary, to the Umpire.

asked the Minister of Labour on what grounds and under what powers he has issued Order U.I.A. 50c instructing local Employment Committees that grants shall not be made to single men and women who live with adult relatives who are in employment for half time or more; and, seeing that the wages of one person on half time are not sufficient to maintain one, two, or three adults, in addition to a wife and small children, will he reconsider this Order?

Uncovenanted benefit, which alone is here in question, can only be granted if the Minister of Labour is satisfied that the grant is expedient in the public interest. The Minister has accordingly directed that uncovenanted benefit is not to be paid to single men or women who are maintained wholly or mainly by their relatives. For the guidance of local Employment Committees he has issued a further instruction, of which I am sending a copy to my hon. Friend, indicating that this disqualification does not apply if the parents or other relatives do not earn sufficient, having regard to their other responsibilities, to enable them to undertake the support of the applicant. These instructions do not affect the right to covenanted benefit.

asked the Minister of Labour whether it is his intention to set up a Trade Board for the finishing section of the lace industry?

As my hon. Friend is no doubt aware, a Trade Board for that branch of the lace trade which is engaged in machine-made lace and net finishing, other than the finishing of certain products of plain net machines, was established on the 7th September, 1910. I assume that my hon. Friend's reference is to a proposal, which was under consideration at one time, to extend the scope of that Board. This proposal has not been proceeded with during the present abnormal condition of industry.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction of the workers in the retail "bespoke tailoring trade with the order recently made as to the wages of tailoresses by the Trade Board; and is he prepared to submit this matter again, and at once, to the Trade Board in order that it may be reviewed?

I assume that my hon. Friend refers to the issue by the Retail Bespoke Tailoring Trade Board on 19th April of proposals to reduce the minimum rates for certain classes of female workers. The responsibility for the initiation of variations of minimum rates in the trade lies entirely with the Trade Board. It is open to those affected to lodge an objection with the Board within the period of two months allowed for this purpose by the Trade Boards Acts. My right hon. Friend will, of course, carefully consider the Board's proposals when they are submitted to him for confirmation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the imports effected, under the Safeguarding of Industries Act, to the prejudice of the farmers; whether he is aware of the protests against this penalisation of the agriculturist, especially since the latter is unprotected owing to free trade; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter?

With the exception of magnetos for agricultural motor tractors, I am not aware that any of the goods which are subject to duty under Part I of the Act are of special interest to farmers; and no goods are at present subject to duty under Part II of the Act. I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answers given to the hon. Members for White-chapel (Mr. Kiley) and West Derbyshire (Mr. C. White) on the 20th March and 1st May, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for War the terms under which compensation will be payable to officers compulsorily retired under the recent Army reductions?

I am not yet able to make an announcement, but T hope to do so at an early date.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport whether a guarantee of £6,500,000 has been made to the South Eastern and Chatham Railway Company under the Trade Facilities Act, 1921, for the electrification of suburban lines; whether he is aware that districts radiating in a northeasterly and east-north-easterly direction from the City are provided with more inadequate train facilities than any other suburban locality; and whether, taking into consideration the large amount of unemployed labour power now available, he will consult with the Great Eastern Railway Company with a view to putting into effect a scheme for the electrification of suburban lines?

I am aware of the congestion at certain hours in the districts named. I have been in consultation with the Great Eastern Railway, and have informed them that the Trade Facilities Committee are prepared to consider an application from them for assistance in raising capital for electrification work, but I understand that they do not propose to make such an application.

asked the hon. Member for the Pollok Division of Glasgow, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether it is intended to charge £25 per pitch per season for two days' play per week for football pitches in the Home Park at Hampton Court; if so, whether he is aware that this charge will expel from the grounds a number of junior clubs who hitherto have been permitted to play there without charge; whether, in the event of this charge being insisted upon, special facilities can be provided in the park for such players; how many of the unemployed were engaged in the work of levelling the football pitches in the Home Park; what was the area levelled and the cost of the work; was any Government grant made for this form of relief for the unemployed; and whether any request was made for this work to be done?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative; the charge of £25 is considered reasonable, and is, I understand, less than is usually charged for similar facilities. The First Commissioner would point out that these grounds, being situated in a Royal park, and having been constructed out of monies provided by Parliament, must be open to the public generally, and their use cannot be restricted to any particular type or class of clubs, or to persons resident in any particular locality. Only two junior clubs have hitherto had the use of portions of the ground in Hampton Court Park, and there is ample alternative accommodation for them and other junior clubs free of charge in Bushey Park, equally convenient and accessible. The number of unemployed engaged on the levelling work was 50, the area dealt with was 30 acres, and the total sum spent on the games ground and the dressing accommodation, and providing a lodge for a park keeper, was £4,500; this expenditure was met to the extent of £3,500 out of the sum of £50,000 voted in 1921–22 for relief works for the unemployed, and this particular work was undertaken in response to the urgent demand for football grounds from clubs and societies in London and its suburbs.

asked the Postmaster-General on whose instructions excess postage is being charged in this country on letters sent from Southern Ireland and franked with British stamps; and what are the reasons for making this excess charge, having regard to the fact that thousands of unused British stamps are in circulation in the South of Ireland for which the Imperial Exchequer has received payment?

The administration of the Post Office in Southern Ireland, since the 1st of last month, has been vested in the Provisional Government of the Trish Free State, and only the stamps specially overprinted for use in the Free State are valid for letters posted there. In ordinary course, letters for this country bearing British stamps not so overprinted are treated by the Free State Post Office as unpaid, and become liable to a charge of double postage on delivery, but the value of any British stamps which they bear is deducted from the charge.

asked the Secretary for Scotland when the Report of Lord Dunedin's Committee may be expected; and whether it will be laid as soon as received?

I am informed that the Committee have completed their Report and that it is now in the hands of the printers. I hope to receive it on an early date when the question of publication will be considered.