asked the Secretary of State for War the number of officers who have benefited under the scheme for increasing small pensions (Army Order 347, of 1920); the cost of reassessing the pensions of these officers up to the scale laid down in Army Order 324, of 1919; and the cost of similarly reassessing all pre-War retired officers whose retired pay has not been reassessed already?

Thirty-eight officers benefited under the provisions of Army Order 347 of 1920. The cost of still further increasing the retired pay in these cases up to the scale in Army Order 324 of 1919 would be about £1,200 a year. The cost of reassessing, under Army Order 324 of 1919, the retired pay of all officers who retired before the War and are not entitled to such reassessment under present rules is estimated at about £250,000 a year, on the information available.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can arrange for return passages to this country for the wives and children of the rank and file of the 2nd battalion Royal Highlanders, seeing that many of these persons are living with German families in German houses in Cologne and its neighbourhood and have little prospect of rejoining the unit abroad?

Yes, Sir; in the special circumstances this can be arranged for those families who desire it, on the understanding that such families cannot on their return be immediately accommodated in public quarters, which are not available, and that they must pay their own fare from the port of disembarkation in this country to their homes.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will see that all officers who are being compulsorily retired shall be given every possible chance of getting other employment without prejudice to the amount of compensation to which they may be entitled; and whether, to promote this end, he will undertake that the competent authority to grant leave in the cases of officers recommended for compulsory retirement shall be the War Office instead of the commanding officer?

The question of releasing officers already recommended for compulsory retirement in order to allow them to take up or seek civil employment is now under consideration, and it is hoped that orders will be issued on the subject in a few days. These orders will also contain instructions regarding the grant of leave.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the committee which was appointed for the purpose has decided what clasps are to be granted for war service in the late War; and, if so, when the issue is likely to commence?

I am not in a position to add anything to the answer given to my hon. and gallant Friend, the Member for Torquay (Colonel Burn), on 4th April.

asked the Secretary of State for War what percentage of contracts for the War Department was referred to the Technical Costs Branch from May, 1920 to May, 1922; and what was the total amount respectively of the original quotations thus referred, the amount ultimately agreed upon, and the savings resulting during the period stated?

It is estimated that since the War Office took over the responsibility for contract administration from the Ministry of Munitions (Supply) in June, 1920, something under 1 per cent. of the orders given have been referred to the Technical Costs Branch. The totals of the amounts originally proposed by the contractors and of the amounts ultimately accepted were £161,837 and £119,959 respectively. The reductions on the original proposals were however only partially due to the Technical Costs Branch.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the Technical Costs Branch of the Contracts Department was established in 1915, that it effected a saving of 300 million pounds in Ministry of Munitions contracts; that the National Expenditure Committee, 1917–18, recommended a continuance and extension of its work, yet only four Government Departments have availed themselves of its knowledge and experience, and although a comparatively small number of their contracts have been remitted considerable savings to the State have resulted; and whether, in the interests of economy, a reduction in the staff of 10 will be avoided, in order that all departments may utilise the services of its personnel under the supervision and control of the Treasury?

The functions, scope and size of the Technical Costs Branch attached to the Admiralty, to which it is assumed the hon. Member refers, are under consideration, and in the meantime I do not think that I can usefully add to the information contained in the reply of the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty on the 3rd May.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the cost up to date of the Genoa Conference?

Accounts of the expenditure in respect of the Genoa Conference up to date have not yet been received, and it is impossible, therefore, to furnish a complete statement. So far as is known, expenditure has been incurred during the first month of the Conference, in respect of travelling expenses, hotel gratuities, etc., to an approximate total of £2,500.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many million pounds were on deposit on savings banks In the United Kingdom in 1921 or the last complete year for which figures were available, and the rate of interest paid?

I can only deal with the savings banks for which the State is responsible. On the 20th November last the cash deposits in the Trustee savings banks were approximately £73,000,000. On the 31st December last the deposits in the Post Office Savings Bank were approximately £264,500,000 Interests on the deposits, which are repayable at call, is at the rate of 2½ per cent. per annum.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the annual cost of the Reparation Commission to this country; and what is the number of the staff employed by the Commission?

The expenses of the Reparation Commission are defrayed by Germany and accordingly no part of its annual cost falls upon this country; the information asked for in the second part of the question is not in my possession. Particulars regarding the British staff were given in answer to a question by the hon. Member for East Leyton (Mr. Malone) on the 21st March, 1922.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of Income Tax collected for the year ending 5th April, 1922, and the cost of collecting this tax, and the amount collected from the Beer Duty for the same period and the cost of collecting the same?

The Exchequer receipt of Income Tax in the financial year ended 31st March, 1922, was £337,027,000. The approximate net receipt of duty collected during the same year was £121,865,000 on home-made beer and £20,000 on imported beer. The collection of the Income Tax and of the Beer Duty are but part of the functions performed by the Board of Inland Revenue and by the Board of Customs and Excise respectively, and it is not possible in either case to apportion the total cost of the functions of these Departments between the various items.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he proposes to extend to all classes whose incomes do not exceed £400 per annum the relief from liability to Income Tax of the actual cost of travelling to and from the place of employment, as is now granted to a weekly wage earner charged by quarterly assessment who is employed at a considerable distance from his home and necessarily incurs expenses either in lodging away from home or in travelling to and from his employment?

I would remind my hon. Friend that the Royal Commission on the Income Tax expressed the opinion that a general allowance for travelling expenses would result in a very great-inequity and recommended that no such allowance be made. As regards the wartime concession in the case of weekly wage earners to which my hon. Friend refers, I have decided that the time has now come when the concession must be withdrawn. Accordingly, no deduction will be allowed for such travelling expenses in respect of any quarter after the quarter ending on the 5th April, 1922.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the figure for the cost-of-living bonus taken for the purposes of the Budget; and what will be the saving effected during the current financial year for every five points of decrease shown at the next periodical reassessment?

The total provision in the Civil Services and Revenue Departments Estimates for bonus is about £27,000,000 out of a total Budget expenditure of £910,000,000. This provision is on the basis of an average figure of 100 for the whole financial year. The figure for the first five months is 105. The exact average for the year 1922–23 depends on ( a ) the figure fixed for the six months 1st September, 1922, to 28th February, 1923, and ( b ) the figure fixed for the month of March, 1923. If it be assumed that these two figures will both be 85, the average for the year would be 93⅓, and the saving as compared with the Estimate would be approximately £1,800,000.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury (1) what is the total amount of bonus now payable to the Civil Service and Revenue Departments; (2) what proportion of the total bonus of the Civil Service is represented by a decrease of 10 points in the cost of living?

The bonus now payable in the Civil Service and Revenue Department is at the rate of approximately £28,000,000 a year. The current rate is based on a cost of living figure of 105 and is subject to revision on the 1st September next on the basis of the average cost of living figure for the preceding six months. The total provision made in the Civil Service and Revenue Department Estimates for 1922–23 is £27,000,000 on the assumption that the average cost of living figure for the whole year may be 100. If the average figure for the whole year showed a decrease of 10 points, the saving would be £2,700,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will reconsider his decision on the question of the Entertainments Duty with a view to reducing the same; whether he is aware that millions of the working classes have suffered very large reductions in their wages recently, and that these are the people who have to pay the highest price of the Entertainments Duty, averaging from 30 to 40 per cent., while in the better-class districts they have only to pay from 10 to 15 per cent. of the Duty; and whether he will give a promise to reduce the Duty all round?

I can add nothing to what I have already stated on this subject in the course of the Budget Debates.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will reconsider his position on the question of indirect taxation on the questions of sugar, tobacco, matches, mineral waters, beer, and other items affecting the ordinary British householder; whether he is aware that the working classes have suffered heavy reductions in their wages recently, and that the high taxes on the above articles are a hardship to them; and whether he can see his way to reduce the tax on the above-named articles?

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the Debate on the Budget proposals on the 3rd instant.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what was the number of directors' meetings held by the British Cellulose Company during their last financial year; and how many meetings each of the Government directors attended?

During the last financial year of the British Cellulose Company, ending on the 30th June, 1921, there were 22 directors' meetings. Sir Philip Henriques attended all meetings and Sir William Alexander 17.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that British claimants of German debts are experiencing difficulty in securing payment on account of their inability to trace the German debtors; that in one case the claimant has been informed that the German clearing office cannot ascertain the debtor's address without further particulars; that all efforts to trace him have been in vain, and that, if no further information can be supplied by the claimant, the only course will be to withdraw the claim; and whether, in view of the impossibility of persons of small means residing in this country conducting inquiries in Germany, further assistance will be rendered in establishing their claims?

I have been asked to reply. Owing to the length of time which has elapsed since the debts were contracted, it has been found in some cases that neither German nor British debtors can be traced at the addresses given by the creditors, and an agreement between the British and German Clearing Offices is in operation whereby the Debtor Office takes exhaustive steps to trace the missing debtors, both through the police and by private enquiries. Creditors are further allowed, where these enquiries prove ineffective, to keep their claims open at the Creditor Clearing Office with a view to their resubmission later to the Debtor Office, in the event of the debtor's address being discovered.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is now in a position to give a decision respecting the question of permitting passengers to stand in London tramcars and omnibuses?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on the 10th April to the hon. Member for Stratford (Mr. Lyle). This matter is still under consideration.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will furnish a statement of the number of summonses issued to drivers of taxicabs in London for trivial and minor breaches of the Hackney Carriage Act?

The following is a list of the offences against the Hackney Carriage Acts for which summonses have been directed against cab drivers this year: Obstruction by loitering 29 Disregarding regulations at cab ranks 19 Not wearing badge 7 Using insulting words and behaviour 4 Plying elsewhere than at standing 2 Obstruction by misbehaviour 2 Refusing to be hired 3 Total 66

I must leave the hon. Member to decide for himself which of these he considers trivial or minor. It should be borne in mind that the general London practice is to deal with a cab driver's first offence by way of caution and not by summons.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport the number of mechanically propelled road vehicles of different classes, i.e ., cars taxed on horse-power, motor cycles, commercial goods vehicles, motor hackneys, etc., on which Licence Duty was collected in the months of December, 1921, and January, February, March, and April, 1922, respectively; the total duty paid by each of the various classes of road vehicles during the said period; the number of annual, quarterly, or short-period licences issued, respectively; the total sum now standing to the credit of the Road Fund; the amounts actually paid out of the Road Fund to local authorities during the year 1921, and during January, February, March, and April, 1922; the amounts allocated to local authorities in respect of the financial year ending 31st December, 1922; and the estimated grants from the Road Fund for road maintenance expenditure during the financial year ending 31st December, 1922?

A statement, of which I am sending my hon. Friend a copy, has been furnished to the Press, showing the number of annual and quarterly licences issued, and the amount of duty collected, on account of each taxation category of vehicle, for the three months December, 1921, January and February, 1922. The information for March and April is not yet completely available. The statement referred to does not show the figures for each month separately, nor does it distinguish the number of short-period licences. The extraction of these further details would involve a great deal of time and labour, and I hope my hon. Friend will not press for them. The total sum standing to the credit of the Road Fund on 30th April, 1922, was £15,875,420, of which £856,000 represented outstanding loans made to highway authorities. The payments from the fund during the periods mentioned in the question were as follow: £ During the year 1921 … 9,600,762 During January, 1922 … 947,929 During February, 1922 … 1,307,601 During March, 1922 … 1,597,056 During April, 1922 … 635,620

On 31st March, 1922, the end of the financial year, there were outstanding commitments amounting to £11,365,000, of which £2,770,000 represented the balance of grants towards the cost of maintenance of Class I and Class II roads in respect of the financial year 1921–22. The remaining commitments were chiefly on account of road works expedited for the relief of unemployment and on account of grants made in previous years which have not yet been fully paid up. The allocation for the financial year ending 31st March, 1923, towards the cost of maintenance of Class I and Class II roads, and for other purposes, is still under consideration.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware that Pioneer John Arthur Parr, 349880, Royal Engineers, while on service contracted influenza and pneumonia, and on recovery was put under canvas, to which his later illnesses, due to consumption, are apparently attributable; that he applied for a pension on 5th September, 1921, and has since then been in a sanatorium for some time, yet no reply to his application has been received; and, as this man has no income, will he expedite the consideration of his claim for a pension?

I regret that I have not been able to identify this case from the particulars given. Perhaps my hon. Friend will let me have any further information in his possession?

asked the Minister of Pensions if he will consider the claim for pension of William Richard Charles Buffin, No. 447062, Labour Corps, who enlisted at Abertillery on 11th December, 1915, was certified A1, and sent to France, was discharged from the Army 1st March, 1919, as having suffered impairments since entry into the Army, and granted a temporary pension of 34s. 6d. per week; and if he is aware that this man is now totally blind in the right eye, has a wife and four children depending upon him,, and although discharged as being impaired by military service is receiving no pension?

After full consideration the Ministry were unable to accept this man's disability as either due to or aggravated by his service; and this decision having been confirmed by the Pensions Appeal Tribunal, he is not en- titled to any compensation from the Ministry beyond the grant already made under Article 7 of the Royal Warrant.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he will further consider the claim to an increase of pension of Private John Godwin, No. 20288, 1st Monmouthshire Regiment, at present residing at 64, Railway Street, Llanhilleth, and discharged from the service on 8th May, 1916, through disablement certified to be attributable to war service; and is he aware that this man is only receiving a 20 per cent. disability pension, though he is totally unable to work and has a wife and five children to maintain?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him on the 2nd March. If the man claims that his condition has grown substantially worse since he was examined by the Medical Appeal Board he should consult his local committee.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether area councils or committees have been formed in Aberdeen, Inverness, Greenock, Glasgow, Motherwell, Stirling, Newcastle, Tynemouth, West Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Gloucester, Bristol, Bath, and Taunton; whether they are or will be staffed by ex-service men; and whether all future councils will be so staffed, in view of the number of ex-service men now redundant and on the books of the Joint Substitution Board and divisional controllers throughout the country?

I presume my hon. Friend refers to the new area offices which are being set up on connection with the reorganisation of the local war pensions committees. In making appointments to the staff of these offices, effect will be given to the promise made by my right hon. Friend on the 19th July last, during the Committee stage of the War Pensions Act, 1921, that he would give preference to ex-service men. It may, however, be necessary in the interests of the pensioners to retain for a limited time, during the transition period, the services of a few exceptionally qualified members of the staff of existing committees who are non-service men.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether, in view of the familiar contention that India is the poorest and most highly taxed country in the world, he will cause to be prepared a statement showing the amount of taxation, and the amount of unproductive debt per head of the population of India, compared with corresponding figures for other countries, not among the most wealthy in the world?

I will convey my hon. Friend's suggestion to the Government of India, but deductions from comparative figures of the kind suggested are apt to be misleading. I do not know how far Governments of other countries in the category referred to publish figures. Statistics for India are already available. Certain figures for the Crown Colonies were given in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Ilford (Mr. Wise) on the 8th March.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he will consider the question of the exemption from Income Tax of the whole salary of officers of the Indian Army while serving beyond the geographical limits of India, as in Persia, Waziristan, etc., instead of limiting this exemption to such portion of their salary as is drawn by them outside these limits, and thus compelling these officers to pay Income Tax on the money remitted to their wives and families through their agents in India?

If officers serving outside India do not pay Income Tax on pay drawn outside India, it is because they are not subject to either the British or the Indian Income Tax Act rather than on account of any specific exemption. Indian Incomes Tax is leviable under Statute on any part of their pay which accrues or arises or is received in British India, and I do not sec that any other practice is admissible.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, seeing that he has declared his willingness to recognise any duly-constituted association or federation of postal servants, he is prepared to recognise the National Federation of Postal and Telegraph Clerks?

The grades of Post Office servants whose interests the National Federation of Postal and Telegraph Clerks seek to represent have for some years past been represented by the Union of Post Office Workers, a duly recognised organisation, and my right hon. Friend does not regard the statement referred to, which was made by one of his predecessors in 1906, as placing him under any obligation to recognise a second organisation, a course which would, in practice, give rise to serious administrative difficulty.

asked the Postmaster-General if it is proposed to reduce the postage on newspapers?

The newspaper post has always been unremunerative, and my right hon. Friend is sorry that he cannot see his way at present to modify the rate.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the Regulations of the Post Office provide any machinery for arbitration in cases where the record of calls carefully kept of a subscriber continually show a lower number than that for which he is charged?

Complaints of over-recording are diminishing as subscribers formerly accustomed to an unlimited service realise the extent of the use made of the telephone and the difficulty of keeping an accurate record of calls when the telephone is accessible to employés and others both during and after business hours. All complaints of overcharging are investigated and allowance made when there is evidence of error; the expense of arbitration would be out of proportion to the amounts involved in such disputes.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Public Trustee (Trading with the Enemy) has realised all the marketable securities which he has taken over; if not, what is the reason for the delay; and when he proposes to complete such realisation?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. Realisation of marketable securities is being proceeded with as quickly as possible, but the rate of realisation must depend on the state of the market from time to time.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Public Trustee (Trading with the Enemy) periodically renders an account of his receipts and payments; and, if so, whether such accounts are published or are otherwise open for inspection?

The Public Trustee as Custodian of Enemy Property reports monthly to the Board of Trade the value of German property realised by him. This Report is not open to the inspection of the public.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the quantity of concentrates and spelter received by the Government under the agreement with the Zinc Producers Proprietary Association, Limited, Australia; what quantity has been sold; the total sum received from sales; and the profit or loss resulting from these transactions?

The quantity of concentrates and spelter delivered to date is 836,000 tons and 5,000 tons respectively, of which 139,000 tons of concentrates and 3,000 tons of spelter have been sold. The receipts from sales amount to £443,500. The zinc concentrates and spelter trading accounts as at 31st March, 1922, are in course of preparation, and the profit or loss cannot at present be stated. It is anticipated that the accounts to that date will show a considerable loss.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the profit or loss resulting to date from the transactions of the Imported Timber Department?

The imported timber trading accounts for the year ended 31st March last are in course of preparation, and the profit or loss cannot at present be stated. It is anticipated, however, that the account will show a slight, profit.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total cost incurred by the Government in connection with the case before the referee with regard to santonin?

Certain of the items of expenditure have not yet been settled, but the total cost, including charges for shorthand notes, will be approximately £135.

asked the Minister of Health whether Dr. Monckton Copeman holds any official position in the Ministry of Health; and whether he asked Dr. O'Brien to attend a meeting of the Lambeth Schools Committee when the question of the Schick treatment was discussed?

Dr. Monckton Cope-man is one of the medical officers of the Ministry of Health. The reply to the second part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has received any representations as to the impurity of the water supply to the towns of Boston and Skirbeck; and, if so, what steps are being taken to safeguard the health of water consumers in the areas referred to?

Yes, Sir; I have been in communication with the town council on the subject, and I am making further inquiries as to the present position.

asked the President of the Board of Education what facilities for qualifying by examination the Board proposes for supplementary teachers; and what proportion of supplementary teachers have qualified as certificated teachers during the last five years?

In Circular 1169, dated 9th July, 1920, the Board impressed upon local education authorities the importance of providing for supplementary teachers such facilities as will enable them to seek qualification as teachers under the Code, and stated that in considering the employment of supplementary teachers in an area, special regard would be given to the arrangements made in this respect. The Board have no details of the extent to which supplementary teachers have availed themselves of the facilities offered them by local education authorities.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether service as a supplementary teacher will be allowed to count as qualifying service in respect of pensions and allowances for such supplementary teachers as may obtain educational qualifications?

Service as a supplementary teacher in a public elementary school is treated as "qualifying" service for the purposes of the School Teachers (Superannuation) Act, 1918.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the Government will allow Joint Industrial Councils the same opportunity of fixing fair prices as is given to Trade Boards by conferring compulsory powers upon such councils; and, if not, why not?

The Trade Boards are statutory bodies empowered to fix minimum rates of wages, which are legally enforceable. I presume that the question relates to proposals to extend legal enforcement to the voluntary wages agreements reached by Joint Industrial Councils. On this subject, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my predecessor on 8th March, 1920, to my hon. Friend the Member for Walthamstow, West (Mr. Jesson), of which I am sending him a copy. Unlike Trade Boards, which are statutory bodies established in trades where no adequate machinery exists for the effective regulation of wages, Joint Industrial Councils are bodies voluntarily formed by the organisations concerned in trades deemed to be sufficiently well organised to regulate their own conditions. The proposal for legislation to make Joint Industrial Council agreements compulsory throughout an industry appears to require a greater measure of agreement by employers' and workers' organisations generally than has yet been signified.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Committee recently appointed by the Lord Chancellor to inquire into the inequalities in the Law as between men and women is confined to matters relating to the Criminal Law; and, if so, whether he will consider the advisability of extending the inquiry so as to comprise also matters relating to the Civil Law?

I have been asked to reply. The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. It would not be advisable to extend the present inquiry as suggested, as an inquiry with so wide a scope would, necessarily, be prolonged.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the emoluments and establishment of the Governor of Kenya Colony?

The total emoluments of the Governor and of his official establishment are £9,862. This includes emoluments and allowances, in addition to the Governor, of aide-de-camp, private secretary, chief clerk and household staff.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will circulate Papers showing the Agreement made between the Imperial Government and natives of Rhodesia after the two Matabele wars?

I am not aware of any document which could be described precisely in the terms used in the hon. Member's question. If the allusion is to the Indaba held in the Mattopos in October. 1896, the hon. Member will find an account of the proceedings on pages 76–77 of C. 8,547. Native regulations were subsequently promulgated and published in C. 9,138.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether negotiations have recently taken place between the oil combination known as the Royal Dutch Shell and the Soviet Government of Russia; whether such negotiations were with the sanction of His Majesty's Government; whether certain concessions and rights were offered to this combine; and whether they were refused because other British and foreign investors in Russian undertakings were not accorded similar rights and concessions?

The group mentioned approached the Soviet Government last year with a view to regaining possession of its properties in Russia. The answer to the second part of the question is in the affirmative. With regard to the third and fourth parts of the question, His Majesty's Government has no information of such an offer having been made.