asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty in how many cases of naval ratings invalided under the post-War regulations has the disability, in the opinion of the invaliding medical officers, been attributable to or aggravated by service during the Great War; in how many of these cases has this opinion been overruled at the Admiralty; are these disabilities dealt with by the medical surveying officers and the Admiralty under pre-War rules or on current Ministry of Pension rules; and are the men clearly and fully informed of their rights and the effect on any subsequent claim of their acceptance of the Admiralty's decisions reversing the opinions of the medical surveying officers?

No record has been kept of the particulars referred to in the first and second parts of the question, and it is not considered that such a record would serve any useful purpose, as each case is fully considered on its merits, and the full medical history is available. The cases are dealt with on lines which have been discussed and agreed with the Ministry of Pensions. The Regulations on the subject have been published in fleet Orders, and the Admiralty decisions do not prejudice any subsequent claim to compensation from the Ministry of Pensions. Any pensioner who is dissatisfied with the Admiralty decision is informed that he is at liberty to appeal to the Ministry of Pensions.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that a public esplanade was closed to the public at Ipswich during the War, and that gates and fences erected during that period still stand; and will he give orders for these obstructions to be removed between the dock and the river Orwell, and restore to the public the right of access which has existed for centuries?

The Admiralty were not concerned in the closing of the esplanade in question, and have no power to order the removal of the gates and fences.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the fact that Brazil is again raising money in this country, he can give a complete list of those British undertakings, financial or commercial, in respect to whose creditors the Brazilian Government has defaulted, and add the dates when such action on the part of that Government took place?

As indicated in my reply to the hon. Member for Rush-cliffe (Mr. Betterton) on 10th May, it is not considered that the publication of such a list would serve any useful purpose.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when he expects to receive the official explanation from the Government of the Far Eastern Republic and the Japanese Government as to the cause of the breakdown of the negotiations at Dairen; and whether he will publish any correspondence or statements he receives on this matter?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. In the circumstances, therefore, it is difficult to make any definite pronouncement regarding publication.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if his attention has been called to the case of Mr. A. A. Goddard, late gunner, Royal Field Artillery, of 40, Hythe Bridge Street, Oxford, who first enlisted in 1880, who served in the South African War (six clasps) and for 2½ years in the War 1914–18, and who, after 25 years of active service, is retired upon a pension of 1s. 0½d. a day, which, owing to a technical difficulty, is not open to reassessment; and will he inquire into this case?

On 20th June, 1908, when Gunner Goddard was discharged to pension, he had two separate periods of service with an interval of more than five years between them. This fact renders him ineligible for re-assessment of his pension under Army Order 325 of 1919. I regret that I am unable to alter the rules in his favour.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that W. Young, No. 350,982, AC2, was taken into the Army on the 12th day of January, 1922, when only 17 years of age; that his father sent on his birth certificate asking that his son should be discharged on the ground that he was not of enlistable age; that the father has been told that he can have his son if he is prepared to pay £20 for his discharge; and that this man is unemployed and cannot find the money; and whether, in view of the fact that the parents' consent had not been given, he will discharge this boy from the Army?

I have been asked to reply. The facts are as stated, but, under the regulations, misstatement of age is not a ground for discharge, which can only be allowed in such a case on payment of £20, or, in exceptional cases, without payment on compassionate grounds. If the airman's father will furnish full particulars of the reasons for which he applies for the discharge, the case will be carefully investigated, with a view to determining whether it can be dealt with on compassionate grounds.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the inconvenience and delay caused by closing the post office at Creswell, Derbyshire, on Wednesday afternoons and delivering telegrams from Whitwell, a neighbouring village, and by closing the post office at Whitwell on Thursday afternoons and delivering telegrams from Creswell; and whether he could, without depriving the local post office staff of their half-holiday and without much additional expense, arrange for telegrams to be received and delivered at Creswell on Wednesday afternoons and at Whitwell on Thursday afternoons?

I am having inquiry made in the matter, and will communicate with the hon. Member as soon as possible.