asked the Minister of Labour the number of occasions during any given period on which unemployment benefit has been refused to women suitable for domestic service on the grounds that they had refused to accept suitable employment which had been offered them?

No separate record is kept of the number of cases in which benefit is disallowed to women for refusing offers of domestic service, but I may inform my hon. Friend that of 24,829 disallowances of benefit to women by the chief insurance officer during the quarter ended 31st January, 1922, 6,373 were for refusal to accept suitable employment offered to them.

asked the Minister of Labour if men in the parish of Hamsterley Wilton-le-Wear, county Durham, have had their unemployment allowance stopped, on the grounds that they have small holdings with stock on them, and the committee at Bishop Auckland consider them not to be in need of unemployment pay on that ground; is he aware that the real employment of these men is mining, that some of these men have been off work for over 12 months, and that these men feel aggrieved by such action, as they are greatly in need of unemployed benefit; and will proper inquiry be made into these men's cases?

I am having inquiries made locally and will communicate the result to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary for Scotland the reason why the Cambusnethan Parish Council refuse to grant relief to able-bodied unemployed workmen who are in distressed circumstances; and whether he is aware that distress in that district is very acute and, however willing workmen may be, employment is unobtainable for a majority of them?

I am informed that the Parish Council of Cambusnethan do not refuse relief to able-bodied unemployed workmen who are destitute. They have, however, reduced their scale of relief so that persons in receipt of full unemployment benefit will not have such benefit supplemented from the Poor rates. I am aware that there is a large volume of unemployment in that district, and that, in common with other districts, there is a considerable amount of distress, but I have no reason to suppose that the parish council are failing to fulfil their obligations in the matter of relieving destitution.

asked the Minister of Labour if a Committee of experts has been set up with a view to simplifying the Unemployment Insurance Scheme, and possibly amalgamating Unemployment and Health Insurance cards record; and, if so, will he give the names of the members of the Committee?

An Inter-Departmental Committee was appointed by the Minister of Health and myself on the 23rd January to consider the relations of Health Insurance and Unemployment Insurance, and to investigate the possibility of reducing the total cost of administration by modifying the Unemployment Insurance Scheme and by amalgamating Unemployment and Health Insurance Cards, Records, and, as far as possible, administration.The members of the Committee are:

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he has considered, in consultation with the Treasury, the possibility of exempting new houses from taxation for a period of 10 years; and whether, as regards rates, corporations and local authorities desirous of encouraging private enterprise in building houses should follow the example of New York City and exempt new houses from rates for a similar period, seeing that there is a demand throughout Scotland for houses which, under present conditions, are not being built by private enterprise and cannot be built at the cost of the taxpayer?

I have considered these proposals, but, on the information before me, I am not satisfied that exemption from rates and taxes would form a sufficient inducement to the private builder to build new houses. The proposals would require legislation.

asked the Minister of Health what would be the reduction in the assessable value for local rates if the Rating of Machinery Bill becomes operative, and what increase in the average poundage would be required to make up the deficiency; and whether, in sanctioning the raising of loans by local authorities, he takes their assessable value into account; and, if so, to what extent?

Owing to the diversity of practice in different unions with regard to the rating of machinery, it is not possible to give any figures in reply to the first part of the question. The answer to the second part is in the affirmative. Under the Public Health Acts loans are limited in amount to twice the assessable value of the district, but this limitation does not apply to loans for various purposes, such as housing and education.

asked the Minister of Health if he will consider the advisability of preventing the sale of calf lymph vaccine by any person unless in possession of a Government licence?

The general question of the control of certain therapeutic substances, including the vaccine referred to, was considered by a Departmental Committee appointed by my predecessor, but the carrying out of their recommendations would involve additional expenditure which I am not prepared to recommend at the present time.

asked the Minister of Health how many children remain unvaccinated in England as a consequence of the Conscientious Clause in the Vaccination Act of 1907?

My hon. Friend will find this information on page 13 of the Report on Small-pox and Vaccination issued last year by the Ministry, a copy of which I will send him.

asked the Minister of Health if, in view of the increasing inefficiency of vaccination, owing to many medical practitioners certifying one vesicle as successful, he will consider the advisability of supplying general medical practitioners with Government lymph at a reasonable charge on the condition that the operation conforms to the successful area laid down by the Board of Health?

This matter has been considered from time to time, but as at present advised I do not think it practicable to take action in the direction indicated.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the Educational Corps, attached to the 3rd Battalion, Rifle Brigade, is to be disbanded or reduced; and, if so, what compensation or gratuity is to he paid to the officers engaged in such educational work?

Owing to the drastic reductions which, in the interests of economy, have to be effected in the personnel of the Army Educational Corps, it will not be possible in future to allot personnel to units. Officers and other ranks of the Army Educational Corps will therefore be attached to the headquarters of Brigades and Divisions and higher formations for duties in connection with educational training. With regard to the last part of the question, the general scale of retired pay and gratuities for officers compulsorily retired on reduction of establishment was published in Army Order 179 of 1922, of 11th May, which was extensively reproduced in the Press.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is now in a position to publish the statistics of the small-pox cases and deaths recorded in the British Army in every part of the world during the years of the War?

I regret that I am not at present in a position to give this information. The statistics are not yet completed and I cannot forecast the date of their completion.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many persons are employed on the staff of the Montgomery and Merioneth Territorial Association; whether they are ex-service men, and what are their respective duties and salaries?

This information is not available at the War Office, but I am obtaining it and will communicate further with my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the cost per head of the in-pensioners at Chelsea Hospital.has increased by over £60 per head in the last two years; if so, how much of the increase is actually attributable to the inclusion of rates in the charge for the buildings; what other factors are responsible for this large increase in the cost per head; and how many of the total staff of 204 persons are solely engaged upon work in connection with the administration of service and post-War disability pensions of soldiers?

There has been no real increase in cost, but the increased figure per head shown in Army Estimates 1922–23 as compared with that in the Army Account 1920–21 is due, as to £35, to the inclusion of rates in the 1922–23 figures, and as to the remainder, to the correction of the rental value as explained in Army Estimates 1921–22. But for these items the cost would have shown some reduction. Of the total staff of 204 persons, 73 are engaged solely upon work in connection with the administration of service and post-War disability pensions of soldiers.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what percentage of the contracts of an engineering character placed by the Admiralty during the past six months have been referred to the Technical Costs Branch; and what was the number of contracts and the amount of the original quotations upon which £350,000 was saved since the branch was attached to the Admiralty?

I can assure the hon. Member that the services of this staff have been utilised in all cases in which it appeared that any advantage would thereby be gained. I am unable, however, to quote a percentage, and if I could, it would probably be misleading, as there are many cases in which the existence of keen competition has made it unnecessary and inadvisable to resort to cost investigation, and many others in which the expert officers of the various Technical Departments, owing to their special knowledge of the costs of particular classes of work, have performed analogous functions to those of the Technical Costing Staff. As regards the second part of the question, the number of contracts was about 1,290, and the original quotations amounted to about £2,280,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that Mr. A. Heane, of Frimley Road, Ash Vale, applied in 1916 to the Admiralty for their sanction for a patent in connection with guns for aircraft, whereby, by means of a synchronising gear, it was made possible to fire through the propeller of an aeroplane; that this invention was submitted to the Ministry of Munitions, and examined by the Air Board in 1917; that the invention was subsequently adopted by the Air Ministry; and, seeing that Mr. Heane has been refused any award for this invention, and has even been refused his out-of-pocket expenses in connection therewith, that his claim in respect of an award has been tried in secret, and that he has been refused an open hearing, will he order a public inquiry to be made into the matter?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. During the year 1917 Mr. Heane was in communication with the Air Board concerning a form of synchronising gear invented by him. It is not the fact that his invention has been adopted or used by the Air Ministry; the Scarff-Dibowski gear, which, with improvements suggested by others, has been used, and which appears to have most resemblance to that submitted by Mr. Heane, was submitted by Major Scarf to the Admiralty in November. 1915, and was actually tried on 19th January, 1916. Mr. Heane has been heard in person by Mr. Justice Sargant and the Secretary of the Royal Commission, to whom the original dated plans and suggestions for the Scarff-Dibowski gear were produced in Mr. Heane's presence; they were satisfied that his application had no reasonable chance of success if heard by the Royal Commission as a body. I am not prepared to order a public inquiry to be made.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether, in view of the fact that the Royal Irish Constabulary Pensions Order, 1922, is retrospective, a constable who, after having attained pensionable age, continued to serve in the Royal Irish Constabulary until disbandment of the force is entitled to arrears of pay from the date he attained pensionable age till retirement in cases where no physical disqualification has arisen, and the question of a medical examination is therefore irrelevant?

I presume the hon. Member refers to the special allowance payable in such cases under certain conditions specified in the Pensions Order. The question of modifying, or dispensing with, these conditions in connection with retrospective claims to the allowance is at present under consideration.

asked the Chief Secretary whether certain men of the Donegal Royal Irish Constabulary force, who were brought to Curragh Camp, Kildare, and Shin Street barracks for disbandment, applied for the ordinary rates of subsistence under the Allowances Order, 1920, and were refused any such payment; and, if so, on what grounds?

The rates of subsistence under the Allowances Order, 1920, do not apply in the case of men transferred for disbandment, but a special subsistence allowance of 2s. 6d. per diem was sanctioned to meet the case of certain men who were compelled temporarily to obtain their meals out of barracks and were, therefore, put to additional expense. This allowance was discontinued on the 5th ultimo, as it was then considered that there was no longer a necessity for anyone to mess out of barracks.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what, since 22nd August, 1921, is the total amount advanced for all purposes by the Irish Land Commission, the total amount that has been repaid, the total amount written off as irrecoverable, and the total amount now due?

The advance made to tenants for the purchase of their holdings from their landlords since the 22nd August last amounted to £2,914,885 up to the 30th ultimo. The earliest instalments of the land purchase annuities in these cases will not fall due until 1st June, 1922, and the remainder of the question, therefore, does not arise. If, however, the date given in the hon. and gallant Member's question, namely, 22nd August, 1921, is given in error for 22nd August, 1881, the total advances made by the Irish Land Commission to the 30th ultimo to enable tenants to purchase their holdings from the landlords has amounted to £106,741,298. To ascertain the actual amount of capital repaid in such cases would entail a considerable amount of work, having regard to the necessity of ascertaining the amount of the accumulation of the sinking fund therein. The amount of capital actually "written off" under the Public Works Loans Acts up to this date amounts to £8,152 under the Acts 1881–1888. Under the Acts of 1891, 1903, and 1909, the amount of the arrears of instalments, including principal and interest which are irrecoverable, has amounted up to this date to £1,356.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India to what extent aeroplanes are now being made use of for the purpose of carrying mails; and what encouragement, if any, is being given by the Indian Government for the development of this service?

Mails are, I believe, not yet being carried by aeroplane in India. The Government of India have decided to prepare an air route from Bombay to Calcutta and Rangoon and, when the route or a section of it is completed, to invite tenders for an air mail service over the completed section or sections. In view of the present financial situation the preparation of the route is, I fear, likely to be delayed.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is satisfied that the Royal Air Force, which is in India, is sufficiently supplied with planes and spare parts necessary for the adequate carrying out of the service?

I am satisfied that the present provision of funds by the Government of India is sufficient to maintain the full establishment of reserves and spare parts which are necessary to enable the Royal Air Force in India adequately to carry out their service.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has received a request to meet a deputation from the Importers' Protection Association in reference to the new Import Duties on motor cars; and whether he can accede to the same?

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer received a request to meet such a deputation in March last, but owing to the very heavy pressure upon his time he did not find it possible to accede to it. He promised, however, to consider any views which the Association might wish to put before him in writing.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can see his way to make some allowance from the Income Tax to all widowers who can produce evidence that they pay their daughter or some other relation to keep and manage their house for them; and whether, under such circumstances, he can make a rule entitling them to claim the allowance from Income Tax which is now given for a wife?

Under the existing law an Income Tax deduction may be claimed by a widower who has his daughter living with him for the purpose of looking after his other children. I regret that I do not see my way to extend the operation of this allowance in the manner suggested by my hon. Friend.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has considered the position of rifle clubs in relation to Entertainments Duty; and whether, in view of the special utility of these clubs as national defence training centres conducted for patriotic purposes by men otherwise debarred from such training, he would be prepared to exempt them from the operations of the duty?

Entertainments Duty is chargeable only on the payments made by persons for admission, as spectators or members of an audience, to any exhibition, performance, amusement, game or sport. I do not understand in what circumstances it is suggested that rifle clubs are liable to the duty, but if the hon. Member has in mind any cases in which duty has been charged and will furnish me with particulars, I will have inquiry made.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what grants to local authorities are based in the assessable value of these areas; whether the liabilities of the Exchequer under the Housing Act are affected by the increase or decrease of the assessable value of the areas in which housing schemes have been carried out; and, if so, to what extent?

Assessable value enters as a factor into the calculation of the following grants to local authorities:

(1) The substantive grant for elementary education in England and Wales;

(2) The additional grant for elementary education in certain highly-rated areas in England and Wales;

(3) Treasury grant in aid of intermediate schools in Wales;

(4) Grants towards the deficit on housing schemes.

As regards the second and third parts of the question the annual liability of a local authority to make up the deficiency on an assisted housing scheme is limited to the proceeds of a 1d. rate in England and Wales and of a rate of four-fifths of a 1d. in Scotland and the liability of the Exchequer is increased or diminished if, owing to a change in the assessable value of an authority's area, the proceeds of a 1d. rate are diminished or increased.

asked the Minister of Health whether the Advisory Committee which considered the subject of the Order and Memorandum issued by the Ministry of Health in December, 1921, in reference to the form of accounts presented by local education authorities, were of opinion that the Grant Regulations No. 1, such as are now issued by the Board of Education, should or should not be followed in arriving at the estimated grants receivable from the Board of Education during the current year,i.e., 1922–23?

The Advisory Committee of representatives of local authorities were consulted on the form of the new annual statement which it was proposed to prescribe. They were not consulted with reference to any Grant Regulations as this was not a question for my Department.

asked the President to the Board of Education whether the new form of accounts as required to be presented by the local education authorities to the Minister of Health and the Board of Education will in any way prejudicially affect the substantive grant paid by the Board of Education to the local education authority?

The administration of the Board's grants will be facilitated by the new form of accounts, but it will not affect the principles on which that administration is conducted.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will consider the advisability of limiting the hours of work in bakehouses to eight hours a day, having regard to the allegation that most bakehouses are underground and therefore detrimental to the health of the workers?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply. I am advised that the conditions in bakehouses are not such as would justify special legislation to restrict the daily hours of work. I do not think that it is correct to say that most bakehouses are underground. Such figures as are available indicate that probably less than one-sixth of the total number are underground, and the number is decreasing.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been directed to the reported concessions for rebuilding at Moscow granted by the Soviet Govern- ment to the British Beecham Trust; and whether information of further possible concessions of value to British traders and investors in Russia will be announced without delay to stimulate and aid British enterprise?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, any necessary steps will be taken by the Department of Overseas Trade to bring to the notice of British traders information as to possible concessions which may be reported to the Department.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the state of affairs existing under the Licensing Act of 1921, owing to the licensing justices of different boroughs being permitted to nominate independent hours for the opening and closing of hotels, restaurants and public-houses; whether he is aware that on the north side of Oxford Street these houses open at 5 p.m. and close at 10 p.m., while on the south side they open at 6 p.m. and close at 11 p.m.; and whether, since such legislation practically concedes at least two hours longer for the consumption of alcohol than was intended by the Licensing Act, namely, one hour at the time of commencement on the north side of Oxford Street and one hour additional time at the closing hours on the south side, he will take steps to remove such anomalies?

I have no power to take any action in this matter.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that the daughter of Officer Nicholson, Nottingham Prison, left. her situation to act as housekeeper on the death of her mother; that she was at Arnold only for a short time for the benefit of her health; that she was absolutely dependent on her father's earnings as regards the subsistence allowance; whether inquiries were made as to the whole circumstances; and, if so, with what result?

Nicholson was transferred to Nottingham from Derby on the 19th July, 1920, and his daughter for a time lived near the officer, but not with him. During that time, however, subsistence allowance was given to him under the mistaken impression that his wife was still alive. Later, the daughter went back to Derby to live in the officer's old quarters. All the circumstances have been inquired into and considered, and I can find no ground for the grant of a subsistence allowance.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the results of experiments made with the use of sulphate of ammonia in place of sulphate of copper for the purpose of killing charlock and other weeds in corn crops?

A summary of the results of recent experiments on this subject appeared in the Ministry's journal last March, and I will send a copy to my hon. Friend.