asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is now able to give a decision in the case of Corporal Howcroft, No. 315214, Cheshire Regiment, of 239, Claremont Road, Manchester, which was submitted to him on the 27th September last (references, MH/21668 North-Western region and G/D 50194 Manchester area office)?

This case has been under special consideration. I hope to be in a position to communicate with my hon. and gallant Friend in the course of a few days.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether His Majesty's Government have considered the question of extending to all widows of ex-service men the right to lodge a claim for widows' pensions irrespective of the date at which the death of the husband took place?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Walthamstow West (Mr. McEntee) on the 30th November, and of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Pensions the number of cases of ex-service men suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis in which, after a report from the Ministry's medical officers stating that their condition was attributable to war service, the Ministry referred the applicants to the Pensions Appeal Tribunal; and in how many cases the claim to a pension has been upheld and in how many rejected?

The records of my Department are not kept in such a form as to enable me to give this information without incurring a very considerable amount of additional work involving the examination of many thousand individual files.

asked the Prime Minister if it has now been decided that the Ministry of Pensions shall be responsible for the 700 ex-service men who are suffering from mental trouble and were recently transferred from the care of the Ministry of Pensions to the boards of guardians?

I have been asked to reply. The Government do not see their way, in view of the grave question of general principle involved, to alter the Royal Warrants in the sense suggested.

asked the Minister of Pensions how many of the 45 most highly-paid officials of the. Ministry of Pensions are ex-service men?

Twenty-nine.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that the Royal Proclamation relating to the King's National Roll exhorted all ministers of religion in their respective churches and chapels to read that Proclamation on such convenient days as may be arranged after the issue thereof; whether that Royal Proclamation is still from time to time read in all churches and chapels; and, if not, will he consider whether arrangements could be made for its being so read on frequent occasions in order to remind all concerned of their obligations to unemployed disabled ex-service men?

The Royal Proclamation was, I understand, read in churches and chapels on such convenient days as might be arranged after its issue, but I am not aware that it was read more than once. The hon. Member's suggestion in this matter should, I think, be brought to the notice of the King's Roll National Council, now being set up, and I will arrange for this to be done.

asked the Minister of Labour the estimated number of persons for whom employment will be provided by each of the proposed schemes of work outlined by him, and the estimated cost in each case?

I am afraid these figures could not be obtained without very considerable labour.

asked the Minister of Labour if he can authorise the payment of unemployment insurance benefit to youths in the mining and other industries who may have been employed for two years or less in the industry before attaining the age of 16 and who are rendered idle by trade depression before they have paid 20 contributions under Section 4 of the Act of 1922, after they have attained the age of 16, and are thus unable to obtain unemployment insurance benefit; and, if he is unable to authorise the payment of benefit under the circumstances stated, will he bring in a short amending Bill to make the entitlement to benefit concurrent with the payment of the first contribution, and thus relieve a very great hardship in many cases?

The condition which the hon. Member has in mind is, I presume, that laid down by Section 4 (3) (c) of the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1922, to the effect that when applicants have not paid 20 contributions they must prove employment for a reasonable length of time in an insurable occupation since 31st December, 1919. Youths who since reaching the age of 16 have worked in an insurable occupation, but for less than 20 weeks, may in proper Cases be regarded as satisfying this condition, particularly if they have been in industrial employment for a substantial period before reaching the age of 16. Having regard

PERCENTAGE OF TRADE UNION MEMBERS RETURNED AS UNEMPLOYED.
Month.			Canada.		Australia.
			1921.	1922.	1921.	1922.
			%	%	%	%
January	…	…	13·1	13·9	11 ·4	9·2
February	…	…	16·1	11·6
March	…	…	6·5	9·6
April	…	…	16·3	10·4	12·5	9·6
May	…	…	15·5	8·7
June	…	…	13·2	5·3
July	…	…	9·1	4·1	11·4	9·6
August	…	…	8·7	3·6
September	…	…	8·5	2·8
October	…	…	7·4	—	9·5	—
November	…	…	11·1	—
December	…	…	15·1	—

NOTE.—The Canadian percentages shown for any given month relate to the membership out of work on the last working day of the previous month.The Australian percentages (which are computed quarterly) relate to the membership out of work for three days or more during a particular week (not indicated in the published returns) in each quarter.For these among other reasons the figures are not strictly comparable.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what steps can be taken in view of a resolution passed unanimously at a recent meeting of the ratepayers of the Ouse Drainage Board requesting the Ministry of Agriculture to hold an inquiry into the working of the Ouse Drainage Board, with a view to amending

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can furnish statistics on unemployment in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, white population, for 1921 and the first 10 months of 1922?

As regards New Zealand and South Africa no statistics have been published indicating changes in the level of unemployment during the period referred to by the hon. Member. For Canada and Australia the relevant figures for that period, as far as they have been published by the respective Governments, are set out below:the Order, and in the meantime to issue an Order that all work that is not urgently necessary should be immediately suspended; and whether anything can be done to mitigate the hardship of increased rates recently levied on a number of agriculturists who claim to derive no benefit from the schemes of the drainage board?

The Ouse Drainage Board are constituted under an Order confirmed by Act of Parliament, and I have no power to take the action suggested by the hon. Member. I understand, however, that the Board are themselves now considering the whole question with a view to the presentation of a petition for the amendment of the Order. On receipt of such a petition the Ministry will be prepared to hold a Public Inquiry, at which all parties interested will have full opportunity of stating their case.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the average daily cost of printing the OFFICIAL REPORT of Parliamentary Debates, and what average daily contribution towards this cost is

SCHEDULE 1.
RETURN OF ALIENATIONS FROM NATIVE RESERVES SINCE 1ST JANUARY, 1912.
Alienations for Government and Public Purposes.
No	Name of Reserve.	If proclaimed under Crown Lands Ordinance, 1915.	Area of Excision.	Date.	Locality.	Purpose.	Remarks.
			Acres.
1	Kikuyu (Kyambu)	Yes; but not at time of excision.	269·18	4.3.14	Kabete	Additional grazing area for Kabete Veterinary Laboratory.	323–97 acres of Crown Land added to Reserve in compensation.
2	Nandi	No; shortly to be proclaimed.	126	21.5.15	Southern boundary of Nandi Reserve.	Water fall Reserve for conservation of water power.	Reservation effected when boundary of Nandi Reserve was not clearly established; it has since been shown that this area would fall within the Reserve.
3	Nandi	No	5	25.6.19	Do.	House for Stock Inspector stationed at Kibigori Quarantine Station.	In connection with Veterinary Quarantine Station; the house was placed on the Escarpment within Nandi Reserve for purposes of health, as the Quarantine Station is on lower ground in unhealthy surroundings.
4	Nandi	No	1,200	27.8.19	Sarora Hills.	Township Reserve in connection with European Settlement.	Reservation for township forms part of area excised for settlement under Ex-soldier Settlement Scheme. (See note under No. 5 of Schedule 3).
5	Nandi	No	143	Trading Centres established at Chopsonai and Aldai, in which Temporary Occupation Licences have been granted;
			5	Also one Mill plot on Oruba River, occupied by Waryam Singh.
6	Kikuyu, Nyori District.	No; shortly to be proclaimed.	7	One Trading Centre Reserve, in which Temporary Occupation Licences have been granted.
			¼	Three isolated Mill plots granted on Temporary Occupation Licence.
7	Masai	No; shortly to be proclaimed.	8,000	Townships of Narok, Mara, Ngong and Kajiado of 2,000 acres each reserved.
			8,160	Fifty-one Trading Centres of 160 acres each reserved, in which 2 acre plots have been granted on Temporary Occupation Licences.

NOTE.—Alienations subsequent to 1915 are governed by Section 57 of Crown Lands Ordinance, 1915.

The average daily cost of printing the OFFICIAL REPORT of Debates is £93, and the average daily revenue from sales is £29.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has yet received from the Governor of Kenya the schedule promised more than a year ago setting forth the amount of native lands alienated to white men since 1914?

supplied the following return, in accordance with his answer [OFFICIAL REPORT, 5th December, 1922; col. 1570, Vol. 159.]

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can make any statement with respect to the losses of British merchants in the recent excesses at Smyrna and in the vicinity; and whether any steps are being taken to secure compensation?

The claims of British subjects against Turkey maybe registered with the Reparation Claims Department, but His Majesty's Government possess no funds which could be utilised to meet such claims, and payment can only be made if and when received under the Treaty yet to be concluded with Turkey.

asked the Postmaster-General if his attention has been called to the fact that the post office situated in Bow Common Lane has been closed and that the nearest post office for this district from which the inhabitants can obtain stamps is situated at least half a mile from some parts of the district, and that there is neither telephone nor telegraph facilities provided; and whether, in the circumstances, he will reconsider the matter and provide more convenient postal facilities for the inhabitants of this district?

This office was closed on the recent resignation of the town sub-postmaster, as it was considered that the requirements of the neighbourhood which it served would be reasonably met by the surrounding post offices, of which there are three within a radius of 650 yards. I regret that, in view of the need for strict economy, I cannot see my way to re-open the office.