asked the Home Secretary whether his attention hag been called to strictures of magistrates on the sale of worn-out horses to ignorant people; and whether, seeing that it is the ignorant victims who are in most cases fined for working those horses under improper conditions, he will consider the desirability of introducing legislation dealing with the people who sell those horses?

I do not see my way to propose such legislation.

asked the Home Secretary whether it is intended to amend the Corrupt and Illegal Practices (Prevention) Act, 1883, so as to prevent the wife of a candidate who has been found guilty of corrupt practices from becoming a candidate for the same seat during such period as the person so found guilty may have been rendered ineligible?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies the amount of land owned by the British, Indian, and native populations, respectively, in Kenya Colony, and the number of the British, Indian and native populations?

As I indicated in my reply to the question of the hon. Member for Taunton (Mr. J. Hope Simpson) on the 14th of May, I have not the information required to furnish an answer in regard to the holding of land. The Acting Governor will be consulted. As regards population, the Census returns (1921) give the following particulars:

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any agreement arrived at by the European and Indian deputations from Kenya now in conference in London upon the claims of the Indians in Kenya to equal franchise and unrestricted immigration will, before a final decision is taken, be submitted to the judgment of Parliament?

No agreement has yet been reached, and the question is still under discussion. The discussion of any questions affecting Kenya is always possible on the Colonial Office Estimates, and some of these will no doubt be debated when these Estimates are discussed in Committee of Supply.

asked the Minister of Labour the rate of wages and hours of labour under the Trade Boards for the milk distribution trade for the county of Dorset?

The rates generally applicable to the milk distributive trade in Dorset range from 42s. to 51s. for adult male workers, and from 26s. 6d. to 37s. for adult female workers, according to skill. Higher rates apply to a few urban districts in the county. The rates are based on a normal week of 48 hours, and overtime rates are payable after 54 hours, but a Trade Board has of course no power to prescribe hours of labour. Full particulars of the rates are set out in the Order of the 16th March, of which I am sending my hon. Friend a copy.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the number of persons in Wales, including Monmouthshire, who are in receipt of old age pensions from the State?

The total number of old age pensions payable in Wales, including Monmouthshire, was 43,816 on 31st March, 1923.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the approximate percentage of the increase of the assessment in London by the London County Council; and if this increase is only confined to commercial property?

I assume that my hon. Friend refers to the increase in rateable value as shown by the annual supplemental valuation lists. According to information obtained from the London County Council the rateable value of the Administrative County of London for purposes of county rates was (subject to appeals) greater by 1·29 per cent, on the 6th April, 1923, than on the 6th April, 1922. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give instructions that, where notices under Schedule A have been served, or are intended to be served, on tenants, duplicates of such notices be sent to the agent, if any, of the owner or to the owner personally?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which was given to the hon. and gallant Member for North-East Leeds (Major Birchall) on the 9th May. I am sending him a copy of that reply, and I would remind him that my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, during the Debate on the Second Reading of the Finance Bill on the 14th May, stated that he proposed to include in the Bill a special provision to meet the case of the owner of property who may not have received a copy of the notice of assessment of annual value.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that in certain towns, notably Barrow-in-Furness, many tenants are owing from one to two years' arrears of rent; whether, seeing that property owners in such towns are often people of quite small means who really more or less depend on these rents for their income, and that they are now being taxed upon the value of the property in respect of which they do not receive full rents, he will give instructions that the landlords shall only pay tax on rents received during the year or that the collection of the tax shall be held over until the arrears are paid?

Due consideration has been, and is being, given to the circumstances to which my hon. Friend refers, and in the cases in question there is no intention to enforce payment of Income Tax, Schedule A, from landlords who have not received their rents.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount realised in 1922–23, and the amount estimated in 1923-24, under Schedule A, for Income Tax on property?

I regret that the information is not available, as, under the present system of graduation and differentiation of the Income Tax with personal allowances, deductions and reliefs appurtenant not to the various sources of income charged under Schedules A, B, C, D and E, but to the total income of the taxpayer, the total yield cannot be divided between the respective Schedules.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any decision has recently been reached by the Government in the matter of giving preference to home produce in the expenditure of public money; and, if so, whether homo agricultural produce came within the scope of the decision?

There has been no recent decision on this question, but it has for several years been the policy of His Majesty's Government that Government Departments should, in making contracts, give a preference to home and Imperial products over foreign products whenever this is practicable and would not involve inordinate additional expenditure.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of Super-tax payers for each year since 1914?

The number of persons charged to Super-tax for the years from 1914–15 were as follow:

^* Estimated.

The figures to 1921–22 inclusive relate to the United Kingdom; those for 1922–23 are for Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, for the convenience of persons who purchase the daily Parliamentary Reports, he will consider the possibility of having the index bound, and published separately in the same form?

The Daily Reports of Debates are in the nature of proofs, as Members are allowed to correct their speeches before the daily parts are incorporated in the bound volumes. The pagination in the daily part form does not always correspond exactly with that of the bound volumes, so that it would be misleading to put on sale separately the index to the bound volumes as though it were an index to the daily parts. The compilation of a special index to the daily parts would not be justified by the probable demand. Moreover, it would be undesirable to encourage the use of the uncorrected parts for more than ephemeral purposes.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that it is the practice in the Yorkshire Region to retain the original certificates furnished by specialists in support of claims for pensions by widows and ex-service men and that, in the event of the claim to pension being rejected by the Ministry, the certificates are not returned for use in case an appeal is made; that in the case of Mrs. H. Slawson, of 69, Nettleham Road, Woodseat, Sheffield, who applied for a copy of the original certificate, the same was refused; and will he issue instructions that in those cases where it is necessary for his Department to retain the original certificate a certified copy shall be issued to the widow or ex-service man on demand?

I am informed that it is the practice in the Yorkshire Region to supply certified copies of these certificates on request. As regards the individual case mentioned, I understand that no application for a copy of the certificate can be traced, but in order that the position may be cleared up, I am arranging for Mrs. Slawson to be interviewed.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he will have inquiries made into the case of J. J. Barnes, No. 34,438, Royal Field Artillery, 12, Upper Morris Street, Wigan, who has suffered severely from the effects of gas poisoning since the War, and in January, 1920, went before a medical board at Bolton which recommended him for pension; that he was sent into hospital at Southport for 12 weeks, and was discharged for further treatment at a dental hospital, which he never received, but in September, 1921, he was again sent to Southport infirmary for four weeks; that on 28th December, 1922, he was sent before a medical board at Preston, the result of which was that he was granted a pension of 20 per cent, for 12 months; that he received his first payment on 7th February, 1923, and on the following day, 8th February, he received an intimation that his pension was stopped, since which time he has not received any payments; and if he will take steps to have this man's pension paid to him, with arrears, from 8th February, 1923?

The notice given has been too short to enable me to obtain a report on the case, but inquiries are being made and I will let the hon. Member know the position as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that the claim of Peter Tully, No. 52,071, Northumberland Fusiliers, for a pension in 1920 up to July, 1922, was turned down; that his appeal in July, 1922, against the Ministry's decision was upheld on the ground that a final award of nil should not have been made in 1920 by the medical appeal board; that from the date of appeal he received a penison of 8s. 6d. per week; and whether, in these circumstances, he will reconsider this case with the object of seeing whether this man is entitled to some lump sum or gratuity for the time he was deprived of a pension owing to a wrong decision having been given as stated by the appeal tribunal?

The decision of the tribunal did not mean that they considered that the man had been inadequately compensated, but that the case was not suitable for a final award. Following the tribunal's decision, the man was re-boarded when a slight degree of disablement was found and appropriate compensation awarded. There is, however, no question of arrears. The last two medical boards (one a specially constituted appeal board) held in September, 1920, and February, 1921, found no disablement, and it does not appear that the man made any further application to the Ministry between the latter date and June, 1922.

asked the Treasurer of the Household whether his attention has been drawn to the inconvenience suffered by ex-service men and widows of ex-service men residing in Sheffield and district in having to attend the pensions appeal tribunal at Leeds; and whether he will make representation in the proper quarters so that the tribunal may at intervals sit in Sheffield?

Arrangements are made for pensions appeal tribunals to sit at centres which experience has shown are most suitable, having in view the convenience of the majority of the appellants. The work of the past four years has shown that for the Yorkshire area Leeds is the most convenient centre. The Regulations made for the procedure of the tribunals provide for the payment to appellants of necessary travelling and subsistence allowances and, in the case of successful appeals, compensation for loss of time incurred by reason of attendance before tribunals. The question of arranging for a tribunal to visit Sheffield has been carefully considered and the number of entitlement cases waiting for hearing does not at present justify a tribunal being sent there. The question of sending an assessment tribunal to Sheffield will be again considered and if the numbers justify such a course, arrangements will be made accordingly.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether an allowance or pension on behalf of a child, not applied for its current maintenance but suspended under the Minister's power, bears interest during such period of suspension; and, if not, whether, seeing that a profit is being made at the expense of an orphan child when an allowance or pension is not applied for its current maintenance, he will say what steps he proposes to take in the matter?

Where a child is maintained free of charge in an institution or otherwise, and the allowance is not required to be issued, it is accumulated and paid over or administered for the child's benefit when eligibility for the allowance ceases, or when the child goes to work. No profit to the State arises from the suspended issue of the allowance, and no interest is payable on the amount so accumulated. I am not prepared to make any alteration in the present arrangements.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he has any figures showing the number of applications made to his Department by wives whose pensioned husbands have deserted them and who cannot obtain maintenance, even under the orders of the Courts; and whether his Department accepts any responsibility for the maintenance of such wives and families in the circumstances?

I have no exact information as to the number of such applications, but they are not numerous. Payment of any allowances due under the Royal Warrant to a pensioner's wife or children would be made on production of proof that the man was alive. I have no power to authorise the payment of any portion of the husband's pension towards the maintenance of the wife or children unless the pensioner gives his consent to such payment.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether his attention has been drawn to a resolution carried unanimously by the South Shields, Jarrow, and District War Pensions Committee, protesting against the using of police officers in inquiries on behalf of the special grants committee; and whether he will issue instructions that in future all inquiries at the request of the special grants committee shall be carried out by the members of the war pensions committee for the area in which the pensioner resides?

The point raised by the South Shields, Jarrow and District War Pensions Committee has received careful consideration. I am satisfied that it is necessary to make careful inquiries into specific complaints of unworthiness against pensioned widows and dependants and that it would be against the interests of these pensioners to ask war pensions committees to undertake the original investigation of these complaints. The function of the war pensions committees in this class of case is to interview the applicant, inform her of the complaints against her conduct, obtain her answer to those complaints and generally to represent the pensioner by putting forward her case to the special grants committee. I may add that I have definite evidence that there would be considerable objection on the part of war pensions committees to the proposals of the Committee in question.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that the principal officers at the area offices have been notified of a probable early reduction in their salaries; that the posts filled by these officers have all been created within the past 12 months; and that the officers on appointment were informed that their salaries were subject to reduction; and whether he will state the circumstances which justify his Department in proceeding to reduce the salaries of these officers?

The rates of salary payable to principal officers employed in area offices were fixed in February, 1922, when the cost of living was much higher than it is at the present time and, consequently, some revision of those rates may not unreasonably now be expected. I propose to review the rates immediately. I may add that the circular notifying the ranges of salary of principal officers at area offices stated that these salaries would be subject to review in the event of any general revision of the pay of temporary officers.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he is aware that lift attendants employed in his office were included on 19th May when the rest of the civil servants received a holiday for that day, with pay, as a recognition of the King's birthday, and that the lift attendants did not receive payment for that day; and whether he will inquire into the matter with a view to some remuneration being paid to the men concerned?

Holiday with pay is not given to the industrial staff on the King's birthday celebration. As many men as can be usefully employed on that day are allowed to attend, and are paid as usual, but those for whom no useful work is available axe not employed.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether, in view of statements that have been made as to the alleged high costs of distributing coal from the pithead to the consumer, he can give the figures of the cost of distribution operating at the present time under the same headings as those supplied to the House on 29th May, 1922?

I have been asked to reply. I regret that no later figures are available than those contained in the Report of the Coal Costs Sub-Committee of the Coal Advisory Committee, dated 18th December, 1922, a copy of which I am sending to my hon. and learned Friend.

asked the Secretary for Mines what ratio the average rate of wages paid to coal miners in Great Britain bears to the average rate paid in March, 1914; what ratio the current prices of domestic coal bear to the prices of the same qualities in March, 1914; and to what cause is assigned any discrepancy that may be found between the two sets of figures?

The ratio between the average earnings per shift of all classes of workpeople in the coalmining industry in June, 1914, and the present time is estimated to be approximately 100:153. To the second and third parts of the question it is impossible to give categorical answers, but my hon. Friend will find the point that he raises fully analysed in a recent report of my Coal Advisory Committee. I am sending him a copy.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Depart- ment whether the proposal to build a tower at the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley has yet been considered by the management committee; if so, whether the representative of the Government opposed the project; and what is the present position?

I am informed that no plans for a tower have yet been submitted to the management committee. Therefore, no action has been taken.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will consider for purposes of steel-ship inspection the desirability of taking the plates above load-line and below load-line, and give a standard of thickness necessary for certificate of fitness?

I regret that for the reasons given at length to the hon. Member on 29th May it is not possible to adopt this suggestion.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that negotiations for a commercial treaty with Czechoslovakia, calculated to secure substantial tariff advantages to British goods, Lave been impeded for many months owing to the Safeguarding of Industries Act and the fear of the Czechoslavakian Government that an order might be made under Part II of that Act against Czechoslovakian goods; and what steps he proposes to take to remove these apprehensions?

Negotiations for this treaty are still proceeding, but I have good ground for believing that the difficulties to which the hon. Member refers are not likely to prove any obstacle to its conclusion, a Clause dealing with the matter having been provisionally agreed upon.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the new draft regulations in connection with the National Health Insurance will inflict heavy financial hardships upon the various approved societies; that instead of 2s. 5d. for Class B members it will only be 2s. 2½d., and instead of 4s 10d. for full members it will only be 4s. 5d.; and that it is a very serious matter for the societies who are barely paying their way; and if he will take action in the matter?

The maximum allowance to approved societies for expenditure on administration was raised to 4s. 5d. per ordinary member per annum (and half that sum for Class B members) from 1st January, 1920, and in consequence of the rise in the cost of living was increased to 4s. 10d. for the years 1921 and 1922. After the fullest consideration of all the circumstances it has been decided to maintain the figure at 4s. 10d. for the year 1923, but to revert to the former amount of 4s. 5d. from the 1st January, 1924. This step is being taken with the concurrence of the Consultative Council on National Health Insurance (approved societies work) on which approved societies of all types are represented, and having regard to the very considerable fall in the cost of living during the past two years and to the latest information available as to the actual expenditure of societies on administration, my right hon. Friend is satisfied that the proposed reduction is fully justified.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that under their present agreements panel doctors are compelled to keep records of their attendances and of the illnesses of their patients, which involve a great amount of clerical work and takes up much time which might be occupied in examining their cases; and will he, in framing the new terms of service, abolish these records?

My right hon. Friend cannot accept the suggestion implied in the hon. Member's question that the keeping of the prescribed simple form of record need interfere in any way with the proper examination of patients, and he is not prepared to assent to the abolition of the record card.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been directed to an advertisement of Milkal, household milk, which is described as machine-skimmed milk from which only the water has been eliminated; and whether, in view of the implied suggestion that only the water has been eliminated and not the butter fat, he will say what action he proposes to take for the protection of the consumer who may not be aware of what is actually removed by the process of machine skimming?

Yes, Sir. My right hon. Friend's attention has been drawn to the advertisement in question, and he agrees that it is likely to mislead readers as to the nature of the article advertised. He has no power to take action with regard to such advertisements, but he is considering Regulations to provide for the proper labelling of dried milks.

asked the Minister of Health whether there is any record in his Department of suspected evidence that rings of manufacturers of building materials were partly responsible for the loss of £882,000 involved in liquidating the Department of Building Materials Supply; and, if so, whether his officials have any considered plan to prevent the continuance of such profiteering during the progress of house building with State aid in the future?

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the reply which I gave him to the same question on the 28th March.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the British Government has decided to allow to the Ottoman Railway Company a claim on the British Government on a par with the case of railways in Great Britain, which received compensation for losses caused by the War?

The reply is in the negative.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the British delegation at Lausanne will be instructed to press the claims of the Ottoman Railway Company from Smyrna to Aidin, in accordance with Articles 80–94 of the Draft Treaty of Lausanne?

Private negotiations for the settlement of the claims of the railway company and of other Turkish companies controlled by Allied interests have been initiated at Angora. Pending the result of these negotiations it would be premature to make any further announcement, but the hon. Member may rest assured that the question of obtaining the maximum satisfaction for the railway company will not be lost sight of by His Majesty's Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what is the total number of flights made by aircraft belonging to the Government during the past 12 months; how many miles have been flown by these machines; and how many accidents have occurred during the same period; and if he is able to state from the figures if flying compares favourably from the point of view of safety with other forms of travel?

I assume that the figures which my hon. Friend desires are those for the civil air transport lines subsidised by the Government. On this assumption, these are for the year ended 31st March last; number of flights 4,000; miles flown, 778,000; passengers carried, 11,460; passengers injured, one (none was killed). As regards the last part of the question, I am unable to give comparable statistics for other forms of travel, but I think it will be clear from the above that the percentage of accidents (and that non-fatal), namely, less than 009 per cent, of passengers carried, shows that air transport is not unduly dangerous.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is aware that a number of men employed in Pembroke Dockyard have received notice of discharge; that some time ago the number of workmen employed was reduced to the normal figure, and that assurances were given that no further discharges would take place; and whether, in view of the abnormal unemployment now existing, he will reconsider the decision to throw so many men out of employment at a time when it is impossible for them to obtain work elsewhere?

Notices were issued to a number of men as a precautionary measure, but, as it has been found possible to send additional work to the yard, they have now been withdrawn. I must, however, demur to the hon. Member's suggestion that any assurances have been given precluding discharges from Pembroke Dockyard.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is aware that the working hours for employés in the Royal Naval Hospital, Great Yarmouth, average 70 hours per week whilst the hours in similar institutions under the London County Council, the Metropolitan Asylums Board, etc., average 48 per week; that the rate of wages in the Royal Naval Hospital compare unfavourably with those paid for similar work elsewhere; and that nurses holding the medico-pscyhological certificate do not receive the usual extra payment; and whether he will consider the possibility of bringing conditions in the Royal Naval Hospital up to the standards existing in other institutions and receive a deputation from the trade union concerned, in order to discuss the position?

The conditions of service were revised in 1920, after a conference attended by representatives of the Admiralty and the employés, including a representative of the National Asylum Workers' Union. The rates of pay, hours of labour, and general conditions of service are fairly comparable with those which obtain in similar institutions in East Anglia. The hours of duty are not 70 a week, but 60¼. If the employés desire the matter to be reconsidered, it is open to them to bring it before the appropriate Whitley Council.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he can state how many claims to the Russian colonial allowance were sent in; the amount of money paid; the date by which all claims had to be made; the steps taken to inform the troops that such claims could be made; why the claim of Mr. R. Heeps, late No. 3045997, Royal Scots, has not been entertained; and if any record of this man's service in Russia is available?

No information is available at the War Office with regard to the first two parts of the question. As regards the third part, claims for emoluments had normally to be made within three months of the claimant's demobilisation, but in the case of Russian colonial allowance, a special exception was made to allow claims to be considered for a further two years. At the end of that time the documents were destroyed in order to reduce expenditure on storage and staff. Russian colonial allowance in the case of South Russia was issuable to men serving with the South Russian missions, for which duty they volunteered specially. The allowance was granted in order to induce them to volunteer, and the troops concerned were fully aware of this condition. Russian colonial allowance was not granted to personnel of the Army of the Black Sea, even though their duties may have taken them temporarily into Russia. This force was one of the armies of occupation to which soldiers were posted in the ordinary course without specially volunteering, and it was provided with canteens and amenities not enjoyed by the South Russian missions. With regard to the last two parts of the question, no record is now available as to Mr. Heeps' service, and it is for that reason that his claim cannot be entertained.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War if he is aware that the monthly Army List is now very late in its production; and if he will arrange for an earlier issue?

The late publication of the April issue of the monthly Army List was due to a trade dispute existing at the time, and the delay in the issue of the May List to a temporary disarrangement of the machinery of production consequent on the substitution (in the interests of economy) of a half-yearly Army List for the quarterly Army List. For future issues of the monthly Army List it is not anticipated that there will be any difficulty in adhering to the normal date of publication, namely the 23rd of the month.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, with reference to the arms and ammunition accounts of the ordnance depot at Kantara, he can state what happened to the total amount of ammunition left on charge; whether any quantities of explosives were blown up; whether any metals were sold and, if so, by whom and to whom; whether he is aware of any deficiencies in the officers' payment issue branch; whether there was any substantial loss of stores; is he aware that the stores were in a barbed-wire compound, guarded day and night, and that there were no signs of the wires having been tampered with; and whether he will have inquiries made into these matters?

I have been asked to reply. If the hon. Member will be good enough to give me further particulars, with dates, of the matters to which he refers, I will make inquiries, and communicate the result to him. At present I have not sufficient information.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the wages paid to employés at the London mechanical transport repair depot, Hounslow Heath, are substantially below those paid for similar work in London; and whether, in these circumstances, he will revise the wages so as to bring them into conformity with those paid by good employers?

As at present advised, I am not aware that the wages paid at the Hounslow depot are below those currently paid for similar work in London, but further information on the subject is being obtained and examined, and I will communicate with the hon. Member in due course.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if any clasps have been granted to any arm serving in Mesopotamia, and if any clasps have been issued?

Under Army Order 4 of 1923 the new General Service Medal, with clasp "Iraq," has been awarded to all officers and men who served at Ramadi, or north of a line drawn east and west through Ramadi, between 10th December, 1919, and 13th June, 1920, or who were present on the establishment of a unit or formation within the boundaries of Iraq between 1st July, 1920, and 17th November, 1920. The issue of the medal has not yet begun.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War if he can state what progress is being made in the erection of permanent headstones for the graves of overseas soldiers in the Newcastle-upon-Tyne cemeteries?

The erection of headstones on all the war graves in the different cemeteries belonging to the Corporation in the Newcastle area has been delayed by negotiations between the Imperial War Graves Commission and the Corporation consequent on the necessity in this case of purchasing the perpetual rights at the cost of the Commission. The Deeds of Grant have now been approved and are awaiting sealing by the Burial Board, after which it will be possible to proceed with the erection of headstones and the other constructional work.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that the children from London schools are being sent in classes to see the film entitled Thro' Romantic India; whether he is aware of the character of this film; and whether any public money is being spent on sending the children to this exhibition?

I understand from the London County Council that children from London schools are visiting the Philharmonic Hall to see the film referred to by the hon. and gallant Member. Before being exhibited to the children the film was seen by representative head teachers and by the Council's chief inspector, and as a result of their criticisms certain alterations were made in it before it was displayed to the children. These visits take place entirely outside school hours and involve no expenditure of public money.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the bad letter service in the Stafford district; and whether steps will be taken to remedy this?

I am having inquiry made and will write to the hon. Member.