asked the Prime Minister whether he can make any statement on the progress of negotiations at the Lausanne Conference; and when it is anticipated that our troops can be withdrawn from Constantinople and the Dardanelles?

So long as the negotiations at Lausanne continue, I am not in a position to make a statement. It is obvious that, the question of the withdrawal of the Allied troops of occupation is indissolubly connected with the definite conclusion of peace.

asked the Prime Minister whether he can, to elucidate the conflicting current statements, inform the House whether any specific reparations proposals by Germany are now under discussion and consideration by the Allies, and what, in that case, is their nature?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any decision has yet been arrived at as to the desirability of appointing additional divisons of the Anglo-German mxed arbitral tribunal?

As stated by my Noble Friend the Secretary to the Board of Trade on 19th April, steps have been taken to set up an additional division. The consent of the German Government has not yet been received to the necessary appointment, but they have been urged to give an immediate reply. In the event of continued delay by the German Government the procedure contemplated in the penultimate paragraph of Article 304 ( a ) of the Peace Treaty can be resorted to.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement as to the position regarding the difference between the Colonial Office and the elected members of the Legislative Council of Fiji?

The Secretary of State has replied to the communication referred to in the answer which I gave to the hon. and gallant Member on the 17th May and the Governor has telegraphed the thanks of the elected members. I gather that the incident is now satisfactorily concluded, and I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the further correspondence.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to what purports to be an account of the conversations held on 28th May between the Foreign Secretary and M. Krassin, published in the "Times" newspaper of 29th May; whether the report is based on any official communication; and whether, in future, precautions will be taken against disclosure to the Press of information which is denied to the House of Commons as to the progress of negotiations?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative; the answer to the second part is in the negative; the third part, therefore, does not arise.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the line that determines the territorial waters around our coast is a line drawn to follow the line of coast or is it a line drawn three miles outside the points; if the latter, what is the approximate average distance from the shore; is the method of measurement adopted by the Russian Government the same as that adopted by our home Government; and, if not, what is the difference in the methods adopted by the two Governments?

The line in general follows the sinuosities of the coast at a distance of three miles from low water mark or from the mouth of inlets of which the waters form part of the national territory. I have no information on the third part of the question; and the last part therefore does not arise.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the number now of consular officers and clerks attached to the consular service in Madrid; and what was the number on let July, 1914?

At present there is a salaried Consul, a clerk and a typist at Madrid. Provision has also been made in the estimates for a salaried vice-Consul but the post has not yet been filled. In 1914 there was no salaried Consul at Madrid, but the post was in charge of an honorary consular officer.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if the district commissioner or inspector of taxes is paid a percentage on the amount he collects as a salary; and, if not, how is he paid?

The suggestion in the first part of the question is wholly without foundation. The local Commissioners of Income Tax act in a purely honorary capacity. Inspectors of Taxes who are servants of the Crown are paid on fixed scales of salary determined by the character of their work. The amount of duty collected in an inspector's area has not, and never has had, any effect at all on his remunreation.

asked the Minister of Health how many medical men, and how many medical women, are Commissioners of the Board of Control; and how many medical men, and how many medical women, hold the position of inspector under the Board of Control?

There are four medical men who are Commissioners of the Board of Control, and two medical men inspectors; there are no medical women either as Commissioners or inspectors.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he will state the number of separate premises, the property of the War Department, now occupied by the War Department, and the corresponding number in July, 1914?

I regret that this information is not available, and I do not think that it would be justifiable, at the present time, to incur the cost of compiling it.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he is aware that there is a desire on the part of many parents of sons, who gave their lives in the Great War, to visit the graves of their sons in France, and that many of these parents have not the means to enable them to give effect to their desire; and if his Department will be prepared to give financial assistance to those whose circumstances may be considered by the Ministry as being necessitous?

A grant was made for this purpose, to be expended during the years 1921–22 and 1922–23, but I regret that in the present financial stringency it is not possible to extend it.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether, having regard to the promised reduction, he can state the number of officers now employed in the United Kingdom in discharge of military duties and not on the strength of any regimental unit?

The number has fallen from 1,980 in December, when the hon. Member last inquired, to 1,714. These figures include army chaplains and army educational corps.

asked the Minister of Health whether it is intended to grant further financial and expert aid towards research in connection with the ravages of cancer; and what assistance is now given to such research?

Financial assistance is at present given from public funds to cancer research through the Medical Research Council, who in the last financial year expended a sum of approximately £5,000 for this purpose in addition to further large sums assigned to the support of other investigations not specifically directed toward the problem of cancer but which may nevertheless provide the desired clues. The Council hold on behalf of the Government a valuable stock of radium salt, of which fractions are in use for cancer research work at 11 different universities or hospitals in Great Britain and Ireland under coordinated schemes. Expert advice and assistance is provided as required through the Council, and I may add that a special Departmental Committee was appointed by the Minister of Health in January last to survey the whole question and consider how the medical and administrative resources of the Ministry can best be utilised in the campaign against cancer. The whole subject is continuously under review, and the question of further financial and expert aid will be considered from time to time as experience may show that they can be usefully given.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will state when it is proposed to hold the inquiry into the work of the State printing establishments; and whether he is able to give any financial statement of the result of the working of these establishments for the year ended on the 31st March last?

I am taking steps to set up the Committee so that they will be able to begin the inquiry as soon as the accounts for the year ended. 31st March last are available.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, having regard to the decision of the Government to continue the present basis of remunerating the Law Officers by salary and by fees, a similar basis will be extended to the Scottish Law Officers?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been drawn to a circular letter issued by the inspector of taxes in Swansea stating that he is not prepared to consider any appeal against a new assessment of property unless it is above 40 per cent. of the pre-War value; is he aware that the letter was couched in such a form as to imply a threat against those who are appealing in respect of an increase less than that amount; whether this has been done upon instructions from the Treasury; and, if not, whether he will see that the letter in question is withdrawn?

I am causing inquiry to be made into this matter and will communicate the result to the hon. Member in due course.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Board of Inland Revenue gave instructions to surveyors of taxes to delegate the work of valuing large houses, factories, and licensed houses for reassessment under Schedule A to the Government district valuers; whether for these valuations the only date available to the district valuers was Form IV; whether this delegation was made without the knowledge or consent of the local commissioners of Income Tax or the local assessors or co-assessors; and whether the surveyors of taxes are unable to deal direct with the owners of such property?

The inspectors of taxes were charged with the statutory duty in connection with the reassessment of examining and, revising the assessments proposed by the assessors of taxes, and, in order to assist them in this work, the Board of Inland Revenue arranged for their valuers to advise the inspectors in connection with cases of special difficulty. The values so arrived at were placed before the local commissioners by whom the assessments are made, and who, together with the assessors of taxes, were cognisant of the arrangements. The information available to the valuers, apart from their own knowledge of the properties dealt with, included the taxpayers' recent returns, and a large mass of other material which continually reaches them in the performance of their ordinary duties. The inspectors of taxes are able to deal direct with the owners affected, where that course is found to be desirable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how a person can claim a rebate for repairs if he does his own repairs?

The assessments to Income Tax (Schedule A) are reduced for the purposes of collection by flat-rate deductions for repairs which depend on the annual value of a property. The appropriate flat-rate deduction, which is normally one-fourth, one-fifth or one-sixth of the annual value in the case of houses, is equally given where the owner of a property does his own repairs. The Income Tax Acts further provide that any owner may claim a further allowance where the average cost to him of maintenance, insurance, repairs and management exceeds the amount by which the assessment has already been reduced for the purposes of collection.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give instructions to all inspectors of taxes to treat as valid notices of appeal against new assessments if signed by the agents of the owner?

A notice of objection signed by the agent of an owner of property is normally accepted as sufficient. It is not considered necessary to issue any further instructions in this connection.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, where notices of assessment under Schedule A are served on tenants, he will have a duplicate of such notice sent to the landlord or landlord's agent; will he allow the 21 days, within which objections must be made, to date from the receipt of the duplicate; and will he accept as valid a notice of objection if signed by the owner or his agent?

As regards the first and second parts of the question I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave the hon. Member for South Derbyshire (Mr. Lorimer) on the 31st May. I am sending him a copy of that reply. As regards the third part I would refer him to the reply, of which I am also sending him a copy, which I have to-day given to the same hon. Member.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to abolish the receipt stamp of 2d and substitute one of 11½d?

I regret that I cannot see my way to reduce the Receipt Stamp Duty at present.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost to the Exchequer would be if the benefits derived from friendly societies were not taken into consideration when the amount of the old age pension is being fixed?

I have no sufficient data to form an estimate of the cost of excluding these particular sources of income. My hon. Friend is no doubt aware that the Act of 1919 allows the exclusion of any amounts received during a period of three months in any year under a medical certificate as sickness benefit from a friendly society or trade union or under the National Insurance Act, 1911.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the British Government has a representative on the Chinese Consortium?

The Consortium does not consist of the representatives of Governments, but of various banking houses, including British banks.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has had any communication from the Springburn Employment Exchange giving the anticipated increase of unemployed payment due to the closing down of the locomotive works in that district; and, if not, will he inquire as to what the increase is or is likely to be?

The information I have received by telephone to-day is that the closing down for an indefinite period of the main Aplan works of the North British Locomotive Company has thrown 350 workpeople out of employment. Of these 300 are known to have claimed benefit at the Springburn Exchange, and the remainder have probably made claims at other Exchanges.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that a member of the Barrow-in-Furness branch of the National Association of Plasterers, Granolithic, and Cement Workers has been unemployed for some weeks, and was recently offered work at Kendal, which he refused to accept, and consequently his unemployment benefit was stopped; that the case was referred to the Court of Referees and the decision of the insurance officer was upheld; that the man in question lodged an appeal with the umpire; that the rate of pay in the Barrow district was 1s. 8d. per hour for plasterers at the time, and in Kendal 1s. 4½d., and no allowance would have been made for travelling expenses or for subsistence in keeping two homes going; that the distance from Barrow to Kendal would have meant that the member would have had to take lodgings at the latter place; that the member in question has five children, aged six months, three years, five years, eight years, and 12 years, respectively; and that the Court of Referees disallowed his unemployment pay, and, in consequence, his wife and children have become chargeable to the parish and the member was prosecuted for failing to maintain them, and has been sentenced to one month's hard labour; and if he intends taking any action in the matter?

As stated in the question, benefit was disallowed in this case by the insurance officer whose decision was upheld by the Court of Referees. An appeal is now pending before the Umpire, and it is not proper therefore for me to say more. The prosecution to which the hon. Member refers was instituted, I understand, in connection with the administration of the Poor Law and the matter is not within the province of this Department.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to the fact that the Forestry Commissioners are ready to arrange for important extensions of their own planting programme and that of local authorities and private individuals provided the necessary additional expenditure is authorised; whether they have already made representations on the subject; and whether, in view of the fact that such a policy will very greatly diminish unemployment in necessitous areas, he will consider the grant of additional funds?

I do not feel justified at the present time in asking Parliament for further funds for the Forestry Commission in order to relieve unemployment, beyond the amount provided for the current financial year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give the total ocean tonnage of steam and motor vessels of over 1,600 tons gross of Great Britain, America, France, Italy, and Norway, respectively, on the 30th June,1922; and state how that compares with the Return for June,1921?

The following statement, compiled from Lloyd's Register of Shipping, shows the gross tonnage of steam and motor vessels of over 1,600 tons gross registered as belonging to the British Empire, the United State of America, France, Italy, and Norway, respectively, at the dates specified:

Owing to the difficulty of segregating ( a ) vessels owned in the United Kingdom, but registered in British countries overseas, and ( b ) vessels owned in British countries overseas but registered in the United Kingdom, separate figures for the United Kingdom cannot be stated.

The figures for the United States are exclusive of steam and motor vessels operating on the great lakes.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give the number of fatalities at railway level crossings for each of the last five years for which returns are available?

I have been asked to answer this question. The number of persons killed while passing over railways at level crossings during each of the last five years was as follows:

The figures for 1918 to 1921, inclusive, relate to Great Britain and Ireland, and those for 1922 to Great Britain alone.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport if his attention has been drawn to the proposed war memorial bridge between Ovington and Mickley, over the River Tyne; if he is aware that difficulties have arisen with one landowner as regards the site for one end of the bridge; and if he will intervene in order to secure a settlement of this dispute and to secure for the neighbourhood this improvement?

The case of this proposed footbridge has been brought to my notice on a previous occasion, but I have no powers that can be applied in the case of a bridge scheme which is not promoted by a highway authority.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport whether he is aware that the London and North Western Railway bridge at Shrewsbury, on the main road to Wrexham, can be used for traction engines and ordinary heavy traffic only by giving two days' notice to the railway company; and if he will take steps to have the bridge, if necessary, permanently strengthened so that it may be used without this serious delay to traffic being incurred?

I assume that this question relates to the Coton Hill Bridge, Ellesmere Road, Shrewsbury, crossing over the Great Western Railway. The initiative in such matters rests with the local highway authorities, any application from whom to my Department will receive careful consideration. I am having a communication on the subject addressed to the County Surveyor of Salop.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport if he is aware that in an award dated 17th April,1771, which was enrolled with the Clerk of the Peace for the parts of Lindsey, the commissioners for the county of Lincoln and parts of Lindsey declared the road, now known as Peaks Lane, situated within the area of the Grimsby Rural Council, a king's highway, to be maintained and kept in repair by such ways and means as the public highways are or shall be hereafter repaired by the laws and Statutes of the realm; that this road is now in a derelict and dangerous state, and closed to vehicular traffic by a gateway erected across the road by an adjoining landowner; and if he will call the attention of the Grimsby Rural Council to the matter and direct that steps shall be taken to put the road in a satisfactory condition?

I will have inquiry made into the facts of this case, in order to ascertain what action, if any, can usefully be taken by my Department.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport if he is aware that in the process of rebuilding the City and South London Railway tube station at Clapham Common the trade of numerous small shopkeepers has been completely disorganised, from which they have suffered grave inconvenience and loss; and whether he will cause an inquiry to be made so that the various tradesmen affected may receive such assistance as will enable them to carry on their respective businesses, and thus save them from ruin?

This is not a matter in regard to which I have any authority to intervene. The work is being carried out under powers conferred by the City and South London Railway Act, 1913, which contains various provisions for the protection of local authorities in relation to interference with streets.

asked the Minister of Pensions if the pension paid to the late Mrs. Turner, mother of the late Private Charles Turner, No. 3293, Manchester Regiment, can be transferred to the father?

Mr. Turner is not eligible for the pension paid to his late wife. Should he, however, become incapacitated and in need an application for pension on that ground will be sympathetically considered.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether the case of William Hawkins, 9, Whitehall Road, Palfrey, Walsall, late of the Royal Field Artillery, reference X 4255, can receive further consideration arising from the additional medical evidence in support of his claim or, failing appeal, whether consideration will be given upon compassionate grounds?

The tribunal having confirmed the decision of the Ministry rejecting the claim to pension, I regret that the case cannot now be re-opened.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether representations have been made by the Walsall branch of the British Legion regarding the case of R. Thickett, No. 540, South Staffordshire Regiment, 2, Narrow Lane, Pleak, Walsall, with a view to further consideration being given to the claim on his behalf; and whether, on account of the specialists' report as to his eyesight, he will agree to a further medical examination?

In view of the circumstances of this case, I am arranging for the man to be examined by a specially constituted medical board.

asked the Undersecretary of State for India whether it is proposed that the Royal Commission on the Public Services in India should consider the conditions of service of Europeans recruited to provincial, as distinct from all-India, services prior to the introduction of the Government of India Act; and, if not, can such consideration be included in the terms of reference to the Commission, in view of the great anxiety as to their future felt by such officers?

The interpretation of the terms of reference is a matter for the Royal Commission themselves. It was not, however, contemplated that the inquiry should extend beyond the present sphere of duty of the Superior Civil Services except in so far as it might involve consideration of the conditions of the Services transfer to which of any of the present functions of the Superior Services might be in contemplation.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will consider the immediate introduction of legislation providing for the enforced cultivation of land with a view to the mitigation of the hardships now suffered by agricultural labourers as a result of insufficient labour being employed for the adequate cultivation of agricultural land in many districts?

The Government are not prepared to introduce legislation of the nature indicated.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department how many emigrants have left this country for the Dominions in the last six months, and how many in a similar period immediately before the War; and of those in the last six months, how many went out under voluntary societies, how many privately, and how many under the sole aegis of Dominion Governments and the Overseas Settlement Committee without co-operation from these societies?

The total number of migrants who left the United Kingdom for the oversea Dominions during the six months ending 31st March, 1914, was 71,485. The number during the six months ending 31st March, 1923, was 55,739, of whom 19,977 were assisted migrants, 6,303 proceeding under the Government scheme for the grant of free passages to ex-service men, and 13,674 under the assisted passage schemes arranged with the Governments of Australia, New Zealand and the Province of Ontario under the provisions of the Empire Settlement Act, 1922. The remaining 35,762 proceeded either privately or under voluntary societies, but the figures regarding the voluntary societies are not available.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department (1) how long has the British section of the Inter-Allied Naval Commission for the disposal of enemy vessels been in existence; who is the president and how long has he held this appointment; what is the total cost to date, including travelling and entertainment expenses, of the British section; when is this Commission going to be closed down;

(2) what duties the Inter-Allied Commission for the Disposal of Enemy Vessels now perform; when is it expected that these duties will be completed; what is the number and ranks of the staff of the British section of the Commission; and how many more enemy vessels are to be disposed of?

I have been asked to reply. The Naval Allied Commission for the Disposal of Enemy War Vessels was constituted by a decision of the Supreme Council on 9th December, 1919, and the first meeting was held on 4th February, 1920. The Commission, as such, was abolished in February of this year. Any future duties will be carried out by the foreign naval attachés in London and an officer from the Admiralty who will act as president. These duties consist in verifying that the ex-enemy vessels which are under demolition in British and continental ports are rendered incapable of further service or broken up in accordance with the requirements of the Commission either as regards date or extent. Some of the vessels do not require to be finally demolished until 1926. One hundred and fourteen enemy war vessels remain to be completely broken up, it being observed that in accordance with the decision of the Supreme Council ships do not require to be completely broken up until five years have elapsed from the time of their delivery to one of the Allies. There is no special British staff at present; the total cost of the former British section was £4,525, approximately.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that the salaries of the Postmaster-Surveyor, and Assistant Postmaster at Belfast have recently been increased; what is the amount of the annual increase, including war bonus, to each of these two officers; whether the increases are retrospective; if so, from what date; whether he will give the reason for these additions to the salaries of higher officials; whether it is proposed to award proportionate increases to the other supervising and manipulative grades; and, if so, will the increases in these cases be retrospective also?

The basic salary of the Postmaster-Surveyor of Belfast has recently been increased by £50, from £850 to £900; the increase in his total remuneration, including bonus, is £45 14s. The basic salary of the Assistant Postmaster has been increased by £20, from £520 to £540; the increase in his total remuneration, including bonus, is £25. The increase of the Postmaster-Surveyor's salary was part of a general post-war revision of Postmasters' salaries to meet changed conditions, which dated from 1st April, 1920; and the increase in the Assistant Postmaster's salary followed automatically. General post-war revisions of the scales of pay of other super-

vising grades and of the manipulative classes have already been carried out with effect from dates earlier than 1st April, 1920.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will consider the addition of some system of cash on delivery, such as operates successfully in the United States and Canada, in order to facilitate the direct sale of dairy produce from producer to consumer?

Proposals to adopt the cash on delivery system in the inland postal service of this country have been made from time to time, but have always been refused because of strong opposition. I will consider whether it would be possible to introduce it for the purpose of facilitating the sale of home-grown produce.

asked the Postmaster-General the financial result for the year ended 31st March, 1923, of the working of each of the Post Office Wireless Stations at Cairo, Leafield, Northolt, and Stonehaven, respectively; and will he distinguish on the income side between revenue from commercial traffic and the credits for Government traffic?

A complete financial statement for the year ended the 31st March last of the working of the Post Office Wireless Stations at Cairo, Leafield, Northolt, and Stonehaven cannot yet be furnished, but the following table shows the estimated revenue and expenditure during the year in question:

As previously explained, the Government traffic, if not transmitted by means of these stations, would have had to be transmitted by other routes at equal or greater charges than those credited for it. Several of the services carried on from these stations have only recently been instituted, and the revenue may be expected to increase as the service is developed.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the fact that letters from London for delivery on the same day in East Cowes, Isle of Wight, must be posted before 9.30 a.m. in London, any increased facility can be given in this respect?

I will make inquiry, and communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the hon. Member for Cheltenham, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, the total amount of table money paid by Members of this House; to what members of the staff the money is distributed; and in what proportion?

In reply to the question of the hon. Member, the total amount of table money received during the year 1922 was £562 7s. This amount is not distributed, but forms part of the revenue of the Department.