asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the statement on behalf of the Crown, on 11th April, 1922, that the decision of the Courts in Sutton v. Rex would apply to a large number of other Post Office servants who served with His Majesty's Forces under similar circumstances to the claimant, it is now possible to say how soon payment of claims can be made to the men referred to?

I cannot at the moment say more than that the whole question is under consideration, and that a statement on the subject will be made at the earliest possible moment.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the Assistant-Secretary to the Ministry is in receipt of a pension or allowance from the Indian or Colonial Civil Service; and, if so, what is the amount of such allowance and what is the amount of his salary?

No officer of the Ministry of Labour of the rank of Assist- ant-Secretary or above is in receipt of a pension or allowance from the Indian or Colonial Civil Service.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of revenue ho estimates he will receive by allowing Income Tax receipts and other forms to be used for advertisement purposes?

The annual amount of revenue which it is estimated will be received by allowing Income Tax receipts and certain other Inland Revenue forms to be used for advertisement purposes is £8,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that in South Yorkshire and other industrial areas the total profits of cinematograph houses are often absorbed by the Entertainments Duty; and whether he is prepared to modify the scale of the Entertainments Duty so as to lessen the charge on the cheapest seats, or, alternatively, to levy no tax on 2d. and 3d. seats?

I would ask my hon. and gallant Friend to await the forthcoming Debates on the Committee stage of the Finance Bill.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that His Majesty's inspector of taxes has notified Messrs. Jabez Johnson, Hodgkinson, and Pearson, of Portland Street, Manchester, that their assessment for Income Tax purposes has been based on the gross estimated rental as fixed by the Poor Law authorities; and whether His Majesty's inspectors of taxes in the Manchester and Eccles areas have in fact acted on such a basis or have applied the legal tests of what rent a property is let at or is worth to be let at in each and every recent reassessment?

I understand that the company was informed by the inspector of taxes that the assessment of the premises had been made on the basis of the rent at which the property was worth to be let by the year, which is the legal basis for Income Tax purposes, and that comparison was invited with the amount of the gross estimated rental fixed for the Poor Rate purposes. The inspectors of taxes in the area to which my hon. Friend refers have uniformly applied the proper legal tests, but he will appreciate that comparison with the valuations for Poor Rate purposes may usefully be made where these valuations are known to have been fixed on a fair rental basis.

asked the Minister of Health whether, as 25 per cent. of the 40 per cent. increase allowed under the Rents Act was for repairs, and as it is inequitable to increase assessments by 40 per cent. and charge taxes and rates on the whole increase, and as the increased assessments, in great part, are due to inflation arising out of the temporary house shortage, the Government will consider the whole question of the new assessments with a view to stabilising assessments by increases of not more than 15 per cent. for the current year, pending inquiry?

I have been asked by my right hon. Friend to answer this question. I apprehend that my hon. Friend refers to the recent re-assessment which relates to Imperial taxation only. I will send my hon. Friend a copy of a reply, given to an earlier question on the 9th May last, which covers the point he has in mind.

asked the Minister of Health whether the terms of the advertisement of a qualified certificated sanitary inspector, issued by the Aysgarth Rural District Council, at a salary of £104 per annum, was submitted for, and received, his approval; and, if so, whether, in approving those terms, he had in mind the publicly declared policy of his Department to encourage the payment of a salary adequate to secure efficient service and to induce a competent man to remain in the service?

The terms of the appointment referred to have not yet been communicated to my right hon. Friend. If his approval is asked, he will, before giving it, satisfy himself that the salary offered is adequate to secure and retain, efficient service.

asked the Minister of Health whether his Department has any control over arrangements which county medical authorities make for dealing with epidemics and infectious diseases; and, if a county medical officer makes improper or inadequate provision for handling cases of infectious disease, has the Ministry of Health powers to compel such officer to take proper steps?

The answer to the first part of the question is that the duty of dealing with the diseases mentioned is imposed by law on the local sanitary authorities and district medical officers of health. The Minister of Health is, however, empowered to make Regulations enabling the county council to provide hospitals for the isolation and treatment of the diseases. Such Regulations, where made, lay on the district medical officer of health, subject to any directions which may be given to him by the county medical officer, the duty of securing the isolation and treatment of patients in hospital and to take all necessary steps for preventing the spread of the disease. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Minister of Health on what ground he refuses to agree to the reduction in the salary of the medical officer for the Nutford and Launditch Union as proposed by the Rural District Council, seeing that it is part of a general scheme for reducing salaries to meet the request of the Ministry of Health to local authorities to economise in their expenditure, and that the salary of the medical officer was increased by 50 per cent. in 1919 to meet the then increased cost of living and the reduction now proposed is only one-fourth of the increase then made?

My right hon. Friend is asking local authorities to effect all practicable economies in their expenditure consistent with efficency. But he does not consider that efficient service can reasonably be expected from the medical officer of health of this extensive rural district for less than his present salary of £150 per annum, which is inclusive of travelling and clerical expenses.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the intimation that the payment of expenses of delegates of local authorities attending the 36th annual conference of the Sanitary Inspectors' Association at Rhyl, in September next, will not be sanctioned; whether he is aware that sanction has been given to the payment of expenses of delegates attending the conferences of the associations of inspectors of midwives and tuberculosis officers; that the expenses of delegates attending the sanitary inspectors' conference in 1920 were sanctioned; that both his Department and the Ministry of Agriculture were represented at last year's conference of the sanitary inspectors; and whether, in view of the advantages accruing from these conferences to local authorities and their officials in the discharge of their duties, he will reconsider the decision not to sanction the expenses to be incurred by the delegates?

My right hon. Friend is aware of the facts stated in the question. He would refer the hon. Member to the reply which he gave on Wednesday last to a question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for the Finchley Division (Colonel Newman) with respect to a similar conference. For the reasons then stated he does not think he could alter the decision in the present case.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can state what is the average scale for out-relief paid by unions in the County of Norfolk?

According to the information in the possession of my right hon. Friend only two of the 22 unions in Norfolk have adopted a definite scale for guidance in the administration of out-door relief. In these circumstances my right hon. Friend regrets that he is unable to give the information for which the hon. Member asks.

asked the Minister of Health how many men and how many women are serving as borough councillors, urban district councillors, county councillors or Poor Law guardians?

I regret that there are no returns in the Department which give this information.

asked the Minister of Health the present position regarding the Rockefeller School of Hygiene; what is the estimated annual cost of its upkeep and from what source its income will be obtained; what are the names of the council of the governing body; and who is the director of the institute by whom these persons were chosen or, if they have not yet been appointed, by whom they will be chosen?

A formal agreement has been entered into between the Rockefeller Foundation, the Minister of Health and London University, and a site for the School has been selected. The Government have accepted a liability for the maintenance expenses up to an amount not exceeding £ 25,000 a year, which, together with fees and any transferred endowments, is expected to be sufficient. The permanent governing body cannot be appointed pending the completion of the negotiations with the existing schools and other bodies concerned; and my right hon. Friend has accordingly appointed a transitional executive committee including, besides himself and the hon. and gallant Member for St. Albans (Lieut.-Colonel Fremantle), Lord Burnham, Sir Arthur Clarke, Sir Walter Fletcher, Sir Harry Goschen, Sir George Newman, Sir Cooper Perry and Sir Arthur Robinson. This committee will carry on the preliminary work until the permanent governing body can be established, and one of their first tasks will be the selection of the Director.

asked the Minister of Health why, in view of the fact that the interests of women in national health will be largely involved, no women have been included among the appointments he has made to the transitional executive committee of the proposed school of hygiene; and whether he will add to its members at least two women?

My right hon. Friend is unable to agree that the interests of women will suffer in any way from the fact that no women have been appointed to the transitional executive committee, and the duties entrusted to that committee do not appear to him to necessitate the appointment of women as such without regard to their other qualifications.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the parish councils of Crawley and Ifield have passed a resolution drawing attention to the conditions of the water supply in that district, and asking for an inquiry; that the company concerned has made an application to be allowed to continue its increased charges, although admittedly failing to carry out its obligations under the Crawley and District Water Act; and whether he will sympathetically consider the appeal from the local authorities for an inquiry before giving the company permission to continue its increased charges?

Yes, Sir. My right hon. Friend will have a local investigation made as to the water supply in this district before deciding upon the application of the company.

asked the Minister of Health which authority is responsible for the provision and supervision of the sanitary arrangements of the docks, warehouses, and offices which come within the jurisdiction of the Port of London Authority; and whether, seeing that in many cases the conveniences provided are most unsatisfactory and inadequate, he will instruct one of the medical officers to make an investigation and report with- out delay upon the general conditions prevailing so that the necessary improvements may be made?

My right hon. Friend has no authority to determine the question of responsibility for the provision of sanitary arrangements, about which there is some doubt, but the Port Sanitary Authority can take action if there is a nuisance. He has already lent the services of one of the medical officers of his Department with a view to assisting in the solution of the question of providing additional conveniences, and if the hon. Member will give him any specific instances of unsatisfactory conditions he will have further inquiry made.

asked the Minister of Health if his attention has been called to the Report of the late Dr. Bruce Lowe, issued in 1918, on small-pox throughout the world, in which it is stated that 4,000 cases of small-pox were notified in Germany in the year 1917, with over 400 deaths; and whether, in view of this fact, he will revise his expressed opinion as to the efficacy and necessity of vaccination?

I am aware of the report referred to in the first part of the question. The hon. Member will observe that it is stated in the report that those who were attacked by small-pox in Germany during the year in question were either unvaccinated persons, or those who, if vaccinated in infancy, had neglected to renew this protection within the last 10 years. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the British Empire campaign against cancer; and whether the Ministry is assisting the movement in any way in the provision of funds?

My attention has been directed to this campaign, but the Government is not assisting it by the provision of funds.

asked the Minister of Health what, at 31st December, 1922, were the respective sums of money held permanently invested by him for account of approved societies under the National Health Insurance Acts, exclusive of sums invested under Section 56 (3) of the Act of 1911, in the following securities, namely: 3½ per cent. War Loan, 1925–28, 4½ per cent. War Loan, 1925–45, 5 per cent. War Loan, 1929–47, 4 per cent. Funding Loan, 1960–90, and 4 per cent. Victory Bonds; what are the nominal amounts of each of the stocks so held and what are the capital sums by way of profit or bonus which will be realised upon those stocks and bonds, respectively, if the same be held till maturity or drawing or payment off or conversion at their nominal value; are the approved societies credited, or will they be credited,

Profits arising in connection with the investment by the National Debt Commissioners of funds under the National Health Insurance Acts, are, in accordance with the Regulations in that behalf, credited to the income account in the books of the National Debt Commissioners and may be applied in making good any losses on capital account that may arise in connection with such investments. Of the nominal amount of 3½ per cent. Conversion Loan held by the National Debt Commissioners under the National Health Insurance Acts at 31st December, 1922, the proportion attributable to the account of approved societies in Great Britain was approximately £ 2,040,000, and the average purchase price thereof was approximately 68½.

with such profit or bonus arising upon the investment of their funds, or any portion thereof, in proportion to the sum held for investment on their account, respectively, or how otherwise; what is the nominal amount of 3½ per cent. Conversion Loan, 1961 or after, held by him as an investment for account of approved societies generally; and what was the average purchase price thereof?

There were no holdings by the National Debt Commissioners under the National Health Insurance Acts at 31st December, 1922, in 3½ per cent. War Loan, 1925–28, 4½ per cent. War Loan, 1925–45, or 4 per cent. Victory Bonds. Of the total holdings by the National Debt Commissioners under the National Health Insurance Acts at 31st December, 1922, in the other securities specified, the proportions attributable to the account of approved societies in Great Britain were approximately as follow:—

asked the Minister of Health if he will give a return showing the local authorities to whom loans have been granted under the Small Dwellings Acquisition Act, the amounts sanctioned up to the outbreak of war and the amounts since advanced, the number of dwellings in respect of which such loans have been made, and the number of cases in which borrowers have failed to fulfil their obligations under the Act?

I will send the hon. Member a list of the local authorities to whom loans have been granted under the Act in question, together with the amounts sanctioned up to the outbreak of war and since the War. My right hon. Friend will endeavour to obtain the particulars referred to in the last part of the question from the local authorities concerned and will communicate further with the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in making grants to public utility societies in South Wales under the terms proposed in Class 3 of the Housing (No. 2) Bill, he will restrict the erection of houses to be built to the central areas recommended in the Report of the South Wales Regional Survey Committee?

In considering applications from any society or company under Clause 3 of the Housing Bill, regard will certainly be had to the recommendations of the Committee referred to and to any proposals contained in suggested town planning schemes for the area; but until the concerted action of local authorities and others has rendered immediately practicable the erection of houses on the sites and on the lines suggested, my right hon. Friend cannot undertake to restrict building proposals which in themselves are satisfactory.

asked the Minister of Health the number and classes of houses erected by the Darlaston Urban District Council since 1918; the amount of original rent levied per house; and what reductions, if any, have taken place?

One hundred and eight non-parlour and 36 parlour type houses have been completed since 1918 by the Darlaston Urban District Council under the State-assisted scheme. The rents originally agreed for the purpose of calculating the subsidy payable to the council were 10s. per week for non-parlour houses and 12s. 6d. for parlour houses. Several reductions of rent have been agreed, and the present rents are 7s. 6d. and 9s. 6d. per week respectively.

asked the Under-secretary to the Scottish Board of Health whether he will give any indication as to when the Scottish Board of Health and the rents tribunal propose to deal with the cases of disputed rentals in Lanarkshire which are awaiting a settlement?

The Board have under preparation their answers to the written case prepared by the local authority for submission to the tribunal, and they hope to be able to adjust at an early date with the local authority the submissions to be made to the tribunal. The tribunal will be asked to deal with the remit as expeditiously as possible.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware that James Varley, of 8, Dale Street, Ossett, joined His Majesty's forces at the age of 17 in 1915, 2nd East Lancashires, No. 31,141, and was discharged suffering from illness; that he has been on treatment and pension allowance for nearly two years; that whilst still under the doctor's care he has been deprived of a pension, and is consequently in a condition of extreme need; and will he have his case investigated?

The last award of pension in this case expired in April, 1922, when on examination by a medical board no disablement was found. A nil final award was then made, and, as this has recently been confirmed by the tribunal to which he appealed, I regret that no further compensation can be granted by my Department. I may add that there is no record of any application for treatment since May, 1921, when a course of treatment under the Ministry ended.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he gave instructions for the removal of the Manchester War Pensions offices from Dickinson Street to Spring Gardens without consulting the local War Pensions Committee as to the suitability or otherwise of the new premises?

The area office was removed to Spring Gardens in order to facilitate the concentration of the area medical boards in Central Manchester. This concentration was decided upon in view of the administrative advantages and the material benefit to the pensioners. The local War Pensions Committee was not consulted before the decision was arrived at.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War whether arrangements are now under consideration for the withdrawal of British forces from Constantinople; and on what date is it anticipated evacuation will be completed?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the hon. and gallant Member for Central Hull (Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy) on 4th June.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport if he is aware that in the Dolgarrog station, on the London, Midland, and Scottish Railway, no urinal or lavatory accommodation is available at the station, and only one small waiting room sufficient to accommodate about 20 persons; that the station is in a particularly exposed situation, without any shelter beyond the small waiting room available; that, apart from the passengers, from 100 to 150 male and female workers have to wait nearly an hour daily for their trains at this exposed and insanitary station; that the attention of the directors of the railway company has been repeatedly called to the danger to health and public inconvenience by public petitions and by resolution of the Geirionydd Urban District Council, but without avail; and will he investigate at once with a view of remedying matters?

My attention has not previously been called to this matter, but I have asked the railway company for their observations on the points raised by the hon. Member and I will communicate with him on receipt of their reply.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport what railway roads in Great Britain are at present wholly disused; and which of such sections of railway lines have been discontinued during the last 10 years?

As far as my information goes, the following railway lines have been closed for traffic during the last 10 years.:

In addition, sections of railway have been closed, especially during the War. Some of these have been or are being re-opened for traffic.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the number of British vessels seized by the American Government during the period the prohibition law has been in operation in the United States; at what distance from the shore was each vessel seized; whether the crews were detained and for what period; and whether any demand has been made by the British Government for compensation or any action taken to secure the release of these vessels, specially those alleged to have been captured outside the three-mile limit?

To reply fully to this question would entail considerable delay and the examination of some two to three years' correspondence. Broadly speaking, some 20 or 25 cases are known to His Majesty's Government where vessels, mostly of Canadian registry, have been seized. The seizures have occurred at varying distances from the shore, some within and some without the three-mile limit. The crews have nearly always been detained for varying periods. His Majesty's Embassy at Washington have acted repeatedly, and in the strongest possible manner, to secure the release of vessels seized outside the three-mile limit, or inside it when a genuine case of distress seemed to be made out.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Commission governing the Saar Valley has agreed to modify its decree limiting the right of free speech; and whether, in these circumstances, Great Britain has abandoned her reported demand to request the League of Nations to institute an inquiry into the administration of the province?

With regard to the first part of the question, His Majesty's Government have as yet received no official information; the second part does not, therefore, arise.

asked the Prime Minister whether the French Government have replied to the suggestion recently made that the League of Nations should appoint a commission to inquire into the Saar administration?

The answer is in the affirmative. The French Government intimate that they do not consider such an inquiry necessary.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government proposes to initiate an international convention on the limit of territorial waters, with a view to the prevention of misunderstandings such as have recently occurred in Russian waters?

I am unable at present to make any statement as to the intentions of His Majesty's Government in this matter.

asked the Attorney-General if his attention has been called to the increased cost of prosecutions at assizes; and if he will consider the desirability of prescribing a scale of counsels' and solicitors' fees as now exist in the case of prosecutions at quarter sessions?

I have made inquiries, but so far as I can learn the only increase in the cost of prosecutions is that due to the increased cost of travelling and living. Apart from this, the scale is much the same as it has always been. At Assizes the costs are taxed by the Clerks of Assize and at Quarter Sessions by the Clerks to the Justices. These officers determine the fees allowable in each particular case. I do not think it possible to fix a rigid scale as cases differ so largely in length and intricacy.

asked the Attorney-General the number of occasions during the past three years when he has presented any original Bill to a grand jury; and whether any such Bill during this period has been presented by a private individual?

For the greater part of the period mentioned, the summoning of grand juries was suspended by the Grand Juries Suspension Act, 1917. Under the powers vested in the Attorney-General by that Act, fiats were granted during the last three years in four cases for the presentation of an indictment, in addition to which a fiat has been granted in one case under the Vexatious Indictments Act, 1859. Apart from the foregoing, no original Bill of Indictment has been preferred by the Attorney-General. I regret that I have no means of ascertaining the particulars asked for in the last part of the question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that whereas under the Admiralty the men in the coastguard service were paid monthly, they are now under the Board of Trade paid weekly, and obliged to affix a 2d. receipt stamp for their wages every week; and if he will consider the possibility of issuing to these men a ring paper, similar to those issued to pensioners, which can be taken to the nearest post office to be cashed and the post-mark stamped in the ring appro- priate to the date as a record of the payment?

The men in the coastguard service are paid weekly in accordance with the practice followed in the case of similar grades in the Civil Service, and the 2d. receipt stamp is required under the general Regulations governing payment of salaries and wages which are issued by the Treasury. The question will, however, be further considered.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the average price per quarter of wheat and the average weekly rate of wages of the agricultural labourers in England and Wales during each year since and including 1914?

The average price per imperial quarter of British wheat in England and Wales as ascertained under the Corn Returns Act, 1882, and the estimated average weekly wages of ordinary agricultural labourers in the years 1914 to 1922, are as follow:—

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the high cost of the administration of small holdings; and what steps he proposes to take to effect a reduction?

I presume that my hon. and gallant Friend refers to a recommendation recently adopted by the Oxfordshire County Council and notified to the Ministry on the 25th May last, calling attention to the high cost of administration in regard to small holdings in that county. On the 19th March last, however, the Ministry had called the attention of the Oxfordshire Small Holdings Committee to the excessive expenditure on small holdings administration which had been provided for in the county estimates for 1923–24, and stated that the Ministry would not undertake to recognise such expenditure in the next financial year unless substantial reductions had been effected. I have every hope that the Committee will be able to revise their scale of expenditure during the next few months.

asked the Prime Minister when a day will be given for a full discussion on the agricultural position of this country?

I am afraid that, in view of the great pressure upon public business, it is not possible to allow a day. I would remind the hon. Member that there will be an opportunity for further discussion on the agricultural position of the country if the Vote for the Minister of Agriculture is asked for, and also on the various Bills dealing with agriculture which have been, or will be, presented to the House.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will explain why letters sent from this country for the purpose of participating in the Irish Derby sweepstake are returned to the senders by his Department, whilst sweepstakes are not prohibited in thousands of clubs and other institutions in this country; and if he will permit such letters to be forwarded in future to their destination?

As the letters were stopped under a warrant issued by me, I have been asked to answer this question. Sweepstakes, participation in which is confined to members of bona fide clubs or societies, have not been held to be illegal and no action is therefore taken by me in respect of such sweepstakes. Public sweepstakes, on the other hand, are illegal, and if an offence is committed in this country and the necessary evidence is available proceedings are taken against the offender. In the case of public sweepstakes organised out of this country or using foreign addresses, many of which are undoubtedly of a fraudulent character, the law can only be enforced, and the public can only be protected, by the stoppage in the post of communications relating to them.

asked the Postmaster-General what income was received for the year ended 31st March last from commercial traffic and the total cost, .including interest, depreciation, and all other relevant charges, of the Post Office wireless stations at Leafield, Cairo, Northolt, and Stonehaven, respectively?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply to a similar question put by the hon. and gallant Member for Henley (Captain Terrell) on the 29th ultimo.

asked the Prime Minister what steps have been taken to carry out the policy of the Government with regard to the Imperial wireless communications as announced by the late Prime Minister?

I have been requested to answer this question. I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave yesterday to questions on the same subject put by the hon. Member for Acton (Sir H. Brittain).