asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware that His Majesty's ship "Bittern" was sunk in collision with the "Kenilworth "; if any claim for damages was made by the Admiralty against the owners of the "Kenilworth "; if any damages or compensation has been paid; if any claims have been made and paid to the relatives of those who went down with the "Bittern "; and if any claims are still outstanding?

His Majesty's ship "Bittern "was sunk by the steamship "Kenilworth" in April, 1918, and claims were made both by the Admiralty and by the large number of dependants of the crew of the "Bittern." The sum due to the Admiralty in respect of the loss of the vessel has been paid into Court, but cannot be touched pending settlement of the dependants' claims, which have been under negotiation for a considerable time. Payments on account have been made to those dependants who have applied for them, and it is hoped that a final settlement of the whole matter will be effected at an early date.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Admiralty how the distribution of the Naval Prize Fund is proceeding; and whether there is any likelihood of it being found possible to make a supplementary distribution?

A distribution of a unit share of £6 5s. is now practically completed, but owing to considerable sums having accrued to the Prize Fund which could not be foreseen when the second payment began there is a balance remaining from which it will be possible to make a supplementary distribution of a very small unit share, and the value of the unit and the date of commencement of payment will be announced as early as practicable, but it will not be possible to begin the distribution until some date in the latter part of July.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether facilities can be granted to barrack wardens to submit their claims for re-assessment of pension under Army Order No. 325/19 to a small committee, consisting of a Judge, a business man, and a highly placed civil servant or soldier, as already granted to secretaries of Territorial associations?

My noble Friend has had a memorial from the barrack wardens asking for a committee. He is not prepared to grant that request, but if the decision on the case of the Territorial Association secretaries, when reached, is such as to affect the decision already given in the case of the barrack wardens, their case will receive further consideration.

asked the Minister of Pensions what is the cost of the printing and issue of the five chapters of Part I of the Ministry of Pensions Manual; how many more chapters are to be issued in Part I; how many more parts are to be issued; what is the estimated cost of the Manual when completed; and what is the number of instructions it will contain?

Only three chapters of Part I of the Ministry of Pensions Manual have been issued. I am unable at present to say precisely how many parts and chapters the complete work will contain, nor to what extent the original estimate of cost—£900—will prove to have been accurate. The cost of printing and issue at present incurred is £162.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether his attention has been drawn to the case of John Burton, formerly a private in the 10th battalion York and Lancaster Regiment, who was wounded in the shoulder at Armentières and is now in the Rotherham Union Infirmary, but is not receiving any pension; and whether anything can be done for this man, who is totally incapacitated?

The shoulder wound was a slight one incurred in 1915, and the man was only away from duty in consequence for five days. The serious disability from which he is at present suffering has no connection with the War, and this has been confirmed by the independent appeal tribunal.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India what the Government of India are doing to maintain the efficiency of the Indian police service; and is he aware that 41 recruits only have been appointed to fill the place of the 88 officers of experience who have now resigned, and that those recruits were appointed without literary examination?

I do not understand the basis on which the hon. and gallant Member's recruitment figures are calculated. No difficulty has however so far been experienced in meeting the requirements of the Government of India in qualified police officers, and a Selection Board has recently recommended for appointment 11 ex-service candidates with excellent military and police records from among some 600 applicants. In the case of these ex-service candidates no literary test has been imposed, but an educational standard has been required not inferior to that of candidates for appointment by competitive examination.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether any representative of the force will be appointed to serve upon the Royal Commission to inquire into the administration of the Indian police?

The Royal Commission is not being appointed to inquire into the administration of the Indian Police, but into the conditions of the Superior Civil Services in India generally. As I stated in reply to a question by the hon. and gallant Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme on 4th June, I hope soon to be in a position to announce the names of the Members, and I would ask my hon. and gallant Friend to await the announcement.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether British martial law in Egypt has been suspended, as promised by the British Government on 28th February, 1922, now that that the electoral campaign in Egypt has begun; and, if not, at what stage in the electoral compaign is this promised to be fulfilled?

I have nothing to add to the reply given to the hon. Member for Chester-le-Street (Mr. Lawson) on 9th May.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that Sheikh Khayyati, a member of the Egyptian delegation, has been by order of the British military authorities in prison off and on since August last without charge or trial, and that, in spite of his bad health, he is not allowed to be removed to the prison hospital; and whether His Majesty's Government will communicate with the British military authorities in Egypt with a view to his release?

This person's detention is due to his suspected complicity in the murder conspiracy. The reply to the last part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that Fakhry Abdul Noor Bey, Maitre Rahgeb Iskandar, and Maitre Abdel-Halim el Bialy, all members of the Egyptian delegation, were, by order of the British military authorities, arrested and imprisoned, the first in August last, the second in March, 1923, and the third in April, 1923; that since their arrest they have neither been charged nor brought to trial; that the only published official explanation of their arrest was that they were under suspicion of being implicated in the murder conspiracy; and that they are kept in solitary confinement for 23 hours out of the 24 and are not allowed visitors; and whether, if no such information has reached him, he will cause inquiries to be made?

I am aware that the persons in question are under detention on the grounds of their suspected complicity in the outrages against British officials. They will be examined as soon as possible, and in the circumstances I do not propose to take the action suggested in the last part of the question.

asked the Under-secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can now give the number of political prisoners in Egypt?

The only persons still under detention at the instance of the military authorities are those suspected of complicity in the murder conspiracy.

asked the Under-secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give any information as to the date of the general election in Egypt?

This is purely a matter for the Egyptian Government to decide, and I have no information as to their intentions.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, before drafting the section of the recent Note to Russia asking for the withdrawal of the Russian Ministers at Teheran and Kabul, His Majesty's Government satisfied themselves that there were precedents for such a demand?

Precedent can without difficulty be found in the relations of friendly Powers for such a. request as the hon. Member has in mind. It would, however, be undesirable to revive forgotten controversies with Powers with whom His Majesty's Government are now happily in friendly relations by specifying these precedents.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what arrangements have been made outside the diplomatic mission at Moscow for bringing business men in this country and definite business interests in Russia more closely into contact; whether it is possible now to nominate a representative Anglo-Russian federation for the development of trade between the two countries; and whether he is aware that the staffs of the Russian trading agencies in London have increased nearly 60 per cent, during the past year?

The Department of Overseas Trade is in a position to advise and assist business men in this country who wish to open up trading relations with Russia. As regards the second part of the question, I am not clear precisely what type of organisation my hon. Friend has in mind, but the possibility of instituting an Anglo-Russian trading corporation would appear to be a matter for the business community rather than for the Government. As regards the last part, I am aware that there has been a considerable increase recently in the staffs of the organisations referred to.

asked the Prime Minister whether the 116 cases of British subjects who have been imprisoned in Russia are cases which occurred during the period when Great Britain was engaged in direct hostilities against the Russian Soviet Government, or when Great Britain was still aiding Generals Koltchak, Denikin, Yudenitch, and Wrangel?

The answer is in the affirmative as regards the majority of the cases referred to, but the implication that they were therefore connected with the military operations is incorrect.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will lay upon the Table a Return of such claims as have been made on any Government Department on or before the 1st August, 1922, as would be affected by the War Charges (Validity) Bill if approved by Parliament, and indicating the Departments concerned?

A Return is being laid on the Table to-day.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies when the Imperial War Graves Commission was established in Palestine; what did the staff consist of then, and what is the present establishment; how much is paid in salaries to the office staff; what is the present establishment of motor-cars; and how many cars have been allotted during the last three years?

I have been asked to reply. The Commission established an office at Jaffa in December, 1919. The staff then consisted of nine persons. The staff at present numbers 17, in addition to 25 employed in the care of cemeteries. The total salaries paid to the office staff amount approximately to £3,694 per annum. The present establishment of motor transport is one Ford half-ton van, one Ford touring car, and one Buick. These are the only cars allotted during the past three years.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that the salary of the officers of the Royal Corps of Naval Constructors remains substantially unaltered since pre-War days; and that since the War considerable increases of salary have been granted to their engineering and administrative colleagues at the Admiralty and at His Majesty's dockyards in order to render their remuneration adequate to modern conditions; and whether he will consider the remuneration of the officers of the Royal Corps of Naval Constructors with a view to placing them on a fair basis for their work and responsibility?

My hon. Friend is probably aware that Committees of the Civil Service National Whitley Council have for some time been inquiring into the general conditions of service of certain grades of various classes of professional and technical officers in the public service. The question as it affects the various grades of electrical and civil engineering officers and the Royal Corps of Naval Constructors has been engaging, and continues to engage, the attention of the Admiralty. I do not think that the position of officers of the Royal Corps could be dealt with apart from that of other professional and technical officers serving in the Admiralty. The scope of the duties and the responsibilities of the various classes concerned are factors which would necessarily be taken into consideration in assessing appropriate rates of pay.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, whether he is aware that the right hon. Gentleman the Member for West Birmingham, in answer to a question put to him as Chancellor of the Exchequer on 20th May, 1901, as to payments made to public servants in receipt of a pension, stated that, by the Act of 1834, new salary plus pension must not exceed the amount of former salary and that if new salary is less than old the difference is made up (this only applying to the re-employment, after retirement, being in the public service), while by rules under the 1887 Act, applying to naval and military pensioners being re-employed in the Civil Service, such persons have pensions reduced; and whether he will state if these rules are still in force?

Section 20 of the Superannuation Act, 1834, still applies to civil pensions. As regards military and naval pensions, the rules under Section 6 of the Superannuation Act, 1887, provided as stated in the answer above referred to, not for a reduction of pension, but for an abatement of 10 per cent, from the salary of the civil post. This abatement was abolished by the Retired Officers (Civil Employment) Act, 1919.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he has received a resolution from the Holyhead branch of the British Legion protesting against the practice of appointng, as. watchers in the Customs service, only those who are in receipt of a life pension, whilst many ex-service men without any means of subsistence are unable to find employment; and whether he will give-this matter consideration?

The resolution in question has been received and the matter is now under consideration, but I would point out that the watchers in question have all served the Crown.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury when it is proposed to make a permanent appointment to the post of principal of women staff at the Board of Inland Revenue; and whether it is proposed that the post shall be filled by the transfer of a permanent officer from another Department, or by a successful candidate from the recent competitive selection for higher women in the Service?

It is not proposed to make a permanent appointment to the post of Principal of Women Staff in the Inland Revenue Department until the requirements of the position can be gauged more accurately than is possible in the existing transitional conditions.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he is now able to make a statement as to the decision of the Government with respect to the general applicability to the Civil Service of the principle laid down in the case of Sutton v . Rex; and whether the inter-Departmental Committee has reported on the subject and with what result?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The matter is still under consideration, and an announcement will be made at the earliest possible moment. I am unable to identify the inter-Departmental Committee referred to in the second part of the question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of surveyors at present employed by the marine Department in the principal shipbuilding centres in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, namely: Clyde, Barrow, Belfast, Tyne and Tees, compared with the number engaged in the year 1913 (pre-War); and whether, considering the greatly reduced tonnage under construction and the number of vessels laid up and not subject to survey, the Board proposes, in the interests of national economy, to effect a reduction of the present staff of Board of Trade surveyors at those centres?

The number of surveyors employed at the principal shipbuilding centres in 1913 and at a recent date in the present year are as follows:

The considerations indicated in the question are steadily borne in mind, and economies are being, and will be, effected in so far as the interests of safety of shipping and other considerations permit. The Board's surveyors are employed on many important duties in addition to the survey of ships under construction.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, in the reassessments under Schedule A, it is the practice for inspectors of taxes to add to the assessment of cottages occupied free of rent the increase allowed under the Increase of Rent Acts in order to arrive at the new assessment, even when the owner has not increased the rents of his other cottages; and whether this policy has received the sanction of his Department?

The annual value of the cottages to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers would, in the usual course, be determined by reference to the rents paid for similar cottages in the vicinity. If he has in mind any case where it is considered that this procedure has not been followed, and will send me the necessary particulars, I will gladly have the matter investigated and communicate to him the result.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, in connection with the revaluation for Schedule A, instructions will be given to all inspectors of taxes that notices of objection should be treated as valid if signed by the agent of the owner?

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

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will arrange that where notices of assessment under Schedule A have already been served, or are intended to be served, on the tenants, duplicates of such notices should be sent to the agent, if any, of the owner, or if there is no agent to the owner personally, and that the 21 days for sending in notices of objection should run from the receipt of the duplicate?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which was given to the hon. Member for South Derbyshire (Mr. Lorimer) on the 31st May. I am sending him a copy of that reply.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Government will consider the desirability of establishing one uniform standardised assessment of property in the country outside the Metropolis, where it already exists, so that upon it may be based all rates and taxes; and whether he will appoint a Select Committee of the House to investigate the whole matter?

The Government hope to make proposals for the purpose suggested by the hon. Member in connection with their scheme for rating and valuation reform. I do not think there is any necessity to appoint a Select Committee to investigate the matter.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if the Regulations for guarantees under the Trades Facilities Act can be simplified, as occasion requires, to meet the case of agricultural co-operative and other societies in view of the recommendations of the Departmental Committee on Agricultural Prices?

There are no Regulations, but the Advisory Committee are prepared to consider applications from agricultural societies. As my hon. Friend will be aware, the Minister of Agriculture has also under consideration a scheme for granting advances to assist in the establishment of co-operative undertakings.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been directed to the recent increase of imports of Danish bacon into England; whether the Ministry is encouraging in any way the breeding of pigs in this country; if so, in what manner; and to what cause is the increase in imported foreign bacon attributed?

I am aware that the imports of bacon from Denmark into this country have been increasing. This is probably in the main due to the fact that the pig breeding industry in Denmark has gradually been recovering from the low level to which it was reduced by the War. The Ministry encourages improvement in the breeding of pigs by awarding grants to pedigree boars for service at low fees. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the Regulations governing the-award of these grants.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer which body is now entrusted with the task of disposing of surplus War material; the personnel of the Department; and the estimated value of the material yet to be disposed of?

The Disposal and Liquidation Commission continues to be responsible for the disposal of surplus war material, and I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Mile End (Sir W. Preston) on the 17th April last, which states the personnel of the Commission. The value of the material, etc., remaining for disposal is now reduced to about £9,000,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the value of materials remaining to be liquidated by the Disposal Board; what proportion is represented by locomotive engines; and what steps are being taken to dispose of them?

The value of the materials, etc., remaining for disposal is now estimated to be approxi- mately £9,000,000. As I informed the hon. Member for North Dorset on Tuesday last, negotiations are proceeding for the sale on a commission basis of a large proportion of the remaining assets, including the locomotive engines. I hardly consider it desirable in the public interest to give the information asked for in the second part of the question.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what profit is made by the Public Works Loan Commissioners on lending money to local authorities at a rate of interest of 4½ per cent., and what is the yearly administrative cost of the Commissioners of each £100 of loan?

The rates for loans from the Local Loans Fund are calculated to result in the fund making, after allowance for risks and expenses of management of the stock, neither profit nor loss. The administrative expenses of the Commissioners cannot be allocated as suggested, but, in any case, they are met from fees, and do not enter into the rate of interest charged for loans.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the approximate amount of income derived from foreign investments for the years 1920 and 1921?

I regret that official statistics showing the total amount of income derived from foreign investments are not available, but the hon. Member will find particulars of such income, so far as identified for purposes of Income Tax under Schedules C and D, in the annual reports of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue, the most recent of which is their 64th Report, containing Income Tax statistics for the year 1919–20 (Cmd. 1436).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the number of commercial motor cars now in use in Great Britain which are liable to periodical inspection through having been imported free of duty, distinguishing the different types of vehicles and the countries of manufacture, and distinguishing also between motor cars of which the whole vehicle or chassis was imported free of duty and motor cars in which parts only, such as engines, wheels, or axles, were imported free of duty?

I regret that the information required is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the scheme for the improvement of the scale of pre-war pensions upon which a subcommittee of the Cabinet is working will include naval and military as well as Civil Service pre-war pensioners?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the German Government now prohibit the export to this country of fabric gloves, enamel and aluminium ware, gas mantles, and glass ware on any other basis than sterling, and that the British Customs will not allow the import of such goods unless they are valued on a sterling basis; and whether, under these circumstances, the Government is prepared to suspend the working of Part II of the Safeguarding of Industries Act in so far as it applies to these commodities?

I have been asked to reply. The export from Germany of the articles mentioned is at present subject to control, but I have no information to confirm the statement that invoicing in sterling is invariably insisted upon as a condition of the grant of permission to export. I am informed that it is the general practice of His Majesty's Customs to require an invoice in sterling, and I am sending the hon. and gallant Member a copy of the Notice to Importers and Agents (No. 78) which shows the requirements of the Customs in this respect. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that, in cases where the entire income of a resident in the Irish Free State is derived from property in Great Britain and does not exceed £225 per annum, the establishment of the Free State operates to render Income Tax payable to the British Treasury at the full rate on the entire income and to deprive such individual of the reduction in the rate of Income Tax, hitherto operative through the personal allowance deduction and abatement from the full rate; and, in view of the similar relief introduced in respect of Irish charities, will His Majesty's Government take steps to deal with this and also suggest to the Free State Government a reciprocal arrangement to meet the corresponding hardship of residents in Great Britain whose incomes arise in the Free State?

My hon. and gallant Friend is under a misapprehension. If the resident in the Irish Free State is a British subject, he is entitled to claim relief from British Income Tax under Section 24 of the Finance Act, 1920 (which grants certain reliefs from British Income Tax to British subjects resident abroad), and, in the case quoted, will not, after the allowance of such relief, pay more British Income Tax than he would have paid if the Irish Free State had not been established. I understand that a corresponding relief from Irish Free State Income Tax is granted by the Irish Free State to British subjects resident outside its area.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount received for revenue from Schedule D for the years 1850–51, 1870–71, 1880–81, 1890–91, 1900–01, 1910–11, and 1920–21?

I would suggest to my hon. Friend that he should refer to the statistics of the Income Tax and the explanations as to their interpretation by reference to the scope, area, basis of charge, rates of tax, and scheme of allowances of the tax for the various years mentioned, which are published in the Annual Reports of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue, and particularly in the following reports:—

As regards 1920–21, 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 Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether Income Tax is levied on widows' pensions, whether paid by this Government or any of the Dominion Governments; and, if so, the circumstances in which such a tax is levied?

I assume that my hon. Friend refers to the case of pensions to widows of members of His Majesty's Forces. These pensions are chargeable with Income Tax in the same way as any other pensions.

asked the Minister of Health what steps, in view of the high level of local rates, he has taken to impress upon local authorities the need for strict economy?

I am sending the hon. and gallant Member a copy of the General Circular issued on this subject in 1921. Steps have since been taken by ordinary administration, so far as it is within the power of the Ministry, to carry out the policy laid down in the Circular, and I think the need of economy is generally fully appreciated by local authorities, by whom active measures towards reducing expenses have been taken. It has, however, to be remembered that recently works have been undertaken by local authorities, which they would not otherwise have carried out at present, in order to relieve unemployment.

asked the Minister of Health whether, and when, the casual wards of Dunmow and Ongar have been closed; whether he has received any application from the Epping Guardians or others to reopen them; whether large numbers of vagrants have been thrown on to the Epping ward by the above-named closures; whether there have been any deaths from privation and exposure in this region besides the two, as reported by coroners' inquests, in 1921; and whether there have been any such in 1922?

I am informed by the Registrar-General that there was one death of a male from exposure at Chelmsford and one of a woman from starvation at Braintree in the year 1922, but none in this region. The casual wards in Dunmow and Ongar Unions have been closed for six and two years respectively. An application for their reopening has been received from the Epping Guardians but there is no evidence that the closing of these wards has appreciably affected the numbers applying for relief at Epping. I have no information of any deaths from privation or exposure in this region in the year 1921 other than the two referred to by my hon. Friend, and there was no such case in the year 1922.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that it was ascertained by inquest that in 1921 a woman aged 92 and a man aged 49 years, respectively, died of starvation in the unions of Kingston and Farnham, in the county of Surrey; whether his Department has taken any and, if so, what steps to prevent similar deaths; how many persons died of starvation or exposure in that county in 1922; if any, will he supply particulars as to age, sex, date of inquest, and union concerned; whether any of the persons so dying in either year were tramps or homeless; if any, and, if so, which, of the casual wards in that county have been closed; and, if so, will he give instructions that they be reopened?

I am aware of the two cases referred to in the first part of this question. The cause of death was given in the first case as personal neglect and insufficient food and in the second case as starvation accelerated by exposure. It is the duty of boards of guardians and of their officers to afford immediate relief in any case of sudden or urgent necessity if application is made to them, and I do not see what further steps are open to me. Two similar cases occurred in the county of Surrey in the year 1922. One was that of a female aged 76 on whom an inquest was held in the Guildford Union on the 8th February, 1922, the other that of a man aged about 50 on whom an inquest was held in the Dorking Union on 9th January, 1922. The man who died in the Dorking Union appears to have belonged to the tramp class and the last address of the man who died in the Farnham Union in 1921 was a lodging-house, but in both the other cases the women appear to have died in their own homes. The Croydon, God-stone, Kingston and Richmond casual wards have been closed, but as at present advised I see no reason for action on my part.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to the case of Sidney Manton, Crown Street, Peterborough; whether he is aware that this man, a member of a National Health Insurance Approved Society, was found to be suffering from tuberculosis; that he was sent to a sanatorium by the county council and was there 20 weeks; and that the county council are now endeavouring, by threats and otherwise, to exact payment of £20 in respect of the treatment in the sanatorium, although Manton is out of employment; and whether he will make representations to the county council on this case?

I have no information as to this case, but I will communicate with the county council, and inform the hon. Member of the result.

asked the Minister of Health if he receives statistics of public health from Japan; if he can supply particulars of the cases of and deaths from smallpox which have occurred in Japan since the year 1915; and whether any system of notification and hospital isolation of such cases is enforced in Japan?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The number of cases of, and deaths from, small pox in Japan during the years 1915 to 1920 are shown below. Particulars are not yet available for 1921 or 1922:

I understand that the notification of cases of smallpox is compulsory in Japan when that disease is prevalent or threatens to prevail, and that hospital isolation is practised if deemed necessary for the prevention of the disease.

asked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Board of Health, Scotland, whether he is aware that, with regard to the Polachar road and the relief of distress in South Uist, under the petty contract system the grant of £1,500 made by the Treasury to the Scottish Board of Agriculture does not permit more than 3d. per hour per man for an eight-hours' day; and whether he will agree to increase the grant, as this remuneration does not give a living wage?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the negative. The contract rates offered in this case were similar to those fixed in similar relief schemes which have been successfully carried out in other districts, and the Board are satisfied that the rates were such as would have permitted the men to earn reasonable remuneration greatly in excess of that stated in the question. No grant for this proposed scheme is now available, as the period within which expenditure by the Board was authorised expired at the end of last month.

asked the Minister of Labour which is the nearest Employment Exchange available for residents in Hanwell; and what distance it is from that town?

The nearest Employment Exchange available for residents in Hanwell is at Southall, which is 2½ to 3 miles distant.

asked the Prime Minister if he can now make any statement as to the present position of the negotiations with Germany affecting reparations?

There is nothing which I can at present usefully add to the statement made in the House on 8th May and to the statement made to-day in reply to the hon. and gallant Member for Central Hull (Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy).

asked the First Commissioner of Works upon whose advice the grasses are selected for sowing or planting in the royal parks and Kensington Gardens?

The grass seeds required for the Royal Parks and Gardens are purchased upon a specification prepared by the late Dr. Carruthers, formerly consulting botanist of the Royal Agricultural Society of England.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that Mr. T. W. Gillies, of Mount Airlie, North Berwick, was trained in agriculture and recommended for a grant of £100 to enable him to commence on his own account; that the Board of Agriculture for Scotland failed to provide him with land; that in order to earn his living he started business in selling cooked foods and applied for his grant to assist him in that undertaking; and that the grant was refused and has been definitely withdrawn: and whether, in view of the fact that the failure to secure land was no fault of Mr. Gillies, he will reconsider the decision to refuse to assist him in his present business?

The facts are substantially as stated, except that the grant originally awarded was expressly made conditional upon Mr. Gillies being able to secure land. A grant can only be made to a man who has had training for the purpose of establishing him in the occupation for which he has been trained. This rule can only be waived if he is prevented by his service disability from following the trade in which he has been trained, which is not the case here and accordingly I regret that I cannot see my way to make an exception for any other reason.

asked the Undersecretary to the Scottish Board of Health whether all lands which belonged to the Crown and which have at any time been scheduled as fit for small holdings have now been broken up into small holdings for ex-service men; if not, what Crown lands have not been broken up; and on what occasions were they so scheduled?

Four of the seven Crown estates in Scotland have been broken up into small holdings. Three of the estates, viz., Inverliever, Dorrery and Lythmore have not been broken up. Parts of the Crown estates were scheduled in the Report of the Highlands and Islands Royal Commission appointed in 1892 for the purposes stated in the Report. I am not aware of any other Report in which they have been scheduled.

asked the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies whether he can make a statement as to the arbitration proceedings which were promised by the Irish Free State Government for dealing with the cases of poor rate collcetors in Southern Ireland who were deprived of their positions under duress by local bodies in Southern Ireland or by the Irish Republican Army in 1920 and 1921; whether he has addressed communications to the Irish Free State Government on the subject; and what reply he has received? Mr. ORMSBY-GORE: I have to-day received a communication from the Free State Government agreeing to immediate arbitration in the cases of all local officials who, like the rate collectors referred to by the hon. and learned Member, claim to be entitled to the award of pensions or gratuities under Section 8 of the Local Government (Ireland) Act, 1919, but whose claims have not been dealt with under the Act by the Local Government Board for Ireland owing to the disappearance of that Board. The Arbitrator agreed upon by the two Governments is the Hon. Mr. Justice Wylie, and I hope that arrangements can now be made for an early hearing of these cases.

asked the Postmaster-General whether 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; are the increases retrospective; if so, from what date; will he give the reason for these additions to the salaries of higher officials; is it proposed to award proportionate increases to the other supervising and manipulative grades; and, if so, will the increases in these cases be also retrospective?

I would refer the hon. member to the reply given on the 4th inst. to a similar question by the hon. Member for the Went-worth Division (Mr. Hirst).

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that while the publican has to declare the number of degrees by which spirits are under proof, no intimation is given to the public concerning the gravity of beer sold in public houses; and whether he is prepared, either by regulation or by introducing a Bill, to ensure that such information shall be given by the brewer to the retailers, thus preventing beer of very low gravity being sold at the same price as better qualities?

The subject of this question is not one as to which I have any responsibility.

asked the Home Secretary the number of protests he has received against the summoning of grand juries at quarter sessions and assizes since the suspension of the summoning of such juries ceased?

Since the termination of the Grand Juries Suspension Act

I have no information as to the particulars referred to in the last part of the question.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he

protests against the grand jury system have been received at the Home Office from 48 sessions; one protest has been received from a Chamber of Commerce, and two from private persons.

asked the Home Secretary the number of police officers who, during the past three years, have received the King's Police Medal for bravery; the Forces to which attached; and the particulars of any additional recognition, such as monetary reward, or advancement in pay or rank?

The number of police officers in Great Britain who have been awarded the King's Police Medal for gallantry during the last three years and the Forces to which they belong are as follow:

has communicated with the Lowestoft Education Authority suggesting that members of the authority and representatives of the teachers should meet to consider some arrangement whereby the unsatisfactory state of things educational in Lowestoft can be brought to an end; whether he has offered any assistance in that direction; and, if so, what is the reply?

I have made a suggestion to that effect, and I understand that it will be accepted.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether the payment of an instalment of the grant to the Lowestoft Education Authority, in respect of a period during part of which the schools were closed, indicates an approval by the Board of a state of things now existing in respect of education and the Schools of Lowestoft; and, if not, why has the payment been made?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. It is the practice of the Board to continue payment of instalments until a decision has been arrived at which involves suspension or reduction of instalments.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he has received any representations from the education authorities in the country with regard to the scale of clinic charges to be made to parents for the medical treatment of their children at school clinics; and whether these representations express approval or the reverse?

I have received many communications from Local Education Authorities on this subject. The information at my disposal shows that though authorities differ considerably in their views, the large majority have schemes which comply with the intentions of Parliament as expressed in Section 81 of the Education Act, 1921. I am still in communication with the remainder.

asked the President of the Board of Education the number of fee-paying and free-place pupils in the rate-aided secondary schools of Hertfordshire for each of the school years 1913–14, 1917–18, 1918–19, 1919–20, 1920–21, 1921–23, 1922–23; and the number of fee-paying and free-place entrants to the same schools for the same years?

The figures are as follow:

Hertfordshire.

A. Free-place pupils are pupils entering from Public Elementary Schools with free places awarded under the conditions of Article 20 and the Appendix to the Regulations for Secondary Schools.

B. Other pupils are mainly fee-paying, but include a small number (about 5·7 per cent.) who pay no fee, though they are not "free-place "pupils within the meaning of Article 20.

asked the President of the Board of Education the number of teachers of each grade employed in elementary schools by the various Part III authorities in the county of Hertfordshire, giving each authority separately; the number of pupils in average attendance under each authority; and the number of classes having between 45 and 50 pupils, 51 and 60 pupils, and over 60 pupils in average attendance under each authority?

The following figures refer to the year ended 31st March, 1922, the latest year for which the returns have been tabulated:

N.B.—The figures for size of classes are those of the number of pupils on the registers and not of average attendance.

asked the President of the Board of Education the amounts expended on education from public funds in England, Germany, and the United States of America in 1914, 1920, 1921, and 1922?

I regret that the material at my disposal does not enable me to give the information asked for by the hon. Member.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that Mr. Selby Johnson, a teacher in the Grammar School, Kendal, who volunteered for military service during the War and was compelled to spend two months after demobilisation waiting for a new post and a new term, has recently been informed by the Board that this two months' interval is disallowed for purposes of salary compensation; and will he take steps to secure that Mr. Johnson does not suffer in pocket by reason of his military service?

My attention has been called to this case. There is no provision in the Burnham Report relating to teachers in secondary schools for counting for increments of salary a period between demobilisation and the resumption of teaching service. In these circumstances I regret that I do not see my way to review the decision