asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the great demands on the funds of Greenwich Hospital for small payments to naval pensioners and their dependants, he will consider whether there are any means of making available larger sums of money for this purpose; and whether, in view of the good work done by this institution and its charities, he will suggest special sympathetic treatment by the Treasury?

The benefits given by Greenwich Hospital out of its own funds are not supplemented by the Treasury, except in the case of the age pensions payable to eligible naval life pensioners (the value of the age pension being 5d. a day from 55, and 9d. a day from 65). In the case of these age pensions, the Treasury defrays through Navy Votes whatever sum is needed in any one year to bring the sum available from Greenwich Hospital funds up to the sum required for payment of this pension to all eligible men. The payment by the Treasury is accordingly already one which varies automatically from year to year. If by any other means the existing resources of the institution could be increased, the Admiralty would be only too pleased to extend the benefits.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the inconvenience caused to many men by instructions that are given at local Employment Exchanges for unemployed men to sign between 11 a.m. and 12 noon and that by having to call between these hours many a man finds his chances of securing employment minimised; and will he arrange that all men who desire to do so should be enabled to sign at the local office early in the morning, thus leaving the day for an endeavour to find work?

Owing to the great numbers unemployed, it is in most cases imperative in the interests of the applicants themselves to distribute them evenly over the hours of attendance at the Exchanges by requiring them to attend at particular times. Otherwise there would be inevitable confusion and great delays, giving rise among other things to long waiting in queues. The requirement of attendance at a particular time does not generally entail longer waiting than about half an hour at the outside, and I have no evidence that this interferes with search for work. If, however, an applicant is genuinely unable on some particular occasion to attend at the required time, owing to search for work, he is allowed to give alternative evidence of unemployment for that occasion.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of single women receiving the unemployment donation on 1st January, 15th March, and 1st June of this year, respectively; and the number of women actually coming under the national insurance unemployment scheme who are now in work and who were in work on 1st January, 1923?

The only available statistics for the number of single women drawing unemployment benefit are those derived from an analysis of about one third of the total number of claims at the end of January last; the result of this analysis may probably be applied to the whole number on benefit and would then show that at that date between 58 and 59 per cent, of the women in receipt of benefit were single. At 21st May, 1923, the number of women insured under the Acts in Great Britain who were at work was about 2,210,000, and at 18th December, 1922, the number was about 2,237,000. I am unable to say to what extent these figures relate to the same persons.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether the terms of Circular 1,286, issued tentatively by the Board, are being interpreted retrospectively in assessing full-time service in respect of claims under the Superannuation Act?

The School Teachers (Superannuation) Act, 1918, does not draw any distinction between past and present service as regards the question whether it is of a full-time character; and the principles stated in Circular 1,286, with certain modifications as set out in a later Circular—of which I am sending my hon. and learned Friend a copy—are regarded by the Board as ordinarily applicable to service of whatever date.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that Mr. W. H. Woodford, 15, Pioneer Terrace, Cwmfelinfach (Mon.), whilst in training at the Government instructional factory, Cardiff, was granted an allowance of 10s. per week; that after the total had reached £11 11s. he was told that he was not entitled to it, and they deducted £4 10s. from his allowances; that he then failed to continue his training; that they are now threatening to deduct the remainder from his pension; that this man has nothing but his pension to depend upon; and that he can do no sort of work; and will he, under those conditions, issue instructions to the pensions officials at Cardiff to cancel this demand?

I am making inquiries into this case, and will let the hon. Member know the result. In the meantime, no further steps will be taken to recover the overpayment.

asked the Minister of Pensions what proportion, if any, of the total number of women under 45 years of age receiving Army and Navy pensions or allowances consists of unmarried women who lived habitually with their men?

I regret that I am not in a position to supply this information as figures for married and unmarried wives are not kept separately in the records of my Department.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that agricultural holdings derive no tangible benefits from the lighting and sanitary rates now levied, he will take steps to ensure that agriculturists are not subjected to such imposts, which constitute a heavy charge without their receiving any corresponding advantage?

Under the Agricultural Rates Bill before the House, the occupiers of agricultural land will be liable to pay one quarter only of the full rate in the pound in the case of all rates, except those levied exclusively for the benefit of the land.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the gross revenue collected from the Customs and Excise for the years ending 31st March, 1913–14 to 1922–23, inclusive, with the total cost of this service, showing salaries and allowances, commuted allowances, and superannuation, etc., and any departmental charges, with the percentage of cost to the total amount of duties collected?

The information is as follows:

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will state what action the Government is taking as a consequence of the decision in the case of Sutton v. Rex?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to my answer of the 19th June to my hon. Friend the Member for Huntingdon (Mr. Murchison).

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury in what Government Departments have reorganisation schemes been introduced; upon what date are such schemes to come into operation; upon which principle is reorganisation based; the total increase in pay the schemes will eventually entail in each Department when all the officers involved have reached the maxima provided in the schemes; how these figures compare with the total liability which would have been entailed on the basis of the maxima in operation before the schemes came into effect; over how many years the increased State liability will be spread as regards the officers involved thereunder; the amount of the yearly increase arising in each Department and the total value of the increased pension rights obtained by the officers provided for in the schemes; the number in each case of established and temporary officers included in, and excluded by, such schemes; and the manner in which it is proposed to deal with established and temporary officers not immediately included in the reorganisation schemes?

Reorganisation schemes based on the principles of the Report, dated the 17th February, 1920, of the Reorganisation Committee of the Civil Service National Whitley Council, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy, have been introduced in all Government Departments, except in a few departments, where the reorganisation recommended is unsuitable, having regard to the duties to be performed.

Such schemes normally come into operation from the 1st April, 1922, or, in special cases, from later dates.

I am unable to give the detailed information asked for in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh parts of the question, but it is anticipated that ultimately a number of the schemes will show a saving rather than the reverse, after excluding increased payments due to the cost of living bonus.

The reorganisation schemes cover only permanent staffs, and such work as is temporary is provided for by temporary arrangements.

I do not understand the last part of the question, the salaries of temporary officers being dealt with individually on the merits of each case, as are those of established officers not covered by any more general arrangement.

asked the Minister of Health if there is any recent evidence at Yeovil or elsewhere of the success of water divination by dowsers; and if local authorities in England have powers to employ water diviners to search for additional sources of water supply?

I am not aware of any recent evidence as to the success or failure of water divination by dowsers, but local authorities can, if they choose, incur reasonable expenditure on their employment.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that there is a valuable coalfield of large area at Udi, Nigeria, which is entirely owned by the British Government; that private colliery enterprise in Nigeria has been prohibited; that, although this coal was discovered before the War, only one colliery consisting of three mines is now being worked; and whether, in order to assure the development of all Empire resources and to give scope to individual enterprise, inquiry can be made with a view to opening this great Colonial coalfield to private British enterprise?

The Udi coalfield was discovered by the Nigerian Government geologist, in 1909, but it could not be worked until the Nigerian Govern- ment provided transport facilities by building a railway of 150 miles from Port Harcourt. That railway reached the coalfield in 1916, and the Government colliery is now producing over 190,000 tons per annum. It is not considered advisable to admit private enterprise to the field at present because (1) the Government colliery is already producing more coal than is required in Nigeria and is now in a position considerably to increase its output with a corresponding reduction in the pit-head cost, and (2) the labour supply is limited. A private company would experience great difficulties in obtaining sufficient native labour, and competition by private enterprise at present could not fail to increase the cost of labour and therewith the pit-head cost of coal. Increased output and development depend on the possibility of marketing the surplus coal outside Nigeria, and the Nigerian Government will be glad to consider offers by private enterprise to undertake such marketing on an agency or contract basis.