asked the President of the Board of Education if he will state the figures for 1913–14 and following years showing the total expenditure on elementary and higher education from local and national funds?

The figures are as follow:

The present information at my disposal goes to show that the deaf and dumb do not, as a rule, experience such difficulty in obtaining employment or apprenticeship where they have been trained in a special school up to the age of 16 as would point to the necessity of further training after 16. I shall be glad to consider under the Board's Grant Regulations, No. 21, any proposal for an increase of the facilities for the further training of these young persons if I am satisfied that the need for it exists, and I shall welcome any information on this matter that the hon. Member may possess.

asked the Prime Minister whether, and, if so, how far, the Treaty which is being negotiated with the King of the Hedjaz affects Palestine; whether it involves any modifications of Great Britain's obligation under the mandate for Palestine; and whether the recognition by King Husain of the special position of His Britannic Majesty in Iraq, Transjordania, and Palestine includes the recognition of His Britannic Majesty's Government's international obligations regarding the Jewish national home in Palestine?

The negotiations with the Hedjaz Government are still in progress, and I am unable to say what precise form the Treaty, if concluded, may ultimately take. It will not, however, involve any modification of the obligations into which His Majesty's Government have entered under the Mandate for Palestine.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has received a letter from the Clyde Committee and the Federation of Shipbuilding and Federated Trades protesting against the allocation of the Royal Mail Company's contract for their ships to Belfast firms while there is abnormal unemployment in the Clyde and other shipbuilding areas; and, if so, will he give the House an opportunity for discussing the demand for an inquiry into the conditions of the contract?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total cost of the three ships which are now being built for the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company; how much is being borne by the Government; and whether, in view of the fact that the people of this country are being taxed for those ships, he will cause the orders for building to be placed in three different shipbuilding centres?

I have been asked to reply. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has received the letter referred to, which however reflects the misconception which exists with regard to the facts of this guarantee. I therefore take this opportunity of restating the facts. His Majesty's Government are not themselves placing any contract nor are they advancing any money for the building of these ships. What they are doing is to guarantee, under the Trade Facilities Acts, the interest and repayment of so much of the money to be raised by the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company as will be spent on the manufacture in this country of the materials required for the construction of the ships. The sum to be spent in this way is estimated at £2,300,000; and it may be assumed that without the above guarantee this sum would not have been raised by the Steamship Company and spent in placing orders which give employment here. A further sum, estimated at about £700,000, to which the Government guarantee does not extend, will be spent on actual construction at Belfast. It is clearly not possible for me to give directions to the company where they should build their ships nor, if I were to endeavour to do so, should I in any way increase the amount of employment in this country. The action of the Treasury in giving a guarantee can of course be discussed on the Treasury Vote or on the Consolidated Fund Bill.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, having regard to the widespread interest in the Income Tax, Schedule A reassessments and the concessions made by him in connection therewith, he will consider the publication of an explanatory pamphlet which could be available for the convenience of Members in dealing with inquiries?

The announcement foreshadowed in the Debates on the Committee stage of the Finance Bill appeared in the Press on Wednesday last. For the convenience of hon. Members I am arranging for copies of this announcement to be made available in the Vote Office.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what would be the estimated extra expense to the Government, for staff and accommodation, in order to extend postal facilities to applicants to Somerset House for copies of wills to be posted to them to places within the London postal area instead of it being necessary for applicants to call in person, or by agents, at Somerset House for the copies; whether he is aware that the average number of copies required from Somerset House during 1922, for places within the London postal area, was no more than 26 per working day; that the public desire the option of being allowed to pay a reasonable fee to cover the extra cost to the Treasury for posting copies of wills to them within the London area; and whether he can meet this desire?

It would not be possible to differentiate, as regards the facilities desired by my hon. Friend, between wills and other documents supplied by the principal Probate Registry. I regret that I am unable to give any estimate of the cost of conceding the facilities in question in all cases, but if it should appear that any considerable demand for them exists, I will make inquiries as to the practicability of adopting some such plan as that suggested in the question.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on what estimate the decision of the Government to hand over the printing of the "London Gazette" to the Government printing factory without outside competition can be debated; and whether any estimate of cost was obtained from the Government factory before a decision was arrived at?

The printing of the "London Gazette" is a Stationery Office matter, and can be debated on the Stationery Office Estimate. The answer to the second part of the question is in the affirmative.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of executive posts provided for in the Department of the Admiralty under the reorganisation scheme and the number of executive posts in that Department at present held temporarily by ex-service men?

I have been asked to reply. The number of executive posts included in the complements of the Admiralty is 456 (inclusive of 51 which have not yet been definitely authorised as permanent posts). The whole of these appointments are held by permanent civil servants, 89 of them being filled on a temporary basis only at present, and of the holders of this latter number of posts, 28 had service with the Forces. I regret that it is not possible to give details of the classification of all the officers holding executive posts, except with considerable research, which would involve delay.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the India Office at the instance of the Board of Inland Revenue, has taken certain classes of taxpayers out of the jurisdiction of the local or general commissioners of taxes and applied a method of assessment and collection which prevents an appeal to the local commissioners on the question of liability and the quantum thereof; and whether he will rectify the system of collection of the tax from certain officials on leave in this country so as to give them an opportunity of discussing their liability in the Courts?

I assume that my hon. and gallant Friend refers to the liability to Income Tax of Indian Government officials in respect of leave pay drawn in this country for those years in which they are chargeable as residents here. Clause 10 of the Finance Bill now before the House provides legal sanction for the method of dealing with this liability, which has been followed for many years. With regard to the question of appeal, I would point out that the officials will, under the combined effect of Section 19 of the Finance Act, 1922, and the Clause in the present Bill, have the right of appeal to the Special Commis- sioners—on a point of law to the Courts—against the assessment or the amount of tax deducted.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the reduction from 4d. to 2d. per gallon in the duty levied on mineral waters applies to table waters brewed from herbs?

The duty on herb beer was reduced from 4d. to 2d. per gallon in 1916, and that rate is still in force.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India if he is aware that, although in other departments of the Indian service inducements in the shape of gazetted appointments are offered to the clerical staff, no gazetted appointment has so far been conferred on any Indian in the India Ordnance Department; whether he is aware that this apparent discrimination against this section of the Government's employés is regarded by them as undeserved; and whether he will consider the possibility of placing them upon an equal footing with other sections of the Indian service?

My Noble Friend has no information on this matter, but he will cause inquiries to be made.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the present position of British subjects living and carrying on business in Northern France who suffered in the War; whether they come under any scheme of reparation payment; and whether steps can be taken to ensure them equal consideration with the actual Belgian or French residents who suffered under similar circumstances?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on the 7th inst. to the hon. Member for South Bradford (Mr. H. Spencer) of which I am sending him a copy. The sum of £5,000,000 represents the maximum which His Majesty's Government can undertake to ask the general taxpayer to contribute to individual losses resulting from the War not covered by war insurance schemes.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether an Englishwoman travelling first class to the United States of America for pleasure or for the purpose of seeing her friends is liable to be refused entry and sent to Ellis Island on arrival in that country?

I am afraid that I cannot undertake to summarise the United States Immigration Laws in reply to a question. Speaking broadly, an Englishwoman travelling in the circumstances indicated and able to show that she had no intention of settling in the United States ought not to be liable to be sent to Ellis Island, except in the improbable contingency that the immigration authorities suspected her to be suffering from some serious disease or to be without means of support. But having regard to the unfortunate experience of many British subjects, they can only be advised to consider carefully whether a visit to the United States is really necessary, and to refrain where such necessity does not exist.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies how many military cemeteries there are in Palestine and Syria; how many cemeteries have been completed and how many headstones erected; what is the cost per grave, including the proportion of the headquarters staff; and how much work remains to be done?

I have been asked to reply on behalf of the War Office. Four cemeteries have been completed constructionally out of 34, and about 1,300 headstones have been erected out of some 12,000. I am not in a position to state the cost per grave, but no reason is seen for thinking that the original all-round estimate, which was £10, will be exceeded.

asked the Minister of Health if he will consider the desirability of introducing legislation authorising any town or district council, with the consent of a neighbouring council, to supply water to householders in the district of such neighbouring council direct; and is he aware that the present arrangements for supply of electricity by councils are much simpler than with respect to the more necessary commodity of water?

I will consider the hon. Member's suggestion, but I think that the case can usually be met by the provision of a supply of water in bulk under existing powers.

asked the Minister of Health what is the evidence that the epidemic which has occurred in the City of Gloucester is really an epidemic of small-pox, seeing that, although it is estimated that 2,000 cases of the disorder have occurred, there has been a complete absence of invalidity or injury during the attack, an absence of any invalidity subsequent to the attack, and that the mortality has been nil; and can he explain why, under these circumstances, it was necessary for the Ministry to interfere or to issue his directions to deal with an outbreak which was associated with no untoward results of any description?

The epidemic in Gloucester has been recognised as small-pox by a large number of local medical men, by officers of my Department and by Dr. Cameron, of the Metropolitan Asylums Board, who was called in as an expert by the corporation. I may add that a number of cases of small-pox were recognised in other districts and traced to Gloucester. The statements in the question as to the absence of injury or invalidity either during or subsequent to the attacks are not correct, as I am informed that, although the type of the disease is mild and no deaths have yet occurred, many of the patients have been seriously ill. The action of my Department has led to the localisation and control of an outbreak which had already begun to spread to other parts of the country and which, if unchecked, might have caused wide- spread disturbance of trade as well as danger to the public health.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the insanitary conditions prevailing in the overcrowded portion of the Borough of Christchurch; that representations have been made to the local sanitary authority in regard to premises where food is sold for public consumption and where a bucket is used for lavatory purposes and is emptied by a man not a corporation employé, and of the recent outbreak of diphtheria in that borough, undoubtedly caused by such conditions; if he will cause inquiry to be made as to the reason why the local sanitary authority has neglected to put its powers into operation to remedy this insanitation; and, failing that authority taking immediate steps to obtain proper sanitation throughout its area, if he will assert the powers of the Ministry of Health?

I have not received any representations as to the conditions referred to by the hon. Member, and I am not aware of any recent excessive prevalence of diphtheria in the Borough of Christchurch. But I will communicate with the local authority in regard to the matters mentioned in the question.

asked the Minister of Health, whether he is now in a position to state the figures, based upon the 1921 Census, showing the number of widows and their dependants under 14 years of age in this country, indicating, if possible, the number out of the total of widows under 45 years of age and their dependants?

In the counties for which figures are at present available—comprising 54 per cent. of the total population—the number of widows enumerated at the 1921 Census was 886,280, of whom 159,688 were under 45 years of age. The figures asked for in respect of dependent children are not yet available.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has received any representations complaining against the growing practice of vendors of bread in accepting from customers unused bread in exchange for fresh; and, if so, will he state what steps he proposes to take to stop this dangerous practice?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on this subject on the 13th instant to my Noble and gallant Friend the Member for the Newark Division (Marquess of Titchfield).

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been directed to the terms and conditions offered by the County of Gloucester and the City of Gloucester for the appointments of public analyst to the said county and city; whether he is aware that these authorities have appointed as public analyst a person whose qualifications do not appear to be within the terms of the regulations as to competency of public analysts, issued by the Local Government Board for England and Wales in March, 1900, in accordance with the provisions of the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, 1899; and whether he proposes to confirm the appointment to this post of any person who is unable to produce evidence that he possesses the qualifications referred to?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The appointments proposed by the county council and the city council have been submitted for my approval, and I am in communication with those authorities as to the qualifications of the gentleman whom it is proposed to appoint.

asked the Under-Secretary to the Scottish Board of Health the number of dwelling-houses erected by the Forestry Commissioners in Scotland for the occupation of their employés in areas they have acquired in Scotland; how many of their employés are now settled with houses within these areas; how many persons engaged in forestry work have been provided by the Commissioners with crofts or allotment land for settlement; and what is the total acreage of the land which has been provided within the forestry areas of Scotland for settlement purposes?

I have been asked to reply to this question. The number of dwelling-houses erected by the Forestry Commissioners in Scotland for the occupation of their employés is 20; the number of their employés now settled with houses is 50. During last year the average number of persons engaged in forestry work in Scotland by the Commissioners was 450, and of this number a large proportion are crofters or land-holders; the Commissioners have no powers to constitute holdings, but they have offered various areas to the Scottish Board of Agriculture, and 41 holdings have been or are about to be constituted by the Board in connection with the Commission's schemes. The Commissioners have provided land to 29 employés and have let grazings to neighbouring crofters; the total area offered to the Board for settlement purposes is, approximately 5,000 acres.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department if he is aware that the emigrants from the Hebrides to Canada are to get a grant of land from the Canadian Government; what is the acreage of land to be given to each emigrant; if the land is cleared of bush; if not, what allowances, if any, are paid to the new settlers whilst clearing the land; and if there are any railway facilities for the said land?

I understand that the settlers from the Hebrides are to receive a grant of land from the Canadian Government. Under the Canadian law, each settler is entitled to select 160 acres as a free homestead, so long as not more than 25 acres is wooded. No allowance is made for clearing, as the settler can select a homestead free from bush if he so desires. The regular train service, generally speaking, will not be more than 15 miles from the homestead.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department the numbers who have migrated to date under the scheme of assisted migration; and whether he compiles any record showing the parts of the country from which these migrants have mostly come, with the object of ensuring that its benefits are as widely spread as possible over all the community?

The number of persons who have migrated, under the Empire Settlement Act, to the end of May, is 19,170. No complete record is kept of the parts of the country from which these migrants came.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department on what conditions money is given here to intending emigrants to the Colonies to provide for the purchase of the necessary outfit and temporary maintenance upon arrival; and what safeguards are imposed to make sure that such grants are properly utilised?

It is not the general policy of the Oversea Settlement Committee to make grants on account of outfit, but assistance in this respect has been given in a limited number of cases of families and children dealt with by voluntary organisations such as the Salvation Army and the British Dominions Emigration Society. As regards maintenance on arrival overseas, no provision is necessary in the majority of cases, as the settler is immediately placed in employment. Where required, small advances are made to the settler under the Act through the Oversea Government concerned.

asked the Minister of Pensions if an ex-service man whose disability is under 40 per cent, can have his pension commuted to enable him to emigrate with his wife and family?

The answer is in the negative. Where, however, a pensioner has arranged to emigrate to a British possession, an advance of pension not exceeding in value 26 weeks may be granted.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport whether he will institute inquiries in regard to the unsatisfactory travelling facilities provided on the Cardiff Railway branch of the Great Western Railway and in regard to the failure of the company to respond to representations made by the Cardiff Rural District Council, the Caerphilly and Pontypridd Urban District Councils, the Whitchurch Parish Council, and other representative bodies, as well as by his own Department; and whether he will take suitable action to bring about an improvement in the services with a view to the prevention of delays in travelling and of the congestion of trains, particularly between Cardiff and Whitchurch?

I am not aware of the representations to which the hon. Member refers, but if he will furnish me with particulars, I will consider what action I could usefully take.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport whether the Rates Advisory Commfittee have decided on the form of schedule for passengers', workmen's, and season tickets at their recent inquiry; and, if so, if he will circulate to the House a copy of the form of the schedule for these passenger fares?

The forms of schedule of the standard charges for conveyance of passengers at ordinary fares, season ticket rates and workmen's fares have been settled by the Railway Rates Tribunal, and the proceedings and judgments were published and placed on sale in the usual manner. Copies of the forms of schedule as settled in detail under Section 30 of the Railways Act may be obtained from the offices of the Rates Tribunal on payment of the usual fees, and in these circumstances I do not propose to circulate them, but I am sending the hon. Member, for his own information, a copy of the forms to which he refers, and am also having a copy placed in the Library.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that mails from Carlisle and the South arrive at St. Boswell's at 6.4 a.m. and the "Scotsman" newspaper at 5.25 a.m.; that the Coldstream mails and papers are then despatched via Duns to Berwick-on-Tweed and back again, after half-an-hour's wait, to Coldstream, where they arrive at 9.10 a.m.; that the Kelso mails leave St. Boswell's at 6.50 a.m., arriving at Kelso at V. 12 a.m.; that Kelso is only nine miles from Coldstream, so that mails and papers via Kelso could reach that place by 7.37 a.m.; and will he consider altering the route of the Coldstream mails in order that the inhabitants may enjoy a better service?

I am considering an extensive rearrangement of services which would enable the desired improvement to be made. I will let the hon. and gallant Member know definitely as soon as possible.

asked the Postmaster-General whether it is proposed to abolish the 5.30 p.m. delivery in the City of London; whether he is aware that the City post offices do not make a clear disposal of the evening work in the present circumstances and that the proposed suspension of the 5.30 p.m. delivery would make the position worse; and whether, having regard to the effect upon the correspondence of important newspapers and upon the business interests of many foreign agencies, he will call for a report upon this suggested further reduction of public facilities, with a view to the proposal being reviewed?

It is proposed to abolish this delivery, which does not appear to serve any very useful purpose. At the same time, as a result of the relief which will be afforded in the sorting offices, it is hoped to accelerate the earlier deliveries which are made during business hours, and to facilitate the despatch of the night mails. Most of the letters included in the delivery reach business houses after closing time. Inconvenience to particular agencies or firms can be met by the use of the private-box system.