asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that, notwithstanding the great dearth of houses suitable for the occupation of sailors and soldiers in Donaghadee, County Down, five houses are at present vacant in that town formerly occupied by coastguards; and whether, seeing that repeated offers have been made by ex-service men for occupancy, he will consider the advisability of handing over this property to the Donaghadee urban authority for the purpose of providing houses for such ex-service men in accordance with the provisions of the Sailors' and Soldiers' Housing (Ireland) Act?

I am making inquiries into the matter to which the hon. Member refers, and will communicate with him as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Health whether favourable consideration would be given to an application from a local authority for sanction to convert into flats a large house in a public park, but facing the road, now going to ruin, or to pull the house down and erect small houses, either with or without the condition that other ground equal to the site of the present house should be allocated to the uses of the public?

An application of this kind would be considered on its merits, and if the hon. Member has a particular case in mind I would suggest that the local authority should submit their proposals to the Ministry. In this connection perhaps I may draw the hon. Member's attention to Section 73 of the Housing Act, 1909, which contains special provisions concerning the use of lands forming part of a public park for housing purposes.

asked the Under-Secretary to the Scottish Board of Health whether, seeing that, in the opinion of his advisers, the actual shortage of houses in Scotland is at least 100,000 and that the number of men employed on housing schemes decreased from 12,781 in April, 1922, to 7,077 in December, 1922, he will say what action it is proposed to take to increase the number of houses under construction and to provide employment for unemployed workers in the building trade?

The figures given in the first part of the hon. Member's question are believed to be correct. As regards the second part, I would point out that there remain to be constructed 3,256 houses under schemes approved in terms of the Housing, Town Planning, etc. (Scotland) Act, 1919. In addition, arrangements are being made for the provision by local authorities, with the aid of State grants, of houses for the accommodation of persons dispossessed my slum clearance schemes. Further provision for assisting the erection of houses is made in the Housing (No. 2) Bill. The Board are hopeful that under these schemes both additional employment will be provided and a substantial number of new houses will be erected.

asked the Minister of Health when the discussion between him- self and representatives of the insurance practitioners and approved societies is to take place; and whether he proposes to make a statement to the House on the conclusion of such discussion?

The Insurance Acts Committee met representatives of the Ministry yesterday to discuss recommendations of the Panel Conference in regard to the revision of the terms of service. Further discussion will be necessary on certain points with the Insurance Consultative Council. No joint conference, such as my hon. Friend suggests, is contemplated at present, and it is unlikely that any definite decision as to the rate of remuneration will be reached before the autumn.

asked the Minister of Health the form in which the official proposals for the renewal of the panel system under the National Health Insurance Act will come before the House; and whether any such scheme will be considered in the autumn?

Any changes in the terms of service of insurance practitioners, apart from the amount of the practitioner's remuneration, will involve an amendment of the Regulations, and any amending Regulations will be laid before Parliament in accordance with the provisions of Section 65 of the National Insurance Act, 1911. My right hon. Friend is not yet in a position to say when the amending Regulations will be made.

asked the Minister of Health if he can make any statement as to the effect of unemployment on the recourse to the benefits of the National Health Insurance scheme during the last two periods of six months each?

The claims for benefits under the National Health Insurance Acts during the year 1922 showed an increase of about 5 per cent, above those for 1921, but this was largely due to an increase in the cost of disablement benefit in accordance with the actuarial expectation. Taking the insured population as a whole, there is no evidence that the prevalence of unemployment has adversely affected the claims for benefit under the Acts.

asked the Minister of Health (1) why £2,277,048 only was paid to societies by way of interest and redemption of reserve values during the year 1921, whereas £3,206,857 was deducted from the contributions of insured persons for this purpose; the rate of interest on the balance in the account;

The difference between the amount deducted from contributions and the amount apportioned to approved societies represents the estimated amount applicable for interest and redemption of the additional reserve values created under Section 16 of the National Health Insurance Act, 1920. As these additional reserve values could not be credited to approved societies in the 1921 account, a complete apportionment of the reserve values apportionment account could not be made. The rate of interest on the balance in the account is that earned on temporary investments, namely, 5 per cent, in 1921 and 4 per cent. in 1922. As the hon. Member is aware, the creation of the additional reserve values referred to necessitated an increase in the deduction to be made in respect of reserve values from the contributions of insured persons, and since 5th July, 1920, deductions have been made at the revised rates authorised by Section 5 of the 1920 Act.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that many complaints have been made in several localities of the exercise of the wide powers conferred by the Mental Deficiency Acts, 1913 to 1919, over individuals; and whether he will cause inquiry to be made into the exercise of these powers and the foundation for the complaints made?

As far as I am aware the powers referred to are exercised with care and discretion. If the hon. Member has any specific cases in mind and will give me particulars, I will ask the Board of Control to investigate them.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that it was ascertained by inquest that in 1921 two men, aged 77 and 62 years, respectively, died of starvation in the unions of Driffield and Dewsbury, in the county of York; 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 mentioned in the first part of this question. In the Driffield case the man was apparently homeless, but in the Dewsbury case the man was found dead in his own home. There were no such cases in 1922. As regards the second part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given to his previous questions. Of the 62 unions in the County of Yorkshire, the Bridlington, Kirkby Moorside, Pickering, Bramley, Ecclesall, Bierlow, Great Ouseburn, Penistone, Sedburgh, Wortley, Skirlaugh and Helmsley casual wards are closed. As at present advised, my right hon. Friend sees no reason for action on his part.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that in Dunmow, Ongar, Croydon, Godstone, Kingston, Richmond, Keynsham, and Long Ashton, where casual wards are closed, tramps are in practice admitted to the workhouse without any order from the relieving officer and with no more difficulty than they would find on application for admission to the casual ward if it were open, and are provided with a mid-day meal for their journey forward, such as is provided for by Article 8 of the Casual Paupers Order; whether he would take the following steps with a view to diminish starvation cases and sufferings: reduce the casual's task so that the former shall not be greater than that of a prisoner condemned to hard labour for crime, and abolish the task of stone pounding; improve his dietary so that it shall not be worse than that of a prisoner condemned to hard labour for crime; cause notices to be placed in the casual wards intimating that those who are ill should ask to see the doctor; and that those who are elderly and infirm should, if destitute and desirous of leaving the road, apply for admission to the workhouse?

One of the conditions on which consent has been given to the temporary closing of a casual ward has been that where a vagrant makes application for relief and the master or matron is satisfied that he is unable to proceed to a casual ward which is open and has not the means of obtaining a lodging, the case should be treated as one of urgent necessity and be admitted to the workhouse. It is obviously proper that in such cases a mid-day meal should be provided on discharge. As regards the latter part of the question, I may say that the revision of the Regulations dealing with the relief of the casual poor is at present receiving consideration. I must not, however, be understood to accept the suggestions made by the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health whether, seeing that two medical men practising in Gloucester, who have had before them many more cases than any other medical men in the town, have not notified a single case of small-pox, but have certified a large number of patients as suffering from chicken-pox, and seeing that the medical officer of the town does not agree with the diagnosis and report of the Ministry of Health officials, asserting that small-pox is prevalent in the town, he will order a public inquiry into the whole facts connected with this assumed outbreak of small-pox, the inquiry to be conducted by a committee of laymen with expert advisers?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer on this subject given on Monday last to the hon. Member for Bradford Central (Mr. Leach). My right hon. Friend is satisfied that small? pox is prevalent in Gloucester and sees no reason for a public inquiry into that point.

asked the Minister of Health what proportion of deaths in the four decades, 1881–90, 1891–1900, 1901–10, 1911–20, and in the year 1921 from all causes other than violence or accident were due to" cancer in those who lived to be 30 or upwards?

From 1881–1910, deaths were grouped by age in five-year periods up to 25 years and afterwards in ten-year periods so that it is not possible to give the required particulars for ages from 30 and upwards. The following table gives the proportion for ages from 35 and upwards for the whole of the period covered by the question, and in addition the proportions for 1911 to 1920 and 1921 for ages from 30 years and upwards:

asked the Minister of Health whether he has considered the revised formula submitted to him, on behalf of the representatives of necessitous areas, as a possible basis for making a special grant from the Treasury to meet the abnormal charges thrown upon them by exceptional unemployment within their districts; if so, with what result; and, if not, how soon will he be in a position to consider the same?

I am afraid I can only say that this question is still under consideration by the Government.

asked the Under-Secretary to the Scottish Board of Health whether he is aware that the Board of Health has sanctioned a loan to the Bonhill Parish Council for able-bodied unemployed relief, and that the banks refuse to advance the loan; and whether he will inquire into the circumstances of the case and state what is the reason for this refusal?

I am aware that the Board sanctioned on 28th May the raising by Bonhill Parish Council of a third loan of £12,000 to meet the cost of granting relief to the unemployed and that the banks, in the exercise of their discretion, declined to grant further loans to this council. I do not think that an inquiry into the reasons for their refusal would serve any useful purpose. I understand that the parish council are now endeavouring to obtain a loan from another source. Should they fail to do so it is open to them to apply through the board for a loan from the Committee set up by the Government some time ago to deal with such applications.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has received a resolution from the Wolverhampton General Purposes Committee pressing for the continuance of the unemployed girls' classes after 30th June, and boys' classes after 21st July; and whether, in view of the need for such classes and the claim of this authority, he will now reconsider his decision on the matter?

I have received a resolution to this effect from the Wolverhampton Education Authority. I have announced the Government's decision with regard to the continuance of the grant for juvenile unemployment centres in my reply to the hon. Member for North Camberwell (Mr. Amnion).

asked the Minister of Labour how many local authorities established juvenile unemployment training centres; and how many of these authorities have forwarded resolutions to his Department asking for these centres to be continued?

Fifty-seven local education authorities have established juvenile unemployment centres. I have received resolutions from eight authorities asking for the centres to be continued.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that a great deal of irritation exists in the Harborough Division of Leicestershire with regard to the absence of an Employment Office at Kibworth; whether he is aware that Kibworth is a large industrial village, the residents in which suffer acutely from periodical unemployment; whether he is aware that two men, both over 70 years of age, are compelled to walk to Market Harborough, a distance of six or seven miles, respectively, in order to sign on for unemployment benefit; that in other cases persons, unable to stand the strain of the walk in both directions, have been compelled to pay the railway fare in order to return home; and that, in yet other cases, unemployed persons have been forced to visit Market Harborough as often as two or three times in a week, because of special questions with regard to allowances for the wife and children; and whether, having regard to the very special conditions which exist in this district, he will again provide the sub-office facilities which were authorised by his predecessor?

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to his question on 13th June. I am, however, having inquiries made into the specific cases to which he refers, and will communicate the result to him as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that on 25th May last the Barnsley Employment Exchange was obliged to suspend payment of the unemployment allowance, leaving about 100 men unpaid; and, if so, whether he can offer any explanation of the circumstances?

I am having inquiry made, and will let the hon. Member know the result as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the Trades Dispute Dis- qualification Committee are now in a position to make a Report; and, if not, will he urge the Committee to come to some decision without further delay owing to the hardship now existing among labourers and others thrown out of employment through disputes in which they are not directly concerned?

I am informed that the Committee still have under active consideration the matters referred to them and are meeting again almost at once. The Committee is composed mainly of representatives of employers and workpeople, and I am sure they have fully in mind the considerations alluded to by the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of men at present unemployed who are not receiving unemployment benefit on the ground that their unemployment is due to a trade dispute, although they are not parties to such a dispute?

I regret that I have no statistics giving the information desired by the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has yet received from the British Government representative on the governing body of the International Labour Organisation his Report on the proceedings of that body in respect of its budget for 1924; and, if so, what economies, if any, have been effected in the final budget adopted as compared with the estimate as originally submitted?

Yes, Sir, I have now received a preliminary Report from my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour, the British Government representative on the Governing Body of the International Labour Office. The economies effected in the Office Budget for 1924 are as follow:

The original estimate for 1924 was presented at 9,118,780 francs. This was reduced at the April meeting of the Governing Body to approximately 7,000,000 francs. In the meantime the matter had been studied further by the Office, with the result that it was con- cluded, after full consideration of the needs of the year, that the total budget should stand at 7,292,000 francs. Following further discussion at the June meeting in the Finance Committee and in the Governing Body, this figure was reduced by a definite sum of 350,000 francs, to which should be added a contingent sum of 150,000 francs, which depends upon the movement of the cost of living at Geneva. Of the total effective budget remaining, namely, approximately 6,800,000 francs, there are 200,000 francs provided for cost of repatriation and compensation for loss of office which may be deducted as non-recurrent expenditure. The final effective budget is, therefore, in the neighbourhood of 6,600,000 francs. This represents a reduction of nearly one-third of the original estimated budget, and the question of further economies will not be overlooked.

I should add, however, that, though economies of this considerable character have been effected, the director of the office is satisfied that he will still be able to carry on the work of the office efficiently.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to what classes of civil servants the Government considers the judgment of Sutton v . Rex to be applicable?

The hon. Member is no doubt referring to the statement which I made last Tuesday, in reply to questions on the same subject by the hon. Members for Huntingdon (Mr. Murchison) and Kirkdale (Mr. Penne-father), that it had been decided that the necessary steps shall be taken to make payment without delay to those civil servants to whom the judgment is clearly applicable. The matter is being actively pursued, and it is hoped that a definite announcement as to the classes that will be included will be made next week.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that Mr. S. R. Green has been dismissed from the Paymaster-General's Office and his place taken by a young woman; and whether he can say why the Lytton Report has not been adhered to in this Department?

Mr. S. E. Green was one of the six temporary clerks whose employment in the Paymaster-General's Office terminated on the 31st March last in consequence of the appointment of six executive officers to the permanent establishment of the Department. In the consequent re-arrangement of duties, an established woman writing assistant was transferred from another branch of the office to take over Mr. Green's work. No temporary non-service men or temporary women clerks are now employed in the Paymaster-General's Office; and, in determining the order of discharge among the temporary ex-service clerks, due regard is had to the recommendations contained in the Report of Lord Lytton's Committee.

asked the Minister of Health the number of Army and Navy officers employed by the Ministry receiving salaries over £500 and £1,000 a year, respectively; whether a bonus is paid in addition; what number is in receipt of a naval or military pension; and what is the amount of such pension in each case?

There are four retired Army officers employed by the Ministry: two receive salaries over £500 and two salaries over £1,000 a year. Three of these receive also the cost of living bonus. The retired pay is £372 and £291 a year in the case of the officers receiving salaries of over £500 and £540 and £276 a year in the case of the officers receiving salaries of over £1,000.

asked the Minister of Pensions if it is proposed to merge the Yorkshire and Northern Regional Headquarters of the Ministry in the buildings at Newcastle; and is he aware that dissatisfaction exists at the suggestion made and that hardship will ensue both to the ordinary working staff and the general public if such a transfer from the Leeds area is carried out?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The maintenance of an area office and medical boards in Leeds will prevent the infliction of hardship on pensioners in the neighbourhood. As I informed the hon. Member for Leeds South on the 21st instant, every endeavour will be made to provide continuous employment for the staff now employed by the Ministry at Leeds who will be displaced owing to the amalgamation.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of Army and Navy officers employed by his Department; how many of these are in receipt of a salary of over £500 and £1,000 a year, respectively; how many of these are drawing Army and Navy pensions; what is the amount of such pension in each case; and whether any bonus is paid in addition to salary?

I presume that the hon. Member refers to retired regular officers of the Army and Navy. It is not possible, without special and laborious inquiry, to state the exact number of such Army and Navy ex-officers employed in the Ministry of Labour. No such officers employed in my Department are in receipt of a salary as high as £500 a year. I may add that the total number of ex-service personnel employed in my Department is over 85 per cent, of the male staff employed.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of books of postage stamps of the mixed and uniform variety, respectively, issued during the years 1921–22 and 1922–23?

The figures are given below:

asked the Postmaster-General what are the reasons which have led him to discontinue the issue of books containing postage stamps only of the value of 1½d., in view of the great convenience they have been to the public?

The demand for these books has fallen off very considerably since the reduction of the letter rate from 2d. to l½d., and in recent months it was found to be too small to justify the labour entailed in the manufacture, distribution and sale of two distinct varieties of book. I think it may be inferred that the current book, containing 18 l½d. stamps, six 1d. and six ½d. stamps adequately meets the requirements of the public, but if there is any evidence of a demand the sale shall be continued.

asked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to the recent action between the Postmaster-General and the Liverpool Corporation and the comments of the judges in the House of Lords; and whether he will take steps to prevent the growing practice of Government Departments of appealing against adverse decisions, which enables them, by using the resources of the country, to deter claimants, except wealthy corporations, from taking action in the courts of justice in respect of well-founded claims?

I have been asked to reply. The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, though the present Law Officers were not personally engaged in the case, the appeal having been lodged in the time of their predecessors. The importance of the case cannot be measured by the amount at stake. It involved a point of law, which was regarded as being of exceptional importance to the Postmaster-General, upon which the judgment of the Divisional Court in favour of the Postmaster-General was reversed by the Court of Appeal. In answer to the last part of the question, so far as I am aware there is no such growing practice.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Sub-committee of the Cabinet which Las been considering the right of civil servants to special leave without pay for the purpose of contesting Parliamentary Elections has come to any conclusion which can be communicated to the House?

The question of the Parliamentary candidature of State Servants is still under consideration, and I am not yet in a position to make any announcement on the subject.

asked the Under-Secretary to the Scottish Board of Health the amount of local rates paid in Scotland in 1914 and the latest year for which figures are available?

The amounts are

For the local financial year, 1913–14, £8,417,753.

For the local financial year, 1922–23 (estimated), £18,418,000.

asked the Under-Secretary to the Scottish Board of Health if it is the intention of the Beard of Health to reduce the grant to local authorities in Scotland towards the cost of tubercular treatment in 1923–24; and if he has received any protest from local authorities on the subject?

The Board have informed local authorities, with three exceptions, that they will pay the usual 50 per cent, grant on the actual expenditure included in their estimates for the year 1923–24, subject to audit of claims. In the case of the three authorities referred to, certain items of their estimates made provision for expenditure at rates much in excess of those for other comparable authorities and the Board have intimated that they will pay grant only on an amount less than that provided in the local authority's estimate. As regards expenditure not included in the estimates for the year for which approval has been asked by local authorities, and to which the Board, on the merits, have no objection, the Board have intimated that grant can be paid only in so far as there are savings available. With regard to the last part of the question, the Board have received a copy of a resolution adopted at a conference of representatives of local authorities, to the effect that the distribution of grants in aid of the treatment of tuberculosis should be made on the basis of actual approved expenditure and not on estimated approved expenditure. The distribution of the grant for 1923–24 will, as I have explained, be substantially on the lines recommended in this resolution.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that in many cases hardship is being caused by the delay in the issue of the Report on property claims by the Royal Commission on Compensation for Suffering and Damage by Enemy Action; whether he can give any information as to the approximate date of the issue of this Report; and whether, pending its issue, any arrangements can be made for payments on account to some of the more necessitous claimants?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. Every effort is being made to press on as speedily as possible with the investigation and assessment of the property claims, but in view of the large number of these claims, the widely distant parts of the world in which many of them arise, and the numerous difficult questions which have to be decided, it is not yet possible to state the date upon which the Royal Commission's Report upon these cases is likely to be presented. With regard to the last part of the question, arrangements have been in existence since the early part of last year by which payments on account are made in cases in which urgent necessity is disclosed.

asked the Home Secretary the number of prosecutions instituted against bogus charities in the year 1922 under the War Charities Act, 1916, and the number of convictions obtained?

I have enquired of the Charity Commissioners, whose consent is necessary to proceedings for art offence against the Act, and they say that the only proceedings in 1922 were under Section 3 of the Blind Persons Act, 1920, which applies the Act of 1916, with some slight modifications, to charities for the blind. There were seven prosecutions against three such charities for offences against the Act, but an offence against the Act does not necessarily imply that the charity is a "bogus" one.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the International Anti-Slavery Bureau is now under the control of the League of Nations, with the acceptance of the obligations of the covenant of the League; and what, if any, published accounts of its labours have been issued during the past four years?

As I informed the hon. Member for Mid. Bedford (Mr. Linfield) on the 4th June, the Slave Trade Bureau ceased to function on the outbreak of War, and no provision has been made for its reconstitution. The second part of the question, therefore, does not arise.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that under Article 11 of the Convention of St. Germain, of 10th September, 1919, the signatory Powers to that Convention accepted an obligation to secure the complete suppression of slavery in African territories in all its forms, and of slave trade by land and sea, and that at the time of signing this obligation the signatories to the convention included the United States of America, the British Dominions, and four other Powers; whether it is open to other States to adhere to this Convention; and whether His Majesty's Government will invite the League of Nations to consider undertaking the work of obtaining a general adherance of the Powers to these obligations?

Article 11 of the Convention of St. Germain of 1919 revising the General Act of Berlin and the General Act and Declaration of Brussels states that the signatory Powers exercising authority in African territories will endeavour to secure the complete suppression of slavery in all its forms and of the slave trade by land and sea. The Convention was signed by representatives of His Majesty's Government, His Majesty's Overseas Dominions, and of the United States of America, Belgium, France, Italy, Japan and Portugal; Article 14 provides for the accession of other States to the Convention; in reply to the last part of the question, the Convention has already been signed by the Powers principally concerned.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the fact that whilst British salvage companies are not allowed to operate in American territorial waters foreign companies may operate in British and Colonial waters, he will take steps with a view to obtaining equality of treatment?

I have no information with regard to the regulations mentioned in the question, but I will make inquiries.