asked the Postmaster-General whether he is now making inquiries into the mail arrangements between the Western Isles and the mainland of Scotland, with a view to expediting and improving the present service to Harris, Uist, and Barra, as well as the internal rural services; and if he will give his attention to the arrangements in these last-named islands?

The sea service between the mainland and Harris, Uist and Barra has recently been reviewed, and I am assured that the best arrangements practicable have been made, having due regard to cost. I shall, however, be happy to give consideration to any suggestions which the hon. Member may put forward, whether in regard to the sea services or to the rural services on the islands.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the sub-postmastership of Llanfairfechan is vacant; and whether it is his intention to advertise the vacancy in the "Post Office Circular"?

The vacancy referred to will be advertised shortly.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that auxiliary sorters are employed at the Inland Revenue Section, Mount Pleasant, for three, three-and-a-half, and four hours on six evenings weekly, between the hours of 5 p.m. and 9 p.m., at wages varying between 24s. and 30s., exclusive of State insurance deductions, and that many of these men have no other employment; whether he has received a petition from these men explaining their position; and whether he will consider at an early date the desirability of increasing the number of hours of their employment in order that they may earn an adequate living wage?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the question which he asked on the 17th January last. The petition has been received, and is under consideration.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that Mr. A. B. Mills has served for 34 years as an assistant at scale-payment sub-offices and has served for the last 12 years at Ruislip; whether he is aware that Mr. Mills has been given to understand that his services may shortly be dispensed with owing to the raising of Ruislip to the status of a salaried sub-office; and whether, in view of Mr. Mills' long record of service, and of the serious consequences of dismissal at his present age of 52 years, he will take steps to secure that Mr. Mills be retained at Ruislip, or that a suitable alternative position be found for him?

I am having inquiry made into the matter, and will communicate with the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in connection with the proposed transfer of the telephone exchange at Pickering, there is any suggestion to reduce the number of established staff; whether it is proposed to instal a caretaker-operator; and, if so, what wages will be offered, what charge will be made for accommodation, and what will be the hours of attendance which the caretaker-operator will be called upon to perform?

I am having inquiry made in the matter, and will communicate further with the hon. Member.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the recent hold up of the Bombay parcel mail was not primarily caused by the action of the strikers, who have been wrongfully blamed for it, but was due to the action of a General Post Office official who disregarded the advice of the leader of the strike picket to go on with the shipment of the mail, whereas he could have carried out his duty without interference from the strikers; and what disciplinary action he proposes to take?

The hon. Member's statement is in conflict with the reports I have received, which show that, if the officer in charge had persisted in attempting to reach the docks, he would probably have been unsuccessful, and would have jeopardised the safety of the mail, for which he was responsible.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that in Australia officials in charge of mails are required to give an undertaking to protect His Majesty's mails from illegal interference, and to further their despatch by every means in their power; whether similar officials in this country are required to give the same undertaking; and, if not, will he consider the desirability of so requiring in future?

I am not aware of the practice of the Australian Post Office in this particular matter. As far as the British Post Office is concerned, the Post Office Act of 1908 provides penalties for any failure safely to convey a mail bag with diligence at a due rate of speed. I have no reason to suppose that any officer of the Post Office would wilfully delay a mail, or would fail to use all his endeavours to protect it from illegal interference, and I do not consider it necessary to record a specific undertaking on these points.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, seeing that former reductions in postal rates helped the printing industry and other branches of trade and commerce, he will consider returning to the penny post and the halfpenny postcard, extending the penny postage to all parts of the British Empire?

I regret that I can add nothing to my reply to a question asked on the 19th of February by the hon. Member for Newbury (Mr. Stranger).

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether the Scottish Education Department, before deciding to discontinue the award of the intermediate certificate in the terms of Circular 60, gave due consideration to the expressed wishes of the Scottish local education authorities; and, in view of the fact that the local authorities disapprove of the discontinuance of the intermediate certificate, which had received a recognised position in Scottish education, he will reconsider the matter and give an assurance that in the future more attention will be paid to the opinions and recommendations of the local committees?

I have already stated that I see no reason to reconsider this matter. As for the remainder of the question, I am glad to have an opportunity of saying that the arrangements embodied in Circular 60 represent the outcome of a series of frank and friendly conferences with a representative committee of the Association of Education Authorities.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware of the necessity for the immediate construction of two miles of road through the villages in the Crulivig district, in the Island of Lewis; that medical assistance can only be obtained after crossing seven miles of sea in all weathers; that children are exposed to hardship and danger when going to and from school; and whether he is prepared to put the matter of the construction of the road in hand without delay?

I am making inquiry into this matter, and will communicate with the hon. Member as soon as I have the requisite information.

asked the Minister of Labour what would be the additional cost upon the Exchequer per annum if the distinction between covenanted and uncovenanted unemployment benefit was abolished?

Unemployment benefit, whether covenanted or uncovenanted, is paid out of the Unemployment Fund, to which the Exchequer contributes at present about one-quarter of its annual revenue. In these circumstances, an increase in the amount of benefit paid would not increase the charge on the Exchequer, so long as the rates of contribution from employers and employed remained the same, but it would prolong the period during which the present high rates of contribution from employers, employed and the Exchequer must continue to be paid. If the increase of benefit were such as to necessitate an increase in the rates of contribution, the annual charge on the Exchequer would be correspondingly increased, but it would not be possible to form any estimate of what this increase might be without knowing more precisely what the hon. Member has in mind when he speaks of abolishing the distinction between covenanted and uncovenanted benefit.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed persona drawing unemployment benefit for the week ending 22nd February, and the amount paid by way of unemployment benefit?

The total amount of unemployment benefit paid in the week ended 22nd February was about £682,500, and the number of payments was about 931,000.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that at firms in the heavy-woollen district qualified workmen are being refused work in textile mills because they are turned 60 years of age; and if he can authorise the Unemployment Exchange managers to appeal to firms generally to give men of character and skill who have attained this age a chance of employment equally with younger men?

I have made inquiry, and cannot find any evidence that employers in the heavy woollen textile industry are refusing to engage qualified workmen on grounds of age. As is to be expected, the chief factor taken into account in the recruitment of workers is industrial suitability. As regards the suggested action by Exchange managers, it is their duty when dealing with ordinary industrial vacancies to put forward the applicants who appear to be best qualified industrially for the particular vacancy. If my hon. Friend has in mind some particular cases of hardship, and will supply me with the details, I will gladly have them inquired into.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons are employed on duties of inspection under the Ministry of Labour, and at what annual cost, classified in each case according to the purpose of the inspection?

There are 39 officers of the Ministry of Labour appointed for inspection duties under the Trade Boards Acts, at an annual cost of £19,410, including cost-of-living bonus. Inspection in connection with non-compliance with the Unemployment Insurance Acts is undertaken by the Ministry of Health and Scottish Board of Health.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will table and circulate a list of the continuous-process industries, together with the agreements entered into in regard to hours of labour worked and overtime?

I recognise the importance of this matter, and will arrange that a summary shall be published of such information as is available on this subject.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what number of work-worn horses were exported during 1923 from Aberdeen, Leith, Newcastle, Hull, Goole, Grimsby, Yarmouth, Harwich, London (including Tilbury), Folkestone, Dover, Newhaven, Southampton, Portsmouth, Weymouth, and Plymouth, respectively?

Worn-out horses are no longer exported to the Continent of Europe. Shipments of horses are permitted under the existing Regulations only from the ports of Leith, Goole, Hull, Harwich, London, Folkestone and Southampton, and all are required to be of a high standard of fitness to travel and to work. The number shipped from these ports during 1923 were:—

asked the Minister of Agriculture the number of allotment holders in England and Wales at the 31st December in each of the years 1918, 1920, and 1923?

I regret that the Ministry has no information as to the number of allotment holders in England and Wales as at the 31st December, 1918, but it is estimated that there were 1,350,000 allotment holders on the 30th April, 1918. On the 31st December, 1920, it was estimated that there were 1,330,000 allotment holders. The returns called for from local authorities showing the position at the 31st December last have not all been received and classified, and I am not, therefore, in a position to give any figures at present.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if it is the intention of the Government to bring in a Measure during the current Session with the object of abolishing the means limit in pre-War pensions?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer given in the House on the 19th February by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the hon. Members for East Birkenhead (Mr. G. White) and Chester City (Sir C. Cayzer).

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he will state the present financial position with regard to the investigation of the question of reserving a proportion of vacancies in Government service for ex-Service men referred to in Item 20, 1922 welfare programme.

The subject is at present under consideration by an Inter-departmental Committee.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether, in view of the fatal accident while crossing the road that occurred recently in North London to a child of 10, he will suggest to local education authorities the desirability of taking special steps to warn the children against dangers from traffic?

My attention hag been called to this accident, which I deeply deplore. The Board have already issued a memorandum to local education authorities on the number of accidents caused by children improperly riding upon vehicles; and I have every reason to believe that authorities are alive to the importance of warning the children in their schools, by notice or by the provision of special instruction, on the subject of traffic dangers generally. I am glad, however, of this opportunity to bring the matter again to the notice of local education authorities, and I am confident that it will receive their earnest consideration.

asked the Attorney-General whether his attention has been called to the fact that the liability of trustees, whether individual or corporate, under the existing Acts is materially greater than that of the Public Trustee under the Act of 1906; and whether he will consider the introduction of legislation to remove this anomaly?

I do not accept the suggestion that the liability of an ordinary trustee is materially, if at all, greater than that of the Public Trustee, and there does not appear to be any necessity for the introduction of legislation on the subject.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will cause investigation info the circumstances attending the refusal by his Department of a dependency pension to Mrs. Cowderoy, of 24, Lorne Road, Forest Gate, in respect of the loss of her son, Lance-Corporal A. G. Cowderoy, Regional No. 2309555, ex-Royal Corps of Signals?

I have been asked to reply. Lance-Corporal Cowderoy died of appendicitis, and the medical authorities are satisfied that the disease was not caused or aggravated by his military service. In these circumstances, I much regret that I have no power to award a pension to his mother.

asked the Secretary of State for War if the Government will consider the desirability of introducing a pro rata system of pensions in the case of all soldiers who have enlisted with the intention of qualifying for the long service pension, but whose engagement has been terminated by the State for reasons of its own?

The regulations already provide for the award of service pension to a soldier discharged on reduction of the peace establishment, after 14 years' service, provided he is serving to complete 21 years. It is not proposed to make any alteration.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in the decision arrived at in regard to an increase in wages in Woolwich Arsenal, consideration has been given to the claim of the skilled workers; is he aware that strong dissatisfaction calculated to have serious results exists; and whether he will receive without delay further representations on this matter?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As to the latter part, I received a deputation on the subject on Wednesday.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will inquire into the circumstances attending the case of George A. Laing, who entered Woolwich Arsenal as a lad in 1887, worked satisfactorily for many years, was promoted to assistant foreman, and after 34 years' service was summarily dismissed?

I have inquired into this case. Mr. Laing's post of head telephonist was abolished in 1916 when the control of the Royal Arsenal Telephone Exchange was taken over by the Post Office authorities. In view of the length of his service, Mr. Laing was given alternative employment as a storeholder, and later as a clerk, but I regret that the time came when it was not possible, in view of the large reductions of establishment, to retain him further. His case was very carefully considered at the time, and due notice was given to him prior to his discharge in July, 1922. He was awarded a gratuity of £147 17s. 4d.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he will give reconsideration to the case of Tom James, now discharged, who joined the Artillery College, Woolwich, on 17th January, 1917, under the provisions of paragraph 2 (b) of the Regulations for Civilian Subordinates and was subsequently transferred, on 4th July, 1921, to C. 1 A.B., having served the longest on the present clerical staff at headquarters and arsenal, and certified as having an excellent character and of very good ability?

Mr. James was engaged in January, 1917, and was transferred from the College Headquarters to the Arsenal branch in July, 1921, because of his un-suitability for the work required. In 1923 a reduction of staff was necessary, and regard being had to the standard of efficiency required of the reduced staff, Mr. James was one of those selected for discharge. I do not see that there was any alternative to this course, and I fear that there is no ground for re-opening the matter.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether the War Office is prepared to give support to the proposal to award gratuities in cases of employés at Woolwich Arsenal who have served there for upwards of 20 years and were then discharged on reduction but re-employed and subsequently compelled to relinquish the appointment for substantial reasons?

I am not aware of the proposal to which the hon. Member refers, but the conditions under which gratuities are awarded are laid down for the Government service generally by the Superannuation Acts. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind and will furnish me with details of it, I will give him any information that I can on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has now come to a favourable decision upon the question of leasing the forts in the Plymouth fortification system, Bull Point barracks, and the brickfields, for the purpose of housing the population of Devonport and Plymouth, and the conditions upon which any such leasing will be made?

The question is still under consideration, but I hope that some of the accommodation can be spared. I will inform the hon. Member as soon as a decision has been arrived at.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether any part of the Army Estimates is due to the requirements of military aviation; and, if so, the amount in the Estimates for 1923–4?

Provision in Army Estimates is limited to the share of defence against aircraft which has been allotted to the land forces, and nothing is included for aviation in the net total.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will give the rates of pay in the French Army, together with the comparable rates in the British Army?

The statement below shows the pay and allowances of typical ranks in the British and French Armies. The hon. Member will appreciate, however, that the conditions of service in the two armies are not really comparable, as the British Army is recruited on a voluntary basis.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in the advance in wages which has recently been made to industrial employés of the War Office, consideration has been given to the special terms of Government employment vis-a-vis private employment; and whether it is intended to make similar concessions to other grades and classes of Government employés who may desire their remuneration standardised with the rates payable to private employés?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, the War Office will continue to govern themselves in these matters of wages by the principles embodied in the Fair Wages Resolution of this House.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is prepared to give further consideration to the claim for an increase in wages of the London War Department workmen, to whom the reduction of 16s. 6d. a week effected in the engineering trade was applied in August and September, 1922, seeing that the advance just made in many cases will only provide a wage for a man and his family of 47s. a week?

I am aware that, with the advances recently announced, the minimum wage of the men in question becomes 47s. a week. The fullest consideration was given to all relevant factors before the advances were decided upon.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of serving soldiers employed as clerks in his Department; and if he is prepared to replace these by the employment of suitably qualified ex-service men?

There are at present 112 serving soldiers employed as clerks at the War Office. Some of these men are required to be trained for service overseas in war time, and it is not possible, therefore, to replace them altogether by ex-soldiers who would not be liable for such service, but the establishment is now under review.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that 150 ex-service temporary clerks in the Department have received notice of discharge; and whether he can suspend their discharge pending the issue of the Southborough Report?

Approximately 60 men are under notice of discharge by 31st March. The discharges have been authorised in the interests of economy and in consequence of reduction in the volume of work, and I much regret that I should not be justified in suspending them. The Noble Lord is no doubt, aware of the constant criticism to which the War Office, in common with other Departments of State, is subjected on account of the necessary retention of staffs required to deal with current work, and in the public interest I must take every legitimate opportunity of effecting reductions. I am not aware that any further report by the Southborough Committee is likely to be issued in the near future.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the total number of ex-service trainees on the waiting list; if it is proposed to continue the closing down of the trainee factories; and, if this is the case, will he consider the advisability of suspending the closing down of the factories for the time being because of the serious hardship which would be involved by throwing the instructors and staffs on to the labour market, and the serious hardship to trainees awaiting their course of instruction?

The number of men on the waiting list for training in Great Britain is 1,854, and in Ireland, 2,551. A considerable proportion of these are not yet ready for training. A sufficient number of training centres will be retained to train all men who are eligible, suitable, and available for training. I should not be justified in continuing to employ instructors and other staff after the work for which they were engaged had ceased.