asked the Minister of Pensions if he will see that all competent temporary ex-service civil servants are absorbed into the permanent staff of his Ministry as occasion necessitates, and that these men so absorbed will not require to sit for examination?

The question of the conditions under which appointments may be made from the temporary to the permanent staff is not one for my Department. It is a general Civil Service question, which is at present being considered by the Southborough Committee.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he will refuse to discharge any of the competent temporary ex-service civil servants in his Department until the Southborough Committee has issued its Report?

I regret that I am unable to accept the hon. Member's suggestion, as to do so might involve the retention of staff in excess of the needs of the work.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that the Yorkshire Regional Advisory Council on Wednesday, 19th instant, was adjourned because the regional director declined to admit the Press; and whether he will give the necessary instructions for the Press to be admitted when the adjourned meeting is called?

The facts are as stated in the first part of the question. The action taken by the regional director on the occasion in question was due to a misapprehension. The admission of representatives of the Press to meetings is a matter within the discretion of the Regional Advisory Councils themselves, and the members of the Yorkshire Council will be informed accordingly.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is aware that Edwin T. Ross, 1, Plevna Road, South Tottenham (Port Division, Chatham, J. 89,867), who was invalided out of the Navy in October, 1923, with a gratuity of £18 in respect of disability, has been in the North Middlesex Hospital since, and that as a result his mother, a widow, is dependent upon the guardians; and whether he will look into this case with a view of making pension provision for this man?

Ross was invalided for disabilities which were not attributable to the Service. He is not, therefore, I regret to say, entitled to a pension for disability under the Regulations, nor was he in the Royal Navy long enough to entitle him to a pension for length of service. The gratuity of £18 is the maximum allowable for a non-attributable disability to a man with his service.

asked the Minister of Pensions how many pensions were reduced during the year ending 25th September, 1923; how many women and children had their medical allowances reduced; and what was the total saving in each case?

The following are the figures required as far as I am in a position to furnish them:—

Disabled officers and men. —Out of about 542,000 officers' and men's cases reassessed during the year ending September, 1923, 194,000 cases were reduced, 276,000 remained unaltered, and 72,000 were increased. New claims to pension were, in addition, admitted in 10,219 cases—a weekly rate of 196.

Widows. —At September, 1923, there were 163,500 pensions to widows in payment, as compared with 167,000 in September, 1922. During the year, 4,795 new claims were admitted—a weekly average of 92. The reduction in numbers is chiefly due to deaths and remarriages.

Dependants. —In September, 1923, there were 360,000 dependants' pensions in payment as compared with 365,700 in September, 1922. During the year, 2,509 first claims were admitted (an average of 48 per week). The reduction in numbers is chiefly due to deaths. The records of the Department do not enable me to state the total number of dependants' pensions which were increased or decreased during the period.

Sickness grants. —The Special Grants Committee, by whom these grants are administered, has not kept a separate record of the number of cases in which grants were reduced during the period. It would not be possible to obtain the information desired without an examination of each case dealt with during the period mentioned. I may, perhaps, explain that these grants are required to be reviewed every 13 weeks, and are dealt with according to the circumstances then found to exist.

Expenditure involved. —I regret that it is not possible to compute the net financial result of the changes in the various classes of pension.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will make inquiries into the case of Lance-Corporal F. R. Adams, No. 23,646, Bedfordshire Regiment, of Weston Underwood, Olney, Bucks, who was wounded on the 27th June, 1917; is he aware that Mr. Adams still has to attend medical boards; and will he see that a permanent pension is granted to him as soon as possible?

This case was carefully considered last month with a view to making a final award, but the examining medical board were unable to recommend that course. I am satisfied that it is in the best interests of the man that he should remain for a time on temporary pension. I may add that it is not proposed to call him up for re-boarding until early in 1926, but it will be open to the man to apply at any time for an increase of pension should his condition grow materially worse.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the fact that there is work to be done in the Government establishments in Gosport and neighbourhood, he will hold up the discharges which have been notified?

It is feared that it will not be possible to retain the men entered for temporary service beyond the end of the present financial year.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what is the normal number of men, approximately, who are likely to be employed at the Government establishments of Bedenham Frater, Priddy's Hard, and Clarence Yard, respectively, during the forthcoming year?

The industrial staff expected to be employed at the following depots during 1924–25 is approximately as follows:

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether, in case of further entries of workmen in His Majesty's dockyards, he will give due consideration to the cases of those ex-apprentices who served their time in the Royal dockyards and who were discharged when reductions took place?

Due consideration will be given to the applications of the ex-apprentices, in the event of entries being made.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his Department will consider the desirability of introducing legislation to apply the same standard to imported milk and its substitutes as is now applied to home-produced milk; and, if not, what are the objections to this policy?

I am not aware that, in so far as Regulations and standards have been made for fresh milk or for condensed or dried milk, any differentiation has been made between the home-produced and imported articles.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the quantity of milk used for human consumption as milk in Great Britain in the calendar years 1922 and 1923?

The quantity of milk used for human consumption in Great Britain can only be estimated very approximately, but I am advised that in 1923 it amounted to about 800 million gallons. The quantity in 1922 was probably less, but a definite figure cannot be given.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that when an application is made to the East Riding of Yorkshire Agriculture Committee for a certificate for possession of a house the workman is not allowed to be represented by an official of his trade union; that on the sub-committee which deals with applications for certificates there are no Labour representatives; and whether he will invite the committee to co-opt representatives of the agricultural workers or grant permission for the workman to be represented at the meeting when certificates are granted?

I have no information as to the procedure of the sub-committee dealing with applications for certificates in the East Riding, but I understand that there is no representative of agricultural labour appointed as such on this subcommittee. The Ministry has no jurisdiction, but I will take an early opportunity of bringing the matter to the notice of the agricultural committee.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware of the handicap to the building of houses in East Dean, Gloucestershire, in consequence of the increase in the charge by the Crown for building sites; that in pre-War times land could be obtained for £45 to £50 per acre, and that at present the rate charged is up to £160 per acre, which makes the cost of building houses almost prohibitive; and will he arrange with the Agent for Crown Lands to offer sites for building at a more reasonable cost?

Various sites in East Dean were offered to the East Dean Rural District Council in 1920 at prices varying from £40 to £480 per acre, the sites having been valued by the District Valuer, Gloucester. In 1921 the council accepted the offer of five sites varying in price from £60 to £160 per acre. The matter, however, remained in abeyance until the latter part of last year, when the council renewed their application for a site at Stockwell Green which had been valued at £160 per acre, and was one of the five sites previously referred to. Representations were made by the council as to the price of this land, and the district valuer was requested to re-value the site. His valuation was the same as that made in 1920. It is understood that a site in the same vicinity, privately owned, had been offered to the council at £300 per acre, i.e., nearly twice the rate placed on the Crown site. The policy of the Office of Woods and Forests is to sell land at reasonable market value in all cases, and this policy has been followed in the offers made to the East Dean Council previously mentioned.

asked the Home Secretary the number of evictions which have taken place since the operation of the amended Rent Restrictions Act of 1923?

I have consulted my right hon. Friend the Lord Chancellor, who is considering the possibility of obtaining this information.

asked the Minister of Health whether, with a view to providing facilities for the recovery of early mental cases which cannot be proved to be dangerous or unfit to be at large, he will take steps to enable and encourage, by means of national grants, the establishment of appropriate hospitals under the management of the health committees, as distinct from the asylums committees, of local authorities?

The: point raised by the hon. Member will receive the consideration of the Government.

asked the Minister of Health if he has received any reports as to the effects of bad housing upon the health of the people from any county insurance committees; and, if so, from which he has received such reports?

A report has been received from the Lancashire Insurance Committee with reference to the township of Coppull, and the question of housing is also discussed by the Leicestershire Insurance Committee in their general survey of the health conditions in their area.

asked the Minister of Health the percentage of patients treated in the venereal disease clinics during the last year who were under the age of 18 and 20 years?

Figures are only available for the first three months of 1923. During that period 6·4 per cent. of the total number of patients attending the treatment centres for venereal diseases for the first time, and found to be suffering from these diseases, were under 18 years of age, and 7·8 per cent. were under 19 years of age. Figures are not available as regards the number of patients under 20 years of age.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can see his way to recommend local authorities to issue bye-laws insisting on the use of the humane mechanical killer in the slaughter of animals for food?

I do not think that the issue of a circular upon this matter at the present time would serve any useful purpose. More than 100 local authorities, including the London County Council, have already adopted the model bye-law in question.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is yet able to raise the status of the New Milton Post Office to a salaried office?

A new sub-postmaster has just been appointed, who is carrying on a private business in the same premises. In the circumstances, I do not consider that conversion to a salaried basis would be expedient.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that, in the whole area of Dulwich, there is no post office which opens for Sunday business, and that the nearest offices open on Sundays are at Camberwell Green and Knight's Hill, Upper Norwood, both of which are a considerable distance away from any part of Dulwich; and whether, in view of the inconvenience caused to Dulwich residents, he will forthwith take steps to see that at least one office in the Dulwich area remains open on Sundays?

I am aware that there is no post office open in Dulwich on Sunday. Telegraph facilities are, however, available at several railway stations during train times, and several licensed stamp vendors' premises are open for the greater part of the day. These facilities compare not unfavourably with those afforded in similar districts in London, and are regarded as adequate to the reasonable needs of the locality.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that there is a shortage of young persons entering the cotton mills of Lancashire; and, if so, will he investigate the cause?

I am aware that there is a shortage of little piecers in the cotton industry. The question of the causes and possible remedy for this shortage is one that can best be dealt with by the industry itself, and I understand the matter has been under consideration.

asked the Minister of Labour if, taking the Census figures of 1921 and 1911, he will state the number of women who were actually in employment at the two periods specified and also indicate what was the proportion of such numbers to the women of the country as a whole and to the population of the country as a whole?

At the 1911 Census the number of females aged 10 years and upwards classified as in gainful occupations in Great Britain was 5,423,944, the number of females of all ages was 21,076,949, and the total population 40,831,396. The full results of the Census of 1921 have not yet been published, but preliminary figures show that the number of females aged 12 years and upwards in gainful occupations was approximately 5,700,000; the number of females of all ages was 22,346,315, and the total population 42,769,196. In the case of both years these figures include females who were employers, or working on their own account or for employers, or who were out of work at the date of the Census. It is not possible to state the number of females who were actually in employment at the date of either Census.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the policy of the Government towards the finding of the Cave Committee upon the Trade Boards Acts, 1909 and 1918?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given on 19th March to the hon. Member for Newport (Mr. Clarry), copy of which I am sending him.

asked the Attorney-General on what ground he claims to withhold information as to the number of applications for a fiat to enable petitions of right to be presented, the date of such applications, and of the granting or refusal of the same, respectively, seeing that such information in no way discloses confidential matters or opinions, and is of importance in relation to the proceedings in this House upon the War Charges (Validity) Bill?

The claim of privilege contained in my answer of the 10th March last was directed to that part of my hon. and learned Friend's question asking me to state the grounds upon which certain advice to His Majesty was based. Apart from this, no claim is made to withhold any information, though, as stated in my previous reply, considerable difficulties are in the way of supplying the particulars desired.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will explain why the Return relating to claims which the War Charges (Validity) Bill is intended to defeat has not been printed and circulated with the Votes in the ordinary way; and will he undertake that this shall be done so that each Member of this House may be made cognisant of the facts?

The Return was laid on the Table, and copies were sent to the Vote Office, in typewritten form, with the object of saving the expense of printing. But if the hon. Member presses for it, I see no great objection to the Return being printed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why the inquiry into the accident on the London, Midland and Scottish Railway at Stoke works on the 23rd February was held in private; whether he is aware that much public dissatisfaction has been caused by reason of this; and will he give general instructions that similar inquiries be held in public in the future, even though there may not be loss of life?

I have been asked to reply. The question whether an inquiry into a railway accident should be held in public or private is one which is left to the discretion of the inspecting officer holding the inquiry, who decides the matter mainly in relation to the interests of the railwaymen concerned in the accident. In either case the inspecting officer's report on the inquiry is afterwards published. I am not prepared to take the action suggested in the latter part of the question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the claim against the Board of Trade, as successors of the late Ministry of Food, advanced by M. Meulemeester, a Belgian national, as to the alleged non-observance of the under- taking given by the Lord Privy Seal, as the then Minister of Food, in August, 1918, that an arbitrator would be appointed to determine claims for compensation in respect of goods commandeered during the War under the Pease, Beans, and Pulse Orders; whether he is aware that it is objected, on the part of M. Meulemeester, that the appointment made by him of Mr. R. A. Patterson to act as valuer, as distinct from exercising the functions of an arbitrator, does not comply with the undertaking given; and whether he will nominate some fit and proper person other than the gentleman referred to as arbitrator to deal with the claim mentioned?

My attention has been called to this matter, and I have carefully considered the representations made to me on M. de Meulemeester's behalf, and I am satisfied that the undertaking given by my right hon. Friend has been fully implemented in this and all other cases of a similar nature to which the undertaking applied. The last part of the question, therefore, does not arise.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether His Majesty's Government will have the House of Commons Paper, No. 93 of 1909 (National Income and Outgo), brought up to date and presented to this House?

The preparation of this return would be a laborious and expensive matter, and as the greater part of the information given is to be found in the Finance Accounts and the Statement of the Gross and Net Total Cost of Civil Services and Revenue Departments which are published annually I do not think the outlay would be justified.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that a Mr. Jacobs, a non-service man previously employed in the office of the Public Trustee as chief accountant, is still being paid a retaining fee of 40 guineas per month, although he has now left the Public Trustee's office and is engaged in private practice; and that this payment is stated to be for services rendered by Mr. Jacobs in teaching a permanent civil servant, of over 20 years' service, work which he is being paid a salary approximating to £900 per annum to perform; and will he say why this payment of salary to a man already employed is made in view of the large number of qualified ex-service men unemployed?

Mr. Jacobs was a temporary civil servant, employed as Chief Accountant in the Enemy Property Department of the Public Trustee Office. He resigned on 31st December last to take up private practice and was succeeded by a permanent civil servant, who had no previous acquaintance with the work. It was absolutely necessary to use Mr. Jacobs' part-time service in order that he might clear up certain special matters on which he was engaged at the time of his resignation and also instruct his successor generally in the work, which is of a very complicated and difficult nature. Accordingly, by arrangement with the Treasury, Mr. Jacobs' services were retained on a half-time basis for the months of January, February and March at a remuneration of 40 guineas a month, and this arrangement will therefore terminate on Monday next. No one except Mr. Jacobs could have rendered the service required.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is aware of the fact that the minimum wage rate now paid in the Somerset coalfield of the Radstock district are coal getters 8s. 1¼d., labourers underground 7s. 1¼d., mechanics 7s. 2d., surface labourers 5s. 10¼d., and of the Newbury district are coal getters 6s. 11½d., labourers underground 6s. 0¼d., mechanics 6s. 1½d., surface labourers 5s.; that these wages affect 70 per cent. of the men employed; that these wages are about 30 per cent. below the average wage paid in other coalfield districts; that the present offer from the owners of 30 per cent. on standard rates would not increase this wage by one penny piece; that the average profit per ton as declared by the recent returns from the Mines Department equals 1s. 11·68d.; and if these facts will be borne, in mind and due consideration given to the same in any future negotiations which he may be called upon to take part in?

I have no reason to doubt the accuracy of the wages rates quoted by my hon. Friend or the proportion of men to whom they apply, and the figure of net credits per ton shown in the official summary for the quarter ended 30th September, 1923, is correctly stated. The average rate of earnings of all classes of mine workers in the two divisions of Somerset at the present time are about 8s. per shift. This is about 20 per cent. below the average of the coalfields as a whole, but compares not unfavourably with the earnings in North Wales, South Staffs, Bristol and Forest of Dean. In the Newbury division present wages are at the minimum of 20 per cent. on standard, and would therefore benefit immediately from any increase in that minimum. In the Radstock division present wages are at about 40 per cent. on standard, and the immediate advances which the owners have offered would in this division arise under other items of the offer. My hon. Friend may rest assured that all relevant considerations will be borne in mind in the negotiations.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will state the number of fatalities for the years ending 1922 and 1923, respectively, to boys under 16 years of age employed underground in mines in Great Britain, and the number of accidents for the years ending 1922 and 1923, respectively, to boys under 16 years of age employed underground in mines in Great Britain?

41 boys under 16 years of age employed underground at mines in Great Britain were killed during the year 1922, and 8,005 were disabled for more than seven days. The comparable figures for 1923 are 65 and 9,907 respectively.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that all inquiries hitherto instituted into the administration of the Lunacy Acts have been unsatisfactory; and, in order to secure an absolutely unbiassed and impartial inquiry by the proposed Royal Commission, will he see to it that all interested parties shall be excluded from the tribunal as judges, but shall have the opportunity of giving evidence before the Commission subject to cross-examination?

I cannot accept the view suggested in the first part of the question regarding previous inquiries into the administration of the Lunacy Acts. It is, however, hardly necessary to say that in constituting any body to inquire into the Lunacy Laws the considerations urged by the hon. Member will be borne in mind.

asked the Home Secretary in how many of the cases of burglary and housebreaking known to the police in the Metropolitan police district and for the whole of England and Wales, respectively, for the years 1921, 1922 and 1923, there was a theft of jewellery and / or money and the stated value thereof, and, in respect of such crimes, the number of convictions which followed of persons receiving stolen goods; and whether and to what extent such receivers resided in England and Wales or abroad?

I have not the information desired, and I could not ask the various police authorities to undertake at present the very considerable labour and research that would be required in order to supply it.

asked the Home Secretary the total number of Irish men and women who are in British prisons for political offences, the names and addresses of these, together with the prisons in which they are interned, and the date of the arrest, the charge, and the sentence passed on each prisoner?

Prisoners are not classified according to the motives underlying their offences, even when those motives are known, which is by no means always the case. I am afraid that it is, therefore, impossible for me to give the information desired.

asked the Home Secretary whether he proposes to compensate any person who has been wrongfully imprisoned and subsequently pardoned?

In any case where a pardon is granted on the ground of wrongful conviction, consideration is given to the question of awarding compensation from public funds. Such cases are not common.

asked the President of the Board of Education the reason for the proposal to close the Imperial Institute at the South Kensington Museum; and whether he has considered the loss of educational facilities thereby involved on the children of London?

There is no intention of closing the Imperial Institute. I presume my hon. Friend refers to the resolution passed at the Imperial Economic Conference that the galleries of the Institute should be closed. The position has, however, materially changed since then and representations from certain of the Dominion Governments have been received desiring that the galleries should remain open. I hope to be in a position to make an announcement about the whole matter before long.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why the British Empire has only one representative on the Health Committee of the League of Nations while Italy has two; and on what basis of representation this committee is constituted?

The Health Committee of the League consists of (1) the President of the Office International d'Hygiene Publique, ex officio; (2) nine members appointed individually for three years by the Committee of that office (in such a way that each State which is a permanent member of the Council of the League of Nations is represented; (3) six members appointed for three years by the Council of the League; and (4) not more than four assessors appointed by the Council of the League on the nomination of the Health Committee. The fact that the British Empire is one of the four permanent members of the Council of the League gives it a right to one representative under heading (2). In the election of the other five members by the Committee of the Office International d'Hygiene Publique under that head, in the appointment of the six members by the Council of the League under heading (3), and in the appointment of the three assessors so far made under (4), no nation has a right to claim representation. As a result of the elections made in these various ways no other representatives of the public health services of the British Empire have been appointed. Having regard to the area and populations which are comprised in the Empire, and the achievements of medicine and hygiene therein, His Majesty's Government consider that this result is regrettable and tends to weaken the authority of the Health Committee, and this view has been represented to the Council by the British delegate, and was the subject of a protest by the British member of the Health Committee recorded in the minutes of its first meeting on 11th February.

asked the Secretary for Scotland if any progress has been made towards putting into operation the recommendations of the Blackburn Committee with regard to the duties, pay, and pensions of procurators fiscal?

The scheme for the re-organisation of the Procurator Fiscal Service on the lines recommended by the Blackburn Committee is still under negotiation. Everything possible will be done to expedite a final decision.

asked the Secretary for Scotland to what purpose the sum of about £35,000, now collected annually by the Crown for increased Court fees and originally intended to supplement the pay and pensions of procurators fiscal, has been applied?

The increased fees which have been put into operation were designed to remedy the situation under which considerable deficiencies had occurred in previous years owing to the payment of bonus and the fall in the value of money generally, as well as to cover any increase in the cost of the procurator fiscal and sheriff clerk services which might result from the recommendations of the Blackburn Report on these services. Pending a settlement of the reorganisation question there has been no application of increased fees for the last-mentioned purpose, but the schemes include provisions for the antedating of benefits to 1st April, 1922, the date when the new fees came into force.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he has given consideration to a petition recently addressed to him by the crofters of Scarp, Harris, in the Western Isles, regarding road grants; and is he now prepared to make a statement on the matter?

I have considered the petition, but I regret that as the funds which the Board of Agriculture for Scotland have available for assisting works of this kind are fully committed, it is not practicable to offer a grant from that source in aid of the construction of the road. The only suggestion I can make is that if the district committee are satisfied that work on the reconstruction of the road is required for the purpose of relieving unemployment, application might be made to the Unemployment Grants Committee for a grant.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether his attention has been called by the Lewis District Committee to the urgent need of erecting a pier and breakwater at Portnaguran, in the Point district of the island of Lewis, in order that the fishing industry in this district may be developed and unemployment relieved; and whether he will now give this matter his consideration?

While no representation on this subject has been received from the Lewis District Committee, I am informed that the Board of Agriculture for Scotland recently received an application on behalf of the local fishermen for the construction of a pier and breakwater at Portnaguran. As heavy expenditure would be incurred in carrying out this work, the Board, in view of the present commitments and further demands on their funds in respect of work of greater importance and urgency, were unable to offer assistance in this case.

asked the hon. Member for Houghton-le-Spring, as representing the Charity Commissioners, in view of the delay taking place and the difficulty in getting the administration of the Lovell estates settled, how much longer it will take to present the accounts; and if any money has as yet been spent and, if so, how much?

The Commissioners are informed that every effort is being made to expedite the completion of the accounts. It has not yet been possible to complete them owing to the fact that some necessary papers could not be found. In reply to the last paragraph of the question, money cannot be spent in carrying out the objects of the charity until a scheme has been established by the Court.

asked the Minister of Transport why the men engaged upon the new loop road at White-haven, which was started primarily as relief work, are not being paid the wages, or granted the working conditions in regard to hours which obtain in similar work in the Whitehaven district; and, seeing that many of these men are only casually employed or until such time as their own ordinary occupations re-open, will he agree that during the continuance of this work a 47-hour week shall be worked, both winter and summer, until the work is completed?

I am investigating the working conditions under which men are employed on the construction of the new loop load at Whitehaven, in order to ascertain whether any modifications are called for.