asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the number and amount of claims under each head of the White Paper on the War Charges (Validity) Resolution in respect of which proceedings were commenced against the Crown within one year after the termination of the War?

If the hon. Member will refer to the Memorandum (Cmd. 2100), I think he will find the information he requires.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the difficulty experienced by the unemployed in certain cases of proving to the satisfaction of the authorities that they are genuinely seeking employment, he has considered any plans by which employers might keep a register of those who unsuccessfully apply to them for work?

The Local Employment Committee, before recommending the grant of uncovenanted benefit, must satisfy themselves, among other things, that the claimant is genuinely seeking whole-time employment, and it rests within their discretion to decide what evidence is necessary in particular cases. I am not aware that the Committee impose unreasonable requirements in this respect, but if the hon. and gallant Member has any cases in mind with regard to which he thinks there is any cause for complaint, I shall be glad to inquire into them on being supplied with the facts. I have considered the suggestion that employers should keep a register of those who unsuccessfully apply to them for work, but I am afraid it is not practicable to adopt it.

asked the Secretary of Scotland whether he is aware that a business in excisable liquors is being conducted in the burgh of Stornoway, which has been a no-licence area since May, 1921, by a person who previously held and retains an excise licence in virtue of Section 15 ( c ) of the Temperance (Scotland) Act, 1913; that it is common knowledge that he sells to the general public, although in the quantities in respect of which he has paid excise duty and acquired an excise licence, namely, not less than four-and-a-half gallons of beer or two gallons of whisky at one time; that a judicial opinion was expressed by the sheriff-substitute at Stornoway, in the course of a public inquiry under the Fatal Accidents and Public Inquiries Acts on 16th March, 1923, that all such sales, irrespective of quantity other than those in prosecution of a genuine wholesale business, in the ordinary acceptance of the term, are. illegal in Scotland unless authorised by a certificate of the licensing Court, under the Licensing (Scotland) Act, 1903; that there is great resentment among the public of Stornoway that this business should be allowed to continue in apparent violation of the authority of the local licensing bench, and of the law as expressed by the no-licence resolution, without interference by the police; and that the procurator-fiscal has declined to institute a prosecution unless he receives a guarantee against any expenses in which he may be found liable; and whether, in view of the national importance of the legal questions involved and the financial strength of the organisations for the defence of the liquor trade, the Lord Advocate will authorise the procurator-fiscal of the Sheriff Court at Stornoway to institute a prosecution under the Licensing Acts at the public expense, with a view to having the matter determined by an authoritative decision of the High Court?

I am aware that an excise licence is in force in Stornoway for the sale of excisable liquor by wholesale, and I believe that the holder thereof carries on business under his licence. I have seen a report of the views expressed by the Sheriff-Substitute at the public inquiry referred to, and I have received representations of local feeling on the subject. It is the case that the Procurator-Fiscal has declined to institute a prosecution without a guarantee from the town council of the expenses. I would refer the hon. Member to Section 91 of the Licensing (Scotland) Act, 1903, which enables prosecutions for contraventions of the Act to be taken in the Burgh or Justice of the Peace Court as well as in the Sheriff Court, and which places the responsibility for the expense of prosecutions in any of these Courts on local funds. I may add that I am informed that the Town Council of Stornoway have unanimously resolved to take no further action in connection with the proposed prosecution. In the opinion of the Lord Advocate, no offence is committed by the holder of an excise licence for sale by wholesale, so long as he sells in quantities not less than the minima prescribed by the statutory enactments regarding such licences. In these circumstances, the Lord Advocate is not prepared to direct the institution of the prosecution suggested

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether, with regard to women medical practitioners acting as medical examiners in certain criminal cases, he will state the names of the women practitioners whose services have been so utilised in Edinburgh and Glasgow, and the number of occasions since the issue of Lord Advocate Morison's letter in October, 1920, on which they have been employed in the Courts of Edinburgh and Glasgow, respectively?

With regard to Glasgow, I am informed that three women medical practitioners who have been mainly employed in cases of the nature referred to are the late Dr. Mable Jones, Dr. Elizabeth Smith and Dr. Madeline Archibald. I regret that it is impossible to give- particulars of the number of occasions on which their services have been utilised. With regard to Edinburgh, I find that owing to a misapprehension I was improperly informed when I answered the Noble Lady s question on 18th February. I understand that in the case of post mortem inquiries the Procurator-Fiscal there has from time to time utilised the services of women practitioners, but that in cases of the kind specially mentioned in Lord Advocate Morison's circular of October, 1920, women practitioners have not as yet been employed. I would point out, however, that, in general, in cases of assault or offence against the Criminal Law Amendment Acts, it is necessary to have an immediate medical examination, which in practice has to be carried out on the instructions of the police by a police casualty surgeon. A further examination after the case is reported to the Procurator-Fiscal is rarely necessary.

asked the Secretary for Scotland the number of small holdings within the meaning of the Small Landholders (Scotland) Act, 1911, for each of the years since the passing of the Act, including, but distinguishing, those registered and those not registered?

The following table shows the number of holdings and enlargements of existing holdings formed by the Board in each year since 1st April, 1912:

have been registered and 920 enlargements have been assigned. The registration of the remainder of the new holders settled, and the assignation of enlargements, cannot be effected until the works of equipment are completed, or until the adjustment of annual burdens following the remit to the Land Court for that purpose is made.

asked the Secretary for Scotland the number of agricultural continuation classes which have been instituted during the past year in Scotland under the auspices of local education authorities, the number of students enrolled in each area, and the nature of the instruction provided?

I am collecting information on this subject, and shall send is to the hon. and learned Member as soon as it is available.

asked the Secretary for Scotland the amount at present paid to education authorities in Scotland by way of grants for the purpose of providing agricultural education, and the education authorities in receipt of such grants?

The grants paid to education authorities by the Scottish Education Department are in aid of the general educational provision of such authorities, and are not apportioned as grants in aid of particular subjects or branches of education. It is not possible, therefore, to state any amounts in reply to the question.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the case of Mr. F. C. Cates, an employé in his Department, who, after five hearings at the Police Court on a charge brought against him by the Post Office, was found not guilty, the Recorder of London expressing the opinion that the charge ought never to have been brought; and whether he can see his way to recommend that Mr. Gates be compensated for his broken health, caused by the trial, and to refund to him the legal expenses, amounting to £250, involved in his defence, seeing that he has admitted the injustice of the charge by reinstating Mr. Cates?

My attention has already been drawn to this case. The evidence against Mr. Cates was considered sufficient at the time to warrant the institution of proceedings, which were therefore held to be necessary in the interests of the public service. I am advised that Mr. Cates has no claim in law for compensation in respect of injury to health or of legal expenses, and I regret that I can find no ground for making a payment to him ex gratia.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many licensed houses were in existence in England and Wales on 1st January, 1904, 1914, and 1924, respectively; what was their aggregate annual value for taxation purposes at each date; how many old licences were extinguished, with compensation, between 1904 and 1914, and between 1914 and 1924; what was the total amount of compensation paid in each period; how many new licences granted since 1904 were in existence on 1st January, 1914 and 1924, respectively: and what was their aggregate annual monopoly value, including the annual proportion of lump sum monopoly values?

The number of licensed houses (with on-licences) in existence in England and Wales on 1st January, 1904, 1914, and 1922, was:

The number of old on-licences extinguished with compensation was

The number of new on-licences granted since 1904 which were in existence on 1st January, 1914, and 1st January, 1924, respectively, together with their aggregate annual monopoly value, was

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many men who were employed in the Civil Service before the War as temporary clerks (not quasi - permanent unestablished clerks) are still employed as such; and whether immediate steps can be taken to place these men on the permanent staff?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer which I gave him on the 31st March. I do not

All the candidates recommended by the Selection Board at the recent competition as fit for appointment have been so informed.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been drawn to the constant complaints made by the Staveley Parish Council to the condition of the council schools; is he aware that these buildings were erected in 1910 as temporary, and constructed of corrugated iron and wood;

think it possible to accord special treatment to any pre-War temporary clerks not covered by the arrangements there described.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will state for each of the examinations for the administrative class held under the reconstruction regulations the number of candidates who passed the written test, the number found fit for administrative work by the Selection Board, and the number actually appointed, whether he will give similar details for the examination held under paragraphs 31 and 32 of the third interim Report of the Lytton Committee; and whether all the candidates found fitted for administrative work at this examination have been so informed?

The following are the figures asked for:

that rats are an intolerable nuisance, and parents are threatening to keep their children away; that a lad of 11 years was bitten by a rat in the schools last week; and will he take up the matter with the county council education authority with a view to permanent schools being built?

I am aware of the defective condition of the Staveley temporary council school, and I have already informed the local education authority that the provision of additional school accommodation in this district appears to the Board to be a matter of urgency. I have no information as to the rats except that which has appeared in the Press, and I can see no reason why effective measures should not be taken to exterminate them.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he will state whether Edgar Stanley Boulter (registered number 17,990) is on the list of eligible recipients of pensions, and in an equal position to the majority of other teachers in that matter; and whether he is equally eligible for death gratuity?

Mr. E. S. Boulter appears to have performed sufficient service to qualify him for benefits when he reaches pensionable age. On the facts as at present known to the Board there is no reason to suppose that he would not be eligible for a death gratuity in the event of his dying while in recognised service.

asked the President of the Board of Education under what circumstances an arrangement has been made with one particular scholastic paper, out of at least five, to publish illustrations suitable for use with the text of the articles in the "Weekly Bulletin of Empire Study"?

I understand that the editor of the paper in question offered his assistance in the matter of illustrations to the editor of the Bulletin, who was glad to accept it, and would, I have no doubt, be glad to accept similar assistance from any other paper.

asked the President of the Board of Education if students who passed through the higher schools last year, and who are not disqualified by age, will be eligible as candidates for the State scholarships to be awarded this year?

Candidates for State scholarships must be pupils in grant-aided secondary schools. Persons who have left school are not eligible as candidates for scholarships.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he will consider reviving the national competition open to all the art schools in the country for applied and fine arts, which was suspended in 1916 as a measure of economy, in view of the valuable results achieved by the holding of the competition and the desire of the art schools in the country for its revival?

The form and scope of the national competition were under consideration before the War, and I am quite willing to review the matter in the light of present day conditions.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what is the name and address of the lactose factory, in which his Department is proposing, according to the Interim Report of the Linlithgow Committee, to carry out experiments as to the commercial possibilities of the manufacture of milk-sugar; whether this factory will be entirely or partially under State management; and what is the estimate of the cost of the undertaking to the Treasury?

The factory referred to is the Experimental Lactose Factory, Haslington, near Crewe. It has been in existence since 1920, during which time investigations into the manufacture of lactose from cheese whey have been carried on. The factory is the property of the Ministry, and has so far been controlled directly from my Department. It is proposed that experiments should be continued throughout the coming whey season, at an estimated cost of £5,000.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many applications for loans have been received under the Agricultural Credits Act (Long Term); how many of them have been granted; and what is the total amount advanced under the Act up to date?

The Public Works Loan Board have received 1,055 definite applications for loans under Section 1 of the Agricultural Credits Act, 1923. Loans in respect of 395 applications, amounting to £1,495,445, have been granted, and the investigations with regard to the remaining applications, except 11 which have, been refused, are either proceeding or have been discontinued at the instigation of the applicants. £271,035 has been advanced and £1,224,410 is in process of being advanced.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that the owner of a farm at White Roding, Essex, has applied for a loan under the Agricultural Credits Act; that, in spite of the farm being valued by an independent valuer at £7,000, the Government has declined to advance more than £3,750, which corresponds neither with 30 times the reduced annual value, nor 75 per cent. of a fair valuation; and whether, seeing that the Ministry, by its action in computing the value of farms at such low figures, is discouraging applicants and consequently making the Act a dead letter, he will say what action he proposes to take in the matter?

That the Act is by no means a dead letter is proved by the figures with which I have just furnished the hon. Member in reply to his previous question. As I explained on the 18th March, in answer to a question by the hon. Member for Stone, a valuation of the security offered by an applicant for an advance under Section 1 of the Act is furnished by the Valuation Department of the Inland Revenue. If I have rightly identified the case to which the question refers, £3,750 was 75 per cent. of that valuation, and therefore the maximum possible advance.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether, in view of the fact that, on account of the cross currents of traffic and the left-hand rule of the road, the East gate at Hyde Park Corner is of no practical value, he will give instructions that this gate shall in future be used for egress from the park and the Central and Western gates for ingress?

The suggestion is one which affects the control of traffic outside the park at Hyde Park Corner, and I propose to consult the Commissioner of Police on the subject.

asked the Home Secretary whether the Government recognise aliens who have become or may become citizens of the Irish Free State and who come subsequently to reside in Great Britain as British subjects without naturalisation; and, if not, what steps His Majesty's Government propose to take in the matter?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and as to the second part I can only refer the hon. and gallant Baronet to my answer to him last week. There are no steps for the Government to take.

asked the Minister of Health whether there is any machinery in existence whereby boards of guardians in England who have been paying relief for some time to natives of Guernsey and Jersey can be reimbursed by any Department in the Channel Islands; and, if not, will he agree to make representations to this end to the Channel Islands if the facts of the cases in point are supplied to him?

I have been asked to reply. No representations on this subject have been made to my Department, and if the hon. Member will furnish me with particulars of the cases to which he refers I shall be glad to consider them, in consultation with the Ministry of Health.