asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will see that on the occasion of a hospital ship arriving in England to disembark patients, every facility be given to naval ratings for general leave irrespective of foreign service leave?

In the event of the hospital ship being ordered to return to England with patients, the question of granting such leave as can be given without detriment to the service on which the ship is employed will be duly considered.

asked the Secretary of State for War how much of the necessary construction that his Department has required has been undertaken in the Royal Dockyards in each year since the year 1906, stating in respect of each year the kind and value of the work undertaken in each of the Royal Dockyards separately: and whether, seeing that the dockyards are national establishments, he will in the future undertake to give them preference in the necessary constructive work of his Department?

I regret that the statistics asked for in the first part of the question are not available. The question of utilising the Royal Dockyards in connection with Army requirements has been under frequent discussion, and advantage is taken of their manufacturing facilities whenever economically possible. No new construction is contemplated by the War Office at present, but boat stores are obtained through the Admiralty, and orders are placed with the dockyards by the Royal Army Ordnance Department as opportunity arises.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the 1st Battalion, Hampshire Regiment, was moved from England to Constantinople in 1920, to Alexandria in 1922, to Cairo in 1923, and are now under orders to proceed to India next November, making four moves in four years; and whether, in view of the expense to the public and to the officers and non-commissioned officers of this regiment, he can see his way to cancel the move now in contemplation?

I much regret the necessity for this and other moves, but the normal foreign service roster was inevitably disorganised during the War and post-War periods, and the moves are requisite in order to get this roster on a proper footing. The move could not be cancelled without injustice to other units, and I cannot see my way to order its cancellation.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether men are still being discharged from the Army Ordnance Department at Woolwich; and whether he is taking any steps to find such men further employment?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, the dischargee being mainly due to the diminution of the "aftermath" War work for which staff in excess of normal requirements was employed. As to the second part, I regret that I am not in a position to provide further employment for the men so discharged, since work at depots other than Woolwich is also decreasing.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is yet in a position to state the terms whereby he proposes to grant commissions in the Army to officers in the Territorial Army?

I hope to issue these Regulations with a batch of Army Orders due for circulation at the beginning of June, and I will issue them earlier if possible.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been called to the circumstances under which Major Fearnley Anderson and Major Norman C. Ord, both of the Seaforth Highlanders, were killed by enemy tribesmen on the North-West frontier of India on 8th April, 1923; and whether, in view of those circumstances, it is proposed to remit the death duties applicable in the case of their respective estates?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, but I regret that I am not prepared to recommend an alteration of the law with a view to the remissions proposed in the second part of the question.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether, with a view to making more clear exactly what money is being expended and upon what objects, he is prepared to arrange that in future issues of the Air Estimates the paragraphs devoted to provision for supply and research should be accompanied by explanatory memoranda, giving information similar to that provided in connection with analogous paragraphs in the Navy Estimates?

The method of exhibiting the provision for Supply and Research in Air Estimates is under consideration in connection with the preparation of the Estimates for 1925–26.

asked the Minister of Pensions what steps he has taken to meet the serious complaint that, in cases where the final award was set aside on appeal to the Pensions (Assessment) Appeal Tribunal, the Ministry took no further action in the case?

My right hon. Friend has caused instructions to be issued to the effect that in all cases of this nature the officer or man concerned shall be reexamined, as soon as possible after the decision of the Tribunal, by a medical board with a view to the award of any further compensation which his condition may justify.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether his Department ceases to pay dependant or need pensions on the re-marriage of a father or a mother, respectively?

A female dependant of a deceased soldier ceases, under the terms of the Royal Warrants, to be eligible for a pre-War dependence or need pension on re-marriage.

asked the Minister of Pensions if any applications have been received for the commutation of the whole or any part of a pension paid by his department; and what his attitude towards such an application would be?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. All applications for commutation of pension are, of course, considered on their merits subject to the regulations prescribed by the Treasury. Experience has, however, shown that it is necessary to consider very carefully the permanent advantage of the pensioner before acceding to the application.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware of the number of cases in which ex-service men entitled to payments of various kinds by way of pension or gratuity are deprived of the amounts payable to them in order to recoup departments concerned for overpayments or losses, generally made or incurred during military service, for which overpayments or losses the men were not responsible and which were entirely due to the mistakes of the departments; that this practice is on the increase, to the prejudice of many ex-service men whose expectations of income are suddenly disappointed without any fault on their part; and whether he proposes to take steps to check the practice?

So far from the practice of recovering over-issues from subsequent payments to ex-service men being on the increase, my information is that very substantial concessions have been made which greatly reduce the extent of such recoveries. If the hon. and learned Gentleman will be good enough to send me examples of the kind of case he has in mind I will make inquiries into them.

asked the Minister of Pensions what voluntary funds sub- scribed from any sources whatever are available to meet applications made to them by or on behalf of ex-service men needing assistance?

The information as to voluntary funds of all kinds, local and central, is not in the possession of the Ministry. I am, however, endeavouring to obtain particulars, and if my hon. Friend will repeat his question at a later date I hope to be in a position to answer it.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that an ex-professional soldier named W. C. Clark, who has full qualifications as a telegraphist, was given employment at Chesterfield in December, 1923, as a temporary sorting clerk and telegraphist with a view to an appointment, and that although physically fit he was subsequently medically rejected on the ground that he was half an inch short of the regulation height; and whether he is prepared to review the case of this ex-service man?

With the exception that Mr. Clark is not an ex-professional soldier but an ex-hostilities soldier, the facts as stated are correct. There is a long list of fully qualified ex-service telegraphists awaiting permanent appointments in the Post Office; and I can see no ground for appointing a man who does not comply with the Regulations for appointment.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware of the serious erosion of the coast of Yorkshire north of Spurn Point, and that this erosion is of particular importance because of the comparative narrowness of the strip of land at this point between the North Sea and the estuary of the Humber; that in the opinion of competent persons a break-through of the sea at this point would affect the course of the River Humber with possibly serious effects on this navigable river; is he aware that a proposition has been laid before previous Governments for strengthening this part of the coast by reclaiming land from the sea between Spurn Point and the southern part of Sunk Island; and whether he will have this matter fully considered both from the point of view of providing useful work and as a safeguard against sea encroachment?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, and I would remind the hon. and gallant Member that the local drainage authorities have received during the past two winters grants of over £9,000 in connection with the Ministry's unemployment relief schemes. The statement contained in the second part of the question is a matter of opinion, but the navigation interests on the River Humber are in the hands of a very competent navigation authority. In reply to the third part of the question, my right hon. Friend is aware that the hon. and gallant Member has been in communication with his predecessors with regard to reclamation being carried out on a large scale in the vicinity of Sunk Island, where a gradual process of reclamation has been going on for at least 300 years. The matter was the subject of an investigation on the spot both by engineers and soil experts, who came to the unanimous conclusion that the proposal was wholly impracticable. Instead of some 10,000 acres being available for reclamation as was stated to be the case, only some 250 acres of indifferent land were found to be "ripe" for the purpose. Incidentally I understand that no works can be carried out in the estuary of the Humber outside a line prescribed by the Humber Conservancy Acts without special legislation.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if, taking all the valuations carried out by the Land Valuation Department for the purposes of the Agricultural Credits Act, he will state the average percentage of differing value between the official valuations and the valuations of experts called in by the farmers concerned?

I regret that this information could only be made available by going through more than 1,100 individual cases. I cannot think that the result would justify the time and labour involved.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the fact that the importation of North African phosphate is being largely assisted by the greatly reduced exchange value of the franc, and that to meet this competition American phosphate is being imported without profit or at a loss, he will state what steps he proposes to take to increase the supply of phosphates from British Dominions to this country?

I have been asked to reply. It has always been the aim of the Ministry to secure that adequate supplies of phosphates are available for British farmers. The high freight on phosphates coming from Nauru (to which presumably the hon. and gallant Member refers) makes it impossible for supplies from that island to compete with the abundant and cheap supplies which are at present available from sources more favourably situated nearer home.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total amount of the British claims, both debts and property, still unsettled by the Clearing Office (Enemy Debts), including Germany, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, and other countries, if any; and the number of British creditors concerned?

The total amount of the outstanding British claims in respect of the four administrations is Amount. £ Debts … … 19,595,140 Property claims … … 31,824,508 Total … … 51,419,648

The number of individual claims making up the above totals is: Number. Debts … … 27,519 Property claims … … 7,984 Total … … 35,503

To give the actual number of creditors and claimants would involve considerable research, as in many cases individual creditors have a number of separate claims.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of sittings of the First and Second Divisions of the Mixed Arbitral Tribunals, respectively, during the month of April and the number of cases disposed of by each during that month?

The First Division of the Anglo-German Mixed Arbitral Tribunal sat on five days during the period referred to, and gave 14 judgments, namely: Final judgments after trial … 3 Judgments by consent … 8 Interlocutory judgments … 3 Total … 14

The Second Division of this Tribunal sat on three days during the same period, and gave 11 judgments, namely: Final judgments after trial … 5 Judgments by consent … 3 Judgments for costs … 3 Total … 11

In addition to the cases disposed of as above, several others were partly heard by both divisions and judgments reserved or directions given.

It should be pointed out that the Easter Recess occurred during the period in question; that, as regards the First Division, its sittings were limited owing to the illness of the German member, and that the Second Division, with the substitution of an Austrian for a German member, sat on six days during this month for the trial of Austrian cases.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the value of our exports to Russia during the year 1913, and what proportion the amount bears to our total exports for that year; and the value of the Russian imports into this country for the same year, and what proportion the amount bears to Russia's total exports for that year?

The total exports from the United Kingdom, including foreign and British oversea merchandise re-exported, which were consigned in 1913 to the then Russian Empire were valued at £27,694,000 or 4.4 per cent. of the exports of British produce and manufactures to all destinations in that year. The official records of Russia and Finland for the year 1923 show that goods to the value of £32,607,000 were exported to the United Kingdom in that year, or 19.6 per cent. of the exports from Russia (including Finland) to all destinations. I may add that the British records show an importation of goods of a value of £40,271,000 from the Russian Empire into United Kingdom for the year in question. The discrepancy between the figures is probably in part due to differences in methods of valuation, in part to the inclusion of freight in the British values, and in part to change of ownership and destination after goods had left Russia.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total amount of sugar of Empire origin imported into the United Kingdom in the year 1913?

The total quantity of sugar imported into the United Kingdom in 1913 and registered as consigned from the British Oversea Dominions, Colonies and Protectorates amounted to 1,440,389 cwts.

asked the Minister of Health what advances, respectively, have taken place since January in the cost of house building; and what increase is thereby involved in the cost of erection of working-class houses?

There have been no material advances in the costs of building since January. The total increases in the cost of construction warranted by such general advances as there have been would not exceed £5 10s. a house.

asked the Minister of Health how many tenement dwellings have recently been erected by the London County Council on their White Hart Lane estate, Tottenham; how many more it is proposed to erect; whether the approval of the Tottenham Urban District Council has been asked for or given; and if he will withhold his consent to the erection of any further buildings of this kind until he has held an inquiry into the financial results of this policy upon an already poor locality?

Buildings containing 72 tenements are nearing completion, and approval has been given to the erection of 138 further tenement dwellings. Plans of new buildings require the approval of the district council under bye-laws, and this approval has been given in the case of the 72 dwellings which are under construction. My right hon. Friend has not received any representations in the sense of the last part of the question.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has any information to show that houses condemned for occupation have been occupied through the permission of the Romney Marsh Rural District Council; and whether he has any information to show that the members of this council have at any time contravened Acts of Parliament relating to the occupation of condemned houses?

I have no knowledge of any cases such as are referred to in either part of the question, but if the hon. Member has any specific information and will give me particulars, I will make inquiries.

asked the First Commissioner of Works the number of notices to quit and the summons for possession issued, and the number of orders obtained on account of non-payment of rent, on the respective estates administered by the First Commissioner since 23rd January last?

The information is as follows: ( a ) Notices to quit … 61 ( b ) Summons for possession … 34 ( c ) Orders for possession … 33

The 33 orders for possession were obtained consequent upon notices to quit served before the 23rd January last.

These particulars relate to, approximately, 10,000 houses administered by my Department.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will consider the advisability of allowing the wife or dependant of an insured person who dies before the age of 60 to draw upon the money standing to the credit of the deceased, in view of the special need of assistance at such times?

Upon the death of a deposit contributor (who can only receive benefits so far as his own individual account will allow) one-half of the amount standing to his credit in the Deposit Contributors' Fund, representing, approximately, the proportion derived from contributions paid by himself, is payable to any person who may have been nominated by him to receive it, or in the absence of any nomination, to his legal personal representative. In the case of a member of an approved society, the contributions paid by and in respect of the member are paid into a, common insurance fund out of which the benefits of all members of the society are provided, and no money, therefore, stands to the credit of an individual member.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the increasing number of persons being admitted into Poor Law institutions who are entitled to receive benefits under the National Health Insurance Act; and whether he will favour an Amendment to the Act authorising guardians to claim an equitable amount of benefits in order that the money can be appropriated towards the costs of the patient's maintenance?

Circumstances may from time to time necessitate the admission into Poor Law institutions of persons entitled to benefits under the National Health Insurance Acts, but I have no evidence that the number of such cases is increasing. With regard to the last part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on the 20th February last to the hon. Member for Shoreditch (Mr. Thurtle).

asked the Minister of Health whether in cases where notification of an outbreak of small-pox has occurred any special report as to the sanitary conditions of the property or neighbourhood is made to his Department?

No such special reports are made to my Department as a matter of routine, but when an outbreak of small-pox is investigated by one of my medical officers he reports as to all the circumstances affecting the outbreak. I may also refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for the North-Eastern Division of Derbyshire (Mr. Lee) on the 16th March last.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has received a large number of letters from individuals in all parts of the country asking that the Spahlinger treatment should be made available for those suspected of, or suffering from, tuberculosis; whether he is I aware that the annual conference of approved societies passed a resolution requesting its executive to continue their efforts until this remedy was available for those who desired to give it a trial; and whether, seeing that the Government of New Zealand has offered £50,000 so as to make it available, provided Great Britain would do the same, he will take steps to secure sufficient quantities of the serum for use where necessary?

As regards the first part of the question, my right hon. Friend has received a certain number of letters from individuals containing requests of the nature referred to by my hon. Friend. The answer to the second part is "Yes." As regards the third part, my right hon. Friend would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which he gave on this subject to the hon. Member for Lincoln (Mr. A. T. Davies) on the 16th April.

asked the First Commissioner of Works when the arrangements at the Imperial Institute for housing and exhibiting the Imperial War Museum will be completed and the exhibits opened for public inspection; and what is the cause of the delay in opening this war museum to the public?

I think that the hon. Member is under some misapprehension in this matter. The Imperial War Museum exhibits are at present stored in the Western Galleries adjacent to the Imperial Institute and not in the Institute proper. The delay in opening the museum is due solely to the fact that, pending the provision of further accommodation, sufficient space is not available in these galleries for the proper display of the exhibits. The question of providing additional accommodation is at present under consideration.

asked the Secretary for Mines when the prosecution of the Maltby Colliery Company will be heard and at what Court?

The case was to have been heard at Doncaster County Police Court on 30th April, but, on the application of the defence, a postponement was granted and a new date has not yet been fixed.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he can now make a statement as to the Government's policy regarding the provision of gear for Scottish fishermen?

I am not yet in a position to state whether any scheme for assisting the provision of gear will be adopted by the Government.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will have inquiries made regarding the action of the Forestry Commision in taking over for forestry, in the Highlands of Scotland, many of the best and most productive cattle, sheep, and arable farms when there are many acres of unproductive deer forest land quite suitable for forestry?

I have been asked to take over this question. The Forestry Commissioners are fully aware of the importance of afforesting deer forests and have acquired in Scotland 64,000 acres of deer forest as opposed to 57,000 acres of rough grazing and farm land. In view of the low percentage of planting land found in the deer forests already surveyed, it is doubtful if this ratio can be maintained. The Forestry Commissioners are not planting nor do they intend to plant any arable farms; such arable land as has been taken over in the acquisition of estates has been utilised for (1) forest nurseries, (2) cultivation by existing tenants, and (3) the creation of new holdings.

asked the Home Secretary if he will give the number of police in the Metropolitan area engaged in setting traps for motorists during the Easter holidays; and the number of convictions recorded during that period?

The total number of police in the Metropolitan Police area specially employed in the detection of motor car offences from 18th to 21st April, 1924, inclusive, was 188, and the number of offences detected by these men was 506, particulars of which I will send to my hon. Friend. I cannot at present give the number of convictions for that period.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that the Southern Railway Company has refused to give the same rates for the conveyance of milk from Wiltshire stations to the London districts as the Great Western Railway Company; and whether he will consider the introduction of legislation to prevent such differentiation?

I am aware that the Great Western Railway Company have adopted reduced rates for milk traffic from certain of their stations in Wiltshire to London. The Southern Railway Company have considered the matter and inform me that they do not see their way to agree to adopt these rates. I would remind the hon. and gallant Member that the Railway Rates Tribunal was established by the Railways Act, 1921, to deal with questions affecting railway charges, and I see no necessity for further legislation.

asked the Minister of Transport if his attention has been drawn to the evidence given by signalman T. Y. Pembleton in the inquiry held in connection with the mail train collision at Stoke works in February last, to the effect that a form charging him with insubordination and conduct unbefitting a signalman was handed to him just as he started duty at 10 o'clock at night; and, if so, whether he will take steps to prevent in future the serving of crime forms just as men are starting work, in view of the danger of unfitting them for service and thereby imperilling the lives of the public and railway servants?

An inquiry has been held into the circumstances of the accident to which the hon. Member refers, but the Report of this inquiry has not yet been received. In these circumstances, I cannot say more at present than that any recommendations which the Inspecting Officer may make in his Report will receive careful consideration.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the regrading of sorting assistants in the Post Office, now being considered by a Committee of the Departmental Whitley Council, is delayed for any official objection; and, if so, what this is, and whether it is capable of removal?

The regrading if sorting assistants would involve, among other changes, a reduction in the hours of duty below eight daily, and as the question of an eight-hour day for civil servants generally has for some time been under the consideration of the National Whitley Council, it has not been possible for the Departmental Committee mentioned to proceed until the wider question is disposed of.

asked the Postmaster-General the amount of revenue and expenditure for the year ended 31st March, 1924, of the Post Office wireless stations at Cairo, Leafield, Northolt and Stonehaven, respectively?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave yesterday to a question put by the hon. Member for Acton (Sir H. Brittain), of which I will send him a copy.

asked the Postmaster-General whether it is intended to suitably compensate the mother of the youth, James Loveday, who was murdered while defending the post office, Hopwood Street, Liverpool, against armed robbers in June, 1923, and to suitably acknowledge the bravery of the two girl assistants, whose action undoubtedly thwarted the robbers' intentions and led to their arrests?

I am making inquiries into the matter and will communicate with the hon. Member as early as possible.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that dissatisfaction prevails at the Edinburgh telegraph office in regard to selections recently made for the acting list, 1924; whether it has been reported to him that the officers selected occupied positions between numbers 30 to 45 on the seniority list, passing over at least 30 officers; whether he is aware that many of those passed over have been on the acting list or have been temporarily employed on overseer's work; and whether, in the circumstances, he will call for a revision of the 1924 list?

I am aware of the circumstances to which the hon. Member refers. The Regulations provide that acting lists should be limited to officers from whom the selection for promotion will in ordinary course be made, and I am satisfied that none of the officers who have been passed over on this occasion for the acting list at Edinburgh is qualified for promotion at the present time. In the circumstances I am not prepared to call for any revision of the list.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the case of Mr. Thomas Leake, sorting clerk and telegraphist, Portadown; whether be is aware that Mr. Leake is fourth on the seniority list at Portadown; that he was compulsorily transferred from Portadown to Westport, county Mayo, after four years' learnership; that he was re-transferred to Portadown and given to understand that this re-transfer would be permanent; and that Mr. Leake is now to be transferred compulsorily to another office, although he is the support of his parents' home; and whether, having regard to these circumstances, he will decide that Mr. Leake has a prior claim to retention at Portadown over other junior officers?

Mr. Thomas Leake is number 20 out of 24 on the staff at Portadown, that is, fourth from the foot of the list. Consequent upon a recent revision at Portadown it was found that two sorting clerks and telegraphists were redundant to requirements. The junior officer has already been transferred to another office. Of the two officers between him and Mr. T. Leake who are being retained at Portadown, one is a married man and the other is a householder and intends to be married shortly. Such officers are, owing to the general lack of housing accommodation, accorded preferential consideration in such cases; and as Mr. T. Leake's brother, who is also employed as a sorting clerk and telegraphist at Portadown, is a single man, I am satisfied that the arrangements made involve the minimum of hardship to the officers concerned. I regret, therefore, that I am unable to accede to the hon. Member's request.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will give the estimated revenue and expenditure for the Post Office wireless services for the current financial year?

I regret that in view of possible changes in the number and distribution of the Post Office wireless services, it is impracticable at this juncture to form any reliable estimate of the revenue and expenditure for the current financial year.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will give the estimated revenue and expenditure on the letter post for the current financial year?

The estimated revenue and expenditure of the postal services for the year 1924–25 on the commercial account basis are: £ Revenue … … 36,654,000 Expenditure … … 31,233,000 Surplus … … 5,421,000

These figures include no provision for contingent liabilities, resulting from the judgment of the House of Lords in the "Sutton" case, in respect of arrears of War Bonus payable to mobilised Post Office servants. It is not practicable to give separate estimates for the letter post, as distinct from other postal services which are operated as part of a single organisation.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the Government intends to publish the correspondence which has passed between the Imperial Government and the Dominion Governments in connection with Empire wireless before and since the publication of the Report of the Committee on Imperial Wireless Telegraphy, also the correspondence and proposals received from the Marconi Company and the memorandum prepared by the Chairman of the Wireless Telegraphy Committee on these communications and proposals?

It is not proposed at present to publish the correspondence referred to. Publication of the correspondence with the Dominions could, in any event, only be made with the assent of the various Governments concerned.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will give the estimated revenue and expenditure for the Post Office telegraph services for the current financial year?

The estimated revenue and expenditure for the Post Office telegraph services for the current financial year, 1924–25, are as follow: Revenue £5,527,000 Expenditure (including interest on capital and depreciation) £6,886,000 Deficit £1,359,000

These figures include no provision for contingent liabilities resulting from the judgment of the House of Lords on the "Sutton" case in respect of war bonus payable to mobilised Post Office servants.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) whether he proposes to take any measures to open the legitimate avenue of promotion to the clerical class of the manipulative grades of the Post Office, including many old members of that class who were Reservists or Territorials in 1914, or who joined the Army in that year, which has been greatly restricted in order to find vacancies for temporary ex-service men;

(2) what action is proposed with regard to the 280 permanent ex-service members of the Post Office manipulative grade who qualified in September last for promotion to the clerical class, and who by length of service and a higher educational standard than is required of temporary men have shown their fitness for promotion?

These two questions do not represent the facts quite correctly. For many years the manipulative grades of the Post Office have had an avenue of advancement to the clerical class by means of limited competitions; and by agreement with the staff 25 per cent. of the total number of male clerical vacancies in the Post Office are due to be filled by this means. In accordance with this agreement 90 candidates were declared successful in the competition held last September. It has been agreed to set up a Committee of the Departmental Whitley Council to consider the present position; and pending the deliberations of that Committee and the Southborough Committee, I am unable to indicate what action will be taken as regards the 280 unsuccessful qualified candidates from the September, 1923, competition.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the Donegall Square Post Office is too small and in other ways unsuitable for the work of the office; that there is a very heavy strain upon the women staff employed there; that a number of the women of the Belfast telegraph staff have applied for relief from duty at the Donegall Square branch office upon medical and other grounds; whether he will state the amount of sick leave of the staff; and whether he will take steps to secure more suitable premises?

I am aware of the defects of the Donegall Square Branch Office; and negotiations are now in progress for renting alternative premises. As the branch office is staffed on a system of rotation with the head office, there are no statistics of sickness from which any reliable deductions could be drawn.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will inform the House of the nature of the Report of the Broadcasting Board on the proposal to construct the London broadcasting station on the roof of a West End store?

This question has been referred to the Broadcasting Board, but the Board has not yet reported on it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can supply the following information, to be used as a basis in framing plans to deal with the unemployment problem; how does the output of the principal industries in the United Kingdom in 1923 compare with the output in 1913, both per head of the population and per worker in each trade, and how does this output compare with the similar figures for the United States of America; can he account for the alleged much greater output in the United States than in this country; has the output in the building trade per head decreased since 1913 and, if so, by how much; and, if he has not got the necessary information to answer these questions, will he consider the desirability of appointing an economic general staff in order to be able to provide such information for the future?

Unfortunately there exists no adequate basis for any statistical estimate of output in the various branches of British industry since the last Census of production. The first step to the preparation of such an estimate is a new Census; and, as the hon. Member may be aware, arrangements are now being made for taking such a Census of production in respect of the present year. I understand that the latest United States Census reports relate to 1921, but that a Census for 1923 is now in hand. Until these several inquiries are completed it will not be possible to attempt even an approximate answer to the hon. Member's question. In the circumstances, I see no reason for setting up a fresh organisation.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the present overdraft with the Treasury on the Unemployment Insurance Fund?

The amount of Treasury advances to the Unemployment Fund outstanding on 1st May was £9,230,000. It may be of interest to the hon. Member to note that on 5th January last the figure stood at £12,820,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has considered the case of business firms and others who have become guarantors of the British Empire Exhibition now being held at Wembley, who are not exhibitors, in regard to any payment they may be called upon to make under their guarantees; and whether he will recognise any such payment as being properly deductable in arriving at the assessments of Income Tax?

I am advised that such payments could not consistently with the law be treated as deductions in arriving at Income Tax liability.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the Inland Revenue Department is inter preting Section 18 (2) of the Finance Act, 1920, in a manner directly opposed to the meaning which was intimated by the then Chancellor of the Exchequer on 7th July, 1920 (OFFICIAL REPORT, Vol. 131, No. 93, cols. 1512–13); and whether he will issue instructions that, where a business is bona fide carried on jointly by the husband and wife, although not in partnership, and even though no wage or salary is paid to the wife by the husband, the total income of the claimant shall be considered as including the earned income of the wife and that the taxpayer shall be granted an increase in his personal allowance not exceeding £45 as laid down by the Section?

The increased deduction provided by Section 18 (2) of the Finance Act, 1920, is subject to the condition that the wife should be in receipt of earned income. I understand that the Inland Revenue Department regards this condition as satisfied where a wife is in receipt of a share of the profits of a business carried on jointly by husband and wife, or where a wife receives remuneration for services rendered to her husband's business, and this interpretation seems to be precisely in accordance both with the terms of the Statute and with the statement made by the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, on the 7th July, 1920, to which the hon. Member refers. In these circumstances, I am unable to authorise the issue of instructions in the sense desired by the hon. Member.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether in his Budget Estimates he has made any allowance for the extra sum required under the promised Pensions Increase Act (1920) Amendment Bill?

In framing my Budget proposals I made due allowance for this additional service.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total interest received each year from the large War and relief debts due to us and the countries who pay this interest, with the amounts, respectively?

The figures are as follow:

INTEREST RECEIVED ON WAR AND RELIEF DEBTS. Country. 1919–20. 1920–21. 1921–22. 1922–23. 1923–24. War Debts . Allies— Portugal … … 250,000 123,750 — — — Greece … … 27,425 32,500 62,500 17,792 22,665 Belgian Congo … … 134,749 132,843 195,490 203,307 194,408 Dominions— Canada … … 1,107,283 809,080 678,178 665,696 653,662 Australia … … 2,394,806 2,527,470 4,684,236 2,248,527 4,457,948 New Zealand … … 1,375,700 1,426,557 1,797,236 1,323,246 1,453,056 South Africa … … 753,284 675,700 594,253 538,604 522,280 Newfoundland … … 20,000 20,000 20,562 20,562 20,562 Crown Colonies … … 50,695 43,470 43,470 42,630 36,566 British South Africa Co. … … 87,495 96,100 50,232 — — Relief Loans— Latvia … … — — 1,210 1,210 1,210 Hungary … … — — 4,800 8,945 — Lithuania … … — — 925 1,009 1,009 Czecho-Slovakia … … — — 28,938 28,794 29,934 Esthonia … … — — — 34,115 15,060 Roumania … … — — — — 158,885 Austria … … — — — — 32,025 Reconstruction— Belgium … … 30,055 309,178 464,301 449,240 449,180

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of annual revenue from the taxation of pleasure motor cars and commercial and industrial motors, respectively?

I have been asked to answer this question. It is not possible to distinguish accurately between motor vehicles used for pleasure purposes and those used for commercial or industrial purposes. A statement, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy, was issued to the Press on 8th February, 1924, showing the gross proceeds of taxation, under each of the various taxation categories, for the calendar year 1923.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what was the nominal Imperial contribution for Northern Ireland for the years 1923–24; what were the total sums paid to Northern Ireland in the same period by way of grants for special constabulary, unemployment relief and malicious injuries, respectively; and what was the net amount received by the Imperial Treasury in that period?

The amount of the Northern Ireland contribution to Imperial expenditure for the years 1922–23 and 1923–24 has not yet been finally fixed by the Joint Exchequer Board. Pending such final ascertainment, the amounts of £6,213,700 and £4,500,000, respectively, have been provisionally deducted from the Northern Ireland residuary share of reserved taxes in respect of those two years. The total sums paid to Northern Ireland in the same period by way of grants for special constabulary, unemployment relief and malicious injuries, respectively, have been as follow:— 1922–23 £ Special constabulary … 2,690,000 Unemployment relief … 56,665 Malicious injuries … 750,000 1923–24 £ Special constabulary … 1,352,534 Unemployment relief … 243,335 Malicious injuries … 1,250,000

The net difference between the amount of the provisional deductions mentioned above and the total amount of the grants-in-aid paid to Northern Ireland out of moneys provided by Parliament for the two years in question is £3,532,840.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Government Bill abolishing the thrift penalty in respect of old age pensions proposes to make the grant of the full amount irrespective of the income of the recipient or whether it proposes to establish a maximum of income and, if so, of what amount?

I must ask the hon. and gallant Member to await the introduction of the Bill.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state, in reference to the amount of £3,082,000 due to the Central Argentine Railway in 1926–27, when and what was it contracted for, and if it is repaid on a gold or paper basis?

In order to provide American exchange during the period before the United States entered the War, His Majesty's Government arranged to borrow from the Central Argentine Railway Company on 1st February, 1917, 15,000,000 American dollars (of which sum £3,082,000 is the sterling equivalent at par of exchange). This sum is repayable in 1927 in dollars.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider the rehearing of the claim of Mr. Albert Close, the Canadian inventor of the basic electric anti-submarine net; and, if not, why not?

I do not propose to accede to a request for a re-hearing of this claim for an ex gratia , award, as it has already been heard and determined by the Royal Commission on Awards to Inventors, and no new evidence which would justify a re-hearing has been submitted.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury at what date the Irish Joint Exchequer Board was set up; what were the names of the members originally appointed to it; what are the names of its present members; and whether any Reports of its proceedings have been published?

The Joint Exchequer Board was set up on the 1st December, 1921, and the original members were The Right Hon. Lord Colwyn, Chairman. Mr. O. E. Niemeyer, C.B., appointed by the Treasury. Sir R. V. N. Hopkins, K.C.B., appointed by the Treasury. Mr. H. M. Pollock, appointed by the Ministry of Finance, Northern Ireland. The Hon. Mr. Justice Wylie, appointed by the then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Mr. Justice Wylie retired in February, 1922, and Sir Richard Hopkins in December, 1922, when the number of the Board was reduced to three by the Irish Free State (Consequential Provisions) Act, 1922. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether a foreign-born subject, subsequently naturalised and who served with the British Army for a considerable period during the War, is eligible for appointment to a temporary post in the Civil Service; and, if so, will he explain why the Joint Substitution Board refuse to consider such cases on the ground that they are not British-born subjects?

The Joint Substitution Board, in considering candidates for temporary employment in Government Departments, observe the rules as to nationality prescribed by the General Regulations for the admission of persons to His Majesty's Civil Establishments by the Civil Service Commissioners. The relevant paragraph of these rules provides that a candidate shall show that he or she is a natural-born British subject, and the son or daughter of a father, also a natural-born British subject, provided that exception may be made in the case of natural-born British subjects who served in His Majesty's Armed Forces in the Great War.