asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air upon what grounds a disability award was refused to Private F. Forlew, No. 353,675, Royal Air Force, stationed at Lee-on-the-Solent, who was discharged on 5th March, 1924, as being unfit for further military service, seeing that Private F. Forlew was only accepted for the Royal Air Force on 14th March, 1923, and was then in good health; and whether, having regard to the fact that Forlew has since been an inmate of the London Hospital, and is at present at inmate of St. Bartholomew's Hospital suffering from empyema contracted while on military duty, he will see his way to make such a grant to Private Forlew as will recompense him for his suffering and outlay?

In answer to the first part of the question, an airman who is invalided in consequence of a disability not directly attributable to the conditions of service and who has not completed one year's service, is not eligible under the Regulations for a disability award. Aircraftsman Forlew's disability, though it asserted itself during his service, was not so attributable, being regarded by the medical authorities as due to constitutional causes, and no award is, therefore, issuable to him. As regards the second part of the question, a discharged airman, whose disability is not directly attributable. to the conditions of service, is not entitled to medical treatment at the expense of Air Force funds. I regret, therefore, that no grant can be made in this case.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will inquire into the case of Mr. J. Franklin, of 20, Moreton Road, Buckingham (Pension Issue Office, Bromyard Avenue, Reference 11/M/67,833); is he aware that Mr. Franklin was notified of a, final award on 19th July, 1921, against which he successfully appealed in October, 1923; that the tribunal increased the award and fixed the rate of disablement at 6 to 14 per cent. indeterminate duration; that Mr. Franklin's last weekly payment was due on the 21st May, 1924, and that his gratuity will be paid on the 28th May; and, in view of the fact that Mr. Franklin claims to be no better now than he was when last boarded, and seeing that he has been refused a further appeal, how is it proposed to compensate Mr. Franklin for his continuing disability?

The full amount of compensation provided by Article 1 of the Royal Warrant in respect of the small degree of disablement sustained has been awarded in this case. The man remains, however, eligible for any treatment, that may be deemed necessary at any time for his disability and for allowances under Article 6 of the Warrant, if necessary.

asked the Minister of Pensions, if he will give instructions for the issue of a comprehensive list of objects for which application for commutation of pension might be made with reasonable hope for the application so made being granted in view of the disparity of the present methods?

There is no official list of the kind referred to. Each case is considered on its merits. Provided the applicant is otherwise eligible under the Regulations approved by the Treasury, the conditions for granting the application are that my Department is satisfied that the object in view is definite, that commutation will.be to the, permanent advantage of the man concerned, and that grave hardship would be caused if the application were not granted.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he authorised the despatch of a communication to the Member for the Stratford Division (Mr. Groves) informing him that his attestation of the form of life certificate for Mrs. H. C. Seal, of 12, Albert Square, cannot be accepted; that special emphasis was laid upon the ineligibility of a Member of Parliament signing such documents, but only such persons as retired civil servants, bank managers, postmasters, teachers, or justices of the peace; and whether, in circumstances where a Member of Parliament is willing to so attest, such restriction may be removed and no such communication be received by a Member?

The list of persons qualified to attest pensioners' declarations is contained in the Treasury Warrant dated 25th September, 1923, issued in accordance with the provisions of the Appropriation Acts, and it is not within the power of Departments to accept other signatories. The Treasury is prepared to include in the list of those qualified, any substantial persons who are ordinarily approached by pensioners, but at the time of promulgation of the Warrant of last September, it was understood that Members of Parliament were not as a general rule approached. Frequent alteration of the Treasury Warrants is deprecated owing to the considerable expense involved by the consequent amendment of pensions forms of which large stocks are held.

asked the Minister of Pensions how many pensions have been granted to widows under the Royal Warrant of the 6th January, 1924, Article 17B; how many have been rejected under this warrant; and of this number, how many have actually appealed to the tribunal against the Ministry's decision?

Up to the present date, 125 awards of pension have been made under Article 17B of the. Warrant, and 280 claims have been rejected under that Article, but in many of the last-named cases pension has been granted under Article 17A. A notice of appeal has been lodged in about 100 cases.

asked the Minister of Pensions if his Department has any record of the number of disabled ex-service men who lose their employment either with the Government or private firms; and, if not, whether he will consider the advisability of compiling such records and instructing the local pensions committees to take up such cases and, if possible, secure reinstatement?

I have been asked to reply. The Joint Substitution Board keep a record of all disabled ex-service men discharged from Government service, and every effort is made to reinstate these men as vacancies arise. They are given preference over all other ex-service men as regards any temporary posts for which they are suitable. The total number of disabled ex-service men who have served in Government Departments and are unemployed was 304 on the 2nd May. As regards private firms, local King s Roll committees use the records of unemployed disabled ex-service men at Employment Exchanges in an effort to find the men work, including steps to secure reinstatement if practicable. According to a recent census taken under the authority of the King's Roll National Council, the total number of disabled ex-service men unemployed is estimated at about 38,800.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will inform this House of the result of the correspondence he has had with the trade union officials or bodies in connection with the recognition or acceptance of Army-trained men of or by the various trade unions, especially with regard to the building trades?

Negotiations are proceeding, but have not yet reached a stage at which I can usefully make 'a statement.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he will consult the Secretary of State for War and the Air Minister with a view to common action being taken to extend the allowance to sailors, soldiers and airmen on account of their children who attend full time at school after the normal school age of 14 years, in order to assist these service men who are deprived of certain privileges to tide over the difficult period from the age of 14 years to 16 years in the child's life?

This proposal is under consideration.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether his Department hopes to find employment for the 91 lieutenant-commanders who are at present unemployed; whether lieutenant-commanders were specifically excluded from the special retirement scheme by which the surplus of naval officers was disposed of; and what pension terms would have been given had these men been included in the retirement scheme as compared with the pension terms which they will receive if retired at the present time?

The number of 91 lieutenant-commanders at present unemployed comprises officers unemployed while temporarily awaiting their next appointment, unemployed at their own request, or for other reasons. There is in general no surplus of officers of this rank over mobilisation requirements, but owing to temporary conditions, the number unemployed at present is somewhat above the average. I hope, however, that all but a few of the officers concerned will be given further employment. Lieutenant-commanders were not eligible for retirement under the special retirement scheme of 1922, and the question of special rates of retired pay for them has not been considered. In the circumstances, I am unable to state what rates would have been granted, had they been included.

asked the parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if, in view of the threatened reductions in the number of dockyard employés, he will state under what conditions he would be prepared to consider the hire of docking and other facilities at Portsmouth to a private undertaking for commercial work?

I know of no threat that there will be reductions at Portsmouth Dockyard or of any ground for reviewing the settled policy in regard to the use of the dockyard by private commercial undertaking.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that, when the pay of the men of the lower deck of the Navy was increased on account of the recommendations of the Jerram Committee in 1919, it was definitely decided that the substantive pay of the lower-deck ratings should not be reduced to a lower figure than the awards but that increases or decreases of allowances were to be regulated by the raising or lowering of such emoluments as marriage allowance, clothing allowance, victualling and messing allowances according as the cost of living varied; and will he inquire into this question?

It is the intention that ratings now serving shall continue to receive substantive pay at the Jerram Committee rates during the whole period of their continuous service. With regard to the second part of the question, the allowances mentioned vary according to fluctuations in the cost of living and current prices of commodities.

asked the Minister of Labour if, in view of the existing difficulties of the arrangements for staffing juvenile unemployment centres, he will consult with the President of the Board of Education with a view to that Department assuming entire responsibility for the administration and staffing of these centres?

I have been asked to reply to this question. I may refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave yesterday to the hon. Member for the Eastern Division of Newcastle-on-Tyne (Sir R. Aske).

asked the Minister of Labour if he can give statistics relating to the number of unemployed young men in Great Britain at the latest available date?

The unemployment statistics obtained periodically by the Ministry do not distinguish between persons of various ages, say as between persons of 18 years of age and upwards and those below that age. The number of males under 18 years of age recorded as unemployed in Great Britain on the 19th May, 1924, was 34,600. From special inquiries made on three occasions in the past 18 months it was, however, ascertained that approximately 24 per cent. of the unemployed male adults were under 25 years of age, and if this percentage be applied to the present number of males over 18 years of age recorded as unem- ployed the resultant figure would be approximately 182,000. It should be noted that as 16 years is the lowest age for unemployment insurance, the figures for persons below that age is not nearly so complete as that for persons above that age.

asked the Minister of Health the total of indebtedness of

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that Thomas Chitty, of 5, New Road, Church Road, Tottenham, aged 77 years, was discharged from the North Middlesex Hospital on the 17th March last; that, on the following day, he applied for a renewal of his old age pension which had been suspended while he was in hospital, and although he has subsequently written another letter to the local superintendent he has received no reply; and if he will make inquiries into this case and explain the delay?

I find on inquiry that Mr. Thomas Chitty was discharged from the North Middlesex Hospital on 25th March, and that his fresh claim to old age pension was received by the pension officer on 27th March. The inquiries into this case were not completed in time for a report to be made for the April meeting of the local Pension Committee. The claim was allowed at the May meet

The following statement gives the particulars referred to, so far as they are available:ing of the Committee with retrospective effect, and the pension is now in payment.

asked the Minister Of Health how many posts above the lower clerical, excluding inspectors, there are in the Poor Law division of the Ministry of Health; and haw many of these posts are held by women?

There are 10 posts in the Poor Law division of the Ministry of Health above the lower clerical grade. None of these posts are held by women.

asked the Minister of Health how many posts above the rank of clerical officer there are in the house production and slum clearance division of the Ministry of Health; and how many of the posts are filled by women?

There are 27 posts in the house production and slum clear- ance division of the Ministry of Health above the lower clerical grade. None of these posts are held by women.

asked the Secretary for Mines what is the number of under-secretaries and principal clerks serving in the Mines Department; the average age of such officers in both grades; and the length of their period of service with His Majesty's Forces during the Great War?

The number of assistant secretaries is three and of principals five (including one acting appointment). Their average ages are 39 and 36, respectively. With the exception of one principal, who served with the Forces for three and a half years, all were permanent civil servants in other Departments during the War, and only one was released by his Department for service with the Forces. He served for five months.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of the staff, and the cost to the Exchequer, of the Cabinet Secretariat on 31st March, 1919, and 31st March, 1924, respectively?

The Cabinet Secretariat, with the Committee, of Imperial Defence, constitutes, for staff purposes, a single unit. The figures of total staff and cost on the 31st March, 1919, and the 31st March, 1924, respectively, are as follow:

asked the Financial Secretary the pensions that would be received by established civil servants with basic salaries of £100, £200, £300, £400, and £500, respectively, if retired after 40 years of service in April, 1914, April, 1921, and April, 1924?

The respective pensions would be as follow. For convenience of calculation, it is assumed in this reply that in all cases the pension is calculated in sixtieths, under the Superannuation Act, 1859:

asked the Minister of Pensions the changes in the personnel of his staff since 1st February, indicating how both ex-service men and women have been affected?

The total staff of the Ministry on the 1st February, 1924, comprised 12,715 men and 6,807 women and, on the 1st May, 1924, 12,203 men and 6,544 women. In the interval, the number of ex-service men decreased by 501 (4 per cent.) and the number of women by 263 (3·8 per cent.).

asked the Home Secretary if he is in a position to make a statement upon the question of increasing the number of factory inspectors; if it is contemplated to extend the number; and, if so, will he see that qualified men will be selected from the various industries in which an extension of inspectors are required?

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement I made on this subject in the Debate on the Horne Office Vote on the 15th instant. As I then explained, it would be inadvisable to deal with this question piecemeal, and my intention is, when the Factories Bill is through, or, at any rate, through its main stages, to set up a Committee to make a comprehensive survey of the whole position.

asked the Home Secretary whether there is another case on record in the prison, service like that of Henry Fardon, Winchester Prison, where an officer has been dismissed after 24 years' service for familiarity with a prisoner; and if, seeing that this alleged familiarity consisted only in conversing with the prisoner, and that such punishment as dismissal involves the loss of service and pension rights, he will have the matter reconsidered?

The Prison Commissioners in this case decided, after local inquiry by an Inspector of Prisons extending over four days, that the officer had been guilty of conduct which, considered in relation to his record of service as a whole, left them with no option in the public interest but to dismiss him. I am sure that this decision was taken with great reluctance, but I can find no ground on which I could properly reopen the matter now.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) the amount of grants made on capital expenditure by the [in-employment Grants Committee in each year since its formation; and the amounts expended on capital account by the Post Office and from the Local Loans Fund and from the Road Fund during the years ended 31st March, 1921, 1922, 1923 and 1924, respectively;(2) the amounts guaranteeed yearly since their inception by the Trade Facilities Act Advisory Committee and the Export Credits Committee; the number of schemes at present under consideration by the former Committee; and the amount of the. guarantees required for such schemes?

The figures are as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of war debts and loans that have been repaid by France and Italy, respectively, since 1920; and which are the countries that have been repaid?

As regards France, I gave such information as was then available in reply to a question by the hon. Member on the. 12th February last. A payment of approximatley £270,000 was made to Uruguay in March. I have no information as regards Italy.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury why the Royal Commission for Awards to Inventors now meets only one day per week instead of

In reply to the first part of the question, the explanation that the cases considered suitable for adjudication by the Second Division of the Royal Commission, which sat on a second day of the week, have been disposed of. As regards the second part, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to his previous question of 12th March last. I am informed that the claims recently heard by the Royal Commission have been of extreme complexity, and that in certain cases the hearing occupied several days.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he can state, with regard to Table 77, page 145, of the Sixty-fifth Inland Revenue Report, whether he can give estimates of the numbers of, and the distribution of incomes of, the Super-tax payers for the financial years 1921–22, 1922–23, and 1923–24; or, if that is not possible, if he will give broad estimates?

The following information is available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total amount of money paid during the last 12 months period to trade union officials in salary and travelling expanses, and do the returns received by his Department from trade unions, whether registered as friendly societies or otherwise, give figures showing the amounts of cash advanced for political purposes; and, if so, the total amount so advanced?

As regards the first part of the question, I am informed that the compilation of the necessary figures would take more time and labour than the results would warrant, as these would probably be misleading when complete. As regards the second part, complete figures for the period asked for (1923) are not yet in; in 1922 registered trade unions advanced £267,000 for political purposes; figures for unregistered unions are not available.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of the great increase in telephone traffic at night, and that this has rendered necessary a revision in the old system of dealing with night calls in many of the small towns in the country; if he is aware that the salaried sub-postmaster in some cases is required to exceed his eight hours per day scheduled duty in charge of the office by attending to night services in addition; that in certain cases this involved 12 hours per week actual permanent duty at the exchange board and 60 hours casual disturbance for calls during the night; and whether he will consider employing ex-serviec men for this night duty as an addition to the existing staff in many of these centres?

There has been no change of circumstances calling for any general alteration of practice in this matter, and I should not in ordinary cases feel justified in incurring the expense of making special provision for the telephone work while the sub-postmasters concerned continue to occupy the official residences provided. Special arrangements are, however, made when the calls to be dealt with are numerous, and if the hon. Member will furnish me with particulars of any individual offices which he may have in mind, I will have inquiry made to see whether any modification of the arrangements at those offices is called for.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that on Tuesday of last week 580 tons of fish was sent from Fleetwood to the fish meal works, and on the same day 600 boxes of fish met a similar fate at Aberdeen; and what action he proposes to take to prevent a continuance of this wastage?

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the recent wholesale destruction of numerous boxes of good fish at Fleetwood for the purpose of maintaining prices to the consumers; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?

The total quantity of fish landed at Fleetwood on Tuesday, the 20th May, was 353 tons 8 cwts. Of this, 19½ tons were sent to the local fish meal works, because there was no demand for it for the food markets. Some 70 tons of fish in all have been similarly dealt with at Fleetwood in the past fortnight. With regard to Aberdeen, I am informed that the facts are as stated. The fish in question were, however, mostly small whiting and haddocks, and were sent to the meal works owing to the heavy supplies and a falling off in the demand from England. Occasional gluts of this character are inevitable. All fish is sold at the fishing ports in open auction, and if there is a demand for it as food there is, in time of abundance, no difficulty in procuring it. I have no authority to take action, as is suggested in the last part of the question, even if such action were practicable.