asked the Minister of Pensions the number of cases of epilepsy in respect of which claims have been made on the ground that it was due to or aggravated by war service; and in how many such cases the contention of the applicant has been accepted?

I regret that the information at my disposal does not enable me to answer the first part of the question, but I can inform the hon. Member that in all 8,184 awards have, up to date, been made by the Ministry in respect of epilepsy.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his per- sonal attention has been called to the case of Mr. R. Sutton, 35/Infantry/3366 (F. 3) who, being a quartermaster-sergeant with eight and a-half years' experience, took up duty as a military clerk in the Record Office, No. 1 District, after leaving his regiment on discharge a few months previously, and trained hundreds of clerks and earned high testimonials for his work, and now claims re-assessment of pension on the ground that, after 28 years' continuous military service, he was a soldier under the Army Act, 176 (4), and so rendered paid military service, and was thus included in the terms of table 5, paragraph 11, of Article 6 (325) of 1919; and whether he will reconsider the decision of 12th May, 1920?

A pre-War Army pension cannot be re-assessed at the post-War rates unless the recipient gave satisfactory re-enlisted service during the Great War, as required by paragraph 2 (c) of the preamble to Army Order 325 of 1919. Mr. Sutton was not re-enlisted during the Great War, and I much regret, therefore, that he is ineligible for re-assessment. To this rule there are no exceptions.

asked the Minister of Health if he has received any resolutions from boards of guardians urging him to take the necessary action to provide proper care and attention for old age pensioners who are unable, by reason of infirmity, lack of friends, or poverty, to look after themselves; and, if so, whether he proposes to take the necessary action?

The answer to the first part of the question is "Yes." As regards the last part, my right hon. Friend will be glad to consider any practicable suggestions that may be made to him.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that the provisions of the Burnham scale of salaries for teachers as at present administered by the Board of Education provide that an extra £25 per annum shall be paid to teachers in secondary schools who have obtained a good honours degree, and that the definition of such a degree under Sections 4a and 6b of the Burnham Report is such that second-class graduates in honours of universities where the results of preliminary or intermediate examinations are issued in the form of a list in order of merit or a, graded class list, or where the second-class list of the final examination for honours is sub-divided, can qualify for the extra payment more easily or with a shorter period of residence than the majority of second-class honours graduates at Oxford, owing to the fact that at Oxford there is no preliminary or intermediate examination, divided into classes of merit, for most of the honour schools and the second classes of the final honour schools are not sub-divided; and whether he will take measures to alter a definition which bears unfairly on many Oxford graduates who have taken second-class honours?

The provisions referred to were determined by the Burnham Committee and not by the Board. I am aware that experience has shown them to be open to criticism. I share the hope expressed by my predecessor that they will be re-considered when the scales next come under review. That review is now being undertaken by the Burnham Committee, but I cannot anticipate their conclusions.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will explain why permission has been refused by his Department to the Cheshire Chamber of Agriculture to scrutinise the list of valuations in connection with cattle slaughtered in Cheshire, consequent upon the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease?

The object of the Cheshire Chamber of Agriculture in requesting an opportunity of scrutinising these valuations was apparently to secure a reconsideration in certain cases of the values placed on the animals slaughtered. As it is not possible to re-open the settlements arrived at no useful purpose would be served by acceding to the request of the chamber.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the estimated value, for Stamp Duty purposes, of land and property which were voluntarily conveyed or transferred during each of the three last financial years?

The approximate value, estimated from the Stamp Duty paid in Great Britain, of land and other property transferred by conveyances operating as voluntary dispositions in the last three financial years is as follows:

Year.				Approximate value.
				£
1921–22	…	…	…	11,255,000
1922–23	…	…	…	11,245,000
1923–24	…	…	…	14,500,000

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the latest estimate compiled by his Department of the cost of providing widows' pensions and allowances?

The cost would obviously depend on the amount of the pension and allowances and the number of persons brought within the scope of any scheme, and I cannot give any definite official estimate at the present time.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury when the Report of the Commissioners of His Majesty's Inland Revenue far the year ended the 31st March, 1923, will be published?

It is hoped that the 66th Report of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue, for the year ended 31st March, 1923, will be published in August next.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury when the Report of the Committee set up in June, 1922, on Common Seniority in the Civil Service is going to be issued?

I understand that the Report has been signed and that arrangements are in hand for its publication.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether it is the intention of the Government to continue the retention of import duties under the Safeguarding of Industries Act, which comes up for renewal or otherwise on the 1st August?

I have been asked to reply. The hon. Member is under a misapprehension. The Safeguarding of Industries Act provides that any duties imposed under Part II thereof on the ground of depreciation of foreign currency shall cease to operate on the 19th August next, and legislation would accordingly be required to continue them in operation after that date. On this point I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Remer) on the 8th April, a copy of which I am sending him.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, if he can give any information about the arrangement by which textiles manufactured in Alsace have to be admitted into unoccupied Germany free of duty, and if Great Britain has the same advantage as France; and, if so, what is the percentage of these imports of both countries?

Article 68 of the Treaty of Versailles provides that, for a period of five years from the coming into force of the Treaty, natural or manufactured products originating in and coming from Alsace-Lorraine should, on importation into German Customs territory, be exempt from all Customs duty. It was alto provided that the French Government was to fix each year by decree the nature and amount of the products which were to enjoy this exemption, the amount of each product not to exceed the average of the amounts sent annually in the years 1911–1913. The five-year period expires in January next. Decrees have been issued each year by the French Government as contemplated by the Treaty; and I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the latest of these Decrees, fixing the "contingents" for the year 1924 1925. The list comprises various textile and other products. These special and temporary privileges in favour of Alsace-Lorraine are not extended to, or shared by, the United Kingdom. With regard to the last part of the question, complete particulars are not available respecting such imports into Germany during the year 1923; but, on the basis of the detailed returns for about nine-tenths (by weight) of the textile goods covered by the arrangement in question, taken as a whole, about 11 per cent. were imported from Alsace-Lorraine, about 3 per cent. from the rest of France, and about 36 per cent. from the United Kingdom.

asked the Postmaster-General, whether he will consider the abolition of the annual limit on the amount that may be deposited by any one person in the Past Office Savings Bank?

The hon. Member will be aware that there is no limit to the total amount which may be held by a depositor on his account at the Post Office Savings Bank, but that there is a limit of £500 as regards the amount which may be placed to his account in any one year. This limit is imposed in order to reserve the Post Office Savings Bank facilities to the class of depositors for whom they were intended by the Savings Bank legislation, and I see no reason for altering it.

asked the Postmaster-General what Government Departments or services undertake wireless research or maintain wireless services; and whether he will consider the co-ordination of such activities with a view to providing a comprehensive State service?

The following Government Departments undertake wireless research:

• The Admiralty,
• The War Office,
• The Air Ministry,
• The General Post Office, and
• The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.

The first four also maintain wireless services. Wireless research, so far as it is not solely of interest to the Service Departments, is co-ordinated by the Radio Research Board of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, on which all the above Departments are represented; while the wireless services conducted by the Service Departments and the General Post Office are co-ordinated by the Imperial Communications Committee. The question of the further co-ordination of these activities is at present under the consideration of that Committee.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the Post Office wireless service from Leafield to Halifax, Nova Scotia, is used by the United States newspapers; and whether, seeing that the chairman of the American Newspaper Proprietors' Association has stated that this service provides the fastest transoceanic communication in the world, he will consider the development of publicly-owned wireless services?

The answer to both parts of the question is in the affirmative.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that persons row employed by or associated with the Marconi Company were formerly in the, State service or connected with the Government of this country; and whether he will consider the advisability of safeguarding the nation against such transfers?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the last part of the question, I do not consider that any practical measures can usefully be taken with the object suggested by the hon. Member.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been drawn to the inconvenience being caused to the public by the delay ill completing certain road excavations in Torquay in connection with the laying of cables; whether this work can be expedited; and whether, in future, such work undertaken by the Post Office can be co-ordinated with similar work by the local authorities?

The excavations were made in connection with alterations to Post Office cables necessitated by the works of other undertakers. They could not be completed satisfactorily until certain road works had been effected; unfortunately, a consignment of pipes Was damaged in transit on the railway, and this has delayed the work, but it should be completed within a few days of the receipt of the new pipes. It is the practice of the Post Office to co-ordinate its work, wherever practicable, with similar work undertaken by local authorities.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that letters posted in various parts of London before 5 p.m. are frequently not delivered in Bournemouth till after 5 p.m. the following day, and that letters from Ripon, Yorkshire, to Bournemouth often take two days in transit and whether he will take steps to improve a state of things which is detrimental to the interests of Bournemouth?

Letters for Bournemouth posted in London before 5 p.m. (4.15 p.m. in certain suburbs) should fall into the first delivery of the next day at Bournemouth, and letters for Bournemouth posted at the Ripon head post office, Yorkshire, before 7.15 p.m. should fall into the second delivery of the next day at Bournemouth. If the hon. and gallant Member will send me the covers of any letters which appear to be delayed, I will have inquiry made.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that numerous complaints continue to be made that the programmes of the British Broadcasting Company are subject to interference by jamming; whether the recent investigations with direction-finding apparatus has yielded any results; and, if not, what further steps are proposed?

Presumably the hon. Member refers to the difficulties experienced in the South East of England on Tuesday, the 27th May, which were found, on investigation, to be due to the inadvertent use of the wavelength of the London Broadcasting Station by a Broadcasting Station in Paris. Attention was called to the matter by telegraph on the 29th May, with the result that the wavelength of the station concerned was immediately altered so as to prevent further interruption.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will consider the adoption of adequate publicity for the various Post Office services?

I shall be prepared to consider any specific suggestions which my hon. Friend may have to make.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will consider the adoption of the system in successful operation abroad by which postal subscriptions may be received at any post office for newspapers and journals?

The distribution of newspapers is carried out in this country to a larger extent than in many other countries by stationers and news-vendors, who obtain supplies of the newspapers from the publishers in bulk, and deliver them to the public, usually at the published price. Under the system referred to by the hon. Member, I understand the subscriber pays a charge for postage in addition to the cost of the newspaper. I cannot see that the institution by the Post Office of a distributing service on these lines world be attended by any advantage to the public, while it would certainly damage the business of existing newsagents. From the point of view of the Post Office it would probably increase the loss on the newspaper post, which is already unremunerative.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the cost of the present postal service in the following townlands situated in Limavady, in the county of Londonderry—Carrydoo, Bally-risk, Largyreagh, Keady, Leek, Drumramer and Termaguin; what would be the increased cost of restoring the pre-War service to those places; and what is the amount of the correspondence to and from those places as compared with the pre-War correspondence?

The cost of the present delivery by postman in the town-lands is about £28 a year; the increased cost of restoring the pre-War service would be about £1 a year. The number of letters received for delivery is about 60 a week; pre-War numbers are not available.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the low wages paid by Macnamara and Company, contractors to the Post Office, so that workmen find it necessary to be on or about the premises for 84 hours in a week to earn £2 5s. 5d.; and if he will see that this firm observes the conditions of the Fair Wages Clause?

I think the hon. Member refers to certain drivers of horsed vehicles who are not in regular full-time employment. Owing to the irregular incidence of the Post Office work on which they are employed, the case of these men presents considerable difficulty, and investigations have been proceeding for some time with a view to improve their conditions. I am assured, however, that the majority of the men concerned earn considerably more than 45s. a week.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been called to the excessive noise of traffic passing over concrete roads; and whether he will use his influence with local authorities to discourage the laying of this form of road material as far as possible?

I have not received any complaints of this nature, but if the hon. Member will supply me with particulars of specific cases they shall be investigated.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has received any Report with regard to the possibilities of the waters of Upper Teesdale for the supply of electricity?

No Report on this subject has been prepared by the Electricity Commissioners, nor have I received one from any other source.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress is being made with the new road between Birmingham and Wolverhampton, and the number of unemployed working on the scheme?

I am informed that the contractors started work on three separate sections of the road on 4th February last The number of unemployed men engaged is at present upwards of 200. The area of operations, and the number of men employed, are being increased week by week as possession is obtained of the land required for the road.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will consider the revision of the Motor Cars (Use and Construction) Orders and the Heavy Motor Car Orders, with a view to mitigating the excessive noise from motor traffic, particularly with regard to exhaust gases and to unnecessarily offensive horns?

In my view the existing provisions as to the prevention of excessive noise by exhaust gases from motor vehicles, are adequate. As regards the use of horns, the question of the use of a standardised horn, or other instrument for giving warning of approach, was considered by the Departmental Committee on the Taxation and Regulation of Road Vehicles, and in their Second Interim Report they stated that it was not a matter which called for any special recommendation.

asked the Minister of Labour if he can make any statement concerning the dispute in the building trade?

I understand that, following the recent ballot of the operatives, further discussions are to take place between the employers' and operatives' representatives. In these circumstances, I do not think that it is desirable that I should say more at this moment.

asked the Secretary of State for War the monthly cost of maintenance of the British Army on the Rhine; whether this cost is being defrayed by Germany; and, if not, under what estimate it figures in the expenditure of his Department?

The estimated monthly cost of the British Army of the Rhine during 1924–25 is £140,000, exclusive of accommodation and miscellaneous services provided free by Germany. As explained by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury in reply to the hon. Member for Batley and Morley (Mr. Turner) on 19th May, Germany's payments in respect of the Armies of Occupation are limited by an Inter-Allied Agreement. The amount estimated to be received in 1924–25 on account of the British Force is £1,250,000. The cost of the Force and the receipts from Germany are included in Army Estimates 1924–25, on pages 35 and 214 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will furnish a Return of the officers employed on legal duties with the Army of the Rhine, showing the order of seniority and how each is graded for pay, the duties on which employed, their legal qualifications (if any), other special qualifications for their particular duties, the commissions on which they are serving and particulars of, any temporary rank now held, and what legal appointments in the Army have been held by these officers previously?

The information asked for is as follows:

Officers Employed on Legal Duties with the Army of the Rhine.
Rank and Name.	Date of present rank (seniority).	How graded for pay.	Duties on which employed.	Legal or other special qualifications for their particular duties.	Commissions on which they are serving.	Particulars of any temporary rank now held.	What legal appointments in the Army previously held.
Temporary Lieutenant (Temporary Major). H. Gatehouse, O.B E., General List.	1-5-19	Glass B.B.	Summary Court Officer.	Barrister	Temporary Commission (General List) as Lieutenant, 1–7–17.	Temporary Major.	Courts Martial Officer, France since 1917.
Major Sir D. Lawson, Bt., Yorkshire Hussars Yeomanry.	7–1–20	Class B.B.	Summary Court Officer.	Justice of the Peace. German Scholar. Knowledge of German Law.	Territorial	Temporary Major in the Army.	Not known
Temporary Lieutenant (Temporary Major) R. C. Carrington, Service Battalion., South Wales Borderers.	15–7–23	Class B.B.	Deputy Judge Advocate General.	Barrister, 1910	Temporary Commission (Service Battalion New Armies) as Lieutenant, 1–7–17	Temporary Major.	Courts Martial duties since 1917. Courts Martial Officer, 1921.
Captain N. H. B. Lyon, M.C., Middlesex Regiment.	6–2–15	Regimental pay, plus 2s. per day.	Courts Martial Officer.	Experience in the preparation of Courts Martial whilst an Adjutant.	Regular	—	Nil.
Lieutenant (Temporary Captain) P.Stephenson, 6th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters.	13–1–19	Regimental pay, plus 2s. per day.	Courts Martial Officer in connection with Summary Courts.	Experience of work and knowledge of local conditions.	Territorial Lieutenant, 9–1–18.	Temporary Captain.	Not known.
Lieutenant N. Parkes, Northamptonshire Regiment.	1–7–17	Regimental pay, plus 2s. per day.	Courts Martial Officer.	Courts Martial Officer, previously for two years. Barrister, 1921.	Regular	—	Courts Martial Officer.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the law administered in the Summary Courts held by the military authorities with the Army of Occupation in Germany is based on the civil law of that country or on orders made from time to time by the military commander; and in what language are the proceedings of these Courts conducted?

The law administered by the Summary Courts is British military law, modified or supplemented when necessary by ordinances of the Rhineland High Commission. It is, however, open to the Summary Courts to hand persons over to the German civil Courts, where the ordinary German civil law prevails. The languages of the presiding officer and of persons concerned are used as necessary; an interpreter is always present.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office the total number of men employed by contractors working for the Imperial War Graves Commission, the number working for the -Commission, and the percentage of British labour employed in both cases?

The number of men employed by contractors in and about the cemeteries in France and Belgium is estimated at 425, but I am unable to say what proportion of these are British. It has been impossible to make the employment of British labour a condition of the contracts. The number directly employed by the Commission is 2,653, practically all British. A few natives are, however, employed in the eastern theatres and in Africa.

asked the Minister of Transport who are the engineers who are investigating the Severn barrage scheme on behalf of the Government; whether he is aware that this scheme was originally placed before the Water-power Resources Committee of the Board of Trade in December, 1917, by the late Mr. C. S. Meik, Mr. Addenbrooke, and Mr. Twinberrow; and whether he will arrange that the firm of C. S. Meik and Buchanan, who are in possession of all the material on which that scheme was based, shall be consulted before any decision is arrived at?

I have been asked to reply. No specific Severn barrage scheme is being investigated, but an informal and preliminary Committee, consisting of Sir John Snell, Chairman of he Electricity Commissioners, Professor A. H. Gibson, and Mr. Maurice F. G. Wilson, are advising the Board of Trade as to the manner in which the whole problem can be best and most expeditiously investigated. I am aware of the particular scheme to which the hon. Member refers, and no doubt that scheme, with others which have been put forward at various times, will be taken into consideration in the course of the detailed investigation.