asked the Minister of Pensions whether a decision has yet been given in the case of Sergeant-Major G. Casebow, of the Terrace, Downham Market, the increase of whose pension was discontinued on the ground that he was unable to declare his wife's income; and, if so, whether he can state the terms of the decision?

A communication has recently been received from Mr. Casebow intimating his wife's present address. The necessary inquiries have been instituted, and it is hoped that it will be found possible to arrive at an early decision.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is aware that W. M'Cracken, 8, Acacia Road, Wood Green (B 6,814), who served in the British Navy for 22 years and was discharged on expiration of engagement on 9th May, 1924, was informed by letter, dated 20th May, 1924, from the registrar, Royal Naval Barracks, Portsmouth, that, owing to his having been a member of the 22nd Portsmouth Battalion implicated in the disturbance at Newport in 1921, all claim to Royal Fleet Reserve gratuity or pension was forfeited; and, in view of the long and honourable service of this man, of the fact that he took no part in the disturbance referred to, and that since 1921 he has continued his service, whether he will look into this case with the view of sympathetic reconsideration?

This man's service consisted of 12 years in the Royal Navy and 10 years in the Royal Fleet Reserve, nearly five years of the latter being mobilised service during the War. From his statement made immediately after the occurrence in question, it is clear that he joined in with the large body of men who knowingly failed to obey the order to turn out on parade. The Royal Fleet Reserve Regulations prescribe good conduct as a necessary qualification for the gratuity or pension. By his behaviour on the occasion in question, M'Cracken has clearly failed to satisfy this requirement, and the Admiralty see no grounds for modifying their decision.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he proposes to abolish the secretariat of the Ministry?

I assume the hon. Member refers to the Department of the Permanent Secretary. The functions of that Department are direction of policy under the Minister and general supervision and control of the Ministry machine. The organisation of the Ministry follows the lines adopted in other large Departments of State, and I see no reason at the present time for making such a sweeping alteration as the question suggests.

asked the Minister of Health whether, seeing that questions as to the administration of the health insurance benefits of insured women are dealt with in the insurance branch of the Ministry of Health, he will say how many posts there are in this branch above the lower clerical grade; and how many of these posts are filled by women?

There are 385 posts in the insurance branch of the Ministry above the lower clerical grade, and of these 94 are held by women. Included in the total of 385 are 222 posts on the outdoor staff of the branch, and of these 59 are held by women.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that in the five boroughs comprising Greater New York all site values are assessed to local taxation separately from the value of improvements; that, while buildings and improvements generally are also assessed to local taxation, buildings used for dwelling purposes only and erected since February, 1921, are exempt from the tax on improvements for ten years; and that since that date plans have been filed for the erection of dwellings to accommodate 344,693 families, or at the rate of 11,119 per month as against a rate of 1,668 per month during the three years before the exemption came into operation, or over 7½ times as many; and whether he is prepared to consider the adoption of a similar system in this country?

I am aware of the system in New York State to which reference is made by the hon. Member, and understand that, although it has stimulated construction, there is considerable doubt whether it has brought relief to the class of citizens whom it was sought to relieve, namely, the lower-paid worker. I am not prepared to recommend the adoption of a similar system in this country.

asked the Minister of Health whether the question of the assignment of the sum allocated for public enlightenment regarding venereal disease has yet been settled; whether the Society for the Prevention of Venereal Disease, whose valuable work in the education of the public regarding the medical prevention of venereal disease was universally acknowledged, will receive a share of such a grant; and whether the Ministry of Health has accepted the recommendations contained in the recent Report of the Committee of Inquiry upon the best medical measures for preventing venereal disease in the civil community?

The answer to the first part of the question is "No." As regards the second and third parts, I can only say that the recommendations contained in the Report mentioned in the question are still under consideration.

asked the Minister of Health when he proposes to introduce a Smoke Abatement Bill?

The Bill will be introduced in another place within the next few days.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is prepared to give permission to local authorities in rural districts to make contributions to a fund to oppose the continuance of summer time in the same way as permission has been given to urban authorities to contribute to the funds of the Early Closing Association?

No such application has been made to me, and the hon. Member's question is accordingly a hypothetical one to which I could not give an answer without knowing the nature of the suggested fund or the amount of the suggested contributions to it.

asked the Minister of Health how many London and provincial hospitals are supported, or receive assistance from, public funds, and what are the respective amounts allocated; whether he is aware that over 200 beds are now closed in two hospitals in London alone for want of funds; that over 10,000 persons in London alone have been accepted by the hospitals for operations or treatment and cannot be admitted; whether the Ministry has the hospital system of London and the provinces under review; and what it is proposed to do, if anything, to relieve or improve the present state of affairs?

The Voluntary Hospitals Commission completed the distribution of the grant from public funds administered by them at the end of the last financial year. No hospitals are now receiving direct assistance from public funds, but many receive from local authorities contributions towards the cost of certain grant-aided services which are subsidised jointly from public and local funds. I am aware that two of the large London Hositals have closed beds, but more than half of the closed beds have at no time been available to the civil population and have never been occupied except by military patients during the War. I have no exact information as to the extent of the waiting lists, but this is one of the questions now being investigated by the Voluntary Hospitals Commission, who have been asked to report on the extent of the additional accommodation required in voluntary hospitals and the best means of providing and maintaining it.

asked the Minister of Health if, when he sets up a Departmental Committee to consider a Report upon the Poor Law administration throughout the country, he will give the Poor Law Officers' Union an opportunity to present their views?

There is no present intention of setting up such a Departmental Committee as is suggested. I have already intimated that I shall be glad to consider any suggestions which the union may think fit to place before me.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is now in a position to make a statement regarding his official attitude towards the right of local authorities to enter into contracts with the building guilds on the basic sum principle?

When the Housing Bill is passed I shall be prepared to consider the arguments for and against guild contracts on their merits in consultation with the local authorities and the Advisory Committees which I propose to set up, but at present I can go no further than this.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the great shortage of skilled workers in the building trade, he will consider the advisability of taking steps to increase the number of these men to at least the level of 1911, as by so doing he will not only be helping to solve the housing problem, but also diminishing the number of unemployed?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on the 23rd instant to a similar question by the hon. Member for Altrincham (Mr. Alstead).

asked the Minister of Health if his attention has been called to the number of local authorities who are refusing to co-operate in any way with any of the provisions of the 1923 Act; and whether, in view of the anxiety among houseless citizens to build houses for themselves, he can outline any scheme by which central application may be made subject to proposed houses conforming to local by-laws?

I am advised that all local authorities in whose areas serious pressure for houses can be said to exist have already taken some action under the 1923 Act, either directly or by assisting private enterprise. I trust that under the new Housing Bill such action may be widely developed, but I think it undesirable and probably impracticable to deal centrally with individual applications from all parts of the country.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the shortage of houses and the small rateable value of the smaller urban districts, he will consider so amending the financial provisions of the Housing Bill as to place those areas in the same position with respect to the subsidy as the purely agricultural districts?

The Government carefully considered the matter referred to by the hon. Member, but as I intimated on the Second Reading of the Housing Bill it was not found possible to make provision for additional assistance for the areas in question. I have undertaken, however, that on the occasion of the first review of the amount of Exchequer subsidy, which under the Bill will take place in 1927, the case of these areas shall again be specially considered.

asked the Secretary of State for War the terms upon which accommodation in Elphinstone Barracks and any of the forts in the Plymouth fortification system have been leased to the local authorities in Plymouth, and the rents and rates, respectively, charged by the municipality to the tenants and the terms on which the lettings are made to them; an whether any payment in advance has been exacted from the tenants?

The terms of the lease to the corporation are under consideration, but it is not proposed that the lease shall contain any stipulation as to the rents and rates, etc., to be charged by the corporation to its tenants

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is aware that the grievance of the yardcraft men in respect of their long hours of duty, which sometimes amount to 118:1 hours per week, has been outstanding for at least a quarter of a century; and whether he is aware of the great grievance felt by these men and by employés in the dockyard generally as to the delays in the Whitley Council procedure; and whether he could overhaul the whole machinery so as to effect more expeditious settlements of disputes?

I would draw the hon. Member's attention to the reply given on the 28th May to his question regarding the hours of duty of yardcraft men. Applications for the hours of duty of yardcraft men to be defined in the same way as for workman employed in factories and workshops have always been refused, and it may be that applications of this kind were being made so long ago as is suggested by the hon. Member. As regards the latter part of the question, it is not known that there is any widespread grievance on the ground suggested. Any proposal from the workmen's representatives on the Industrial Councils to review the machinery of those councils would receive the consideration of the Admiralty.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how often it is proposed to hold an advanced course for schoolmasters, Royal Navy, to qualify for senior masters, Royal Navy, similar to the course now proceeding at Greenwich?

It is expected that another advanced course for schoolmasters, Royal Navy, will be held at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, in 1925, and subsequent courses will be held as requisite.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty, with reference to the examination in His Majesty's dockyard for temporary clerks, whether he is aware that sonic of the candidates are disabled ex-service men; and, seeing that they could not possibly pass a medical examination, can he make arrangements to waive the medical examination in their case when they have been found educationally fit?

The medical examination of disabled ex-service men who are successful in passing the educational part of the examination will be governed by the provisions of Order in Council of 22nd March, 1918, which provides for the modification of the ordinary standard of physical qualifications in the case of candidates for appointment to the Civil Service whose health has been impaired by reason of service in His Majesty's Forces during the Great War. It is not considered necessary or desirable to waive the medical examination altogether.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what instructions are contained in the station orders with regard to vessels employed in the Persian Gulf visiting Karachi, Bombay, Ceylon or other places for the purpose of recuperating; whether these orders are being complied with; and, if not, why?

No specific instructions are contained in the station orders with regard to vessels in the Persian Gulf visiting Karachi, Bombay or Ceylon for the purpose of recuperating, but the Commander-in-Chief is instructed to make such distribution of his ships as may appear to him to be best calculated to preserve the health of the crews. All officers and men serving on the East Indies station are sent to Diyatalawa, in Ceylon, for a period of three weeks in each year for change of air. The sloops employed in the Persian Gulf periodically visit Karachi, Bombay and Colombo.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Allies now hold £T5,000,000, under the Treaty of Lausanne; whether this sum is in gold; and, if so, whether, considering the premium that could be obtained on the gold at the present time, it is the intention of the Government to sell the same, and thereby increase the amount which would ultimately become payable to those entitled to compensation?

The answer to the first two parts of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the third part, the gold will be placed, as soon as the Treaty come into force, at the disposal of the Inter-Allied Assessment Commission which is to deal with compensation, and I have no doubt that the Commission will take early steps to release the gold to the best advantage.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the reasons given by the Soviet Government for the enforced liquidation of the Russo-Caucasian Company; and what steps are being taken by the British Government in support of British commercial interests?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Erdington (Sir A. Steel-Maitland) on the 23rd of June.

asked the Prime Minister whether any definite proposals in respect of the placing of orders for manufactured goods have been made by the Soviet Government; what, in that case, is the value of such orders; and what specific proposals have been made for financing them?

I have been asked to reply. I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I am giving to-day to a similar question asked by the hon. Member for East Kingston-upon-Hull (Mr. Lumley).

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what port the rum-running ship, the "Ardenza," was bound when she sailed in May, 1923; What was the value of the cargo; when the ship returned to Leith; how much of her cargo was intact, and what had become of the rest; and, if the information is not available, whether he will obtain it?

The steamship "Ardenza" cleared from Leith for Vancouver, British Columbia, in May, 1923, with a mixed cargo of a total value of £51,246. She arrived back in this country on 1st May, 1924, with a cargo of lumber laden at Vancouver, discharged it at Chatham, and proceeded to Leith in ballast, arriving there on 9th May, 1924.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that executive officers of the mercantile marine may pass Board of Trade standards even if blind of one eye; and, in view of the fact that such a state of things is not consistent with safe navigation, and that Germany and other competing nations have a superior physical standard in this matter, whether he will have inquiry made into the matter?

Very careful consideration was given, some years ago, to the question whether the Board of Trade sight tests should lay down a standard for each eye, or should allow the standard of form vision required to be reached by a candidate using both eyes together, or either eye separately, at the option of the candidate. The present rule gives this option to the candidate, and accordingly it is possible, as suggested in the question, that a candidate may pass the Board of Trade sight tests even if blind in one eye. I am not aware that any serious consequences have resulted from the present rule, which has been in force since 1912, but if the hon. Member will communicate to me any evidence suggesting that the present rule has had serious consequences, I am prepared to reconsider the general question.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is proposing to take any action to delay the proposed closing of the Springhead locomotive works, as otherwise several hundred men will be thrown out of employment?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer, of which I am sending him a copy, to the question on this subject asked yesterday by the hon. and gallant Member for Central Hull (Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy).

asked the Minister of Transport (1) if he will consider the advisability of procuring details from the various railway groups of the number of railway officers and servants whose services have been dispensed with consequent upon amalgamation; and whether he will inquire what compensation has been made to any workers thus displaced;(2) whether he is aware that under the scheme of amalgamation a large number of railway porters have been dispensed with; whether he has considered the fact that the holiday season and week ends brings an increasing number of young children to the railways by means of school treats and the like; that there are not sufficient porters to provide for their safety; and will he bring the matter before the railway companies with a view to increase platform assistance, especially at week ends?

I have no reason to suppose that the services of any con- siderable number of railway officers and servants have been dispensed with, as a result of railway grouping, and I would remind my hon. Friend that any of the existing officers and servants referred to in the Third Schedule of the Railways Act are entitled to compensation, if their services be so dispensed with. No specific complaints have reached me to the effect that the number of porters is inadequate, but if my hon. Friend will furnish me with particulars of any such cases, I will bring them to the notice of the railway companies.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any directions by the Treasury, under Section 4 (b) (1) of the Income Tax Act, 1918, have yet been issued; if so, when were they issued and where can they be obtained; and, if no directions have yet been issued, whether the Treasury will issue the same without delay?

I assume that the hon. Member refers to the directions of the Treasury under Section 46 (1) of the Income Tax Act, 1918. On this assumption I would refer him to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Sudbury (Mr. Loverseed) on the 6th May. I am sending him a copy of that reply and of the directions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that within the West Ham area the reductions made in the Entertainments Duty have not been passed on to the people; and will he take steps to make the tax reductions beneficial to the public?

I can add nothing to the replies which I gave on this subject on the 19th June.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the International Acceptance Bank has placed at the disposal of the new German Gold Discount Bank a credit for Germany in dollars; how this affects the Treaty of Versailles; and has it the full approval of the Reparation Committee?

I have no information on this subject beyond what has appeared in the Press. As I understand it, the discount bank has secured an agreement by which approved German trade bills endorsed by American banks can be rediscounted in the United States. The grant of private banking credits of this nature in no way affects the Treaty of Versailles and, so far as I am aware, the Reparation Commission is not called upon to express approval or disapproval.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies for what reason Saiyid Talib Pasha is not permitted to return to Mesopotamia; and whether he is willing now to consider the question of permitting his return?

The circumstances in which Saiyid Talib Pasha was deported from Iraq were stated in the House on the 10th May, 1921, by the Secretary of State of the day in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Stafford (Mr. Ormsby-Gore). It has not hitherto been found practicable to permit Saiyid to return. I have the whole question under my consideration at the present time.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will set up a Committee of this House to consider the advisability of adopting the scheme of postal reform recently put forward whereby postal correspondence would be reclassified as ordinary and deferred, the former being postable and delivered as now, the latter postable during banking hours only and excluded from the first delivery?

After careful consideration of the scheme to which the hon. Member refers, my right hon. Friend has come to the conclusion that the practical difficulties to which it would give rise, and the curtailment of public facilities which it would involve, make it un- suitable for adoption. My right hon. Friend does not think that any useful purpose would be served by setting up a Committee to examine the scheme in detail.

asked the Postmaster-General what underground cables in connection with telephone re-organisation have been laid since 1st January last; what underground cables are now being laid; and what extensions of such underground cables is it hoped to complete by the close of the present year?

The subjoined lists give the information asked for by the hon. Member so far as main underground schemes are concerned. In addition, local underground development works are being carried out in practically every town in the country:

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will inquire into the circumstances attending the termination of the services of Mr. William O. Benbow, of 46, Odessa Road, Forest Gate; whether he is aware that this man is refused re-employment on the grounds that he did not serve with the Colours, notwithstanding the fact that he enlisted in December, 1915, and was not called to the regiment because he was medically rejected; and whether, therefore, the man's present application for reinstatement can be entertained?

Mr. Benbow was employed in a purely temporary capacity during the War, in substitution for members of the regular Post Office staff serving with the forces, and with the return to more normal conditions after the War it was no longer possible to continue his employment. I regret that it is not possible to regard as ex-service men candidates who did not actually serve with the forces, and, in view of the preference given to ex-service men, I am afraid that I can hold out no prospect of further Post Office employment being available for Mr. Benbow. He is, moreover, ineligible by age for appointment.

asked the Home Secretary who is responsible for the flag days permitted in the streets of the Metropolis; whether that authority receives information of the receipts and expenses accruing to the object for which flag days are held; and whether, in the interests of the really valuable charities served by flag days, it is proposed to adopt a more stringent censorship on the expenses charged for carrying through such events?

Permits for street collections in the Metropolitan Police district are granted by the Commissioner of Police, who is assisted by an advisory committee, and information as to receipts and expenses is not only received, but is also closely scrutinised. It is the invariable practice, before a permit is granted, to take into consideration both an estimate of expenditure and the expenses of any previous collection held by the applicant, and permits are refused if, after due warning, applicants have failed to keep their expenses down to a reasonable proportion of the total amount collected. It would be extremely difficult, even if the Commissioner had the power, to discriminate between applications according to the deserts of the benefiting charities, and a stricter censorship of accounts would not have the desired result, as the most valuable charities are not always the best served by the persons who undertake to collect for them. The question, however, of restricting, by some means or other, the number of collections, especially those carried out with processions and carnivals, is engaging the attention of the advisory committee.

asked the Minister of Labour if, for the information of the House in connection with the proposed legislation, he will furnish such information as he possesses respecting the attitude of the countries represented at the Washington Conference in regard to the adoption of the Forty-Eight-Hours Week Convention?

Of the countries represented at the Washington Conference, four, namely, Czechslovakia, India, Greece and Rumania, have ratified the Hours Convention. Bulgaria, although not represented at the Conference, has also ratified the Convention.The Governments of the following countries have recommended ratification of the Convention to their respective Legislatures:

I have no information as to when formal ratification in each case is likely to be communicated to the Secretary-General. In the case of the Netherlands, ratification, while approved by the Legislature, has been reserved to the Crown, the intention being that ratification would be proceeded with when it was certain that a certain number of States, the competition of which the Netherlands had to fear in the sphere of industry, would ratify the Convention. Belgium, Finland and Switzerland, while possessing eight-hour-day laws of varying scope, have indicated that they are not

yet prepared to ratify. I understand that the attitude of Belgium is that the Hours Convention should not be ratified before it has also been ratified by the great Powers which are competitors of Belgium in the world market. In the case of Finland, it is stated in Riksdag Paper No. 44 of 1921 that the Government note that Sweden and certain other important industrial States, their close competitors, have not ratified. The Paper goes on to say that the Convention was drawn up with reference more especially to conditions obtaining in the greater industrial countries, and certain of its provisions are not easily applicable to Finnish industry. The Government, therefore, do not feel justified in signifying their immediate acceptance. In Switzerland, the principle of the eight-hour day was carried out by Acts of the 27th June, 1919, and 6th March, 1920, which were accepted by the people at the referendum of the 31st October, 1920. The Federal Council considered it impossible to adapt the Acts to the Convention, and also considered it out of the question that the Swiss people would approve of the modification of the Acts before they had had time to appreciate their effects.The Government of Cuba have informed the International Labour Office that it is not considered expedient to ratify because the most important national industry, the manufacture of raw sugar, which is more in the nature of a continuation of agricultural processes than of industry, in the narrow sense of the word, would have to be excluded from the field of its application. The Canadian Government has stated that the matter is one for the provincial Governments to deal with. British Columbia has passed an 8-hour day Act, which comes into force on 1st January, 1925. China, Persia and Siam are expressly excluded from the provisions of

asked the Minister of Labour if, taking the number of those who have been refused unemployment benefit during the last year as a result of official decision that they were not seriously trying to obtain employment, he will give the industries to which in general these men and women belong?

I regret I am unable to give the information asked for, as the returns on which the figures are based do not provide for classification by industry.

asked the Minister of Labour how many engineers were unemployed in Great Britain, and how many of them were in the North-Eastern district, on the date on which figures were last available?

The number of men in Great Britain and in the North-Eastern Division, respectively, who were registered at Employment Exchanges on 26th May, 1924, as unemployed in the various branches of the engineering trades was as follows:

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the West Ham Guardians assist in carrying on the Ockenden farm colony, which was established under the old distress committees, and to which relieving officers relegate men whom they consider work shy; whether he is aware that this state of affairs is causing grave concern in the union area, as, with the present state of industrial depression, the mere fact that a man has been unemployed for a long period is no proof that he is unwilling to work; and whether it is upon the instructions of his Department that this procedure is maintained?

I am aware of the arrangement under which able-bodied men in receipt of relief may be sent to Ockenden for periods of one month. The cases are selected by the guardians themselves and not, as my hon. Friend suggests, by their officers, and are chosen on a variety of grounds of which the advisability of applying a work test is only one. I have no information which would suggest that the arrangement has had undesirable results.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what countries have suffered from foot-and-mouth disease since January, 1924?

Complete information is not available, but from such reports as my Department receives it would appear that, with the exception of Norway and the States of Esthonia and Latvia, foot-and-mouth disease has existed since 1st January last, and still exists generally throughout European countries. It exists also in Algeria, but South Africa is free. The extent of the disease in Asia is not accurately known, but outbreaks certainly have occurred in Turkey. In North America, California is affected, and it would probably be safe to say that the disease is prevalent through the South American Continent.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that considerable numbers of Canadian and United States students are now visiting Europe for educational purposes; whether students of primary, secondary, or public schools, or of training colleges or universities in this country are being encouraged to visit other countries for educational purposes; whether State assistance is given in this matter; and what has been its nature and amount during the past 12 months?

My attention has been called to the fact stated in the first part of the question. As regards primary schools, short visits of pupils to France have from time to time been arranged by local education authorities. As regards secondary schools, there are a number of unofficial schemes for exchange both of teachers and pupils in operation at the present time; and under a convention between the Board of Education and the. French Ministry of Public Instruction a number of young teachers and intending teachers of modern languages are appointed each year to the secondary schools and training colleges of each country. During the present school year there have been 56 English students in France and 44 French students in England under this convention. Assistance was also given during the year 1923–24 to six teachers and intending teachers to take courses of study abroad, at an estimated cost of £480. I hope that in the result of the Imperial Education Conference of last summer more effective arrangements for the interchange of teachers with the Dominions may be developed.