asked the Secretary of State for War what number of gallons of motor spirit are consumed annually by all his Departments?

The quantity required varies from year to year, but the estimated requirements for 1924–25 are 1,000,000 gallons.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that a number of workmen employed at the Royal Army Ordnance Depot, Weedon, have been given notice of discharge on the ground that they are over 60 years of age; if so, is this the first time men have been discharged from Weedon on the ground of age before they have reached 65 years, and whether, in view of the acknowledged efficiency of these men, and of the extreme difficulty they will have in finding other employment, he will reconsider this matter?

I am aware that 18 men have recently become due for discharge on attaining the age of 60 years, and that notice of discharge has already been given in 12 cases. It has not, hitherto, been customary at Weedon to discharge men under 65, but certain discharges are, in any case, necessary on account of reduction of work, and the choice lies between these men and younger men, who are all ex-service men and mostly with young families. I deeply regret the necessity for these discharges, but I am satisfied that the Chief Ordnance Officer has exercised the discretion which he possesses with great care and sympathy in difficult circumstances. I would point out that, with the one exception of a man of only three years' service, the 18 men will receive, on discharge, either a pension or a gratuity of a week's pay for each year of their service.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many claims for a long-service pension have been put forward unsuccessfully since January, 1922, by old soldiers who left the Army prior to the great War, but rejoined; and whether he possesses any statistics to show how many of these men with a length of service over 10 years are now dependent on the Poor Law?

I regret that I am not in a position to give this information, as statistical records of this nature are not kept.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of old soldiers now receiving service pensions for Army service prior to the great War, their average age, and the average weekly sum paid to them?

I regret I am not in a position to state the average age, bet the number of these pensioners is approximately 41,500, and the average weekly sum paid is 19s. 6d.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether the Government have considered the question of awarding life pensions to ex-service men suffering from consumption due to war service; and, if so, what decision was arrived at?

All cases of pulmonary tuberculosis are considered individually on their merits for final awards in accordance with the terms of the Final Awards Regulations, but, for the most part, it is found that owing to the nature of the disease, they are unsuitable for an award on a permanent basis. My right hon. Friend is prepared, however to consider with his medical advisers whether, consistently with the best interests of the men, any further action can be taken in the direction suggested.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many widows have unsuccessfully appealed for compensation in respect of the death of their husbands under the War Risks Compensation Scheme; and in how many cases of such claims any payment has been made and to what amount?

There are at present about 10,800 widows, children and dependants receiving payments under the War Risks Compensation Schemes, the annual payments amounting in all to £446,750. I am afraid it is not possible to give the number of the applications for com- pensation by or on behalf of widows which were unsuccessful.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the nature of essential raw material for any British industries which the British Empire cannot produce, and cannot hope to produce, within reasonable time for the requirements of our trade?

This matter is not one which can be dealt with adequately within the limits of a Parliamentary question and answer. The hon. Member will, however, find a considerable amount of information on the subject in Appendix I to the Report of the Dominions Royal Commission (Cd. 8462 of 1917) and in the "Memorandum and Tables relating to the Food and Raw Material Requirements of the United Kingdom," issued by the same Commission (Cd. 8123 of 1915).

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has been able to complete his consideration of the Committee's Report on the Severn barrage scheme; and if he is now able to make any announcement on the subject?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to him on the 8th July. The matter is under consideration by the Government, and a statement will be made as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture when the Report of the recent Ouse Drainage Inquiry will be published?

My right hon. Friend has received a preliminary report on this matter dealing with proposals for State assistance to the cost of the drainage scheme. On this he has made certain proposals, which are wider consideration by a committee appointed by the Drainage Board. The final report must await the result of these negotiations. Reports of this nature are confidential and not published.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that new houses and buildings are being erected on undeveloped land fronting the arterial roads leading into London within the London traffic area without in many cases making provision for even a footpath for pedestrians, much less for future necessary widenings; and whether, in view of the fact that the root cause of the London traffic difficulty is that the principal approach and circular roads are too narrow and too few, what steps he proposes to take to secure that no new building shall be erected on Class 1 and Class 2 roads without conserving sufficient land for footpaths and future widenings?

I am aware that in many cases insufficient provision is being

— 1922–23. 1923–24. Total £ £ £ Maintenance and improvement of existing roads. 11,733,000 13,244,000 24,977,000 Works of new road construction 2,543,000 4,196,000 6,739,000 14,276,000 17,440,000 31,716,000

asked the Home Secretary if his attention has been called to the growing practice among cyclists of carrying young children seated across the handle-bars or upon the top cross-bars of their cycles; and whether he will take steps to make this dangerous practice a punishable offence?

I am not aware that the practice is increasing, but in any case. I do not know of any powers under which I could deal with it.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the legal prohibition of overcrowding in the case of public vehicles plying upon the public streets, he is prepared to introduce legislation to prevent similar overcrowding of

made for the future widening of important roads on the outskirts of London and other great towns. In the present state of the law it is impossible to ensure the general prescription of adequate building lines, and I am considering in conjunction with the Minister of Health what additional powers are required for this purpose.

asked the Minister of Transport if, taking the expenditure of the Road Fund for the last two years, he will state the amount which is being spent on road upkeep, on the one hand, and on the construction of new arterial roads, on the other?

I am unable to give the figures of actual expenditure under the two headings suggested in the hon. Member's question, but the grants made from the Road Fund during the last two financial years have, been (in round figures) as follows:

the railways and, in particular, to prohibit the present dangerous practice of travelling on the platforms of the underground railway carriages?

I do not think that legislation to the effect suggested by my hon. Friend would be practicable. I understand from the London Electric Railway Company that the practice of allowing passengers to travel on the open platforms of the carriages is discouraged as much as possible, and open platforms have been discontinued on the new type of rolling stock which is now being introduced upon the tube railways.

asked the Postmaster-General if he can give the reason why his Department has not yet paid Mr. Gallagher, late postmaster of Omagh, for the time he was interned by the Northern Government without charge, and the regulation under which such an order was made; is he aware that the police authorities at Omagh could prefer no charge against Mr. Gallagher; and if he will, in the circumstances, now consider payment of Mr. Gallagher's salary for the period of his detention?

It was open to all Post Office servants interned by the Northern Ireland Government to appeal to have their cases heard before the Advisory Committee set up to deal with such cases. Mr. Gallagher was one of a number of Post Office servants who did not take the necessary steps, though they were specially instructed to do so, and warned that failure to comply with the instruction would probably entail loss of pay. In view of these facts, no pay has been allowed to any of the officers concerned for the period of internment, and I see no reason for treating Mr. Gallagher exceptionally.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) the number of auxiliary postmen having the following respective periods of service to their credit: 1 to 5 years, 6 to 10 years, 11 to 15 years, 16 to 20 years, 21 to 25 years and 21 to 30 years?

(2) the number of auxiliary postmen employed from 12 to 17 hours weekly, from 18 to 24 hours weekly and from 25 to 36 hours weekly?

I regret that the information asked for is not available, and could not be obtained without considerable trouble. The total number of auxiliary postmen and postwomen is about 12,400.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if his attention has been called to the case of James Gerraghty, of 40, Gerrard Street, Liverpool, an old age pensioner, whose pension has been reduced from 10s. per week to 6s., and whose other income only amounted to £14 7s. 2d. during the year 1923 and this year, up to date, £6; and, if this is not in accordance with existing Regulations, will he make inquiries into the case?

I am making inquiry into this case, and will communicate with my hon. Friend.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total receipts of the Entertainments Duty for each of the first six months of the present year and give the comparative figures for the same periods in 1923?

The receipts from Entertainments Duty in Great Britain for each of the first six months of the years 1923 and 1924 were as follow:

£ £ 1923. 1924. January … … 947,916 930,153 February … … 802,455 817,328 March … … 905,207 761,315 April … … 822,677 778,000 May … … 731,759 766,000 June … … 668,046 372,000

The figures for April, May and June of this year are approximate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can give the estimated aggregate profits of the brewing companies of the United Kingdom for 1913, and for each year subsequently up to 1918, inclusive?

The following estimates have been prepared of the profits of brewery concerns, whether owned by individuals, firms, or companies, for the accounting years ended within the Income Tax years 1913–14 to 1918–19 inclusive. The estimated profits stated represent profits as computed for the purpose of Income Tax, Schedule D, increased where necessary by the addition of Excess Profits Duty (allowable as a deduction in computing income Tax profits), and reduced by the amount allowed in each year for Income Tax purposes in respect of the wear and tear of plant and machinery. The figures include any profits arising from carrying on any trade ancillary to the main business of brewing, as, for example, from the retail trade of managed houses, sale of wines and spirits, bottling, etc.:

Accounting Years ended in the Income Tax Years. Estimated Profits of Brewing Concerns in the United Kingdom. £ 1913–14 … … 9,971,000 1914–15 … … 11,680,000 1915–16 … … 13,181,000 1916–17 … … 14,220,000 1917–18 … … 24,394,000 1918–19 … … 30,190,000

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is now in a position to announce his decision in reference to the refunding of Income Tax to the Yorkshire Philosophical Society?

The question of the title of this Society to exemption from Income Tax is still under consideration and I urn not yet in a position to announce a decision on the matter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to the proposal made at the recent conference of the Scottish Labour Housing Association that the Government should issue paper notes instead of borrowing from money owners and money lenders to pay for the new housing development scheme; whether the Government have considered this proposal; and if he will state whether the suggestion is considered a practicable one?

I have not seen the proposal referred to by the hon. and gallant Member. The answer to the remaining parts of the question is in the negative.

asked the Minister of Health how many villages in the administrative county of Wiltshire will be eligible to obtain the subsidy of £12 10s. per house under the new Housing Bill?

A statement giving this information will be prepared and sent to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health how many villages in the administrative county of Kent will be eligible for the subsidy of £12 10s. per house under the Housing Bill; and, if not, will he give the names of those villages which are eligible?

A statement giving this information will be prepared and sent to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health how many executive and administrative posts there are in headquarters branches of his Ministry; how many of these posts are held by women; and how many by ex-service men?

There are 364 executive and administrative officers serving in the headquarters branches of the Ministry of Health. Of these officers, 19 are women and 168 ex-service men.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is aware that Mr. R. F. C. Keats, a dockyard pensioner, No. 3204a, has had his pension reduced from £56 5s, 4d. to £40 13s. 8d. per annum with effect from the 1st April last; and on what grounds this reduction was made?

The reduction of pension referred to by the hon. and gallant Member in the case of Mr. R. F. C. Keats, a retired fitter of Portsmouth dockyard, was, in accordance with the limitation imposed by the Pensions (Increase) Act., that, as a widower with no dependent children under 16 years of age, his total income, including increase of pension, must not exceed £150 a year. If the hon. and gallant Member will communicate with me, I shall be pleased to furnish him with the details of the case.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he can state the present position of the negotiations with regard to the dispute between the miners' organisations and the mine owners of the Bristol, Kent and other coalfields in respect of the alleged violation of the national agreement?

I have had no part in the negotiations which have taken place in this matter. I am informed that the question has now been settled in Somerset, but is still outstanding in Kent, Bristol and Forest of Dean, and that the meeting held between the Mining Association and Miners' Federation on the 3rd July failed to find a way out of the difficulty. I understand that it was stated definitely on behalf of the Mining Association that they expected every colliery that continued to work to observe the terms of the national agreement.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that considerable dissatisfaction exists regarding the appointment of persons to be justices of the peace; and whether he will have legislation introduced permitting local authorities to appoint some of their number for a limited period of years as justices, thus following the practice which prevails in Scotland?

I have been asked to reply. I am not aware that any dissatisfaction exists regarding the method of selecting and appointing persons to be justices of the peace in England. The alternative method suggested by the hon. Member was not recommended by the Royal Commission on the Selection of Justices of the Peace, which considered both the Scottish and the English systems, and I do not think it necessary or desirable to introduce legislation on the subject.