asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that in certain ships where voluntary attendance at religious services has been inauguarted the results have been exceptionally good from a point of view of numbers attending; and if he will authorise certain selected ships to forego, temporarily, compulsory attendance at religious services on board for officers and men, with a view to obtaining a practical expression of the opinion of the naval service in this matter?

The Admiralty have no information as to this, but inquiries will be made.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty the number of discharges that have taken place in His Majesty's naval establishments since the 31st March, 1923, giving a list of the establishments and the numbers of workmen discharged from each, and the proportion of ex-service men included among the workmen so discharged?

Since the 31st March, 1923, considerable numbers of workmen have been entered, and a large proportion of the men who have been discharged were men who were entered temporarily, subsequent to the 31st March, 1923, in relief of unemployment. In the Vote 8 Departments since the 31st March, 1923, there has been a net increase of over 2,000 in the number of workmen employed; this increase is largely due to the retention of men who were engaged for temporary service. To give precisely the figures asked for by the hon. Member would necessitate a detailed examination of the discharges, and would involve a considerable amount of labour for the staffs of the establishments; I hope, therefore, that the hon. Member will not press for a categorical answer.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many pre-War naval and marine pensioners served in the Army during the War; if their war service counted; and if the scales of pension were raised at the naval rates appropriate to the ranks held on demobilisation?

The actual numbers are not known, but it is estimated that they are comparatively few, probably less than 400. As regards the second and third part of the question, the war (service qualified for revision of the pre-War pension under post-War scales, but did not count as additional service for further reassessment.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India if he can give any information regarding the HinduMahommedan outbreaks at Delhi and other places in India; and in how many places troops have had to be called out in aid of the civil power?

No official telegram has so far been received, but the Government of India have been asked for an early report.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India (1) whether, in view of the numerous objections to the Madras Hindu Religious Endowments Bill 12 of 1922, the Secretary of State for India will have it examined; and whether he will advise the Governor-General to withhold his asent pending such examination;

(2) whether the Madras Hindus Religious Endowments Bill 12 of 1922 was reserved for the consideration of the Governor-General as required by the Rules under the Government of India Act; and, if it was not so reserved, why not;

(3) whether he is aware that the Madras Hindu Religious Endowments Bill 12 of 1922 contains provisions contemplating the creation of a select board to be appointed by the Governor acting with the Minister in charge with extensive powers over Hindu religious institutions; and whether the Secretary of State for India was consulted or informed before this departure was made from the principle of non-interference embodied in Section 22 of the Religious Endowment Act XX of 1863?

This Measure will in due course, if it is assented to by the Governor-General, come before my Noble Friend under the provisions of Section 82 of the Government of India Act. Until it does so come and he is apprised of all the facts connected with it, he is not prepared to prejudge his own action or that taken by any other authority upon it. The Secretary of State was not consulted about its terms before introduction, and there is no provision of law or rule which required that he should be so consulted.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he has received a copy of the resolution passed by the North Wales Counties Training College Committee, protesting against the present arrangement whereby the payment of capitation grants is made only to non-local education authority colleges; whether he is aware that the result of the system is that, whilst the non-local education authority colleges in a town receive from the Treasury the whole costs of providing the resident staff with free board and residence, in addition to salaries in accordance with the Burnham scale, the local education authority college in the same town has to look to the ratepayers for one-half of the cost of the board and residence of the staff; and whether he will take steps to put all the training colleges on the same footing?

I have received a copy of the resolution referred to in the question. I do not think the hon. Member's attention has been called to the concession mentioned in my answer in the House on the 9th April last, of which I am sending him a copy. Under that concession local education authorities maintaining training colleges will receive during the current financial year capitation grants in respect of their training college students in addition to a grant amounting to one-half of their net expenditure, and they will thus receive from the Treasury considerably more than one-half of the cost of maintaining their training colleges.

asked the Home Secretary if he has any further statement to make with regard to the conveyance by train of prisoners between Derby and Nottingham, with the consequent undesirable publicity; and if he will make representations to the authorities concerned that the motor vans now in the possession of certain of those authorities should be utilised for the purpose?

The Prison Commissioners tell me that they hope to arrange for motor transport, but their inquiries are not yet complete.

asked the Home Secretary if he can now give further information as to the reported cases of silicosis among miners; and whether any progress has been made with a view to schedule the same as an industrial disease under the Workmen's Compensation Act?

As the hon. Member will be aware, the reported occurrence of silicosis among coal miners, due to their work in the mines, has been the subject of inquiry by the Health Advisory Committee of the Mines Department, but I am informed by the Mines Department that the evidence so far received has proved to be untrustworthy. The investigation is, however, being continued.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in cases where citizens are injured by the police and no charge made against the citizen, or in cases where a charge is preferred and dismissed by the Court, medical attendance and all necessary expenses incurred in connection with such injuries are met from public funds or whether such citizens are expected to meet such expenses themselves?

Expenses incurred in the circumstances mentioned would, generally speaking, be met from public funds if a doctor were called by the police to attend to the prisoner in custody, or if such expenses are included in the costs allowed by the Court, but not otherwise.

also asked as to the fund from which the expenses are met on occasions when the local police deem it necessary to be defended in Court by solicitors or counsel; if such expenses are met from the borough police rate, what steps are taken to consult the local authorities, who have to levy the rate, before any such expenditure is incurred; and whether, in instances where the cases are police v. public, both sides can be defended from such borough fund?

The expenses referred to would ordinarily be met from the Police Fund, and in the case of a borough force would require the authority of the Watch Committee. If my hon. Friend refers to Police Court cases, the answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will consider the equipping of Sessions and Assize Courts with first-aid emergency cupboards, and authorising the attendance at Courts of qualified hospital officers during the time prisoners are awaiting or undergoing trial?

I am not aware of any necessity for these steps, but I am, of course, ready to consider any arguments my hon. Friend may care to submit to me.

asked the Home Secretary the number of charge sheets issued against prison officers during the years 1922 and 1923, respectively?

I am sorry that this information is not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the action of the United States Government in appointing representatives to visit the works of British manufacturers for the purpose of endeavouring to obtain information, evidenced by the production of original records, as to their costs of production; and whether, seeing that failure on the part of British manufacturers to supply such information or afford such inspection is likely to place such manufacturers under penalty or disability in respect of their export trade, he will state what steps he proposes to take in the matter?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, and His Majesty's Government are in communication with the United States Government on the matter.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office what arrangements have been made on the evacuation of Woolwich Dockyard in relation to safeguarding the interests of the workers at present employed; and whether they include provisions for the retention of such workers?

The effect of the evacuation of Woolwich Dockyard on the staff concerned has been under examination by a Committee, on which the employés are represented. From an interim Report which the Committee have presented, dealing mainly with the ease of war and post-war entrants it is, I regret to say, clear that a considerable number of discharges is inevitable as a result of closing the dockyard, although efforts are being made to find temporary work for some of the men concerned in other departments at Woolwich. The Committee has not yet reported on the position of the pre-War entrants.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the difficulty which men and women who are genuinely seeking employment experience in obtaining satisfactory evidence that they are genuinely seeking employment; and if he proposes to make further Employment Exchange Regulations to avoid this hardship?

In accordance, with the terms of the Act the requirement is that the local employment committee should be satisfied that the applicant is genuinely seeking whole-time employment. The local employment committees ordinarily act through rota committees, which in practice have to form their own judgment on the point after interviewing the applicant. These rotas almost always contain a representative or representatives of workpeople, and not infrequently consist solely of workpeople's representatives. I have received a number of complaints of the refusal of benefit on this ground, and am taking steps to look into the matter personally, but I have not so far discovered any evidence that the refusals of benefit are unjustified in any material number of cases. If the hon. Member will furnish me with details of any cases of hardship known to him it will help me in my inquiries, as it is difficult to investigate general statements.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of postmen appointed during 1923; and how many of these appointments were given to ex-service men?

The number of postmen appointed during 1923 was 1,802, of whom 1,008 were ex-service men.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is now in a position to make a statement on the Government's policy on the Donald Report; whether the Marconi Company has signified its willingness to co-operate on the lines of the decision: and whether he will state the reasons for the delay in making an official announcement?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to his question of the 23rd of June on the same subject.

asked the Minister of Transport when the Western Road will be open for traffic and the general public be afforded the same facilities as those granted during Ascot week to a limited section of racegoers?

Sections of the Great West Road were opened so as to make a through road for traffic, in order to relieve the pressure on the western exits from London during Ascot week. These sections were incomplete, and were afterwards closed, but I hope they will be opened again to traffic in a few weeks' time.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the Ford Motor Car Company has purchased 307 acres as a site for the erection of works capable of employing 10,000 persons; and whether, seeing that the erection of this factory is to be dependent upon an alteration in the law as regards the basis of motor taxes, he will carefully review this question?

I have been asked to answer this question. I have no information as to any action which the company may propose to take beyond the statements which have appeared in the Press. As regards any possible alteration in the law, 1 would ask my hon. Friend to await the publication of the Departmental Committee's Report, which I hope will be available very shortly.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the conditions obtaining on excursion and ordinary trains running to and from various places in the United Kingdom; that adequate seating and lavatory accommodation is not provided by the railway companies; that on 2nd July, 1024, an excursion train was run by the London Midland and Scottish Railway Company from Rotherham to London, on which, it was estimated, 200 people were without seating accommodation and had to stand during the whole of the 160 miles journey; and that, in spite of protests bring made to the railway company's officials, the same conditions had to be endured on the return journey: and will he take steps, by legislation or otherwise, to compel all railway companies in the United Kingdom to provide adequate seating and every other necessary accommodation for the travelling public?

I have several times had occasion to bring to the notice of the railway companies cases where complaints as to accommodation have been made on their trains, and in reply they say that every possible effort will he made by them to provide adequate accommodation. I am causing inquiries to be made with regard to the particular ease to which my hon. Friend refers and will communicate with him as soon as my inquiries are complete.

asked the Secretary for Scotland why the land drainage scheme does not extend to the Western Isles; and whether, in view of the necessity for land improvement in crofting areas, he is prepared to extend this scheme so as to include these isles?

The object of the land drainage scheme is not only the improvement of land, but the relief of unemployment. This scheme is not considered suitable for application to the Western Isles because of the expense and difficulty of supervising a large number of small and isolated operations and the difficulty of securing the necessary administrative and financial control. Accordingly the relief of unemployment in the Western Isles has been treated as a problem distinct from that on the mainland, and it has been found that the construction and improvement of roads is the most suitable useful work in these areas both from the point of view of relieving distress and of administration. Relatively larger sums have been expended on road works for the relief of distress in the Western Isles than on the land drainage scheme elsewhere. It follows, therefore, that the non-application of the drainage scheme to the Western Isles does not constitute a hardship seeing that the needs of that district have been more suitably met by relief works of another kind. In the circumstances I am not prepared to extend the land drainage scheme to these islands.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he is able to state the amount of grant-in aid that was open for acceptance by the new small landholders on the Ardroil settlement, in the Island of Lewis; whether application has been made by these holders for the construction of access roads: and how such application was dealt with?

Ardroil is part of the Carnish-Ardroil settlement formed by the Board of Agriculture in 1921. The grants towards the cost of roads and paths amounted to £510 of which £420 was allocated to Carnish and £90 to Ardroil. The grants were accepted by the holders and the work has been completed, excepting a peat road at Carnish now under construction. I understand that the Ardroil holders recently applied for an additional grant for a new peat road, but that the application was refused because the Board considered the existing road sufficient.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether the Board of Agriculture for Scotland have intimated their decision in the matter of Knockintoran-Paiblesgarry march fence in North Uist; and, if not, whether, in view of the importance of the matter to these townships, he will ask the Board to expedite the matter?

I am informed that the Board are prepared to proceed with the more urgent and necessary repairs to this fence. The fence, however, is a boundary one between the Board's property and that of another estate, and the latter have indicated that they are not prepared to bear their share of the cost. It will therefore be necessary, before the work is commenced: for the Board to call on them in a competent process to concur. The necessary procedure is being followed, and it is hoped that the repairs may be put in hand shortly.

asked the Secretary for Scotland the number of houses required during the next five years of each of the following categories, namely, two apartments and scullery, three apartments and scullery, and four apartments and scullery, respectively, in each of the following towns, or as many of them as statistics are available for, namely, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen, Greenock, Paisley, Dumfries, Perth, Port Glasgow, Motherwell, Airdrie, Coatbridge, Hamilton, Inverness, Ayr, also in Mid-Lanark and Lanark Lower Ward; and can he state how many of these houses are required to take the place of houses certified by the medical officer of health as uninhabitable?

Statistics are not available giving the information desired, but I am sending the right hon. Baronet a statement based on the shortage of houses in the localities mentioned as estimated by the local authorities in 1919, and showing the number of houses completed or under construction under State assisted schemes since that date. The accommodation to be provided in houses that may be erected by these local authorities during the next five years is a matter for arrangement between the Scottish Board of Health and the local authorities when the latter submit their proposals for approval.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has given consideration to the possibilities of utilising steel sheeting in construction of dwelling houses; and, if so, whether he will issue a report dealing with costs, comfort, and health considerations in regard to houses so constructed as compared with houses built of ether materials?

The answer to the first part of the question is "Yes," but no proposals of this kind so far made have promised to provide a satisfactory and durable house at reasonable cost. 1 do not think any good purpose would be served by the issue of a report by my Department at the present time. Any fresh proposals on this or other lines of new house construction will have my most careful consideration.

asked the Minister of Health how many local authorities in this country have not installed modern sewage and water systems owing to their inability to raise the necessary financial assistance?

I regret that I have not information of the number of authorities who have not installed modern sewage and water systems because of lack of means.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that Market Drayton has the highest rate of infant mortality of all the urban districts of Shropshire, including Shrewsbury, the figures being, total urban districts, 52 deaths per 1,000 births, and Market Drayton, 111 deaths per 1,000 births; and that this excess of infant mortality has been consistently high since the formation of the urban district; and whether he will cause some medical member of his staff to make inquiry whether the guardians of this urban district make sufficient provision for necessitous mothers, expectant mothers, and newborn children in the matter of medical aid, provision of milk, and other food?

I am aware that the infant mortality rate in Market Drayton has generally been in excess of the average for the whole of the urban districts in Shropshire, but I would point out that this was not the case in two of the nine nine which have elapsed since the formation of the urban district, and that the rate for 1923 was 85 per 1,000 births, as compared with 111 in 1922. As regards the last part of the question, the county council is the authority responsible for maternity a ad child welfare work in this urban district and I will arrange for an early inspection by one of the medical officers of the department, when enquiry will be made in regard to the matters mentioned in the question.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, in view of the delay in the payment of dividends by the clearing office on agreed claims against the German Government, he will take all possible steps to expedite the payment of these dividends?

I have been asked to reply. Claims by British nationals against the German Government under Article 297( h ) of the Treaty of Versailles in respect of the proceeds of liquidation of their property in Germany, are paid in full by the British Clearing Office on admission by the German Clearing Office, or on an award by the Anglo-German Mixed Arbitral Tribunal. As regards claims against the German Government for compensation under Article 297( e ), which in most cases are complementary to claims for proceeds of liquidation, all awards of £50 and under are paid in full, and a further dividend of 7s. 6d. in the £ was paid by the British Clearing Office last week on awards exceeding £50, making, with previous dividends paid, a total distribution to date of 15s. in the £. A further dividend will be paid as and when sufficient funds are available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider the addition of a Clause to the Finance Bill granting repayment of Land Tax in addition to relief before duty paid, as at present granted under the Finance Act of 1898?

The relief from Land Tax to which the hon. and gallant Member refers is by law claimable by reference to the amount of the total income as proved for any financial year before the Land Tax for that year is paid. The Land Tax is due on the first day of January in the year of assessment, and there is no provision for repayment. This matter had previously been brought to my right hon. Friend's notice and after giving it full consideration he reached the same conclusion as was arrived at by two recent Chancellors of the Exchequer, namely, that he could not support or put forward legislative proposals in the direction suggested in this question.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the amounts returned to landowners under Section 57 (3) of the Finance Act, 1920?

The total repayments under Section 57 (3) of the Finance Act, 1920, are as follow: £ Increment Value Duty … 418,450 Increment (Annual) … 26,043 Undeveloped Land Duty … 154,286 Reversion Duty … 239,984 £838,763