asked the Postmaster-General the number of telephonists employed in 1925–26, together with the approximate totals of basic pay and bonus?

The particulars are as follow: Number of telephonists, 18,340; basic pay, £1,290,800; bonus, £1,025,600. The figures include male and female staff, both full time and part time.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the Post Office Engineering Department have notified the Isle of Thanet Rural District Council of their intention of opening roads at Minster for the purpose of laying cable; that these roads have only just been re-surfaced at considerable expense; and that such repair work would have been postponed had the council received earlier intimation of the intention of the Department; and whether, with a view to avoiding unnecessary expenditure of public money in the future, he will instruct the Department to give not less than six months' notice to any local authority in whose area it is intended to open roads?

As long notice as possible is given of works entailing the opening of roads, and in this instance the work is not due to be commenced for at least six months' and probably longer. The notification to which my hon. Friend refers was a preliminary inquiry as to the cost of reinstatement in the event of the roads having to be opened.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the units-of-work figures at Belfast exceed 3,000: what unit value is given for the following details of work: returned letter branch, survey of 17 head offices, office of exchange for foreign and colonial mails, Customs examination of parcels from United States of America, Canada, and Irish Free State, accounting work, distribution of stores, statistical return of correspondence posted by and delivered to the Government of Northern Ireland, new work which has recently been added to Belfast and which is apparently not included in the figures recently quoted by him; whether he is aware that all these classes of work are. not being performed at Leeds, Newcastle-on-Tyne, and Bristol, with which Belfast is being compared; and will he now consider the question of allowing credit for all work performed at Belfast and grant the status warranted by its position as a capital city?

No special unit credit is allowed for the items of work referred to. I am aware that certain of these items of work are not performed at Leeds, Newcastle-on-Tyne and Bristol, but the aggregate amount of work at each of the latter offices is considerably greater than at Belfast, and there are no adequate grounds for granting a higher classifiestion to the supervising staff at Belfast.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether it is proposed to reduce the rates of pay for the Army by amounts varying from 9d. a day in the case of privates to 2s. a day in the case of sergeant-majors; and whether it is proposed to make a reduction in the rates of pay of men in the Reserve called up for duty or will they be paid at the rates current at present while they are with the colours?

I cannot at present add anything to my reply to the same questions which the hon. Member addressed to me on the 28th July.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the declared policy that no Government capital or assistance is furnished for trading purposes to the Army, Navy and Air Force Institute, he will inquire why a building known as the Cavallier, in Malta, is used for trading by that institute; and whether he is aware that when such War Office holdings are used for purposes other than defence the possession thereof reverts by the Order in Council of 1896 to the use of the Malta taxpayers?

I will have inquiries made as to the conditions under which this building 13 occupied by the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes, and will communicate further with the hon. Member. As regards the second part of the question, I am aware of the provisions of the Order in Council referred to, but I cannot discuss their application to the present case without further information from Malta, which will be called for.

asked the Minister of Pensions the number of ex-service men who have been drawing pensions since 1919 and who to-day are still not in receipt of final awards?

The number is approximately 150,000.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware that George Albert Stokes, No. 1,700, A.B., Royal Naval Division, was fatally wounded on 3rd November, 1917; that his mother, Isabella Stokes, at present residing at Newbridge, Monmouthshire, applied for a dependant's pension on 1st February, 1918; that this pension was not granted until February, 1925; and that Mrs. Stokes is now applying for the arrears of pension due to her; and will he have the case immediately investigated with a view to granting this application?

The hon. Member has been misinformed as to the facts of this case. Mrs. Stokes was, I find, awarded a pension of 5s. a week, under Article 21 (1) ( c ) of the Royal Warrant of December, 1919, dating from February, 1922 (not 1025). This class of pension, which was introduced at the end of 1918, was awarded from date of application only. No trace can be found of any previous application by Mrs. Stokes; but in any case, if she had made inquiries in February, 1918, she would not have been eligible for this pension.

asked the Minister of Pensions what is the amount payable as treatment allowances in the case of a pensioner in hospital who has a wife and two children; and under what authority a de- pendant's pension drawn by a mother for the loss of a son in the War is deducted from treatment allowances?

Assuming the pensioner was an ex-private, the normal treatment allowances payable in the case referred to for the man and his family would be 54s. 6d. per week, over and above the cost of the pensioner's own maintenance, which is borne by the Ministry. Treatment allowances are payable under the authority, and subject to the conditions determined under Article 6 of the Royal Warrant, and are "in lieu of any pension and allowances." The adjustment in respect of dependants' pension is made under that authority.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether the Ministry accept responsibility for payment of treatment allowance to any person who receives instructions from a local representative of the Ministry to obtain medical treatment; whether he is aware that Mr. E. Goreing, of 60, Winstanley Crescent, Ramsgate, an ex-service man, was so instructed; whether he will state the view taken by the Ministry of the certificate of the medical practitioner who attended Mr. Goreing for two consecutive periods of a fortnight each, and why the Ministry differentiate between those two periods by granting treatment allowance in respect of one and not of the other; and whether he will arrange for payment to Mr. Goreing of treatment allowance for the unpaid period?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. Certification for the purpose of the grant of allowances during treatment is the responsibility, subject to the Regulations of the Ministry, of medical officers appointed by the Ministry for the purpose, in accordance with the terms of the Warrant. With regard to the case of Mr. Goreing, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave him on the same case on the 18th June, and I would point out that the fact that, as a result of the examination and fuller consideration of the case by a specialist, it was found that the circumstances of the case did not justify the payment of allowances clearly precludes the adoption of the course suggested in the last part of the question.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will inquire into the rejection of the claim for pension made by Mrs. D. M. Tanner, of S, Godwin Road, Cliftonville, Margate; whether he is aware that, although removed from duty at the time of marriage, her husband, the late Private J. J. Tanner, No. 65817, North Staffordshire Regiment, was still in the Army; that the marriage was known to the military authorities; that Mrs. Tanner received separation allowance until her husband's death; that Private Tanner was removed from duty owing to influenza and not owing to tuberculosis, from which he died later; that when he was discharged in 1919 his Army papers contained no reference to tuberculosis; and that Mrs. Tanner was not aware at the time of marriage that her husband suffered from that disease?

The provisions of the Royal Warrant do not, I regret, admit of pension being granted in the case referred to, the marriage having taken place after the man had been removed from duty (and was, in fact, still under treatment) in consequence of a condition the symptoms of which, in the opinion of my medical advisers, were definitely indentifiable with the disease from which he ultimately died.

Approximate annual cost of maintenance in Full Commission in Home Waters at present prices. — Battleship. Battle Cruiser. Cruiser. Destroyer. Submarine. Nelson.* Hood. Kent.* Amazon.* "O" Class.* £ £ £ £ £ Full pay, marriage and other allowances, National Health Insurance and employment Insurance. 195,000 180,200 109,900 17,500 13,200 Victualling, clothing and mess gear 55,500 52,700 34,100 5,300 2,300 Medical stores, etc 650 600 350 60 30 Miscellaneous effective services 7,700 7,360 4,700 750 320 Fuel and lubricating oils 22,600 48,300 15,900 8,400 3,000 Sea stores 16,000 16,000 7,000 1,800 1,000 Repairs 40,000 45,000 19,000 5,000 15,000 Armament stores 42,570 25,140 16,600 2,690 1,100 Total direct charges 380,020 375,300 207,550 41,500 35,950 Liability in respect of retired pay and pensions. 52,940 51,970 31,300 5,200 2,080 Grand Total 432,960 427,270 238,850 46,700 38,030 *….under construction.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the cost of the latest type of battleship, battle cruiser, destroyer, light cruiser, and submarine, respectively; what proportion of the cost is due to labour, material, establishment charges, and profit; and what is the annual cost, in the case of each type, of wages, salaries, victualling, clothing, repairs, maintenance and other expenses?

The cost of a battleship of the latest type inclusive of torpedoes, ammunition, etc., is approximately £7,000,000. Of this, about £3,200,000 is due to labour, and £2,100,000 to material, the remainder being due to profit and to establishment charges such as rent, rates, light, power, maintenance, etc. The cost of a battle cruiser similar to H.M.S. "Hood" would be about £6,000,000, of which approximately £2,700,000 is due to labour, and £1,800,000 due to material. The corresponding figures for a modern light cruiser are £2,000,000, £900,000 and £600,000; for a modern destroyer £325,000, £145,000, £98,000; and for a modern submarine £400,000, £180,000, £120,000. Particulars of the approximate annual cost of maintenance of each type are given in the following table:

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether it is proposed to make any reduction in the pay of the men in the Royal Fleet Reserve and the Royal Naval Reserve, if and when called up for duty, and also to reduce the pay of the lower deck in the Navy; and whether an opportunity will be afforded to the House to express an opinion before any reduction in the pay of the Navy is made?

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave the hon. Member on the 29th July (OFFICIAL REPORT, 29th June, Columns 409–10).

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether the aircraft carrier "Hermes" has been ordered to proceed to the China station; and, if so, for what purposes aeroplanes or seaplanes are to be used on that station?

His Majesty's ship "Hermes" has been detached to the China station. Her aircraft will be utilised for training and exercising the personnel of the Fleet Air arm, and, if necessary, in co-operation with His Majesty's naval and military forces for the protection of lives and property of British subjects.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether, in regard to Frederick Tann, who was sentenced to six strokes with the birch at the Wealdstone Police Court on the 23rd June for placing three iron rail-chairs on the railway line, he can state what school this boy attended; whether he is of normal intelligence or below the normal; whether his attendance at school has been regular or otherwise; and whether he has received any reports either in regard to his mental, physical or general health?

This boy attended the Greenhill Council School at Harrow. I am informed by the Middlesex authority that neither his work nor his attendance was satisfactory, but I have received no special reports in regard to him.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether it is proposed to reduce the rates of pay for men joining the Air Force; and whether, before any reduction of the pay of men in the Air Force is made, an opportunity will be afforded the House to express an opinion for or against any proposed lowering of the pay?

I (have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member's similar question on the 20th July last.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been drawn to a memorial addressed to the Secretary of State for India in Council by the covenanted mechanics of the East Indian Railway, in which the memorialists ask that the overseas allowance and free return passages, recommended for gazetted officers of the Indian State Railways in the Report of the Lee Commission, be granted to the non-gazetted officer or covenanted mechanic class as well; and whether this memorial is receiving favourable consideration?

The memorial has not yet been received from the Government of India.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of cases of applicants for unemployment benefit which have been referred to the chief insurance officer during the first six months of this year and the number of cases in which he has allowed benefit?

During the first six months of this year 272,340 applications for benefit were referred to the chief insurance officer, who allowed benefit in 90,033 cases. In disallowed cases there is a right of appeal to the Court of Referees, and in certain circumstances a further appeal to the Umpire. It should be added that the figures represent claims and not necessarily different claimants, and further, that a single claim or small group of claims taken as a "test" may govern a large number of other claims.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the Employment Exchange at Ayr is quite unsuitable for the work carried on, being formerly a bakehouse, and that the heating, ventilation, and lighting are all bad; and whether, having regard to the health of the staff, he can take any steps with a view to improving the existing conditions of work?

I am not aware that the Employment Exchange building at Ayr is unsuitable or that the ventilation is unsatisfactory. Complaints have been made in respect of natural lighting and heating and a scheme for improving these matters has been approved.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the conditions in many of the Employment Exchanges throughout the country, he will say what steps are to be taken to increase the staffs of the offices so that the men and women employés shall not be called upon to work excessive hours to the injury of their health, and to the detriment of the proper performance of their duties to the Department and to the public who have to attend at the exchanges?

I have nothing to add to the answer given on this matter to the hon. Member for Devonport (Major Hore-Belisha) on the 29th July.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of workers in the building industry unemployed on the last available date; and whether any assistance is provided in the way of paying fares to enable these men to travel where work is available?

On the 22nd June, 50,910 building trade workers were registered at Employment Exchanges as unemployed of whom 12,000 were skilled workers, 20,000 skilled workers labourers and 18,000 others. Under the Labour Exchanges Act, 1909, fares may be advanced by way of loan to enable workmen to travel to places where employment has been found for them through an Employment Exchange. If such a workman is an insured contributor who appears to be entitled to benefit at the date of the advance one half of the amount by which the fare exceeds 4s. may be paid outright out of the Unemployment Fund.

asked the Minister of Labour what special steps are being considered by the Government, in view of the serious trade outlook, to deal with the unemployment problem during the coming winter; and whether such steps will be publicly stated previous to the House rising for the Recess?

This matter was dealt with in the Debate of the Appropriation Bill last evening.

asked the Prime Minister when he intends to appoint the Departmental Committee that he promised to the deputation that he received on 23rd July in connection with the necessitous Poor Law areas; and what will be the terms of reference?

I cannot add anything to the answer which I gave yesterday in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Middlesbrough West (Mr. T. Thomson).

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether the application of the Strathnaver crofters, supported by the county council of Sutherland, and approved by the Board of Agriculture for Scotland, for an extension of hill grazing on Rhifail Farm, will be granted in time to admit of entry being given to the ground at Whitsunday, 1926?

The Board of Agriculture are in communication with the proprietor, but it is not possible at present to say what arrangements with respect to any such enlargements will be practicable.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will arrange with the Treasury and the Ministry of Transport that, on any use being made of the Road Fund not contemplated in 1909–10, portions of it should be used for minor rural authority roads, and, in suitable agricultural districts, for the provision of narrow-gauge light railways by roadsides for the carriage of agricultural produce to and from markets?

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to a statement made by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport last night on the subject of assistance to rural roads from the Road Fund. With regard to the latter part of the question, I would remind the right hon. Gentleman that suitable light railways are eligible for assistance from the Unemployment Grants Committee.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can now announce the policy of the Government with regard to grants for drainage purposes; and, if such grants are to be continued, what amounts will be available yearly and for how many years will they be continued?

The Government propose to continue during the coming winter, grants for land drainage on the same basis as heretofore, and I am preparing a programme for an expenditure of £200,000 a year on land drainage during the five years commencing 1926–27.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of promotions of male clerical officers to the junior executive class and the higher clerical class, respectively, since April, 1924, and the names of the Departments, together with the numbers of the promotions involved, in which the promotions have been made.

in pursuance of fits reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 23rd June, 1925; col. 1298], supplied the following figures:

Following is a statement of the number of male clerical officers promoted to ( a ) the junior executive class and ( b ) the higher clerical class from the 16th April 1924, to the 1st June, 1925.

The promotions to the junior executive class include nine acting promotions and 14 acting promotions made substantive.

The promotions to the higher clerical class include 46 acting promotions and 21 acting promotions made substantive. Department. Clerical Officers promoted to Junior Executive Posts. Clerical Officers' promoted to Higher Clerical Posts. Admiralty 1 1 Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. — 2 Air Ministry — 9 British Museum and Natural History Museum. — 3 Civil Service Commission — 1 Colonial Office — 1 Customs and Excise — 6 Board of Education — 1 Forestry Commission — 1 Ministry of Health — 15 Home Office — 3 Inland Revenue 5 4 Ministry of Labour — 16 Land Registry — 1 Mines Department — 1 Department of Overseas Trade. — 1 Ministry of Pensions — 7 Post Office 38 15 Board of Trade — 1 Ministry of Transport — 4 Treasury Solicitor — 1 War Office — 1 Commissioners of Crown Lands. 1 1 Total 45 96

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any information as to the progress and methods of pacification in Bulgaria, in view of the responsibility resting on this country for the armaments of Bulgaria?

According to my information, some 537 persons suspected of conspiracy have been, since April last, tried by court-martial. Of these, 109 have been acquitted, 144 received sentences varying from three months' to five years' imprisonment, and 173 of six years' to 15 years'. There have been five sentences of life imprisonment and 106 death sentences. Since April only one death sentence has, I am glad to say, been confirmed.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what, is the value of goods made of silk or artificial silk or containing portions of silk or artificial silk that are in the Customs warehouses; and what is the average period which a consignment of goods is detained before it is passed out to the consumer or trader?

I have no information as to the value of silk and artificial silk goods which have been imported but not presented to the Customs for examination, nor are figures available showing the value of silk and artificial silk goods deposited by traders in bonded warehouses. As regards the second part of the question, I would point out that the period which elapses after importation before payment of duty, with or without deposit in a bonded warehouse, depends on the circumstances of the individual case and there is no information which would enable an average period to be determined.