asked the Minister of Health if he will consider favourably an extension of benefits to nursing mothers from one to three months?

Under the National Health Insurance Act an insured married woman is entitled to receive, in addition to the maternity benefit payable in respect of her husband's insurance, a second maternity benefit on condition that she abstains from work for a period of one month after her confinement, but thereafter no further benefit is payable unless she is incapable of work. As a result of the second valuation of approved societies the average rate of maternity benefit has been increased from 40s. to 46s. and consequently the total amount which the woman will receive will be £4 12s. on the average. I understand the suggestion of my hon. Friend to be that this period of one month should be extended to three months, with a corresponding increase in the amount of the benefit, where a woman abstains from work in order to suckle her infant. This would impose a considerable further burden on Insurance funds and I do not see my way to introduce the necessary amending legislation, particularly as no such proposal is included in the recommendations of the recent Royal Commission on National Health Insurance.

asked the Home Secretary the number of persons who were charged for misbehaviour in Hyde Park for the 12 months ended the last convenient date; the number of males and females; whether any members of the public consented to come forward and give evidence in any of these cases; and, if so, how many?

The numbers charged during the period from 15th June, 1925, to 14th June, 1926, were: Acts in violation of public decency: Men, 424; women, 236. Using insulting behaviour, etc.: Men, 32; women, 13. Common prostitutes soliciting, 74. In eight cases members of the public came forward and gave evidence for police, namely: In six cases of men charged with insulting behaviour, one case of woman charged with insulting behaviour, and one case in which a woman was charged with indecency.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, as ratings in the Royal Navy have to obtain permission to marry under the age of 25, he can say whether children born in wedlock prior to the father reaching the age of 25 receive allowances when the wife and family are eligible for allowances?

The answer is in the affirmative; but I wish to observe that ratings desiring to marry, whether they be under or over the age of 25, are not required to obtain permission of the Admiralty.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether, as ranks in the Royal Air Force have to obtain permission from the commanding officer if they wish to marry prior to reaching the age of 26, he can say whether children born prior to the father reaching the age of 26 receive the allowance for children when the wife and family are eligible for family allowances?

The answer is in the affirmative.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is a ware that about 350 clerks employed in the Railway Clearing House who resumed work during the first three days of the general strike, in response to the pledge of the Government and the railway companies that they would not suffer in so doing, are now compelled to go on short time of three days a week so as to allow those clerks who were out during the whole of the general strike to have employment for three days a week; and whether he can take any steps to mitigate the hardship which this arrangement will involve upon these workers?

The arrangements made between the Railway Clearing House and the railway unions provide, I understand, for the snaring of work between all the men who went on strike. I have no authority to intervene.