asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what are the designations of all the grades and appointments of established Civil Servants under the administration of the Admiralty; what are the numbers of persons, male and female, respectively, employed in each grade and appointment; what are the designations of those persons who are on the temporary list though qualifying for establishment, and what are the numbers of such persons in such categories; how many persons are there doing similar work to the above grades but who are not established, that is, qualified for pension, or temporary, that is, qualifying for establishment position; what are the rates of pay for such persons, with bonus shown as a separate item; and how do these compare with all the above grades and appointments?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the published Navy List and to the Navy Estimates for the answer to the first two parts of his question.There are no persons on the temporary list in Admiralty employment who are qualified for establishment. 290 "P" Class men are borne permanently on the unestablished list and are eligible to be considered for vacancies as clerical officer as, and when, they arise. Besides these, temporary staff is employed as necessary in certain Departments at rates of pay which are either common to all Government Departments or are indicated generally in the Navy Estimates. As this staff is employed on the duties of the particular Department in which they are employed,

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will give the total number of civil servants engaged in his Department on the work of retired pay and pensions of the Army, including the framing of Regulations, the payment of pensions, administration, etc.; how many of these officials are employed at the War Office; how many at the Royal Hospital; if other War Office civil officials are employed on similar duties in other Government buildings; if so, how many and where; and the total annual cost of the work involved as apart from the annual cost of the retired pay and pensions?

The total number of persons solely employed on Army retired pay and pension work is 61. Of these, 15 are civilians employed in the War Office and 46 civilians at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea (for out-pension work). In addition there is staff employed on pension work for part of its time, mainly in the various regimental pay offices, equivalent to 59 whole-time employés. No other War Office civil officials are employed elsewhere on similar duties. The total annual charge for the above staff engaged on the administration, award and payment of pensions is approximately £30,000.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of pre-War naval and marine pensioners who served under the Admiralty during the Great War; the number of pre-War naval and marine pensioners who served in the Army during the Great War; the number of pre-War naval and marine pensioners who received temporary commissions from the Admiralty and subsequently received retired pay; the number of naval ratings and marines who were discharged to pension during the Great War, and given immediately temporary commissions for which they subsequently received retired pay; the number of pre-War naval and marine pensioners who served in the Army during the Great War; and the number of naval and marine pensioners who received military commissions while serving in the Army during the Great War, and who subsequently received retired pay?

The answer to the first part of the question is 26,500 approximately. As regards the second part, the actual numbers are not known, but are probably few—less than 400. As regards the third and fourth parts, the number of naval and marine pensioners who received temporary commissions from the Admiralty and subsequently received retired pay, is 100. As regards the last part of the question, 17 naval and marine pensioners received temporary commissions in the Army and were granted retired pay from naval funds.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what is the lowest grade or appointment which is open to a civilian employé to fill which is counted as a position of an established civil servant; what is the total number of civilian employés employed by the Admiralty; and in what capacity?

The lowest grade which may be established is labourer. In reply to the second and third part of my hon. and gallant Friend's question, assuming that he refers to all Admiralty establishments at home, the figures are:

asked the Home Secretary the number of aliens, and their nationality, at present at Atlantic Park, near Southampton; and the length of time these persons have been kept at this establishment?

This institution is a hostel maintained by the shipping companies for the accommodation of transmigrants while waiting to continue their journeys. The occupants change from day to day, and the length of their stay usually depends on the date of sailing of the boats in which they are to travel.

asked the Home Secretary w hat is now being done with Joseph M'Alur, of Glasgow, accused of breaking a window at 10, Downing Street, and directed by the magistrate who tried him to be kept under medical observation?

On 6th May this man was bound over for 12 months by the magistrate at Bow Street Police Court in his own recognisances of £25.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the fact that the published balance sheet of the Metropolitan Police Force shows a balance of income of £1,250,407 over expenditure, it is the intention of his Department to reduce the amount required by Parliamentary Votes this coming year?

The hon. Member is under a misapprehension. The balance in the Metropolitan Police Fund on the 31st March last does not represent a surplus of income over expenditure but is the working balance remaining over from the amount received under the Police Rate precepts issued in January and is required to meet expenditure up to the end of July or the first half of August, when the Fund is again replenished by the receipts in respect of the July Rate. The balance, therefore, does not foreshadow any corresponding reduction in the amount which Parliament will be asked to vote in respect of the current year.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if any decision has yet been reached in regard to adopting the recommendations of the Committee of Inquiry into Government Printing Establishments, set tip in 1923; and, if no decision has yet been reached, when will he be in a position to make a statement?

The recommendations of the Committee cover a large number of questions calling for separate consideration in consultation with the Departments respectively concerned. This is now proceeding, but I am not in a position to say when decisions will have been reached.

asked the Minister of Health the scales of relief granted by the various boards of guardians in Lincolnshire, indicating, if possible, the dates on which they were adopted?

As has been indicated in reply to previous questions, the application of scales of relief where they ale used is subject to so many qualifications depending on the practice of the particular board of guardians concerned that a simple return has to be used with great caution. According, however, to the information in the possession of the Department, the following scales are in use in Lincolnshire.

asked the Minister of Health the number of people in receipt of Poor Law relief in England and Wales in 1925 and 1926?

The total number of persons in England and Wales in receipt of Poor Law relief, including lunatics in asylums, casuals and persons receiving domiciliary medical relief only, on the night of the 1st January in the years 1925 and 1926 was 1,205,267 and 1,439,810, respectively.

asked the Minister of Health how many schemes under the Housing (Rural Workers) Act, 1926, have been submitted to him by local authotities in Shropshire; and how many have been sanctioned?

No schemes under the Housing (Rural Workers) Act, 1926, have been submitted to me by local authorities in Shropshire. Fourteen councils of county districts, however, have made application under Section 5 (1) of the Act to be constituted authorities for the purposes of the Act to the exclusion of the county council. I understand that the question of the formulation of a scheme is under the consideration of the county council, and in the meantime I have not given a decision upon these applications.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he has received a resolution from the Kent Education Committee dissenting from the proposal to transfer the control of the work of the local education authorities in respect of Section 107 of the Education Act, 1921, from the Board of Education to the Ministry of Labour; and what action does he propose to take?

The answer to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, my right hon. Friend would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to statements on this subject which I made on the 24th of last March.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that there have been affixed in prominent positions in the post office at Kirkintilloch a number of large posters urging the people to drink certain advertised alcoholic liquors; that the citizens upon three successive occasions have exercised their rights under the provisions of the Scottish Temperance Act and have closed all shops for the sale of alcohol; and whether, in view of the repeatedly expressed desire of the citizens as expressed by plebiscites, he will have the offending placards removed?

No, Sir. The exercise of a legal option to prevent the retail sale of alcohol within an area does not render the consumption of alcohol within that area improper or illegal, and I would remind the hon. Member that temperance societies have largely availed themselves of the Postmaster-General's permission to advocate total abstinence by posters in Post Offices in so-called "Wet Areas."