asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, with reference to his statement on 23rd November, 1925, that the question of reduction in the present rates of naval pension was under consideration, whether he can now state that a decision has been arrived at not to make any such reduction?

The matter is still under consideration.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether all of His Majesty's ships in commission are equipped with aeration plant?

As far as I am aware, all ships in commission are provided with an aeration plant.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will consider the desirability of transferring all boys from the southern counties, who are at present under training at Shotley, to H.M.S. "St. Vincent" when that establishment is opened?

For the opening of "St. Vincent" arrangements have been made for certain complete classes, with their instructors, to be transferred from "Ganges" to the new establishment. To withdraw boys in varying numbers from all classes in "Ganges" would affect instruction and delay progress. For all future entries the principle that, subject to the exigencies of the Service, boys will be sent to the training establishment nearest to their homes, will apply as hitherto.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether, in the event of the decease of an acting warrant officer, his widow would be eligible for pension due to the widows of warrant officers?

The answer is in the negative, except where the officer has 12 months' service in the rank.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether the widow of an acting warrant officer, who ceases compulsorily to contribute to the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions scheme upon promotion to the acting rank of warrant officer, would be eligible for pension under this Act?

I have been asked to reply. In such a case, rights under the Pensions Act could be preserved, subject to the Act, by the man becoming a voluntary contributor. If this were not done, title to a widow's pension would depend on whether or not the deceased husband was an insured person at the time of his death, and the other conditions specified in the Contributory Pensions Act were satisfied. Insurance continues for, approximately, 21 months after the cessation of liability to contribute.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether any change has taken place since 13th April, 1927, with reference to the complement of the Navy stationed in Chinese waters?

The total number of naval personnel now stationed on the China station is, approximately, 13,500. This change is due to, the departure of H.M.S. "Enterprise" for the East Indies Station, conveying a number of ratings recently relieved from the China gunboats, to Colombo.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is now in a position to say when he proposes to introduce legislation embodying the recommendations of the Royal Commission on National Health Insurance?

I am afraid that I cannot add anything to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member on 17th February last.

asked the Minister of Health the total benefits paid by approved societies for each of the four quarters ended 31st March, 1927?

As the hon. Member is aware, the accounts of approved societies are made up for calendar years only. The total benefits paid by approved societies for each of the four quarters specified cannot, therefore, be stated. The total amount of the benefits paid by approved societies in England and Wales in the year ended 31st December, 1926, was approximately, £19,900,000.

asked the Minister of Health what is the approximate total amount paid to the insured population under the National Health Insurance Act from the date of its inception till now under the following heads: sickness benefit, disablement benefit, maternity benefit, and additional treatment benefits, respectively; what is the approximate total amount of contributions received under the Act from each of the following: employed contributor, employer, and the State, respectively; and what was the number of approved societies operating under the Act at 31st December, 1926?

The particulars asked for under the National Health Insurance Act from the date of its inception until 31st December, 1926, are given in round figures for England and Wales in the following statement:—Total amount paid:—

asked the Minister of Health whether it is the intention that a man who works practically all day on a Monday as a stage hand, every evening from Monday to Saturday, inclusive, and Saturday afternoons as well, is treated as non-insurable under the National Health Insurance Act; whether he will define the terms part time and stage hand for the purposes of national health insurance; and if he will state whether stage hands who are part-time workers are permitted to be insured under the National Health Insurance Act and, if not, whether this is strictly enforced?

A man working as described in the first part of the question, is ordinarily excluded from compulsory insurance by an Order referring to subsidiary employments. As to the second part, the term part-time is explained in an official memorandum which I am sending to the hon. Baronet and the term "stage hand" bears the meaning usually given to it in the entertainments industry. As to the last part, the excluding Order applies to all part-time stage hands, and I am not aware of any failure to observe it. I may add that I am considering, in conjunction with the principal associations in the industry, whether the Order needs amendment so far as employments in theatres are concerned.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to the importation into Great Britain of considerable quantities of skimmed condensed milk; and whether, in view of the inadequate food value of this milk and that its importation tends to depress the market for properly produced home liquid milk, the Ministry of Health will arrange to take samples of this foreign imported skimmed condensed milk in order to test its purity and food content and, if necessary, take steps to restrict its importation?

In reply to the first part of the question, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the replies given to the hon. and gallant Member for Newbury (Brigadier-General Clifton Brown) to-day and to the hon. and gallant Member for Tiverton (Colonel Acland Troyte) on the 28th April. Provision is already made for the sampling of all kinds of condensed milk, both on importation and when it is exposed for sale by retail.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India what conditions, if any, were attached to the release of Mr. Bose; what was the actual tenure of his imprisonment without trial; will he lay upon the Table of the House a copy of the report prepared by the four doctors which led the Governor-General to order his release; is it intended to release the remainder of the persons in prison or detained under the Bengal Ordinance; and has the Government considered the question of withdrawing the Ordinance?

No conditions have been attached to Mr. Bose's release, who had been under detention since 25th October, 1924. I do not know whether the last medical examination resulted in any formal report. The answer to the last two parts of the question is in the negative.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India if he has received a report of the riots which took place at Lahore on 3rd May; if so, can he state the number of deaths that have occurred in these riots and the number of persons wounded; has he any information to show what measures have been taken to prevent further rioting; and why it was necessary to call out and post troops in the city?

I invite the hon. Member's attention to the answers I gave to two questions on this matter on the 9th May.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India if he has received any communication from the Governor of the Punjab stating that orders have been issued indefinitely postponing the normal seasonal departures of British infantry battalions from the cantonments in the Punjab for the hills; and, if so, if he can state the length of this postponement and the number of troops that are affected?

I have seen a Press statement to that effect, but my Noble Friend has so far received no official communication on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any change has been made in the arrangements whereby the head of the Russian Trade Delegation in this country enjoyed diplomatic privileges and immunities and the right to receive sealed bags up to a limited amount, as stated in the official answers to questions on this subject given to the hon. and gallant Member for Handsworth (Commander O. LockerLampson) on 23rd June, 1926, and the hon. Member for Bow and Bromley (Mr. Lansbury), on 1st July, and other hon. Members on various dates; and will he state whether the commercial attaches of other Governments enjoy the same privileges and immunities?

Some confusion has arisen owing to the fact that M. Khlopliankin, M. Khinchuk's predecessor, was not, only official agent under the Trade Agreement, but also Commercial Counsellor to the Soviet Mission. It was only in his latter capacity that he was entitled to diplomatic privilege. The official agent is only entitled to the privileges provided for in the Trade Agreement; commercial attachés to the diplomatic missions in London are, of course, entitled to diplomatic privilege.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, seeing that in the declaration of recognition of claims contained in the trade agreement of 1921 both Russia and Great Britain recognise in principle their liability to pay compensation to private persons who have supplied goods or services for which they have not been paid, he can state if the Russian Government have at any time since the signature of the trade agreement issued any statements to the effect that they do not con- sider themselves bound by the obligations entered into in 1921; if so, by whom were such statements made and on what dates?

His Majesty's Government have received no intimation from the Soviet Government repudiating the declaration in question, which provided that private claims should be settled only in a general treaty to be concluded later. The general treaty negotiated with the Soviet Government in 1924 contained, in the view of His Majesty's present Government, no satisfactory provision for their settlement, and the Soviet Government have shown no signs since then of accepting the conditions regarded by His Majesty's Government as fundamental to fresh negotiations; in fact they have given clear indications that they do not intend to recognise the former Russian Imperial obligations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, on the 16th February this year, he gave by Note certain assurances in regard to the Soviet trade agent in London; if so, will he say what was the nature of those assurances; if any similar assurances had been given previously; and under what circumstances the Note of the 16th February was given?

On the 8th December, 1926, the Soviet Chargé d'Affaires requested that the name of M. Khinchuk should be inserted in the diplomatic list in the place of M. Khlopliankin whose duties as Chairman of the Soviet Trade Delegation M. Khinchuk had taken over. I replied that as M. Rosengolz did not state that M. Khinchuk occupied any post on the staff of the Soviet Mission, I was not in a position to give directions for the inclusion of his name in the diplomatic list. On the 4th February, 1927, M. Rosengolz addressed a note to me in which he stated that he assumed that M. Khinchuk would be accorded all the rights and immunities enjoyed by official representatives of other foreign Governments in Great Britain. To which I replied on the 16th February that he would be granted the same privileges under the Trade Agreement of 1921 as have been enjoyed thereunder by his predecessors in the office of trade agent.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what are the respective staffs in His Majesty's Embassies and Legations at Constantinople, Tehran, and Buenos Aires, inclusive of all officials and Eastern attendants?

The following are the respective staffs in His Majesty's Missions at Constantinople, including Angora, Tehran and Buenos Aires:—

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received a communication from the Foreign Minister of the German Government requesting that someone of German nationality should be given a seat on the Mandates Commission of the League of Nations; and, if so, in what terms he has replied or intends to reply?

I have been informed that it is the intention of the German Government to raise this matter at the June session of the Council of the League of Nations. No question arises of a direct reply on my part, nor can I prejudge the attitude of the Council, by whom the question must be freely debated, if and when it comes before them.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total net rateable value and total area, and what amount of local taxation is paid, respectively, in the case of agricultural land which is charged with reduced rates under the provisions of the Agricultural Rates Acts and of farmhouses, farm buildings and farm cottages attached to such agricultural land and separately rated?

The assessable rental of agricultural subjects rated under the Agricultural Rates (Scotland) Acts for 1925–26 was, approximately:For the levying of county rates, £2,766,000.For the levying of parish rates, £2,473,000.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how much has been provided, in the Estimates for 1927–28, to meet the cost of government so far as salaries are concerned, that is to say, the total proposed to be paid by way of salaries, wages, and allowances to all employés of the State, other than the manipulative staff in the Post Office, manual workers in dockyards, arsenals, and the Office of Works, serving soldiers, sailors, and airmen, but including all such soldiers, sailors, and airmen engaged on administrative duties at the War Office, Admiralty, and Air Ministry; and will he, for comparison, add the corresponding totals for 1926–27 and 1914–15?

The following statement is now supplied:The total gross provision in the 1927–28 Estimates (including expenditure recovered in whole or in part from fees or other sources, and appropriated in aid of Votes) for salaries and wages of civilian staffs employed in the Civil and Revenue Departments, including the Diplomatic Consular and other Imperial Services abroad, is, approximately, £33,025,000. In accordance with the basis indicated in the question, the salaries and wages of manipulative and Indus- trial staffs in the Post Office and Office of Works have been excluded from this calculation. The total gross provision for civilian staffs in the Defence Departments (excluding industrial staffs in dockyards, Air Ministry establishments, and ordnance factories, but including industrial staffs in other War Office outstations), and for soldiers, sailors and airmen engaged on administrative duties at the War Office, Admiralty and Air Ministry is, approximately, £9,000,000.The corresponding figures for 1926–27 are as follow:

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether an investigation has been made into the subject of substitutes for ethyl alcohol; and, if so, whether he is in a position to state the results?

Yes, Sir. My right hon. Friend arranged for an investigation into this subject by the Departments concerned, and, as a result, the following conclusions have been reached:1. Purified methyl alcohol will remain within the scope of the Spirit Duty. But no duty will be payable so far as it is used for industrial purposes, and the official supervision of manufacture and duty-free use will be reduced to the minimum consistent with the safety of the Revenue. Moreover, provision has been made in Clause 14 (1) of the Finance Bill for the extension to methyl alcohol of an appropriate Excise allowance on the lines of that now payable on ethyl alcohol manufactured in this country and used duty-free for industrial purposes, in order to compensate for the

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of temporary clerical staff, and the total clerical staff, including established and temporary staff, in the taxes branch of the Inland Revenue Department for the years 1919 to 1926, inclusive?

The numbers of the temporary clerical staff and of the total clerical staff, including established and temporary staff, in the taxes branch of the Inland Revenue Department as at 1st January, 1920–27, were as follow:expense involved in conforming to Excise restrictions on manufacture.2. As at present advised, it is not proposed to bring any other substance, which may be used as a substitute for ethyl alcohol, within the scope of the Spirit Duty. It is however, proposed in Clause 15 of the Finance Bill to take power to collect information as to the importation, manufacture, distribution and use of the higher alcohols, and to require manufacturers of these substances to register with the Customs and Excise Department.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the yield of Income Tax under Schedule D during each of the years 1925–26 and 1926–27; and what is the estimated yield of Income Tax under the same Schedule for the current year?

As the personal allowances, deductions and reliefs that constitute the graduation and differentiation of the Income Tax are related, not to the various sources of income, but to the total income of the taxpayer, the annual yield of the tax cannot be divided between the different Schedules of the Income Tax Acts.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact of the decline in the export of cotton piece goods from 6,750,000,000 square yards in 1913 to 3,834,000,000 square yards in 1926, he will consider the desirability of setting up a Commission of inquiry into the cotton textile industry?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for the Elland Division (Mr. Robinson) on 15th February, a copy of which I am sending him.

asked the Home Secretary what action it is proposed to take to give effect to the recommendations of the two Departmental Committees appointed to study the questions of sexual offences against young persons and the treatment of young offenders?

The more important recommendations in these two Reports could not be carried into effect without legislation. The second Report, which covers a very wide field, was only presented to me at the end of March, and I am not yet in a position to make any definite statement.

asked the Home Secretary whether a police pensioner whose pension was increased under the Act of 1920 to meet the increased cost of living, and make the pension equivalent to the real value it was intended to carry, is to have that pension reduced when he obtains an old age pension as a Post Office contributor under the National Health Insurance scheme, seeing that it is laid down that the old age pension is to be paid regardless of the pensioner's means?

Increases of police pensions under the Pensions (Increase) Acts are by Statute subject to a means limit, and the Treasury Regulations governing the grant of such increases do not allow a police authority to disregard an old age pension when assessing a pensioner's means.

asked the Minister of Transport the number of motor fatalities which have occurred on the roads this year; the proportion of motorcyclist victims; and the chief cause of these accidents?

I regret I am not in a position to give this information.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, seeing that the trunk road reconstruction programme of 1924 proposed works extending over 500 miles of road and involved a contribution from the Road Fund of £6,500,000, and that the estimated cost of works completed or in hand at the 31st March, 1926, amounted to £3,427,182 in England and Wales and £660,930 in Scotland, he will lay upon the Table a statement of progress to the 31st March, 1927, showing, with reference to each road, the length of the road works included in the programme, the length completed at the 31st March, 1927, and the approximate date for the completion of the remainder?

I trust that it will serve the hon. Member's purpose if I include a statement on the progress in the programme of trunk road reconstruction in the Annual Report upon the Administration of the Road Fund for the year 1926–27. Similar statements have appeared in the last two Annual Reports.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether his attention has been drawn to the hardship inflicted upon ex-service men by the Regulation which provides a time limit for free medical treatment and allowances after the final award has been made; and whether he will reconsider this Regulation?

No Regulation imposing any time limit in the case of final awards as such has been made.