HC Deb 16 March 1871 vol 205 c52
MR. STOPFORD SACKVILLE

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether it is not the fact that during the late war Queen's Messengers have been required to start on journeys after having applied for sick leave and sent in medical certificates of their unfitness to travel; whether this has been the consequence of a recent reduction in the number of Queen's Messengers; and, whether the claims of these gentlemen will be in any way considered with reference to the extraordinary labours and expenses imposed upon them during the war?

VISCOUNT ENFIELD

, in reply, said, it was quite true that in one case a Foreign Office Messenger had been obliged to undertake a journey after he had sent in a medical certificate; but the circumstances of the case were somewhat peculiar. It was necessary for all Foreign Office Messengers, if they wished to avoid a journey, to submit to a medical inspection by the medical officer of the Foreign Office; but this gentleman did not comply with the rule. It was, he believed, about six days after he sent in the certificate that he had to set out. With respect to the second branch of the Question of the hon. Member, he was obliged to acknowledge that the work of Queen's Messengers during the war had been very severe. Some had been arrested, and two or three had been in imminent danger of their lives; but he was afraid, notwithstanding the hardships and dangers which they had to encounter, it would not be in the power of the Foreign Office to give them any extra remuneration, as there were no funds available for such purpose. The extraordinary expenses, however, to which they had been put would be paid.