§ MR. CHILDERSasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, 758 Whether it is consistent with the rules of the Foreign Office that writers, engaged at wages by the hour, should be employed in connection with, secret and confidential documents, such as the Memorandum of Count Schouvaloff and Lord Salisbury of the 30th May; and, if not, under what circumstances Charles Marvin was so employed?
MR. BOUBKESir, I will answer the first part of the Question of the right hon. Gentleman in the negative. As to the second, I would say that as the whole matter is the subject of a judicial investigation still pending, it would be contrary to precedent and injurious to the public interests that any explanation of the circumstances should at this moment be made to Parliament.