HC Deb 04 June 1897 vol 50 cc264-6
SIR EDWARD GOURLEY (Sunderland)

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether the Government will, during the Jubilee year, recommend to Her Majesty the Queen the bestowal of some recognition upon those officers, soldiers, and sailors who served in the Crimea or Indian Mutiny, the two leading campaigns of Her Majesty's reign?

THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. BRODRICK,) Surrey, Guildford

All who served in the campaigns have had the medal and clasps. The services of a great number of officers engaged have been recognised by promotion and other distinctions, and of the men by the recent grant of compassionate campaign pensions, but it is not contemplated to make any general distribution of honours to the survivors at the Jubilee.

Ma. G. C. T. BARTLEY (Islington, N.)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether a holiday, with Bay, will be given on Jubilee Day to all persons employed in the public service, though they may not be technically "public servants," such as mechanics, labourers, and others employed at Her Majesty's prisons, and who in most cases have to take a compulsory holiday?

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEY,) Lancashire, Blackpool

The only persons in the prison service to whom the question would apply are men employed temporarily only, and I can hardly see how as a whole they can be treated as public servants for this purpose. My hon. Friend is not correct in his supposition that the majority of them will have to take a compulsory holiday on that day. I am quite prepared to consider any individual cases of hardship.

MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN (Kilkenny)

I beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works whether lie is yet in a position to say if he will be able to provide seats for t he attendants of the House of Commons to witness the Jubilee Procession?

THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF WORKS (Mr. AKERS-DOUGLAS, Kent, St. Augustine's)

said that he was not sure, but lie thought that he should be able to make arrangements for the accommodation of, at any rate, most of the attendants of the House of Commons to witness the Jubilee procession.

MR. CUMMING MACDONA (Southwark, Rotherhithe)

I beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works whether lie will make arrangements with the Trustees of the National Gallery so that occupants of the seats reserved for the Members of the House of Lords and their friends on the coming Jubilee Day may have access to the National Gallery during the time of the pageant?

MR. AKERS-DOUGLAS

said that the question of opening the National Gallery to the Members of the House of Lords and their friends on Jubilee Day was nut one for him to decide, it rested with the trustees of the Gallery. He should certainly hesitate to ask, that the Gallery should be opened, because it would give the attendants unnecessary work on a day which ought to be a holiday. ["Hear, hear!"]

MR. EDWIN LAWRENCE (Cornwall, Truro)

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether the consent of the General Officer Commanding the District is necessary before local Volunteers eon parade or take part in a procession; and, if so, whether the rule will be relaxed, so as to allow Commanding Officers to arrange for parade and marches out of local Volunteers on Jubilee Day?

MR. BRODRICK

All General Officers Commanding Districts have been authorised to sanction any arrangements they may think desirable to assist local celebrations of the Jubilee. This will in- clude the employment of Volunteers. Volunteers cannot be employed on public occasions without the authority of the General Officer Commanding.