§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War when did he receive the Report of the Butler Committee in which the destruction of documents relating to the contracts and refunds in South Africa was a matter of comment; and what explanation has he, if any, for the fact that no immediate steps were taken by him to impound all documents connected with the subject of the inquiries of the Butler Committee.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERThe Report was submitted on the 22nd May and was considered by the Army Council on the 25th of that month. Orders were given on that day to impound all office papers and documents which had been under the consideration of the Butler Committee. It was subsequently decided to extend this impounding also to all the documents in South Africa bearing on the cases to be brought before the Royal Commission.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLsaid the date of the impounding was June 19th, the day before Parliament met after the Whitsuntide Recess. Were not the documents left all that time to the free will of gentlemen who might be disposed to destroy them?
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERAll the documents were in the custody of the Department.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLHas the Tight hon. Gentleman means of knowing if any of them were destroyed for the purpose of suppressing evidence?