§ SIR SEYMOUR KING (Hull, Central)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that the Committee appointed last year to advise His 616 Majesty's Government on the question of Indian military administration stated in their Report that they invited opinions from Lord Cromer, Lord Elgin, Sir H. Brackenbury, Sir E. H. Collen, and others, and whether he is now aware that these opinions were obtained for the use of the Committee, and not privately by Mr. Brodrick for his own information; whether, as these opinions were obtained by the Committee for a public purpose, and were twice referred to by them in their Report, which has been laid before Parliament, he will, in accordance with ordinary usage, present them to Parliament also; whether any opinions from the Viceroy or the Commander-in-Chief were laid before the Committee other than those which have already appeared in the Blue-book; and, if so, whether he will also present them to Parliament.
§ MR. JOHN MORLEYI am aware of the statement in the Report, but I have reason to believe that the Answer which I gave on the 2nd inst. represents accurately what took place.† It is certain that such opinions as were given in writing were regarded by my predecessor as private and confidential documents; for, as I have already stated, he left no copies of them at the India Office. This being so, I am of course unable to present them to Parliament. I am not aware of any opinions that were laid before the Committee other than those which appeared in the Blue-book.