§ Mr. PETOI beg to ask the right hon. Gentleman a question, of which I have given private notice: Whether, in view of the impossibility of issuing any definite and final list of British casualities, he will authorise the publication of such lists as are now in the War Office at the earliest possible moment, or of the communication of the names to relatives as and when they become known?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe practice—I think a very wise one and proper one—is to communicate the names first to the relatives in an official communication. That saves a great deal of unnecessary pain, and such delay as is due to the necessity of that previous communication, I am sure, the public will not in the least resent. Subject to that, the names will be published as soon as they are known to the War Office. They are not yet known.
§ Mr. PETOCan the Prime Minister, in view of the fact that Saturday and Sunday intervene, give an indication whether it is likely that any communication to relatives will be made before Monday?
§ The PRIME MINISTERWe are hoping to be able to do it every hour.