§ Mr. LEEI beg to ask the Secretary for War a question, of which I have given him private notice: Whether it is a fact that Brigadier-General Gough has resumed his command after having received from the War Office a statement in writing to the effect that he and the troops serving under him will not be required to enforce upon Ulster the provisions of the Home Rule Bill, and, further, whether General Gough is at liberty to communicate this declaration of the War Office to the officers of his brigade, and whether the exact terms of the arrangement with General Gough will now be communicated to the House of Commons?
§ Mr. RAMSAY MACDONALDI also have given the right hon. Gentleman notice of a question somewhat varying in terminology. Perhaps the House will allow me to put it. It is to ask the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to a statement in this morning's issue of the "Times" newspaper to the effect that General Gough has resumed the command of his brigade on a written assurance from the Government that the troops under his command will not be used to coerce the people of Ulster into the acceptance of the Home Rule Bill, and also whether he has seen a statement in the "Morning Post" newspaper of to-day that a document drawn up in accordance with General Gough's desires was signed by the Chief of the General Staff and members of the Army Council, and whether he has any statement to make on the matter?
§ Colonel SEELYYes, Sir; I propose to lay upon the Table, so that the necessary 204 documents may be in the hands of Members to-morrow morning, the material written documents which will make the whole position quite clear so that there may be no further mystery about the whole business.
§ Mr. JOHN WARDCannot the right hon. Gentleman indicate whether such statements as those contained in the questions of the hon. Members for Fareham and Leicester have any foundation whatever in fact?
§ Mr. R. HARCOURTCannot we know at once whether this so-called assurance was given? Cannot the right hon. Gentleman give us smile general indication of its terms?
§ Colonel SEELYI am quite sure that any partial statement now would be undesirable. From the very form of the question put to me by the hon. Member for Fareham and by my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, it is apparent that unless we were to deal with this matter by Debate it would be impossible for me to give a true version of this—[HON. MEMBER: "What is true?"]—a true version of this subject in reply to questions, which can properly be understood by Members of this House in the absence of all material documents. I have said I propose to publish the material documents which will, as I put it, remove all mystery in the matter. [HON. MEMBERS: "What are material?" and "Why not publish all?"] All written documents which have a bearing on this case, and which will elucidate this matter. That shall be done.
§ Mr. LEEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware of the fact that this afternoon will be the only opportunity for some time on which we shall have an opportunity of discussing the military policy of the War Office, and would it, therefore, not be more respectful to the House of Commons to take advantage of this occasion to state, at the commencement of the Debate, exactly what information is contained in these papers in order that if hon. Members in any part of the House wish to discuss it they may not be deprived of the only opportunity?
§ Mr. HARRY LAWSONMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman, when he answers, to state whether the documents will include the instructions issued to General Sir Arthur Paget, whether written or oral?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThere is force in what, the hon. Member for Fareham has said. But, of course, we shall have an opportunity to-morrow, on the Second Reading of the Consolidated Fund Bill, of going into the whole of this matter, and I am quite sure that everybody in every quarter of the House will feel that we can conduct the Debate under better conditions when all the material documents have been printed. We saw some of the inconvenience yesterday—I am not throwing the blame upon anybody—but we saw some of the inconvenience yesterday.
§ Mr. HARRY LAWSONWill the right lion. Gentleman answer my question?
§ The PRIME MINISTERYes; the documents will include the instructions given to Sir Arthur Paget.
§ Mr. HARRY LAWSONOral?
§ The PRIME MINISTERAll written instructions. How can a document include oral instructions? [An HON MEMBER: "Why not?"] Documents obviously cannot deal with matters which are merely oral. The documents would include the material instructions, written instructions, and communications which have passed with regard to this question. The House will then be in possession of all the facts so far as they are contained in writing, and any supplementary statement which has to be made with regard to oral matters will, of course, be given.
§ Mr. GOULDINGIs there no Memorandum?
§ Mr. RAMSAY MACDONALDThere is one point in my question I should like to repeat. The second part of the question refers to a statement which implies that General Gough asked that this document should be supplied to him, that it was done on his initiative, and that he has taken it away as something in the nature of a trophy. Is it true, or is it not true, that this document was drawn up in accordance with General Gough's desire and signed by his desire by the Chief of the Staff and other members of the War Office?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe document will speak for itself, and further explanation will be given as to the circumstances under which it was given.
§ Mr. J. WARDIs it proposed to ask General Gough to form a Government?
§ Mr. HARRY LAWSONMay I ask the Prime Minister whether the statement will include the Memorandum of the Secretary of State for War, or the Chief of the General Staff, as to the oral instructions given to Sir Arthur Paget, which must have been made, and which is in existence?
§ The PRIME MINISTERYes, Sir.
§ Mr. PETOWill the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Papers will include the instructions given by Sir Arthur Paget in writing to the officers commanding regiments in his command?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am not quite sure that I know to what the hon. Member refers. That was not a written document; it was, I understand, an order by the General to the officers in his command?
§ Mr. PETOIf there were any written instructions or documents of that character, will they be included?
§ The PRIME MINISTERYes, if there are such?
§ Mr. AMERYMay I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman will include such instructions as were given to General Lloyd for communication to the officers under his command—to General Ferguson and other officers—any intimation sent to other battalions, and the list of units which were detailed in successive order to go over to Ireland in case of operations?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI know nothing of this, and my right hon. Friend assures me he knows nothing, but we will inquire.
§ Viscount HELMSLEYWill the right hon. Gentleman say whether Lord Morley's statement in another place, that General Gough had gone back unconditionally, was correct or no?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat is a matter for argument when the documents are produced.
§ Mr. PRINGLEWill the right hon. Gentleman include all records and interviews between these officers and the Opposition Press?
§ Mr. AMERYWill the Secretary of State for War deny that General Lloyd received orders, that, having received orders, he addressed the commanding 207 officers in his command in the Home District on Saturday, and informed them that they were to tell their subordinate officers that no resignations were to be accepted?
§ Colonel SEELYOne of the written documents to which I have referred will explain fully the instructions which were issued so long ago as last December, and these are the instructions on which, any action may have been taken. I know nothing of the specific case to which the hon. Member referred.
§ Sir W. ESSEXMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether it would not be more convenient to discuss the Vote for the Army put down for to-day after we have satisfied ourselves that the Army is prepared to carry out the orders given it?
§ The PRIME MINISTERWe cannot put off the Report stage of the Army Vote to-day; it is absolutely necessary that we should get that. I think a discussion can conveniently be taken that will range over the whole field on the Second Reading of the Consolidated Fund Bill.
§ Mr. WORTHINGTON EVANSHas the right hon. Gentleman's attention been called to a statement in the Press that eight destroyers sailed under sealed orders on Saturday last and have since been recalled, and will he also publish the instructions given to those eight destroyers?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI know nothing about eight destroyers.
§ Mr. WORTHINGTON EVANSWill the right hon. Gentleman ask the First Lord?
§ Mr. SPEAKERAll these questions have been asked after a quarter to four, and they should properly have been submitted to me in writing.