§ 53. Mr. R. MCNEILLasked whether the War Committee of the Cabinet is empowered to decide matters of policy with out reference to the Cabinet as a whole; and if he will say what is the constitution and what are the powers of the War Committee?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI must refer to the answer which I gave on this subject on Tuesday.
§ Mr. McNEILLDoes the answer given the other day mean that the decisions of the War Committee are accepted by the Cabinet without the remainder of the Cabinet hearing the grounds on which these decisions are based, or do the Cabinet accept responsibility for those decisions without hearing the grounds on which they are arrived at?
§ The PRIME MINISTERSo many people seem to know so much more than I do of what goes on in the Cabinet that I have rather a difficulty in answering that question. The ultimate responsibility of the Cabinet always remains.