§ 71. Mr. BOYTONasked the Home Secretary whether he is able to state the number of men of German or Austrian birth who, having been naturalised here as British subjects and of military age, have, since August last, left this country for America or elsewhere; whether, if they remain abroad until the end of the War, they will be allowed to return and claim their rights and privileges as British subjects; and, if they were registered last August, will they be called upon under the Military Service Act, 1916, to return to this country to join the Army?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI cannot give figures in answer to the first 2088 paragraph of the question, but I believe the number of such cases to be very small indeed. The answer to the second paragraph would, if any such question arose, be in the affirmative, unless the persons in question had in the meantime ceased to be British subjects. The last part of the question should be addressed to the War Office.