§ 34. Sir JOHN JARDINEasked the Prime Minister if he is now in a position to name a day for a discussion of the matters, naval, military, medical, and civil, reported upon by the Mesopotamia Commission?
§ 38. Commander WEDGWOODasked the Prime Minister whether he will inform the House which of the recommendations of the Mesopotamia Reports His Majesty's Government intend to adopt, and when a day will be given for the discussion of all those recommendations?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI am not yet in a position to make any statement with regard to the Report, and, as I stated yesterday, I hope to be able to indicate the precise date on Thursday.
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that there are many matters arising out of the Report which may be discussed in other aspects on the Estimates, and will he consider the question of giving a day for these Estimates this year?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI will consider that.
§ Mr. DEVLINIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that Lord Hardinge is to make a statement in the House of Lords to-day? Is he permitted to do so by the Government?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI have heard that Lord Hardinge proposes to make a personal explanation to-day. As a Member of the other House, I think that he is entitled to do so.
§ Mr. DEVLINIs Lord Hardinge entitled as a permanent Civil servant to take advantage of his position in the House of Lords to make a statement when no statement has been made by the Minister concerned in this House?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI really cannot be expected to know what is the constitutional position in a case of that kind. Personally I should not think it unreasonable for a Member of the other House to be permitted to make a personal explanation.
§ Mr. KINGAre not those persons affected who are not members of either of these Houses under a disadvantage in being given no opportunity of explaining their position in the same way as those who are members?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWOf course it is a disadvantage. It would be very hard to have no advantage from being a member.
§ Sir J. JARDINEWill the Government give an extra day if the multitude of matters arising out of the Report makes that course advisable?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWWe must judge of that when the occasion occurs.
§ Mr. DEVLINHas the Minister for India asked to make a concurrent statement, a personal explanation, in the House of Commons?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWNo. I am sure that he has no such intention. I believe that he considers that no such explanation is necessary, whatever part he may take in the Debates.