§ 56. Mr. S. MacNEILLasked the Prime Minister whether the refusal by the Cabinet in August, 1913, to Viscount Midleton and the late Earl Roberts to surrender decorations and titles conferred on them by the Sovereigns of States at war with this country still obtains in the case of the holders of such decorations and titles; whether Lord Hardinge of Penshurst is still the holder of the Order of Leopold of Austria, conferred on him by a Sovereign of an enemy country; and, if so, whether 2108 it is intended to allow him to hold this Order in view of his retention of the office of Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThere are many persons in this country who before the War were possessed of Orders and decorations conferred upon them by enemy Sovereigns. The Government has no means of knowing whether or not their names still remain upon the records of those Orders, and there is no machinery by which these Orders could be returned.
§ Mr. KINGWill the right hon. Gentleman let us have a list of all these various honours and distinctions conferred by foreign Governments?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI do not in the least know how such a list can be obtained, and I do not see the least use in obtaining it.
§ Mr. MacNEILLIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that both Lord Midleton and the late Lord Roberts asked to be allowed to surrender these foreign decorations and were not allowed by the Cabinet of the day, and does the present Cabinet still maintain that salutary rule?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThe hon. Gentleman is asking me a question of fact with regard to which I am ignorant. I do not know.