§ 25. Mr. TREVELYANasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many conscientious objectors have been sentenced to more than one term of hard labour?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI have no precise statistics of the number, but I understand that it is roughly 1,300.
31. Mr. E. HARVEYasked whether Mr. Albert Taylor, late Parliamentary candidate for the Rossendale Division, has recently served his first sentence in Wormwood. Scrubs Prison, during which he has been for 111 days on punishment diet, in strict cellular confinement, and for about half of that period without a bed; whether this punishment, as a consequence of his resistance to the Military Service Act and refusal to undertake the prison tasks allotted him under it, has been detrimental to his health; and whether it is proposed to continue this method of punishment in definitely?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir G. Cave)This man has been punished in the appropriate way for refusing to work in prison. Care is taken to make sure that prison punishments are not such as to cause injury to health, and in this instance the prisoner gained in weight while he was in prison. He has now been discharged. If he should again be convicted and committed to prison, refusal to work would entail punishment in accordance with the prison rules.
Mr. HARVEYDoes it involve the particular form of punishment stated in the question, and is it right that anyone should be confined so long without any opportunity of exercising or any intercourse with human beings?
§ Sir G. CAVEThey have opportunities of exercise.
Mr. HARVEYIn this case surely they are confined entirely to their cells. Will the right hon. Gentleman make inquiry as to whether there are opportunities of exercise except in the cells?
32. The HON. MEMBERasked the Home Secretary whether Dr. J. C. MacCallum, a graduate of Edinburgh University, medallist and holder of the Monat scholarship, executive tuberculosis officer for the county of Argyll, holding the diploma of public health, and having specialised in the treatment of tuberculosis, has been employed by the Home Office Committee on Employment of Conscientious Objectors, first at Wakefield and then as a labourer in the manufacture of manure for Messrs. Rough and Sons, Broxburn, Edinburgh; whether, in 1409 consequence of a breach of workshop discipline, this employment has been terminated; and whether, in the national interest, he will consider the possibility of employing this specialist on public health work under whatever financial conditions the Committee's regulations impose, instead of on work for which he is not fitted or instead of sending him back to court-martial and prison?
§ Sir G. CAVEJohn MacCallum has been employed as stated. His employment has been terminated, not for one but for several breaches of discipline. The Committee on the Employment of Conscientious Objectors have recommended his recall to the Army, and the ease is now out of their hands. I understand that Dr. MacCallum has never applied to the Committee to be released in order to take up employment as a doctor, but he and members of his family have made applications for him to be allowed to do ploughing and similar work for relatives.
§ Mr. HOGGEWill the right hon. Gentleman consult the Under-Secretary of State for War on the matter? Is he aware that this man is one of the finest football players who has ever played in Scotland? Will he get some details and put him to useful work?
§ Sir G CAVEIt is a matter of recommendation.
Mr. HARVEYWill the right hon. Gentleman consider that this Committee should employ doctors for medical work in view of the great need for doctors in the country? Is it not uneconomical that they should be employed on making mail bags and artificial manures?
§ Sir G. CAVEIf applications were made for their services no doubt they would be considered.
§ Mr. BUTCHERWould it not be better to employ as medical men doctors who are not shirkers?
§ Mr. PRINGLEDoes the right hon. Gentleman consider this an instance of scientific organisation?