§ 57. Mr. S. MacNEILLasked the Prime Minster whether the body known as the War Cabinet has secretaries to keep a complete record of all Cabinet decisions; whether these secretaries are in attendance at Cabinet meetings, and whether the minutes of the proceedings are sent round to each of the five Members after meetings of the War Cabinet for correction; whether, having regard to the fact that it has been before the establishment of this War Cabinet an inflexible rule of the Cabinet that no Member shall take any note or record of proceedings except the Prime Minister for the purpose of sending his letter to the Sovereign, he will state the names of the secretaries to the Cabinet, their qualifications for the office, their salaries, and the reasons for 1086 their admission to meetings of the Cabinet which has hitherto sat in closest secrecy; whether the secretaries of the Cabinet have a staff to whose members the proceedings and decisions of the War Cabinet are communicated in the ordinary course of business; if so, of how many members does this staff consist, and what are the names and the salaries of its members, and their special qualifications for being entrusted with the knowledge of Cabinet proceedings and the record of such proceedings; and, having regard to the fact that the decisions and proceedings of the War Cabinet are known to a number of clerks, why should such knowledge be withheld from Parliament?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThe answer to the first three parts of the question is in the affirmative, with the qualification that the War Cabinet has only one Secretary, and the Assistant Secretaries do not attend its meetings except when questions of administration are under discussion. The present system is that which the Government consider best adapted to the conduct of the War, and has been adopted for that reason. The Assistant Secretaries (whose names, salaries and official qualifications I am circulating), and the subordinate staff who assist them in the routine work arising out of their duties were selected on the sole ground of their fitness for the post. The necessary precautions are taken to preserve secrecy.
§ Mr. MacNEILLAre not some of the Secretaries Members of this House, and is the right hon. Gentleman aware that no Prime Minister has had such a large number of Secretaries as the present Prime Minister, except the prophet Daniel, who had 300?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWAs far as I can remember, there is only one Member of this House engaged on the secretarial staff. As to the number of Secretaries, it is obvious, as the business is being conducted in a different way, that it does require a larger number of Secretaries.
§ Mr. MacNEILLIs a Member of the House to be in possession of Cabinet secrets which are refused to other Members of this House?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWAs I have already said, the Assistant-Secretaries are not 1087 present except on questions of the administrative details with which they are concerned and which are under consideration. We take good care to preserve secrecy.
§ Mr. TENNANTWill the list of Secretaries be circulated and made available to Members of the House?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWIt would have been circulated, but to save the cost of printing it will be put into the OFFICIAL REPORT.