§ 6. Mr. LYNCHasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give the number of the members of the Foreign Office and of the Diplomatic Service who were of military age when the War commenced, and the number of those who have joined the fighting forces since that event; and what proportion of the members are now actually serving at the front?
§ Lord R. CECIL: The number of members of the Foreign Office and Diplomatic Service who, when the War commenced, were of military age was 151. Of these, in spite of their urgent and repeated representations, it has only been possible, in view of the requirements of the service, to release twenty-four. I am unable to say how many of these are now actually serving at the front.
§ Mr. LYNCH: Is it not possible to state some superior reasons which make the Foreign Office the home of these embusqués?
§ Lord R. CECIL: That is a very unfair suggestion. Everyone who knows the Diplomatic Service and the Foreign Office knows perfectly well that no one has been more anxious than members of these services to go to the front; it is only because the Secretary of State, in the exercise of his discretion, has regarded it as absolutely essential, in the public service, that these relatively small number of men who have been retained should be kept over here.
§ Mr. WATT: Is it not possible, after three and a half years of war, to get discharged soldiers to do the work of the Foreign Office?
§ Lord R. CECIL: No, Sir, it is not.
§ Mr. HOGGE: Does not the Noble Lord think that it is very much better that these men should go than that re-examined men, who have been discharged from the Army through disability, should be taken back?
§ Lord R. CECIL: That is not for me to express an opinion upon. All I can say is that I am quite sure that the various Secretaries of State have only been too anxious to allow these men to go, if it has been consistent with the public interest.