§ 1. Major NEWMANasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will ascertain if a member of the Sacred College has recently pledged himself to weaken the military forces of the Allied Powers by preventing the application of the Military Service Act to a portion of the United Kingdom; and whether this infringement of the neutrality which has been observed by the Holy See has been the subject of representations by His Majesty's Minister at the Vatican?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. Balfour)I have seen the Press reports to which, I presume, the lion. Member refers, but I can hardly believe that when the Military Service Act is legally applied to Ireland any member of the Sacred College will place himself in opposition to the law of the land.
As regards the last part of the question, I have no doubt the Vatican is kept fully informed, and I do not propose to make any official representations.