§ 81. Mr. WHITEHOUSEasked the Pensions Minister the number of orphans and of fatherless children respectively whose fathers have been killed in the War; and it the Ministry maintains a statistical department for the compilation of these and other relevant statistics?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of PENSIONS (Sir A. Griffith-Boscawen)Certain statistics are kept up by the Ministry of Pensions, and the question of fuller and more systematic 1560 statistics is engaging my attention. The Army Council have, however, objected as being contrary to the public interest on more than one occasion to the publication of these statistics, and I regret, therefore, that I cannot state the figures for which the hon. Member asks in the earlier part of his question.
§ Mr. WHITEHOUSEIs there any objection to giving this information confidentially to Members engaged in organising educational and social schemes for the benefit of these children?
§ Sir A. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWENI will consider that; but any information given in relation to this must be for the private information, of hon. Members alone.