HC Deb 28 January 1918 vol 101 cc1304-5
53. Mr. HARCOURT

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that Ministers state that they are unable to say why certain executive action has or has not been taken on the ground that they cannot answer for the War Cabinet; whether it is intended that the War Cabinet should be a body irresponsible in the ordinary Parliamentary sense; and, it not, whether, in cases when individual members of the War Cabinet are unable to be in their places owing to pressure of work, the representative of the Department will either be furnished with an answer or be instructed to say that in the public interest no answer can be given, and not reply that he is ignorant of the facts?

Mr. BONAR LAW

The responsibility of the War Cabinet and the method of dealing with discussions in Parliament are precisely the same as in the case of any other Cabinet.