§ 41. Mr. SNOWDENasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if his Department has received complaints from men serving and discharged concerning the alleged debit balances in the old 19th Company, 3/5 King's Liverpool Regiment, supernumeraries, now the 315th B Company, Royal Defence Corps; whether direct and serious accusations have been made against certain persons in the pay office; whether a request has been, made for a full inquiry into these charges; whether the charges are to the effect that the accounts were falsified; whether charges have been made in regard to the antecedents of those in command at St. Anne's Street depot who had sole charge of the cash and stores; whether it is alleged that one of these officers, a colonel, had been three times bankrupt; that another, a sergeant-major, was an undischarged bankrupt; that another, a quarter-master-sergeant, was out of employment at the time he enlisted; and that another, the assistant-paymaster, had made an arrangement with his creditors; and whether, in view of these charges and the admission by the War Office, by the granting of a partial inquiry, of their seriousness, he will grant a full inquiry into the charges made?
§ Mr. FORSTERCertain allegations have been made as to these accounts, and a full inquiry is now in progress.
§ Mr. SNOWDENCan the right hon. Gentleman say when that full inquiry was ordered, and when it began?
§ Mr. FORSTERI am afraid I cannot. It was quite recently.