§
Motion made, and Question proposed,
That a Supplementary sum, not exceeding £89,700, be granted to His Majesty, to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1932, for the Expenses in connection with His Majesty's Embassies, Missions and Consular Establishments Abroad, and other expenditure chargeable to the Consular Vote; certain special Grants, including a Grant-in-Aid; Sundry Services arising out of the War; and a Loan to the European Commission of the Danube.
§ Mr. ATTLEEWith reference to what happened in the case of the previous Supplementary Estimate, I would like to say that the Government have always given us some explanation of these Supplementary Estimates, and I should have risen at once if I had known that the Minister was not intending to furnish an explanation. Ministers have regularly got up to give explanations, and, if any other Member has risen, the Minister has not given way. We have passed over a very large and serious matter without any opportunity of discussing some vital points.
§ The CHAIRMANThe hon. Member knows perfectly well what the practice of the Committee is. If hon. Members wish to discuss these Votes it is necessary for them to watch their opportunity. I may remind the hon. Gentleman that the first of these Votes very nearly went through without discussion, sub silentio.
§ Mr. BUCHANANI want to say that on the Report stage I shall take the opportunity of raising the points which I should have brought forward to-day had there been a chance of doing so.
§ The CHAIRMANThe hon. Member will be perfectly entitled to do so.
§ Mr. ATTLEEComing to the Supplementary Estimate now before us, I do not think we ought to pass this large sum without having some explanation.
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. Eden)The items in this Supplementary Estimate are set out under a number of heads, but in each case the explanation is the same: that owing to the departure of this country from the Gold Standard and the consequent fall in the value of sterling a corresponding increase in charges was inevitable in the case of those countries which remain on a gold basis. The principal countries in respect of which there will not be any additional expenditure are Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Norway, Portugal and Sweden, which followed this country in its departure from the Gold Standard. As far as possible these additional charges have been offset by reductions and economies elsewhere, more particularly in allowances for entertaining. I can assure the Committee that the strictest economy has been observed, and that policy will be continued. Subhead "D," dealing with couriers, provides for salaries and travelling and subsistence allowances for local couriers who are employed to link up various posts abroad which are served by the King's Foreign Service Messengers.
Under Sub-head "'N' Salaries and Allowances," there is an increase of £13,000. There are two figures in that item. There is an increase of £12,000 representing additional cost for currency and for rent allowances to consular officers who receive the actual total amount expended by them on rent. That is due to our departure from the Gold Standard. The other sum, £11,000, is the cost-of-living bonus paid to consular officers, and is based on the sterling index figure in their countries. Those two items represent an increase of £23,000, against which there is a saving of £10,000 which has been effected by allowing vacancies in the Service to remain unfilled, and, to a small extent, by a reduction in representation allowances. Under Sub-head "O" an additional 31,000 is required to meet the allowances to salaried officers and to some unsalaried officers for the expenses of their offices, which have been increased owing to this country going off the Gold Standard. Some 220 officers are concerned. The items under Sub heads "CC" and "EE" are in respect of similar services in Japan and Siam. The Appropriations-in-Aid, under Sub-head 1094 "RR", show a deficiency in the sums received by the General Consular Service for certain duties which it performs, particularly the shipping fees. In all, these sums will fall short of the original Estimate by some £95,000. Against that loss must be set a saving of £35,000, or rather an additional sum of £35,000, representing fees at par of exchange, because we still charge the fees at the old par of exchange and the additional profit comes to us. There is a net loss of 260,000. Owing to the trade depression the estimate of other fees has to be reduced. The only other item which calls for comment is the anticipated saving of £2?,800—the amount of the original Estimate—on our second instalment of loan to the European Commission of the Danube. That payment will not now have to be made until after the close of the present financial year, so that it need not be shown in the Estimates for this year.
§ Mr. ATTLEEI am very much obliged to the hon. Gentleman for the full explanation he has given. So far as I can gather, this increased expenditure is almost entirely due to changes in the rates of currency. Perhaps he can explain how these Estimates are drawn up. There are extraordinary fluctuations in the values of currency, sometimes in our favour and sometimes against, and it must be extremely difficult to estimate the cost in sterling of diplomatic and consular services in all these countries. I understand that this additional expenditure of £89,000 is what we have to pay for going off the Gold Standard, one of the things we struggled so hard to avoid. But have there been no offsets in the course of the year? We get these Supplementary Estimates brought up every year. We have the original Estimate, and then an additional sum it needed. Occasionally we have Appropriations-in-Aid, but the conditions always seem to be adverse, and there is never any economy. Have there not been any occasions in this financial year when we have saved considerable sums? I should have thought that would have been certain in the present state of the currencies, in the case of some of our payments abroad. Are we quite certain that everything has been allowed for?
§ The CHAIRMANIs the hon. Member discussing the general Estimate or the Supplementary one.
§ Mr. ATTLEEI am discussing this Supplementary Estimate. The whole point of this Supplementary Estimate is that it is anticipated that owing to changes in the rates of exchange an additional sum will have to be provided, and the point I am on is how is that estimate made in the extremely fluctuating conditions of world currency to-day? I ask, also, whether there are no offsets, either realised or anticipated? My next point is with reference to the services in Japan and Siam. I understand this is a special item, outside the general consular service, and I want to know why it should be separated and whether there has been any saving? Apparently very few people are going to China and we shall have to close down a certain number of establishments. The loan to the European Commission of the Danube is a very interesting example of international control, of which we hope to see more examples, but I would like to know how we get out of paying this particular instalment; why was it thought originally that it would fall due for payment this year; how many instalments have been paid; and whether there is any real saving?
§ Mr. KIRKWOODI would like to have an explanation about the rent allowances which come under Sub-head "EE." This sub-head does not refer to office expenses, and therefore it must be the rents of the homes of these officials. They have been allowed £4,130 for rent, and through certain circumstances are now to be given an additional £500. I am viewing this matter from the point of view of the working class, because I do not forget that when the present Prime Minister was head of the Labour Government in 1924, my immediate colleagues here and I fought him and the right hon. Member for Derby (Mr. J. H. Thomas) and Lord Ponsonby, who advocated and carried in this House an increase of salaries in the diplomatic service on the ground that the officials were not able to maintain the standard required of them on the salaries provided. The same service now comes forward to-day asking for another £500 towards rent. This Government reduced the incomes of the poorest section of the community, 1096 the unemployed. There was no rent allowance for them, none! But that does not matter. That is something for hon. Members to smile at. It is only the poor who are treated that way.
6.0 p.m.
Now we are drawing attention to the fact that the better-off section of the community are plundering the coffers of the people of this country, although the Lord President of the Council has said that he was sure the unemployed would have a grievance if we did not allow them to share with others in reductions of income. The Tories supported him in the belief that the unemployed would gladly accept a reduction in their income from 17s. to 15s. 9d. per week. If the wealthy section in this country are entitled to make statements like that, surely those who represent the working classes have a right to draw the attention of the country to the fact that the class we are now considering, who are well placed, and who are drawing thousands a year, are being granted these extra allowances. It must be remembered that only a certain section of the community is allowed to compete for these posts even under the Civil Service regime. None of the present occupiers of these offices in the diplomatic and consular services come under the new dispensation. Before the Labour Government came into office, only boys from Eton were allowed to enter the diplomatic service. That is class legislation with a vengeance.
It was left to the representatives of the working class to change all that, and now the men who will fill diplomatic and consular positions will be drawn from all classes if they pass a certain examination. I know that the examination is very difficult. It is about as easy for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle as for a working-class boy to pass that examination, but in the end, I think, working-class boys will be able to beat anything that comes from Eton or anywhere else. These officials, who have had special training and breeding, now come here and ask for these extra allowances, and yet those hon. Members who are supporting these proposals accuse the working class of bleeding and exploiting the Employment Exchanges, and they have imposed a means test. Why do you not adopt a means test in the case of these officials? I believe that a means test ought to be applied here. I have heard 1097 hon. Members, speaking from the Treasury Bench, declare that they are not in favour of giving people money for nothing. That is just what you are doing in this case, because these officers have money. There ought to be some inquiry in order to see whether these officials really require assistance of this kind. Surely we have a right to demand an inquiry before we hand over money in this way. The money we are now spending is not produced by the men who were reared at Eton, but it has all been produced by my class, and all wealth is produced by labour.
I want to know if any inquiries have been made as to whether the children of these officials are going to school without boots this winter, and are not able to sleep for want of blankets? Are any of these officials threatened with eviction because they cannot pay their rent? My class is being evicted by hundreds every week all over the country, and we cannot come here and obtain grants for them. We have appealed to the House time and time again on behalf of those poor people. I have been told by the Secretary of State for Scotland that the public assistance committees would make provision for those poor people, but that has not been done. Here we have the noble blood of England, in all its power and majesty, posing as something superior to the rest of humanity. Yet they come to this House like beggars. A member of the working class would never dream of coming to this House begging in this way. I want to be told if any Member of the diplomatic and consular services is going to be evicted. Can the hon. Gentleman in charge of this Vote mention one case? Amongst the working classes there are thousands living in fear and trembling, afraid of being evicted, and yet there is not a helping hand stretched out by the Government to assist them. I do not blame hon. Members for standing up for their class, but I want my own class to know what is going on in this House, and I want them to be determined and clamour for their rights. They are threatened with ejectment, and they have to go before the public assistance committees to pass a means test. The individuals to whom this money is being voted "toil not, neither do they spin," and before they would go down a mine or work in a workshop they would make a 1098 hole in the Thames. Yet hon. Members opposite are going to vote this money.
I note that this Estimate includes a loan to the European Commission of the Danube amounting to £27,800. I would like some information about this Commission. I have been on the Danube, and I know something about the countries on the Danube, but I would like to know something more about this Estimate. Before we allow this money to be spent I think we have a right to know what is going to be done with that money and whether it is to be spent wisely or otherwise.
§ Mr. LOGANI would like to say a word or two at the outset in regard to the remarks which have been made by hon. Members below the Gangway. As far as I am concerned, I am prepared to go as far in these matters as any Labour Member below the Gangway, but I deprecate their continual references to the Labour party, which are getting very offensive. I am speaking for No. 1, namely, myself, and I want to make it quite clear where I stand.
§ Mr. MAXTONYou can do with an extra man or two.
§ Mr. LOGANWhy are additional sums required for salaries and allowances, office expenses, and rent allowances? There ought to be no necessity for such expenses, in view of the economy stunts which have been put into force in the Civil Service. In view of the urgent need for economy, when a Supplementary Estimate for £89,700 is put before the Committee, we have a right to ask why there should be increases in respect of salaries, allowances, and rent allowances.
I would like to know if the 10 per cent. reduction which was applied to the Civil Service, has been put into operation in the diplomatic and consular services? A reduction has taken place in the case of the salaries of Members of Parliament, and surely, in face of the necessity for national economy and the terrible condition in which we find the country, those officials ought to be willing to avoid all this expenditure and agree to a reduction of their salaries. In the part of the country from which I come people are being evicted out of cellars, and we cannot find them houses, and, when that is happening, I cannot understand how the House of Commons can in conscience 1099 agree to an extra £4,650 for rent allowances, £249,000 for office expenses, £386,000 for salaries, and other items, amounting to the huge additional total of £117,500, or, after deducting a saving of £27,800, £89,700. I agree that this Consular Service does great and useful work but, in view of the strict economies which are being effected, I think it is absolutely uncalled for to ask the House, in the present state of the national finances, for an additional sum of £89,700. One would have thought that, in view of the economies that could have been effected by the Consular Department, the Government would never have the effrontery to ask the House of Commons for additional payments to this privileged class when economies have been made in so many other directions.
At a time when the Prime Minister is suggesting that we should pull in our belts, when a man's unemployment benefit of 17s. is reduced by 1s. 9d. to 16s. 3d., out of which he has to pay rent and keep his home together, this Supplementary Estimate for £89,700 is presented, and it is expected that it will pass in a few minutes without comment. It is enough to make anyone who thinks ask whether this Government is a National Government that means business, or what does it mean? I can understand Members outside going mad in regard to the national conditions, but in the House of Commons I cannot understand the mentality of a party which calls itself a National party and which comes forward with Estimates of this description without showing to the House any justification for them. It may be that some explanation will be given, but in my humble opinion explanations should be given before Members ask questions, and not after an attempt has been made to rush the thing through the House.
It is a question of deception. You are not playing fairly and squarely with the people of this country—[Interruption.] Perhaps the hon. Gentleman who says "Hear, hear" may be getting something similar out of the nation. My remarks in this House are worth something, and I have a right to make them. I have equal rights with any Member in this House. I represent a particular portion of the community, to whom I owe a duty, 1100 and I want to know why another portion of the community is not treated in the same way as the people whom I represent. I want to know what saving, if any has been effected in the Consular Service, and why the Government to-day are asking for this additional sum of £89,700. Seeing that a large amount of money is paid to these people, is it not possible to effect economies in this service by reducing some of these rent allowances and fees, rather than presenting this Supplementary Estimate?
§ Mr. BUCHANANIn the remarks that I desire to make on this Estimate, I may or may not say something about the Labour benches, but as a Member of Parliament I also must exercise my free right to say what I desire to say in this House. I hope I shall not succeed in raising any more adverse comment than anyone else. I will speak about the Labour party if I wish to do so, but I will not take orders. [interruption.] I have a right to intervene. This is not a Labour party conference. I refused to take orders at the election, and I am not taking orders now.
The hon. Gentleman, in submitting this Estimate to the Committee, said that there were savings on entertainment, but he did not tell us how much the original Estimate for entertainment was, or what was the net saving. It is obvious that this Committee ought to know what the saving is, and what percentage it represents of the whole amount. My hon. Friend the Member for Dumbarton Burghs (Mr. Kirkwood) was absolutely sound when he said that, whatever other connection this Estimate has with outside conditions, the people outside upon whom fearful hardships are being imposed will want to know more about this matter now than on a normal occasion. When we have these conditions of terrible suffering, what are the savings that are being made here on entertainment? Would it not have been possible to offset this Estimate entirely by savings on entertainment? Could not the Government, in view of the emergency in which we now are, have abolished entertainment entirely?
The hon. Member for the Scotland Division of Liverpool (Mr. Logan) raised, and I think rightly raised, the point that almost all members of the community are 1101 suffering cuts in their incomes. It may be argued that we have a contract here, and, on that question, may I put to the hon. Gentleman this point? Take the Army reservist for purposes of illustration. The reservists joined the Army under contract, and undertook certain duties, and they were to be paid 1s. a day. The Government have broken that contract, and reduced the amount by 25 per cent. Members of Parliament have suffered a reduction of 10 per cent., and reductions varying from 10 per cent. to 25 per cent. have been inflicted on almost every member of the working-class community connected or partly connected with the Government. I want to know what was the percentage reduction applied to the Consular Service. Was there any reduction in their case, or is it to be argued that in view of tile fall in the value of the pound, which is now only worth 15s., we are under contract to make it up to 20s.?
Let us see what is the nature of the contract. We are asked here not so much for a Supplementary Estimate as for a definite increase in the salaries of certain people, and I want to know whether we are under contract to increase their salaries. It may be said that they have suffered a serious reduction, but so has everybody else. The Government, when they were pressed, refused to consider, if the cost of living rose, increasing other people's emoluments; why should we apply this added increase to these people and separate them from the rest of the community?
May I ask the hon. Gentleman, further, how was this rent allowance granted? I am not like my hon. Friend the Member for Dumbarton, who has seen the Danube. The furthest I have ever got towards seeing places abroad is the Thames. I have never been abroad, and am not sure how they work in foreign countries, though I represent a foreign country in my Division. I presume, however, that other countries are pretty much like Britain in regard to contracts for houses, that is to say, that they take a house for fixed term. It may be for a year, or it may be for three years, but there is some contract or lease that lets the house to the person who is the lessee. If that is the case, I presume that the Consular Service had a lease of their houses for a definite term, and, if so, was it in the contract that the persons who let the 1102 houses could increase the rent whenever they liked?
Assume that an American consul was here and that the reverse process had taken place—that America had gone off gold and we had remained on. It is quite true that he would have been paid in American money if he were here, but I assume that a contract would be made with him as an American Consul. Surely other countries do not treat foreign subjects residing within their borders so badly as to take advantage of every price increase, and surely British standards of honour and justice and high dealing would not allow that to be done here. Am I to he told that this country would mercenarily take advantage of an American citizen who was here as a consul in that way? Never; I am not disposed to believe that men educated at Harrow, Cambridge and other famous places would dream of doing such a thing. I ask, what was the nature of the contract that was entered into in connection with rents in this case?
6.30 p.m.
There is another Estimate for printing. I am not going to discuss it, but it is for something like £80,000. What amazes me in connection with these Estimates is that the Government ask for hundreds of thousands of pounds on them, and yet, when we come down and ask for a few pounds, we cannot get it. Then I should like to ask the hon. Gentleman what about these couriers? I thought that he slid over this item, and I could not follow him, but £2,000 extra is required here. Is this extra amount due to loss on exchange? But they are still doing the same amount of travelling. Every Estimate says the last lot did it, but you were elected to be different. Could not these couriers be abolished? One does not like to increase the number on Poor Relief, but could they not at least be kept at home and given some other kind of job? What do they do that they need this extra money? I think the courier business is well overdone. What is a courier? He is a carrier of messages.
§ The DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN (Captain Bourne)The hon. Member is entitled to argue on this Vote that a courier should take fewer journeys, but he cannot argue whether there should or should not be couriers. That was decided on the main Estimate.
§ Mr. BUCHANANI am saying that the extra amount should not have been spent because they should have done it by transport, which is absolutely safe and more speedy. In fact, in some ways there is less risk. There is not the same need for them now. Has not the head of our Government written books in favour of open diplomacy'? The secret business is supposed to be at an end. The speech of a Noble Lord in another place yesterday—
§ The CHAIRMANIt is not in order to discuss what happened in another place.
§ Mr. BUCHANANI am not discussing it. I only mention it for the purpose of showing that secrets are at an end, and the extra money for the couriers, should also be at an end. Will the hon. Gentleman tell me what was the original Estimate for, entertainment and what was the saving made on entertainments, what is the extra nature of the journeys that calls for this extra £2,000 for couriers and why another service could not have been taken on in its place? What reduction in salaries did these counsel and others receive, and did that reduction, if any, not apply to the rent allowance as well? We feel that this is a wasteful system and we intend to divide against it.
§ Mr. EDEN; The hon. Member who has just spoken and the hon. Member for Dumbarton Burghs (Mr. Kirkwood) seem to be under the delusion that the diplomatic service in some respects has been selected for exceptional and generous treatment by the Government. This is very far from being the case. On the contrary, whereas in September last we went off the Gold Standard and the purchasing power of sterling fell, from that date actually no provision whatever was made for the diplomatic service until 1st December, and even that was materially less than the fall in the purchasing power of sterling in their countries. In actual fact, only one month of additional expenditure for the diplomatic service comes into this year at all, the month of December, and that month has been, met by savings elsewhere, so that there is not one penny piece of expenditure payable to salaries in the diplomatic service
§ in this Supplementary Estimate. The Committee will see from that that, so far from being especially kindly treated, the Service has in fact met exceptional charges so well that we are saved what might have been a very heavy additional expenditure. As to the reduction on entertainment, a cut of approximately 10 per cent. has been made in that expenditure though, of course, the actual cut is very much larger owing to the decreased purchasing power of sterling in the countries affected. Contracts for rent are all entered into and have to be paid in the currencies of the countries concerned. Therefore, the increased expenditure which is there called for is automatic and is not expenditure over which we have any control.
§ I can assure the hon. Member for Gorbals (Mr. Buchanan) that there have been no extra journeys. On the contrary, as he wisely anticipated, we have done better than our predecessors and we have considerably reduced the number of these journeys. But the cost of some of them, for the same reason that underlies all these Estimates, has increased and the £2,000 concerned is the difference between the economies 'we have been able to make and the increased charges which the departure from the Gold Standard has inflicted upon us. The hon. Member for Dumbarton Burghs asked me about the Danube saving. This payment has been made annually for many years to an International Commission which has the responsibility of maintaining the navigation of the Danube. We shall not now make a payment in this present financial year, and this saving can therefore be shown. Perhaps I might answer the hon. Member for Limehouse (Mr. Attlee) and tell him that the basis on which these Estimates are calculated is the basis of the parity of exchange as it was a year ago, and substantial economies alone have made it possible for us to present so comparatively modest an Estimate. I hope, with this explanation, the Committee will be content to give us the Vote.
§ Question put.
§ The Committee divided: Ayes, 275; Noes, 5.
1107| Division No. 60.] | AYES. | [6.40 p.m. |
| Adams, Samuel Vyvyan T. (Leeds, W.) | Albery, Irving James | Allen, William (Stoke-on-Trent) |
| Agnew, Lieut.-Com. P. G. | Allen, Sir J. Sandeman (Liverp'l, W.) | Amery, Rt. Hon. Leopold C. M. S. |
| Ainsworth, Lieut.-Colonel Charles | Allen, Lt.-Col. J. Sandeman (B'k'nh'd.) | Anstruther-Gray, W. J. |
| Aske, Sir Robert William | Goodman, Colonel Albert W. | Newton, Sir Douglas George C. |
| Astbury, Lieut.-Com. Frederick Wolfe | Grattan-Doyle, Sir Nicholas | Nicholson, Godfrey (Morpeth) |
| Attar, Maj. Hn. John J. (Kent, Dover) | Graves, Marjorie | Nicholson, Rt. Hn. W. G. (Petersf'ld) |
| Atholl, Duchess of | Greaves-Lord. Sir Walter | Normand, Wilfrid Guild |
| Atkinson, Cyril | Grenfell, E. C. (City of London) | North, Captain Edward T. |
| Balfour, George (Hampstead) | Gretton, Colonel Rt. Hon. John | Nunn, William |
| Balniel, Lord | Gunston, Captain D. W. | O'Connor, Terence James |
| Banks, Sir Reginald Mitchell | Guy, J. C. Morrison | O'Neill, Rt. Hon. Sir Hugh |
| Barclay-Harvey, C. M. | Hacking, Rt. Hon. Douglas H. | Ormiston, Thomas |
| Beaumont, Hon. R.E.B. (Portsm'th.C.) | Hamilton, Sir George (Ilford) | Palmer, Francis Noel |
| Benn, Sir Arthur Shirley | Hamilton, Sir R. W.(Orkney & Zetl'nd) | Patrick, Colin M. |
| Birchall, Major Sir John Dearman | Hanbury, Cecil | Pearson, William G. |
| Baulton, W. W. | Hannon, Patrick Joseph Henry | Penny, Sir George |
| Bower, Lieut.-Com. Robert Tatton | Harbord, Arthur | Perkins, Walter R. D. |
| Bowyer, Capt. Sir George E. W. | Hartland, George A. | Petherick, M. |
| Braithwaite, J. G. (Hillsborough) | Harvey, Major S. E. (Devon, Totnes) | Peto, Geoffrey K.(W'verh'pt'n, Bliston) |
| Briant, Frank | Headlam, Lieut.-Col. Cuthbert M. | Pickering, Ernest H. |
| Broadbent, Colonel John | Henderson, Sir Vivian L. (Chelmsford) | Pike, Cecil F. |
| Brocklebank, C. E. R. | Heneage, Lieut.-Colonel Arthur P. | Potter, John |
| Brown, Col. D. C. (N'th'l'd., Hexham) | Hepworth, Joseph | Pybus, Percy John |
| Brown, Brig.-Gen. H. C.(Berks., Newb'y) | Hillman, Dr. George B. | Ramsay, Capt. A. H. M. (Midlothian) |
| Browne, Captain A. C. | Hopkinson, Austin | Ramsay, T. B. W. (Western Isles) |
| Buchan, John | Hore-Belisha, Leslie | Ramsbotham, Herwald |
| Buchan-Hepburn, P. G. T. | Hornby, Frank | Ramsden, E. |
| Burghley, Lord | Home, Rt. Hon. Sir Robert S. | Rankin. Robert |
| Cadogan, Hon. Edward | Horsbrugh, Florence | Rea, Walter Russell |
| Campbell, Edward Taswell (Bromley) | Hume, Sir George Hopwood | Reed, Arthur C. (Exeter) |
| Campbell. Rear-Adml. G. (Burnley) | Hunter, Dr. Joseph (Dumfries) | Reid, David D. (County Down) |
| Campbell-Johnston, Malcolm | Hunter, Capt. M. J. (Brigg) | Reid, James S. C. (Stirling) |
| Caporn, Arthur Cecil | Hunter-Weston, Lt.-Gen. Sir Aylmer | Reid, William Allan (Derby) |
| Carver, Major William H. | Jackson, J. C. (Heywood & Radcliffe) | Rentoul, Sir Gervals S. |
| Cayzer, Sir Charles (Chester, City) | James. Wing-Com. A. W. H. | Robinson, John Roland |
| Cazalet, Thelma (Islington, E.) | Janner, Barnett | Ropner, Colonel L. |
| Chalmers, John Rutherford | Jesson, Major Thomas E. | Rosbotham, S. T. |
| Chapman, Sir Samuel (Edinburgh, S.) | Joel, Dudley J. Barnato | Ross, Ronald D. |
| Chorlton, Alan Ernest Leofric | Jones, Lewis (Swansea, West) | Ross Taylor, Walter (Woodbridge) |
| Clarry, Reginald George | Ker, J. Campbell | Runge, Norah Cecil |
| Clydesdale, Marquess of | Kerr, Hamilton W. | Russell, Hamer Field (Shef'ld, B'tside) |
| Cobb, sir Cyril | Kirkpatrick, William M. | Russell, Richard John (Eddisbury) |
| Colville. Major David John | Knatchbull, Captain Hon. M. H. R. | Rutherford, Sir John Hugo |
| Conant, R. J. E. | Knox, Sir Alfred | Salmon, Major Isidore |
| Cook, Thomas A. | Law, Richard K. (Hull, S.W.) | Salt, Edward W. |
| Cooper, A. Duff | Leckie, J. A. | Samuel, Sir Arthur Michael (F'nham) |
| Copeland. Ida | Leech, Dr. J. W. | Sandeman, Sir A. N. Stewart |
| Cowan, D. M. | Lees-Jones, John | Savery, Samuel Servington |
| Croft, Brigadier-General Sir H. | Leighton, Major B. E. P. | Scone, Lord |
| Crooke, J. Smedley | Lennox-Boyd, A. T, | Selley, Harry R. |
| Crookshank, Col. C. de Windt (Bootle) | Levy. Thomas | Shakespeare, Geoffrey H. |
| Croom-Johnson, R. P. | Liddall, Walter S. | Shaw, Helen B. (Lanark, Bothwell) |
| Cross, R. H. | Lindsay, Noel Ker | Shepperson, Sir Ernest W. |
| Crossley, A. C. | Lister. Rt. Hon. Sir Philip Cunliffe- | Skelton, Archibald Noel |
| Cruddas, Lieut.-Colonel Bernard | Llewellin, Major John J. | Smiles, Lieut.-Col. Sir Walter D. |
| Davies, Edward C. (Montgomery) | Loder, Captain J. de Vere | Smith, Louis W. (Sheffield, Hallam) |
| Davies, Ma). Geo. F.(Somerset,Yeovil) | Lumley, Captain Lawrence R. | Somervell, Donald Bradley |
| Davison. Sir William Henry | MacAndrew, Maj. C. G. (Partick) | Somerville, Annesley A. (Windsor) |
| Dawson, Sir Philip | MacAndrew, Capt. J. O. (Ayr) | Sotheron-Estcourt, Captain T. E. |
| Denman, Hon. R. D. | Macdonald, Capt. P. D. (I. of W.) | Southby, Commander Archibald R. J. |
| Dickie, John p. | McEwen, J. H. F. | Spears, Brigadier-General Edward L. |
| Doran, Edward | McKeag, William | Stanley, Lord (Lancaster, Fylde) |
| Dugdale, Captain Thomas Lionel | McKie, John Hamilton | Stanley, Hon. O. F. G. (Westmorland) |
| Dunglass, Lord | McLean, Dr. W. H. (Tradeston) | Stones, James |
| Eden, Robert Anthony | Macmillan, Maurice Harold | Stourton, Hon. John J. |
| Edmondson, Major A. J. | Macpherson, Rt. Hon, James I. | Strauss, Edward A. |
| Ednam, Viscount | Makins, Brigadier-General Ernest | Stuart, Hon. J. (Moray and Nairn) |
| Elliot, Major Rt. Hon. Walter E. | Mallalieu, Edward Lancelot | Sugden, Sir Wilfrid Hart |
| Ellis, Robert Geoffrey | Margesson, Capt. Henry David R. | Sutcliffe, Harold |
| Elliston. Captain George Sampson | Marjoribanks, Edward | Templeton, William P. |
| Elmley, Viscount | Marsden, Commander Arthur | Thompson, Luke |
| Emmott, Charles E. G. C. | Martin, Thomas B. | Thomson, Sir Frederick Charles |
| Emrys-Evans, P. V. | Mason, Col. Glyn K. (Croydon, N.) | Thorp, Linton Theodore |
| Essenhigh, Reginald Clare | Mayhew, Lieut.-Colonel John | Tinker, John Joseph |
| Everard, W. Lindsay | Millar, Sir James Duncan | Todd, Capt. A. J. K. (B'wick-on-T.) |
| Fermoy, Lord | Mills, Sir Frederick (Leyton, E.) | Touche, Gordon Cosmo |
| Fielden, Edward Brocklehurst | Mills, Major J. D. (New Forest) | Train, John |
| Foot, Isaac (Cornwall, Bodmin) | Milne, John Sydney Wardlaw- | Tryon, Rt. Hon. George Clement |
| Ford, Sir Patrick J. | Mitchell, Harold P.(Br'tf'd & Chisw'k) | Wallace, Captain D. E.(Hornsey) |
| Fraser, Captain Ian | Mitcheson, G. G. | Wallace, John (Dunfermilne) |
| Fremantle, Lieut.-Colonel Francis E. | Molson, A. Hugh Elsdale | Ward, Lt.-Col. Sir A. L. (Hull) |
| Fuller, Captain A. E. G. | Moreing, Adrian C. | Ward, Irene Mary Bewick (Wallsend) |
| George, Major G. Lloyd (Pembroke) | Mordan, Robert H. | Ward, Sarah Adelaide (Cannock) |
| Gillett. Sir George Masterman | Morris, John Patrick (Salford, N.) | Warrender, Sir Victor A. G. |
| Glossop, C. W. H. | Morris-Jones. Dr. J. H. (Denbigh) | Waterhouse, Captain Charles |
| Gluckstein, Louis Halle | Muirhead, Major A. J. | Watt, Captain George Steven H. |
| Goff, Sir Park | Hunro, Patrick | Wayland, Sir William A. |
| Goldie, Noel B. | Nation, Brigadier-General J. J. H. | Wedderburn, Henry James Scrymgeour- |
| Whiteside, Borras Noel H. | Winterton, Rt. Hon. Earl | Young, Ernest J. (Middlesbrough, E.) |
| Williams, Herbert G. (Croydon, S.) | Wolmer, Rt. Hon. Viscount | |
| Wills, Wilfrid D. | Womersley, Walter James | TELLERS FOR THE AYES.— |
| Wilson, Clyde T. (West Toxteth) | Wood, Sir Murdoch Mckenzie (Banff) | Captain Austin Hudson and Lord Erskine. |
| Windsor-Clive, Lieut.-Colonel George | Worthington, Dr. John V. | |
| NOES. | ||
| Adams, D. M. (Poplar, South) | Logan, David Gilbert | TELLERS FOR THE NOES.— |
| Devlin, Joseph | Maxton, James | Mr. Kirkwood and Mr. Buchanan. |
| Healy, Cahir |