§ 1. Major-General Sir ALFRED KNOXasked the Secretary of State for India how long have any of the British delegates to the third session of the Round Table, Conference spent in India; and how many of them have a knowledge of any of the vernacular languages of India sufficient to enable them to carry on a conversation with any Indian who is ignorant of English?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for INDIA (Sir Samuel Hoare)I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the biographical directories in the Library of the House. If he fails to find in them the information that he requires he will no doubt get into communication with the individual members of the British delegation.
§ Sir A. KNOXWill the right hon. Gentleman reply to the second part of the question, the answer to which cannot be found in any directory?
§ Sir S. HOARENo, Sir. I have nothing to add to the answer which I have already given.
§ Earl WINTERTONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that one, at least, of the British delegates, in addition to actual official experience in India, fought as a regimental officer, alongside Indian troops and in the same brigade with them in the War and thus gained an insight into the matters which are to be discussed, which may not be possessed by one who spent some time in India on the staff?
§ Sir A. KNOXWould it not be, in the opinion of the right hon. Gentleman, to the advantage of this very important session of the Round Table Conference to 724 have representatives there with some real knowledge of the people of India—not merely politicians, but those who know what the people of India want and who can talk to Indians in their own language?
§ Sir S. HOAREThe answer to my Noble Friend the Member for Horsham (Earl Winterton) is in the affirmative. In answer to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Wycombe (Sir A. Knox), I am quite sure that 99 Members of the House out of 100 think the British delegation a very good delegation.
3. Mr. PRICEasked the Secretary of State for India if the Begum Shah Nawaz has been added to the British-Indian delegation to the Indian Round Table Conference on the same footing as other members of the delegation, or whether she will only take part in the conference on questions that are held to affect women?
§ 11. Major MILNERasked the Secretary of State for India whether Mr. N. M. Joshi has been added to the British-Indian delegation to the Indian Round Table Conference on the same footing as other members of the delegation, or whether he will only take part in the conference on questions that are held to affect labour?
§ Sir S. HOAREBegum Shah Nawaz and Mr. N. M. Joshi have been added to the conference in order to assist its deliberations when questions affecting women and labour respectively are under consideration. Formally their status will not differ from that of other delegates.
§ Mr. ATTLEECan the right hon. Gentleman say what questions of Indian Government there are which do not concern women and labour?
§ Sir S. HOAREI think the hon. Gentleman can answer that question as well as I can.
§ Mr. HOLFORD KNIGHTAre we to understand that these delegates are to give general assistance to the inquiry?
§ Sir S. HOAREI have stated quite clearly that their status will not differ from that of any other delegate.
§ Miss RATHBONEWill Mr. Joshi and the Begum Shah Nawaz be allowed to he 725 the judges of whether a question does or does not affect those whom they represent?
§ Sir S. HOAREI think that certainly would be the case. We would not attempt to dictate to them.