§ LORD HAVERSHAMMy Lords, I understand that my noble friend Lord Hylton will answer this question as representing the Treasury. Therefore I beg to ask him the first Question standing in my name—namely, whet her the allowances given to twelve Members of Parliament from War Office funds are in addition to or in lieu of their Parliamentary salaries; if the former is the case, whether he is aware that six of the Members are drawing from £900 to £1,000 a year, and all are receiving more than £500, although it is impossible for them to perform both duties at once. If a Member accepts an administrative office his £400 per annum as a Member of Parliament automatically ceases in consideration of the new salary he receives, and I wish to know whether this is not to apply to Members in receipt of War Office pay. Last night there was a very good case in point. The Prime Minister stated that Mr. A. H. Lee, the Member for Fareham, had been made Military Secretary 777 to the Ministry of Munitions, and that he was not accepting, the salary voted to him by Parliament. I wish to ask my noble friend whether, either by their own consent or somehow, this arrangement could not be extended to these other gentlemen.
§ LORD HYLTONMy Lords, for some reason which I cannot altogether explain this is considered a Treasury question more than a War Office one, and that is the reason why I rise to answer my noble friend. The facts are these. There are twelve members of the House of Commons who are at the present moment in receipt of pay and allowances from the War Office. But of these only two are drawing their salaries as Members of Parliament, the other ten having voluntarily relinquished their salaries in respect of their seats in the House of Commons. The names of those Members of Parliament have, I think, already been given in another place, but I will give them to my noble friend if he wishes.
§ LORD HAVERSHAMI thank my noble friend for his reply, which I think is very satisfactory.