§ VISCOUNT LONGMy Lords, I beg leave to ask His Majesty's Government, the question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government, whether in view of the statement that no medals are to be engraved whether they would not consider the issue of an authority permitting the bereaved to have their medals engraved at public expense.]
§ THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (VISCOUNT ADDISON)My Lords, I regret that it will not be practicable to add engraving to the other processes involved in the issue of the eight Campaign Stars, the Defence Medal, and the War Medal. There will be no objection to recipients having the awards engraved privately.
§ VISCOUNT LONGMy Lords, while thanking the noble Viscount the Leader of the House for his reply, may I ask him, first, whether he appreciates the disappointment that will be caused to thousands of people in this country; secondly, whether it is possible to engrave the names, and thirdly, whether further representations, led by the British Legion of this country, can be made to His Majesty's Government before they come to a final decision? Finally, and whatsoever decision His Majesty's Government may reach, can the noble Viscount tell us whether, when these medals are sent out to the recipients or the bereaved, a definite form can be laid down in which the names should be inscribed?
§ VISCOUNT ADDISONMy Lords, as I told the noble Viscount in the concluding part of my reply, there is no objection to the recipients having names engraved upon the medals. The noble Viscount, I 294 am afraid, has not realised that the aggregate number of these medals—there are ten kinds in all—runs into millions, and if what the noble Viscount has suggested had to be done, their distribution to the recipients would be much delayed, with great consequent disappointment.
§ VISCOUNT LONGWill the noble Viscount excuse my speaking once again? I am not asking for any delay; I am asking that written authority be sent with the medals to the bereaved to allow them, at public expense, to get the names of their sons or daughters engraved on them. There will be no delay caused whatever.
§ VISCOUNT ADDISONThat was not the noble Viscount's original question. I will certainly inquire into that matter and let him know the result of my inquiries.
LORD STRABOLGIMy Lords, do I understand the noble Viscount the Leader of the House to say that any recipient can have his medal engraved before his death?
§ VISCOUNT ADDISONCertainly. There is no objection to any recipient having a medal engraved at any time.