Mr. CHANCELLORasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he has received complaints from the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection that posters giving official information that anti-typhoid inoculation is voluntary had been ordered to be covered up, and in some cases had been torn down by order of the officer commanding and the police authorities in Darlington, Wolverhampton, and Lewes; whether these local authorities were acting under orders from the War Office; if so, under what Clause of the Defence of the Realm or other Act such orders have been issued; and whether he will now stop such attempts to conceal from soldiers the rights which he has assured the House they possess under the Law?
§ Mr. TENNANTI understand that something corresponding to what is described in the first part of my hon. Friend's question actually took place. The local military authorities were not acting under any orders received from the War Office. A complaint was received from Miss Beatrice Kidd and was forwarded to the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Command concerned for any action he might, in his discretion, consider necessary, and Miss Kidd has already been so informed.
Mr. CHANCELLORasked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he is aware that an order of the South Staffords depot states that no leave is to be granted to any non-commissioned officer or man who has not been inoculated or signified his willingness to be done; whether this order is general throughout the Service; whether it has the sanction of the War 578W Office; and whether such orders will now be withdrawn and prohibited for the future?
§ Mr. TENNANTI am obtaining information on this matter.