§ Mr. KINGasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he can give any information about Daniel Huxstep, No. 22143, 3rd Company, 3rd Royal Berks, Labour Battalion; whether he is now at Cosham Camp; whether he has been called several times before his colonel; if so, for what offence; and whether it is thought advisable on economic and military grounds to continue to maintain this man as a soldier?
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§ Mr. TENNANTI am informed that No. 22416 Private Daniel Huxstep is now under arrest awaiting decision and application for trial by district court-martial for refusing to obey an order; but, as I am stating in reply to another question put to me by my hon. Friend, I cannot undertake to inquire whether individual soldiers have or have not been guilty of infractions of discipline.
§ Mr. KINGasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether Henry Sara was removed from Parkhurst Prison, Isle of Wight, on or about the 29th April; if so, was he taken to Hurdcott camp; where he is now; how many days has he suffered imprisonment; what is the average cost per diem of maintaining this soldier in the Army and removing him constantly from place to place; where Sara has been of any military or other value to the nation since he became a soldier; and what action it is proposed to take in order to end the waste of money and labour in his case?
§ Mr. TENNANTThe War Office are not in possession of information of what happens to individual soldiers from day to day, and I cannot therefore answer the questions raised in the early parts of the question. The latter part of the question suggests that military punishment should only be imposed if it can be shown to be financially worth while. My hon. Friend will see on reflection how impossible it is to adopt such a criterion.
§ Mr. KINGasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he has any information about John Daniell, Ernest W. Roe, and Basil Robert, who are or were recently at Horfield Barracks as conscientious objectors; whether they have been subject to military punishment; and in what units, if any, have they been placed?
§ Mr. TENNANTI have no information about these three men, and I cannot undertake to make inquiries as to whether individual soldiers have or have not been guilty of infractions of discipline.