Mr. CHANCELLORasked the Secretary of State for War if he has received a letter detailing a series of punishments to which Private T. Hodgson Jowett, No. 6749, C Company, 2/4th Northants, Rise Car School, Darlington, has been subjected for exercising his legal right to refuse vaccination and inoculation; whether the War Office received from this soldier a registered letter on the subject, which was forwarded to his commanding officer: whether he is now being confined to billet for what is not a legal offence; whether this treatment will now be stopped; and whether he will take steps to punish officers who try to enforce vaccination and inoculation upon soldiers contrary to regulations, and in spite of the repeated official assurances as to their being voluntary?
§ Mr. FORSTERInquiries are being made.
Mr. CHANCELLORasked the Secretary of State for War whether his notice has been called to the case of Sanitary Pioneer Halley, No. 196075, Withnoe Camp, Cornwall, who has been sent to the cells until his draft goes to the front for the reason that he has exercised his right to refuse inoculation; whether he will see that this soldier is immediately released and allowed the leave which this punishment is intended to prevent: and whether he will reprimand the officers responsible for this attempt to substitute their will for the law and for the military regulations affecting inoculation?
§ Mr. FORSTERInquiries are being made.