§ Mr. SNOWDENasked if Mr. Francis Oscar Kroll, head of the firm of Kroll and Company, engineers, of Camden Town, has been interned under the Defence, of the Realm Act; whether Mr. Kroll was engaged for nearly three years since' the outbreak of war in the execution of large Government contracts for war materials; whether during this time the Ministry of Munitions had any reason to complain of the efficiency and devotion of Mr. Kroll; whether since his internment the daily output of the firm has been decreasing; whether this man's wife has received any allowance since her husband's internment; and on what grounds this man has been interned without trial and' taken away from the supervision of a business in which he was rendering useful national service?
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§ Sir G. CAVEMr. Kroll, who is a German subject, is not interned under the Defence of the Realm Act but as an alien enemy. His internment was recommended by the Advisory Committee in 1915 after consideration of his application for exemption, but it was suspended at the request of the War Office on the ground that his services, were then necessary for the production of war material. I am advised by the Ministry of Munitions that this is no longer the case, and the original recommendation has therefore been carried out. No complaints have been received of Mr. Kroll's business efficiency, but I understand from inquiries I have made that if there is any diminution in the daily output of the firm since his internment it is in no way due to his removal. Mrs. Kroll, not being of British birth, it not entitled to the Government allowance made to British-born wives of interned alien enemies.