§ Sir J. RANDLESasked the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that soldiers who have been taken prisoner in the recent battles in France and Belgium will be debarred from exercising their votes at a General Election taking place during the War; whether, in order to prevent the provisions of Section 5 of the Representation of the People 686W Act, 1918, giving votes to naval or military voters, from becoming a dead letter, he will at once consider the desirability of urging that the Order in Council provided by Sub-section (4) of Section 23 of that Act should include all areas outside the British Isles as areas where voting by proxy by naval or military voters shall be permitted; and whether, in view of the probability of further severe fighting, he will consider the desirability of issuing at once forms to members of His Majesty's Forces which will enable them to appoint proxies before they leave this country?
Mr. FISHERI will give consideration to my Hon. Friend's suggestions, but I doubt whether it would be possible to give effect to them.