Mr. NUGENTasked the Chief Secretary whether the terms of reference submitted to the Commission appointed by the Lord Lieutenant to inquire into and report on the claims for payment out of public funds to non-combatants injured or the dependants of non-combatants killed during the recent rebellion in Ireland will include that of prisoners arrested and shot without trial; whether the instructions given to the Committee will be such as to prevent their classifying as misconduct those citizens who considered it necessary to leave their homes in pursu- 564W ance of their business or on their way to purchase food; will he inform the House what he considers should be classified as misconduct; and whether, in the procedure adopted by the Commission, opportunity will be given to claimants to be professionally represented if they so desire?
§ Mr. DUKEAs regards the terms of reference, I would refer to my reply of yesterday to the question of the hon. Member for the Harbour Division of Dublin. The Committee will decide on the application of these terms in any particular case and will determine their own procedure
§ Mr. CLANCYasked the Chief Secretary, with reference to the fact that in connection with compensation for property destroyed during the recent insurrection in Dublin, out of 1,235 claims included in the first five lists received from the Property Losses (Ireland) Committee all but a dozen have been met either by payments in full or on account, if he will say whether these figures have reference to claims for buildings destroyed or only to claims for property destroyed in the buildings, or to both sets of claims?
§ Mr. DUKEThe lists referred to contained ten recommendations for payment in respect of buildings all of which are included in the twelve cases mentioned in my reply to the hon. Member's question of Thursday last. In this connection I would refer to my reply of to-day to the question on this subject of the hon. Member for the Harbour Division of Dublin.
§ Mr. BYRNEasked whether claims for consequential damages will be considered by the Committee appointed to deal with claims arising out of the recent destruction of life and property during the rising in Ireland?
§ Mr. DUKEThe reference to the Property Losses Committee precludes the consideration by that Committee of consequential damages of any kind. The separate Committee appointed to investigate claims in respect of persons who, without misconduct or default on their part, were killed or injured during the late disturbances will doubtless consider in individual cases the earnings of the innocent victims and the degree of dependency in each case.
§ Mr. BYRNEasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware of the treatment to which the Irish untried prisoners at Frongoch are being subjected; if he is aware that 102 have been put in clink for refusing 565W to allow themselves to be yoked to lorries in batches of thirty to draw shingle from the quarries; if he is aware that many have been put on bread and water for refusing to clean up refuse made by the soldiers; if he is aware that the bread is sour and black; if he is aware that many of them are undergoing sentences of solitary confinement; and if he will say whether the commandant at Frongoch has the sanction of the Government in adopting such methods?
Mr. SAMUELThere is no foundation in fact for any of the allegations in the question. I am informed, however, that eight men have been sentenced to fourteen days' cells for refusing to do any work at all. A sentence of this kind involves close confinement, but the men undergoing it have two hours' exercise daily if the weather permits.