§ Commander WEDGWOODasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he can supply any information as to the case of Jack Grey, who was recently released from Wormwood Scrubs and returned to his regiment at Hornsea, who had been before the Central Tribunal and had refused the scheme, but upon returning to his regiment was frog-marched, put in a sack, and thrown into a pond eight times, and pulled out by a rope round his body; whether he can say if under this treatment he has given in; and, if the case can be traced and an inquiry is held, will he see that the evidence of the man Grey is taken?
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§ Mr. FORSTERI have already received a complaint about this case, and I have caused inquiries to be made. No investigation could be deemed to be complete without the statement of the complainant, and under these circumstances the hon. and gallant Member may rest assured that the evidence of Private Grey will certainly be required.
§ Mr. SNOWDENasked why conscientious objectors undergoing imprisonment are kept in prison for weeks after they have been passed by the Central Tribunal; and will this practice be ended at once and the men either sent on furlough or transferred to Home Office work immediately the favourable decision of the Central Tribunal is made?
§ Sir G. CAVEI have recently been in consultation with the Committee on Employment of Conscientious Objectors and the Central Tribunal as to whether the conditions on which these men are released from prison for employment under the control of the Committee should be modified; and meanwhile the release of a certain number of men has been delayed. It is hoped that all these men w ill be released very shortly.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked under what authority the Committee of Employment of Conscientious Objectors are paying the full contributions, less 1d., of men engaged at Princetown and similar centres, insured under the provisions of Part I. of the National Insurance Act; whether, in the case of sailors and soldiers similarly insured, l½ is deducted; and why this invidious distinction is made?
§ Sir G. CAVEThe Committee are authorised by their terms of reference to make such arrangements in matters of this nature as may appear to them to be proper, subject to the consent of the Treasury which has been duly obtained. The pay of a conscientious objector is less by one-third than the pay of a private soldier, namely, 8d. instead of Is. a day, and the deduction made from his pay in respect of insurance has therefore been fixed at two-thirds of the deduction made from the soldier's pay.