§ Mr. T. RICHARDSONasked the Home Secretary if he will state the names of the members of the Committee on Employment of Conscientious Objectors: whether any are in receipt of remuneration or expenses out of the public funds, what office accommodation is provided, what staffing, and the salaries paid?
§ Sir G. CAVEThe Committee consists of my right hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Gloucester, and Major E. W. Briscoe, one of His Majesty's Prison Commissioners. They receive no remuneration for their work as members of the Committee, but their travelling expenses are repaid. Accommodation is provided in the Home Office. A considerable part of the administrative work is performed by46W officers of my Department in addition to their ordinary work, and without extra remuneration. The special staff consists of a secretary and an assistant officer, each with a salary of £200 per annum; an inspector who receives £50 per annum in addition to his salary as a prison governor; and the subordinate clerical staff, numbering thirteen, of whom ten are women, and whose pay amounts in all to £22 9s. per week.
§ Mr. JOWETTasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that several of the conscientious objectors released last week, 29th October, to do work at Dartmoor arrived from Wormwood Scrubs Prison in such a weak state, through under-feeding, that they fainted at their work on the roads at Dartmoor; and whether the practice of starving prisoners will be immediately put an end to?
§ Sir G. CAVEI have made inquiry into this statement. Nothing is known at Dartmoor of any man fainting, nor has any man made a complaint. There is no foundation for the allegation in the last part of the question.
§ Mr. JOWETTasked the Home Secretary if he will state the number of conscientious objectors who had accepted the Home Office scheme up to 5th November; the number of such men who had been recalled to prison or the Army for alleged breaches of Regulations; and the number of such men who have voluntarily left the various settlements, camps, or work centres rather than submit any longer to the tyranny of the Home Office Committee?
§ Sir G. CAVEUp to the 3rd November employment under the Committee on Employment of Conscientious Objectors had been offered to and accepted by 3,218 men. Two hundred and sixty-eight have been sent back to prison or recalled to the Army for breaches of the Regulations. The last figure includes 76 who have "voluntarily left the various settlements"—that is, who have absconded. Most of these left after being guilty of misconduct. There is no foundation for the suggestion of "tyranny" on the part of the Committee.