§ Mr. SNOWDENasked the Home Secretary if he will have inquiry made into the condition of the health of J. C. S. Elliott, a conscientious objector, who has just returned to Liverpool Prison to serve his fourth sentence of two years' hard labour, who has already served twenty-two months in prison, who, when last in Liverpool Prison, was for six months in hospital, and was sent direct from hospital to Dublin, where he was put into the guardroom; and whether, in view of the man's long imprisonment and state of health, he can order his discharge?
§ Sir G. CAVEI have made inquiry, and I find that this prisoner is in fair general health, and there is no medical ground which would justify my authorising his discharge from prison.
§ Mr. SNOWDENasked the Home Secretary why George F. Webb, a conscientious objector in the works settlement, Wake-field, who has been on the scheme for two years, has not been permitted to take up work under the exceptional employment scheme?
§ Sir G. CAVEThe committee have considered this man's case, but are not satisfied that his conduct and industry have been such as to enable them to give him permission to take up exceptional employment.
§ Mr. MORRELLasked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been drawn to the continued imprisonment of men who for conscience sake have declined to undertake military service; whether he is aware that numbers of these men have shown the genuineness of their convictions by submitting without complaint to the severest form of imprisonment known to 1382W the law, and that some of them have suffered death and others become insane during their sentence; and whether he will now take steps to see that those conscientious objectors who by their sufferings have shown their sincerity are not called upon to undergo repeated terms of imprisonment for what is virtually one and the same offence?
§ Sir G. CAVEI would refer the hon. Member to the replies which I gave to questions addressed to me on this subject on the 1st and 5th August.