§ Mr. BUTCHERasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been called to certain statements on behalf of conscientious objectors confined in Mount joy Prison, Dublin, by a Mr. James Douglas, of Wexford Street, Dublin, in which complaints were made as to the insufficiency and want to variety of the diet, the uncleanness of the food, and the absence of proper bedding and bathing and sanitary arrangements in the prison; whether any inquiry has been made as to the truth of these allegations; and, if so, will he state the result of such inquiry?
§ Mr. DUKETwo independent inquiries have been held into the statements made on behalf of the conscientious objectors lately confined in Mountjoy Prison. One was conducted by the medical member of the General Prisons Board; the other by a sub-committee of the visiting justices of the prison. The statements referred to were found to be without any substantial foundation.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the Home Secretary whether the conscientious objector at Princetown who shot another conscientious objector with a revolver and absconded from the works centre shortly after the occurrence happened has been recalled to military service?
§ Sir G. CAVEOn the 8th December last the Committee on Employment of Conscientious Objectors requested the Army Council to recall this man from Army Reserve W to His unit. I have no information as to what has since happened to him, and any question, on this point should be addressed to the War Office.
§ Mr. SNOWDENasked the Home Secretary in what way the letter written by W. J. Greene, lately of the works centre, Wakefield, which is said to be a violation of Rule 12 of the Home Office Regulations, violated that Rule; and whether the expression of views on political questions in a private letter is regarded by the Home Office Committee as contravening the Rule against participation in public propaganda?
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§ Sir G. CAVEThe letter contained propaganda, and suggestions for propaganda relating to the War; and it was for this reason, and not because of any expression of opinion on political questions, that the Committee recommended Greene's recall.
§ Mr. SNOWDENasked the Home Secretary if the Home Office Committee on Work for Conscientious Objectors has received a petition from the men employed upon the scheme at the Alsop Moor Camp, near Ashbourne, Derbyshire, in which very specific charges are made against the agent and the sub-agent, and in which a request is made for an inquiry into these charges; and whether, in view of the state of affairs there, he is prepared to grant a full and impartial inquiry into the matter?
§ Sir G. CAVEThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. An inquiry has been held on behalf of the Committee on Employment of Conscientious Objectors, and having regard to the facts ascertained at the inquiry the men under the control of the Committee employed by the Buxton lime firms at Alsop and elsewhere are being withdrawn.
§ Mr. JOWETTasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received by registered letter a request from Mr. C. H. Norman asking if the Foreign Secretary is prepared to issue a passport to Mr. Norman as a person employed under the Committee on Employment of Conscientious Objectors; what reply has been returned to that letter; and whether the Foreign Office is prepared to entertain applications for passports from conscientious objectors employed under this Committee who desire to leave England?
Mr. BALFOURMr. Norman's application for a passport was refused in accordance with the usual rule applying to persons liable to military service. With regard to the latter part of the question, each application would be considered on its merits, but I would point out that a person not exempt from military service could not in any case be given a passport.