§ Mr. MORRISasked the Secretary of State for War and Air the precise nature of the work performed by the Imperial War Graves Commission; the number of officials employed; and the estimated cost of the Commission for the current financial year?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe nature of the work performed by the Imperial War Graves Commission is to acquire and hold land for the purpose of cemeteries and to erect and care for buildings and permanent memorials therein to the memory of sailors and soldiers fallen during the great War. Their duties may be briefly summarised as those of taking over from the Army all cemeteries, when the graves therein have been properly registered and are in good order, for the purpose of constructing the cemeteries and maintaining them. I would refer the hon. Member to the pamphlet issued by the Commission, " The Graves of the Fallen," where full particulars are set forth. The number of officials and other employés of the Imperial War Graves Commission on the 1st May was as follows:—
United Kingdom 278 France and Belgium 817 Italy 42 Macedonia, Egypt, Palestine, Gallipoli, Mesopotamia, and East Africa 41 Neutral countries 1 Germany 2 1,181 But these numbers will be considerably increased as graves and cemeteries are taken over from the Army; due provision has accordingly been made in this year's Estimates. The estimated cost of the Commission for the current financial year is £2,787,009. Of this, £515,039 falls to be borne by the self-governing Dominions, India and the Colonies.