§ Mr. Parkerasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that at the recent examination for admission to commissioned service in the Army and the Royal Air Force a number of candidates were asked in their interview which side they hoped would win in Spain, and that when one candidate replied that he hoped the government side would win the examiner made a comment on the candidate's communistic tendencies; and whether, in view of the importance in a democratic country of an impartial Army, he will take steps to secure that such questions shall not be put to candidates?
§ Lieut.-Colonel ColvilleI have made inquiries and I can find no foundation for the suggestion that at the recent Army, etc., Entrance Examination a candidate's apparent sympathies with one or other of the parties engaged in the conflict in Spain were made the subject of comment by any member of the Interviewing Board. The second part of the question does not therefore arise.