§ Mr. Rhys Daviesasked the Home Secretary how many times George Elphick, 66, Priory Street, Lewes, a conditionally registered conscientious objector, has been prosecuted, and how many times he has been to prison in connection with his refusal to do compulsory fire-watching; and whether he will consider, in the forthcoming Fire Guard Orders, preventing the repeated prosecution of sincere conscientious objectors by local authorities?
§ Mr. H. MorrisonI am informed that this man has had five convictions; on the last occasion he was sentenced to imprisonment and on three of the others he went to prison in lieu of paying a fine. The new Orders will provide relief to a man who, though having a conscientious objection to compulsory registration, is, nevertheless, prepared voluntarily to perform the requisite duties. I am not prepared to modify the Orders in favour of persons who refuse to undertake those duties.