HC Deb 07 June 1939 vol 348 cc409-10
32. Mr. John Morgan

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that the officers of the Debden aerodrome, in promoting a dance, have offered to provide lady visitors with overnight accommodation, and whether the accommodation offered was in official quarters; and what are the general regulations on the subject?

Sir K. Wood

The officers at the Royal Air Force Station, Debden, gave a dance on 12th May, and owing to the difficulty of finding hotel accommodation in the neighbourhood, arranged, with the approval of the group captain commanding the station, for a certain number of ladies to be accommodated after the dance in a temporary hutment which, though formerly used for officers' quarters, had been vacated on the completion of a permanent building. The regulations on the subject provide that ladies are not to be admitted to officers' quarters, and whilst there was no formal breach of the regulations, instructions have been issued that such arrangements should not be made in future.

Mr. Morgan

While not intending to disturb the quality indicated in the Minister's answer, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether we can have an assurance that there was justification in the neighbourhood for a certain amount of uneasiness?

Sir K. Wood

I think the hon. Member is unduly suspicious in the matter. I have had a report from one of our senior officers, who had the pleasure of attending the dance, and he reports that it was conducted with complete decorum and in a manner well in keeping with the accepted traditions of a function held in an officers' mess.