§ 48. Mr. Stokesasked the Prime Minister whether he proposes to make any statement to this House before Easter regarding the Report of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to the Cabinet on the conditions in Malaya and Singapore prior to their fall?
§ Mr. AttleeNo, Sir. Not unless further information is available.
§ Mr. StokesIs the Deputy Prime Minister aware that this House and the public are anxious to hear about the conditions precedent to the fall of Singapore and Malaya, that there must be plenty of information, and that particularly do they want to know about reports that were current that troops were continuing to land in Singapore long after it was known that Singapore could not be held?
§ Mr. AttleeThe hon. Member seems to have more information than the Government have. As a matter of fact, we have not the information available.
§ Mr. StokesHas not the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster made a report?
§ Commander Sir Archibald SouthbyWas not General Wavell in Singapore shortly before it capitulated, and was not the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in Singapore not very long before it capitulated, and have they not plenty 1806 of information which they could give to the Government about conditions in Singapore precedent to the capitulation?
§ Mr. AttleeAny statement like that is not of much use. We have to take the event as a whole.
§ Mr. McGovernCan the Government say how it is they have no authentic information regarding Malaya, and yet they had authentic information which justified them in publishing stories about atrocities in Hong Kong?