§ MR. CLAUDE HAY (Shoreditch, Hoxton)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty if he can state the nature of the obligation and the rule or rules, if any, which regulate the communication to the public or the Press by the Sea Lords and their subordinates of information regarding the Navy, or of the views of all or any of them upon naval matters.
†See (4) Debates, clxxi., 644.
§ Mr. EDMUND ROBERTSONThere are no regulations affecting the members of the Board. The conduct of subordinate naval officers is governed by the King's Regulations. There are, of course, the usual obligations of official secrecy.
§ MR. CLAUDE HAYHave these customary obligations been observed in the case of the First Sea Lord?
§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONThat is an invidious Question which I decline to answer.