HC Deb 11 July 1922 vol 156 cc1042-3
42. Sir ARTHUR STEEL-MAITLAND

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the fact that he has laid upon the Table of the House a statement by one of the women patrols containing allegations against Mrs. Stanley, the head of the force, he will also lay upon the Table of the House the comments, if any, culled for from Mrs. Stanley upon the statement before its publication as to its accuracy or otherwise?

Mr. SHORTT

A statement has been received from Mrs. Stanley denying the accuracy of the statement made by Inspector Why les, and as the latter has been published I think it only right that Mrs. Stanley's statement should also be published forthwith, and I am accordingly laying it on the Table of the House. As the whole matter will clearly have to form the subject of a disciplinary inquiry, I must refrain from comment at this stage.

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

Did the right hon. Gentleman obtain any comments from Mrs. Stanley before he made the statement containing allegations against her?

Mr. SHORTT

No, Sir.

Lord R. CECIL

Is the House to understand that the right hon. Gentleman submitted the statement to the House without any attempt to check its accuracy in any way?

Mr. SHORTT

The statement was obtained by the Commissioner of Police and was brought out owing to a statement made by the hon. Member for Plymouth (Viscountess Astor). When I mentioned it I was asked to publish it, but when I came into the House I had no intention of using it. It was brought out in the course of the Debate and I had to put it on the Table.

Lord R. CECIL

Does not the right hon. Gentleman's answer amount to this, that he submitted to the House a state- ment as to which he had no ground whatever for saying whether it was accurate or not?

Mr. SHORTT

It was taken by the Commissioner from a very responsible officer.

Captain W. BENN

As the House, in coming to a decision, was greatly influenced by the statement of the Home Secretary, how is the House to set the matter right, if that turn out to be the case?

Sir J. BUTCHER rose

—

Mr. SPEAKER

We cannot debate every question.