§ 49. Lieut.-Commander Fletcherasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he has drawn the attention of the Committee of Imperial Defence to the recent statement of the late Governor of Gibraltar concerning the state of the de fences of Gibraltar during the Munich crisis; whether the situation at Gibraltar has been studied in the light of that statement; and whether all the requirements of the authorities at Gibraltar in respect of sea, land and air defences, have now been met?
§ Mr. W. S. MorrisonAs regards the first part of the question, the state of the defences at Gibraltar is constantly under review by the Committee of Imperial Defence, in consultation with the authorities at Gibraltar. No special examination was 2773 therefore necessary in the light of the recent statement of the late Governor. As regards the last part of the question, it would not be in the public interest that I should do more than invite the hon. and gallant Member's attention to that part of the statement made by the late Governor in which he referred to improvements effected since last September.
§ Lieut.-Commander FletcherIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in reply to a question in this House in July, 1938, about the defence of Gibraltar, the Prime Minister stated that the whole question of the strategical position of Gibraltar and its defence was under review by the Committee of Imperial Defence, and that no further action was necessary; and that a month or two later, at the time of the crisis, the Governor of Gibraltar said that there were only two anti-aircraft guns on the Rock?
§ Lieut. - Commander FletcherMr. Speaker, may I press for an answer to my question?
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. and gallant Member must not turn the matter into a debate at Question Time.