§ 32. Sir H. Williamsasked the Secretary of State for War whether he has any statement to make about the lack of super vision of soldiers engaged in débris 17 removal in a town of which he has been informed; whether he will inquire why, when the hon. Member for South Croydon telephoned to the military headquarters of the area concerned, there was no responsible officer immediately available to deal with the complaint that adequate steps were not being taken to recover the bodies, dead or alive, which were known to be under the débris; and why, when ultimately the hon. Member succeeded in speaking to a senior military officer, the latter showed indifference in respect of the complaint?
§ Captain MargessonI have not yet completed my inquiries into this matter, but I will communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
§ Sir H. WilliamsIs my right hon. and gallant Friend aware that when I was at the site there were four soldiers and three civilians working, a dozen soldiers playing football, and some 30 lounging about, that in the next 24 hours two further bodies were recovered from the site, and that no interest was taken in the matter by the military authorities?
§ Captain MargessonThat is exactly in accordance with the contents of the letter which my hon. Friend wrote to me and which I am now investigating.