HC Deb 25 February 1941 vol 369 cc343-5
23. Mr. Mander

asked the Secretary of State for War the conditions under which members of the Armed Forces, whether officers, men or women, can become Parliamentary candidates; and whether in any cases permission has been refused?

13. Mr. McGovern

asked the Secretary of State for War on what grounds Private McEwan, of the Army Pay Corps, was refused leave to enable him to become a Parliamentary candidate for Dumbartonshire; and whether he is prepared to make a statement on the subject?

20. Mr. Gallacher

asked the Secretary of State for War why permission was refused to Mr. Robert McEwan, a private in the Army, to contest the current by-election in Dumbarton, in the interests of the Scottish Nationalist party, in view of the fact that permission has previously been granted in more than one instance since the outbreak of hostilities to serving officers to contest parliamentary vacancies; and whether any differentiation is made in such applications between commissioned officers and other ranks?

Captain Margesson

An Army officer or soldier or a woman in the military service of the Crown who wishes to become a parliamentary candidate is required first to obtain the permission of the Army Council through the normal channels. This is in order that prospective candidates may be prevented from unintentionally infringing the requirements of the Servants of the Crown (Parliamentary Candidature) Order, 1927. No differentiation is made between officers and other ranks, and no application submitted in this way has been refused. In the case of Private McEwan, the application was received by his commanding officer on the day of the nomination, and it was explained to the applicant that Army Council permission would be necessary and could not possibly be obtained in the time available.

Mr. Mander

Am I to take it that permission is granted automatically, at the same time?

Captain Margesson

Yes, Sir. Practically speaking, that is true; as I say, no application submitted in this way has been refused.

Sir Hugh O'Neill

With regard to the ordinary peace-time custom, by which an officer has to be seconded from his regiment in order to stand for Parliament; is it necessary then to get permission from the Army Council?

Captain Margesson

Yes, Sir. I think it is in order that when a serving officer or soldier becomes a candidate, he is transferred to the Reserve, at least for the day on which he is publicly announced as a candidate.

Mr. Maxton

Is the Minister aware that Private McEwan had made his application before nomination day, in the appropriate way for a private, to his immediately superior officer by word of mouth, and that there was no instruction to him that he must apply to the Army Council or anything else?

Captain Margesson

No, Sir, he does not apply to the Army Council. He applies through the normal channels. In this case the application was received by his commanding officer, which is the normal channel through which application is made on the day of the nomination.

Mr. Maxton

Is the Minister aware that Private McEwan applied orally days before nomination day, and then two or three days later was told that he must put in the application in writing—that was on nomination day—and then he was told by a sergeant or somebody of that sort that it was refused?

Captain Margesson

That is not the information which I received. The application was received by his commanding officer on the day of the nomination. However, I will have further inquiries made.

Mr. Maxton

It may be that it takes several days for an application to go from a private to his commanding officer, but it was certainly put forward by Private McEwan well before nomination day.

Captain Margesson

As I say, I will make further inquiries.

Mr. R. Gibson

Can the Minister say whether the application which was received was oral or in writing?

Captain Margesson

From my information, I take it that the application on the day of the nomination was an application in writing.