36. Mr. McNeilasked the First Lord of the Admiralty by whose authority newspaper men at a West-coast port were, on 18th July, refused permission to interview or photograph five American nurses, all of whom had been torpedoed, and some of whom had behaved with marked gallantry; and will he say why permission was withheld?
Mr. AlexanderThrough a misunderstanding, the ladies referred to in the Question were confused with another party of survivors who were expected to land at the same port. Information was received that these survivors were all hospital cases suffering from exposure, and it was considered undesirable, therefore, to subject them to the strain of being photographed or interviewed. It was never intended to forbid the representatives of the Press to interview the American nurses.
Mr. McNeilCannot powers be delegated to someone on the spot, since in this case the people were in a condition to be interviewed and photographed and the Minister of Information has already told us that he is anxious to have hot news. Here was a chance to photograph American girls who were brave, and, doubtless, pretty?
Mr. AlexanderI have indicated that it was a pure misunderstanding. There was another party of survivors coming into the same port, and we had been informed that they had been subject to severe exposure and were not in a condition to be photographed. There has been a misunderstanding, and we are having it cleared up.
§ Commander Locker-LampsonWhat strain is involved in being photographed?