§ 46. Sir A. Southbyasked the Prime Minister whether he will take such steps as are necessary to make it clear that, besides the proper Service procedure open to him, every member of His Majesty's Forces possesses the inalienable right to communicate with his own Member of Parliament on any subject upon which he feels himself to be in need of the help and advice which it is the duty of his Parliamentary representative to give him, and that the serving man cannot be penalised for so doing?
§ The Deputy Prime Minister (Mr. Attlee)I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave on 20th May, 1941, in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for London University (Sir E. Graham-Little) of which I am sending him a copy.
§ Sir A. SouthbyIs my right hon. Friend aware that it is not claimed that the man should have the right to communicate with any Member of Parliament, but only with his own Member of Parliament, and is he further aware that the present Foreign Secretary, when he was Secretary of State for War, replying to a Question in 1940, said that it was not the desire to prevent the access of men to their Members of Parliament, but only to square that with the Regulations?
§ Mr. AttleeI think that if my hon. and gallant Friend will refer to the statement that was made by the present Foreign Secretary, he will find a very full answer.
§ Mr. A. EdwardsWill my right hon. Friend put an end to the opening of letters to Members of the House from members of the Forces?