§ 3. Mr. William Brownasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will issue to Members of Parliament passes enabling them to enter military detention camps without prior notice?
§ The Financial Secretary to the War Office (Mr. Arthur Henderson)As my hon. Friend is no doubt aware, facilities exist for Members of Parliament to visit detention barracks, and I am glad to say that a number of Members have made use of them. I should like to emphasize that these facilities are still available, and that visits are welcomed. I regret, however, that it would be impracticable to issue the number of passes of the nature required by my hon. Friend's suggestion.
§ Mr. BrownAre the visits which are possible under present conditions visits made without prior warning, or does prior notification have to be made?
§ Mr. HendersonI think that in most if not in all cases prior notice is necessary. For one thing it is not much good a visitor going to a camp if all the troops are out on a route march, and it is in the interest of the visitor that prior notice should be given.
§ Mr. BrownIs the hon. and learned Gentleman not aware that public confidence in the administration of these camps has been gravely hurt by recent revelations and that nothing will restore that confidence except provision for the inspection of the camps by outside independent agencies without prior warning?
§ Mr. HendersonPerhaps the hon. Member will wait until later, when my right hon. Friend will make a statement.
§ Mr. ThorneHow far are these camps from this House?
§ Mr. HendersonThey are in different parts of England, and in Scotland. There are also one in the Orkneys and one in the Shetlands.
§ 10. Mr. Rhys Daviesasked the Secretary of State for War what action he proposes to take in the case of the doctor responsible for certifying the late Rifleman W. C. Clayton, in respect of whose death sentences were delivered against two warrant officers at a recent assize?
§ 11. Commander Sir Archibald Southbyasked the Secretary of State for War what action is being taken in respect of the military doctors who failed to ascertain the true medical condition of the late Rifleman Clayton, whose death occurred recently in a military detention barracks?
§ 18. Mr. John Dugdaleasked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the court's findings in connection with the death of Rifleman Clayton, he will cause an independent public inquiry to be held into conditions prevailing in military detention barracks?
21. Mr. Thorneycroftasked the Secretary of State for War what action he proposes to take against the medical officer who, after examination, ordered medicine and duty in the case of Rifleman William Clarence Clayton, who was suffering from deafness and advanced tuberculosis and died as a result of brutal treatment in Gillingham detention camp?
§ 22. Mr. Bellengerasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will cause an independent committee of inquiry to be set up to investigate the conditions now prevailing at Army detention camps and barracks?
§ 29. Mr. Dribergasked the Secretary of State for War whether the court of inquiry into matters arising from the death of Rifleman Clayton will be held in public; and if Rifleman Clayton's relatives, or their representatives, will be permitted to be present if they so desire?
§ The Secretary of State for War (Sir James Grigg)The Government have decided that an independent inquiry should be held into conditions at Navy and Army detention barracks generally, and I hope to make an announcement shortly as to who is to conduct the inquiry. It will, of course, be for the inquiry itself to determine the manner in which it will conduct its proceedings. In the meantime the Military Court of Inquiry on the special case of Fort Dar-land is sitting, and in accordance with the usual practice this inquiry will not be open to the public.
§ Mr. DaviesMay we take it that inquiry will be made into the responsibility of the doctor who certified Rifleman Clayton as fit for duty? May I go further and ask whether the inquiry will go back as far as the medical board who passed this man into the Army?
§ Sir J. GriggIn regard to the second point, I understand that there is a Question on the Paper to the Minister of Labour. As to the first point, as to the responsibility of the military officer, I have had the report of an inquiry into that particular aspect, but I have not had time to study it, and I am not in the position to say anything about it.
§ Sir A. SouthbyWill my right hon. Friend see to it that the terms of reference of the court of inquiry lay particular stress upon inquiry into the action of the doctor who failed in his duty and did not see that the man was ill?
§ Sir J. GriggI should not give any terms of reference to the court which would seek to prejudge any question in advance.
§ Mr. DugdaleWhen will the right hon. Gentleman be in a position to give the information as to the date of the inquiry?
§ Sir J. GriggI hope to be in a position shortly to announce the structure of the inquiry. What at present we have in mind is that it it should be conducted by a High Court Judge with assessors, probably from outside, as well as some military.
§ Mr. Rhys DaviesWill the terms of reference be such as to preclude an inquiry into the points raised by the hon. and gallant Gentleman as to the responsibility of the doctor who certified this man fit for duty?
§ Sir J. GriggThe functions of the independent inquiry will be to inquire into general conditions in detention barracks, both of the Navy and the Army. Air Force prisoners are confined in Army barracks. The military court of inquiry is sitting to consider aspects of the question at Fort Darland. I have had a report on the particular case of the medical officer, but I returned only late last night, and I am not yet in a position to comment on it. The terms of reference of the general inquiry will certainly cover medical arrangements.
§ 19. Mr. Dugdaleasked the Secretary of State for War how many men previously employed in the civil prison service are now serving in the Army; and how many of them are employed in work connected with military detention barracks?
§ Mr. HendersonThe answer to the first part of the Question is 291 and to the second part 138.
§ Mr. DugdaleCan the hon. and learned Gentleman say why all the 291 are not utilised in this Service, in view of the great knowledge they have of the conditions?
§ Mr. HendersonThe explanation is that some have been transferred to other arms of the Service, either because they applied for transfer or because they were considered unsuitable for the rank of sergeant and above which is essential.
§ Mr. W. BrownCan the hon. and learned Gentleman say what proportion of the total these figures represent?
§ Mr. HendersonI am afraid not without notice.
§ 20. Mr. Dugdaleasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will allow the findings of the Departmental investiga- 1912 tion into the treatment, training, accommodation and feeding of soldiers under sentence in detention barracks to be placed in the Library of the House of Commons?
§ Mr. HendersonI would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Wednesbury (Mr. Banfield) on 13th May, 1942, of which I am sending him a copy.
§ Mr. DugdaleWill the findings of this Departmental Committee be available to the committee of inquiry which the Secretary of State has said is to be set up?
§ Mr. HendersonI imagine that if they desire to see them they will be made available.
§ 28. Mr. Dribergasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will give the total number of detention barracks or camps in the United Kingdom in which soldiers serving in the British Army are detained; and in how many of these first offenders are segregated from other prisoners?
§ Mr. HendersonThere are 12 military prisons and detention barracks in the United Kingdom. Seven of these are reserved for soldiers serving a first or second sentence of detention. The first offenders in these barracks are segregated from the second offenders.
§ Mr. DribergCan we take it that that is the universal practice?
§ Mr. HendersonYes, Sir.
§ 3 Mr. Dribergasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will make it possible for inspecting officers to pay some at least of their visits to detention barracks without previous notice?
§ Mr. HendersonIt is already possible for inspecting officers to visit these establishments without notice.
§ Mr. DribergAre all inspecting officers aware of that possibility?
§ Mr. HendersonYes, Sir.
§ 42. Captain Cunningham-Reidasked the Secretary of State for War the names of the doctors who passed as fit for the Army the late Rifleman Clayton, who was suffering from tuberculosis?
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour (Mr. Tomlinson)I have been asked to reply. The whole of the circumstances of this case are at present the subject of inquiry by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War, and my right hon. Friend is not prepared to give partial information in advance of the results of that inquiry with regard to particular aspects of the case.
§ Captain Cunningham-ReidDoes the Minister appreciate that in the advanced condition of tuberculosis the symptoms are very obvious——
§ Dr. Edith SummerskillNot always.
§ Captain Cunningham-Reid—when there has been thorough examination and that if it is not intended to give the name of the doctor or doctors implicated in this case, it will show that the War Office are protecting inefficient or slack physicians?
§ Mr. TomlinsonThe assumption in the Supplementary Question is not borne out by the facts.
§ Mr. StokesIs the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the Financial Secretary to the War Office or the Secretary of State for War has stated that the inquiry instituted would not include the doctors?
§ Sir J. GriggI said nothing of the sort.
§ Dr. SummerskillIs the Parliamentary Secretary aware that many doctors who have read this case have said of themselves, "There, but for the grace of God, go I"?