HC Deb 21 July 1943 vol 391 cc878-80
27 Mr. Fraser

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty (r) to what extent naval men under detention are marched in the street manacled with chains, either for the purpose of being transferred from one barracks to another, or otherwise;

(2) for what offences naval men under detention are ever required to hang extended by the arms in mid-air for a period or run round the parade ground with a rifle held over their heads as a punishment;

(3) whether he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a detailed account of the kind of punishment meted out to naval men under detention for minor offences?

Mr. Alexander

I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of all the punishments which may be awarded by the Commanding Officers of Royal Naval detention quarters for offences committed by ratings while undergoing detention. Neither hanging by the arms in mid-air nor running with a rifle over the head is ever inflicted as a punishment for such offences, though the latter practice is sometimes included as a part of daily rifle exercise. Men are never marched in the street manacled with chains; they may be handcuffed to prevent escape while being transferred from one establishment to another, but they are then always taken through the streets in covered vehicles.

Mr. Fraser

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that I and other hon. Members have letters from Service men indicating that this manacling does go on in the streets, and we do have cases where men are handcuffed to senior officers and the handcuffs are only covered by means of hanging a coat or some other garment over the handcuffs? Does the right hon. Gentleman think that is a satisfactory method, and would he be prepared to look into the matter to see whether these other forms of punishment I have indicated are carried out?

Mr. Alexander

As regards the last part of the Supplementary Question, I can assure my hon. Friend that when I received his Question I got into direct touch with the naval detention quarters, and the answer I have given is on the advice of those in charge. With regard to the first point, I am also assured that there is no manacling in the streets, unless the men go through in covered vehicles, though there may be occasions when it may be open to the public to see them when they are being transferred from the vehicle at a station or are entering a train.

Dr. Russell Thomas

Is there not a good deal of false sentiment in regard to these detention matters? Are not these men guilty of grave crimes which in civil life would be punished severely?

Mr. Alexander

I would not like it to be thought from my hon. Friend's question, and I am sure that he does not wish to indicate it, that there is grave crime in the Royal Navy, but there will always be some difficult characters, and they have to be dealt with.

Mr. Stephen

Ought not the hon. Member who put that Supplementary Question to be manacled?

Following is the list of punishments:

Punishments which may be awarded by the Commanding Officer for offences against detention quarters discipline:

  1. (a) Close confinement for a period not exceeding three days.
    2. 880
  2. (b) No. 1 punishment diet for a period not exceeding three days.
  3. (c) No. 2 punishment diet for a period not exceeding twenty-one days, with intervals as laid down in the rules.
  4. (d) Reduction to a lower stage, or postponement of promotion to a higher stage, until the man has earned a stated number of marks.
  5. (e) Deprivation of bedding for a period not exceeding three days.
  6. (f) Deprivation of a stated number of remission marks.
  7. (g) Forfeiture of stage privileges.

The Monthly Visitor can inflict punishments (a), (b), (c), (d) and (f) for longer periods.

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