HC Deb 25 January 1944 vol 396 cc540-1
68. Sir Richard Acland

asked the Secretary of State for War whether it is his intention in future to make sure that no hon. Member of this House serving in the Army shall be permitted to address a public meeting outside his own constituency.

Sir J. Grigg

I do not think I can usefully add anything to the replies given by the Prime Minister on Wednesday last.

Sir R. Acland

These replied, so far as they are not ambiguous, say that such officers must conform to the Regulations, and the Regulations say that such an officer must not speak outside his constituency. Is the Minister going to see that these officers do conform to the Regulations or not?

Sir J. Grigg

I am not aware of any cases in which they have not conformed to the Regulations—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."]—as regards political meetings. If my hon. Friend has cases in mind I will certainly look into them and will certainly bring the Regulations to the officer's attention.

Sir H. Williams

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Whips' Office asks serving officers to go down and speak in support of Government candidates?

Sir J. Grigg

I was not aware of that. I will certainly look into it.

Mr. H. Lawson

How does the right hon. Gentleman reconcile the present position with the statement he made in the House in October last when he said: I think it is extremely desirable that we should not be too literal in the interpretation of these Regulations. Further he said— It has always been the desire of this House that Members should be treated exceptionally, that is, referring to this particular matter.

Sir J. Grigg

I have refreshed my memory and there seems to be no discrepancy between the two statements.

Mr. Maxton

Will not the right hon. Gentleman see that these Regulations relate to conditions entirely different from those we are living in now? They are completely out of date and ought to be overhauled.

Sir J. Grigg

The recent practice does represent some relaxation from the letter of the Regulations.

Mr. Kendall

Is the Secretary of State aware that the hon. and gallant Member for Kettering (Major Profumo) during the by-election at Grantham spoke on a political platform in uniform under the chairmanship of the lord lieutenant of the county?

Sir J. Grigg

I was not aware of that but I will certainly look into it.

Sir H. Williams

Could the right hon. Gentleman say why it was that the Minister of Information invited the Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth, to sit on the platform when the Secretary of State for Air made a political speech last week?