HC Deb 31 January 1945 vol 407 cc1456-7
Mr. Stokes

With your permission, Mr. Speaker, and by leave of the House, I wish to make a short personal statement by way of explanation. On 17th January, in reply to a question, the Secretary of State for Air quoted from the report of a speech I made in Cairo to members of the Royal Air Force on 1st December last. In his reply the Secretary of State stated that the speech lasted for over one hour, arousing increasing resentment and widespread disappointment. He has been good enough to supply me with a copy of the report. It consists of a single sheet of paper, containing one correct and four distorted extracts from my speech.

I received a letter, written at the direction of the officer commanding the station, in which it is stated that no complaints had reached him from anyone on the station and that, as far as he knows, no exception was taken to any of my remarks. I wish to assure hon. and right hon. Members of this House that on no occasion did I refer to the House of Commons as "a lunatic asylum." The troops to whom the Secretary of State referred as being "liable to enter into battle at any time," were members of the Base Accounts Depot, R.A.F., Middle East. I am glad to have this opportunity of correcting a false impression, and the delay in doing so has been due to the time it takes to communicate with Cairo.

Sir A. Sinclair

I must say that I do not think I gave the House a false impression. Even men serving at the Base Accounts Depot are combatants and may be posted away at any time and have to fight. As for the speech, I quoted from memory in reply to the third question which the hon. Gentleman asked me on that occasion, but I have since had corroboration for the extracts I made from Royal Air Force sources, supplied on the authority of two men who were present and took notes at the time.

Mr. Buchanan

Could I ask you, Mr. Speaker, whether you have not any influence with Cabinet Ministers to ensure that if they are going to do anything they do it decently and generously?