HC Deb 01 August 1946 vol 426 cc1225-7
Mr. Speaker

In calling the right hon. Gentleman the Secretary of State for War, I should say that this statement should have been made to synchronise with the statement made in another place yesterday, and that it is my fault, as I forgot to call the right hon. Gentleman yesterday, that it is being made today.

Mr. Lawson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That gets me out of a difficulty. With the permission of the House I should like to make a short statement about the ban on marriages between British Servicemen and women of ex-enemy countries. I had arranged with the Speaker to make the statement yesterday, but, unfortunately, when the time came, I did not manage to catch his eye.

After careful consideration the Government have decided to relax the ban at present in force on marriages between British Servicemen, and women of ex-enemy countries, other than Japanese. Local military commanders will be given authority to permit such marriages in cases where there is no security or other objection.

Mr. Churchill

May I ask on what grounds the statement which the right hon. Gentleman has made makes an exception in the case of the Japanese? Must we not, in this matter, be very careful not to draw distinctions between the status of East and West?

Mr. Lawson

For the simple reason, I may tell the right hon. Gentleman, that the matter has not arisen. We have had strong representations from other parts of Europe, but we have had none in this particular instance.

Mr. Churchill

But, supposing, at any moment, the right hon. Gentleman was informed that some British soldier wished to marry a Japanese, are we to understand that he would make a great gulf of principle between that permission and the decision he has already given?

Mr. Lawson

No, Sir. If the matter did arise and representations were made, the matter would receive consideration on its merits.

Mr. Stokes

May I ask my right hon. Friend whether his statement means that the military commander will only have power to prevent such marriages if the question of security comes in, and that it will not be left to him arbitrarily to decide otherwise?

Mr. Lawson

Yes, Sir. The question of security of course, is excepted, but it always has been a rule, and, as a matter of fact, it is a regulation, that, in any case, permission must be asked in respect of marriage.

Squadron-Leader Fleming

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether special arrangements will be made for those men of B.A.O.R. who were refused permission to marry while serving in Germany, and who have since returned to England, leaving their fiancées in Germany, to be married? I have sent the right hon. Gentleman particulars of several such cases.

Mr. Lawson

Such women can come in at the present time.

Mr. Benn Levy

Will my right Hon. Friend qualify the answer he gave to the supplementary question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Ipswich (Mr. Stokes) and explain whether the discretion of the commanding officer is alsolute, or whether there is any appeal from it?

Mr. Lawson

As I told the House, there is a Regulation to the effect that permission must be asked. It is accepted that the officer stands in the relationship of a welfare officer to the man and gives him advice.

Mr. Logan

I take it that no matter what the Government or an official may say, the bond of marriage still holds good?

Mr. Paget

Will the Minister say that the discretion to grant permission to marry which is vested in the General Officer Commanding will be the same formality as that in connection with a marriage to an Englishwoman, save where security reasons arise? Secondly, will he say whether permits to leave the country will be granted to the German fiancees of English soldiers who have come back? At present, they can be granted visas by the military authorities, but not exit permits.

Mr. Logan

Can I have an answer to my question?

Mr. Lawson

As I understand the first part of the question, the answer is in the affirmative. The last point, of course, is a matter for the military.

Mr. Logan

May I have an answer, Mr. Speaker, to my question?

Mr. Lawson

I think it would be of interest to the hon. Gentleman, and to the House generally, to know that, although this ban has operated for 12 months, there have been occasional marriages. I would not pose as a legal authority on this matter, but I understand, in answer to the question asked by the hon. Gentleman, that such marriages are legal.