§ 15. Mr. Dribergasked the Undersecretary of State for Air, what action is being taken against the senior R.A.F. officer or officers implicated in book-keeping irregularities and extensive black market transactions at the Control Commission clubs at Detmold and Vinsebeck, which have recently been under investigation by the public safety branch of the Control Commission's Internal Affairs and Communications Division.
§ Mr. StracheyAn inter-Service court of inquiry has been convened, and at present I can only say that certain members of the Royal Air Force have been relieved of their association with these clubs.
§ 51. Mr. Dribergasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he is aware of the damage caused to British prestige among German civilians at Detmold and Vinsebeck by the extensive black market transactions engaged in by senior British officers at the Control Commission clubs; and if he will give an assurance that attempts by such officers to impede full 1085 investigation of this matter by officials of the Public Safety Branch of the Control Commission's Internal Affairs and Communications Division have been, and will be, resisted.
§ The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Mr. John Hynd)An inter-Service Court of Inquiry is now investigating these alleged irregularities. I am informed that investigation by the Public Safety Branch has not been impeded, and any attempt to do so would, of course, be resisted.
§ Mr. DribergIs my hon. Friend aware that there have been attempts to do so, because the people concerned, as in the R.A.F. Regent's Park case. took care to implicate a number of senior officers— quite innocently, in the first instance— by giving them small presents of coffee and so on, and will he look into that?
§ Mr. HyndAs I have said, my information to date is that there have been no attempts at intimidating or impeding the Public Safety Branch, but the whole question is now under consideration.