HC Deb 31 October 1946 vol 428 cc774-5
46. Mr. Foot

asked the Prime Minister whether the Government intends to take early action to standardise and overhaul court martial procedure in all three Services.

The Prime Minister

As my hon. Friend is aware, a committee is in process of being set up to review the court martial systems of the Army and Royal Air Force in the light of the experience gained during the war. This committee will include court martial procedure within its scope. The standardisation of court martial procedure in all three Services would encounter many difficulties owing to the entirely different conditions under which the Services operate. The closest attention will be given to the effects on the naval court martial system of any recommendations by the committee, which is being set up by the Secretary of State for War and the Secretary of State for Air to review the military courts, and in all respects I think it would be best to await the results of the committee's investigations.

Mr. Marlowe

While there may be a case for the review of the whole system, is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Judge Advocate-General discharges a difficult task with complete impartiality; and will he discourage this continued attack upon and abuse of a conscientious and hard worked public official?

The Prime Minister

That hardly seems to arise out of this Question. I have not heard of the attack.