§ 16 and 17. Mr. Emrys Robertsasked the Secretary of State for War (I) if the statements made by Lieutenant-General Sir Brian Horrocks, G.O.C., Western Command, to a Press conference at Chester, on 25th March, 1947, defending the policy of his Department in regard to the acquisition of training areas in Wales were made on his authority;
(2) in what circumstances Lieutenant-General Sir Brian Horrocks, G.O.C., Western Command, gave particulars at a Press conference at Chester, on 25th March, 1947, of the training areas held by the Army in Wales, although these details have been withheld from Welsh Members of Parliament.
§ 38. Mr. Watkinsasked the Secretary of State for War why particulars of his Department's land requirements in Wales were given by the G.O.C., Western Command, to a Press conference in Chester on Monday, 24th March, which have been denied to Welsh Members; and whether he will see that information on land requirements is given first to the House of Commons.
§ Mr. BellengerAs explained by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister yesterday in answer to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Merthyr (Mr. S. 0. Davies), I authorised a statement by the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief in this case in view of the incorrect and greatly exaggerated reports which have appeared in the Press and have been circulating in Wales recently regarding acquisition of areas for training by the Army. These reports, as the hon. Members are aware, culminated in a meeting of protest on 22nd March, and I thought it very desirable that the obvious misconceptions current should be corrected and the matter placed in the right perspective. I should have welcomed an opportunity of placing the true facts before my Welsh colleagues before their meeting took place and they were in fact given substantially to my hon. Friend the Member for Brecon and Radnor (Mr. Watkins) by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary and a senior military officer from the War Office, whom I had previously offered to send to the protest meeting if desired to explain the true position and the policy of my Department.
§ Mr. RobertsDoes not the Minister think that it is highly undesirable that answers to complaints made by Welsh Members of Parliament should be given in a Press conference held by the Western Command? Is he further aware that if these reports are exaggerated, which is denied, it is due entirely to the bad management of his Department?
§ Mr. BellengerNo, Sir, the hon. Member is wrong. I am always only too willing, in my own interests and those of my Department, to give the facts. Unfortunately, the facts are considerably misrepresented in Wales, and I believe in defending myself as much as I possibly can.
§ Mr. WatkinsIs my right hon. Friend aware that the statement issued by the Financial Secretary stated that it is impossible for the War Office to give details of the exact demands until they have examined the procedure which has been outlined, and that any statement issued beforehand might be misleading and inaccurate? Was the statement issued from the Press conference inaccurate, or not?
§ Mr. BellengerThe statements made at the Press conference are accurate, and 1821 the same as have been given to my hon Friend. Although we have to wait for the whole presentation of the cases for England, Wales and Scotland until the Ministry of Town and Country Planning have examined them, I must in the meantime put a stop to the grossly exaggerated statements that the War Office are trying to confiscate Wales.
§ Mr. Hopkin MorrisWill the right hon. Gentleman explain why he has issued an instruction to officers and men to give these figures, although he says it was impossible to give the figures?
§ Mr. BellengerYes, Sir. I am afraid that in the first case—not at this Press conference—they were released without my authority. The figures having been released, obviously there was no reason to keep them secret.