HC Deb 28 October 1947 vol 443 c674
11. Mr. Keeling

asked the Secretary of State for War when the despatches about the Malayan campaign will be published.

28. Mr. Stokes

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is now in a position to state when the despatches covering the loss of the Malay Peninsula and Singapore will be published.

Mr. Shinwell

I regret that I am not yet in a position to make any forecast about the publication of these despatches.

Mr. Keeling

Will the right hon. Gentleman state the cause of the delay? Will he give an assurance that it is not due to bad expert advice?

Mr. Shinwell

There appears to be some difficulty in obtaining agreement on this matter. The causes of delay are quite beyond my control, and were beyond the control of my predecessor.

Mr. Stokes

Is the Minister aware that many of my constituents are very fed up with this intolerable delay? We lost more than two battalions of men from my neighbourhood, and we are after the blood of the person who landed troops who had no possibility of fighting at all.