HC Deb 14 July 1948 vol 453 cc1199-200
48. Mr. Piratin

asked the Minister of Defence on what principle he acts in giving or withholding information regarding information regarding the numbers of British troops in a given area.

Mr. Alexander

Any decision is based upon what is, or is not, in the public interest.

Mr. Piratin

Is the Minister aware that only a few months ago the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs announced that the number of troops in Greece was about 5,000? Therefore, why the reticence on this occasion to give this figure, which was given a few months ago?

Mr. Alexander

We have had discussions before about what information can be given. The Prime Minister made a statement in answer to the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Warwick and Leamington (Mr. Eden) a few months ago and we always have the matter under consideration. I wish the hon. Member for Mile End (Mr. Piratin) was equally anxious that we should get information from other sources.

Mr. Piratin

On a point of Order, Mr. Speaker. May I respectfully ask whether it was necessary for the Minister of Defence to make that last remark about me?

Mr. Speaker

Points of Order deal with Parliamentary procedure, not with Minister's answers. If every time Members are dissatisfied with an answer they get from a Minister they raise that as a point of Order, we shall never get on with Business. Points of Order deal with procedure not with other matters.

Mr. Piratin

While of course I accept your Ruling, Mr. Speaker, I wish to point out that what I was raising was not the content of what the Minister was saying but rather his conduct in using the occasion to make a remark of the kind which he did.

Mr. W. J. Brown

In exercising the very necessary discretion which the Minister claims in this matter, will he have regard to the probable use to which information will be put in certain quarters if it is published?