HC Deb 04 May 1948 vol 450 cc1078-80
30. Mr. Low

asked the Secretary of State for War how many tanks and how many other A.F.V.s respectively have been stolen from the British Army in Palestine during the past three years; how many during the past six months; how many are suspected to have been stolen by Arabs; and how many by Jews.

Mr. Shinwell

I have already called for the latest available information on this subject following a Question by the hon. and gallant Member for Perth (Colonel Gomme-Duncan) last Tuesday. When it has been received I will write to the hon Member.

Mr. Low

If I put a Question down in one week's time, does the right hon. Gentleman think that he will have the information by then, because he is taking a very long time?

Mr. Shinwell

Whether I am able to answer the hon. Gentleman when he puts down another Question is not a matter of thought; it is a matter of whether we have the information.

Major Beamish

What is the difficulty which prevents the Minister from obtaining this information rather more quickly?

Mr. Shinwell

It so happens that our people in the Middle East have quite a number of commitments on their plate at present.

31. Mr. Low

asked the Secretary of State for War how many armoured fighting vehicles it is estimated Haganah and Irgun Zvei Leumi have in Palestine; of these how many are tanks; and how many belonged originally to the British Army.

Mr. Shinwell

The total number of armoured cars held by these organisations is not known, but is thought to exceed 100; in addition, they have a very small number of tracked vehicles, such as brengun carriers, and possibly a few half-tracked vehicles. There is no information to show that they have any tanks. The armoured cars are produced largely by arming ordinary vehicles, but they have, in isolated cases, as have bren-gun carriers, been stolen from the British Army.

Mr. Low

Could the right hon. Gentleman say where these half-tracked vehicles come from?

Mr. Shinwell

No; I have not, in my head, any information on that.

Mr. Low

Will the right hon. Gentleman take steps to find out? It is of great importance.

Mr. Shinwell

I have no doubt that the Command in the Middle East is endeavouring to obtain all the requisite information, and if the hon. Member will put down another Question, I will try to get the information for him.

Major Beamish

Will any of these vehicles which have been stolen from the British Army be left in the hands of Jews or Arabs when we finally evacuate?

Mr. Shinwell

That would seem to me to be a very hypothetical question.

Colonel Gomme-Duncan

In view of the Minister's statement that a certain number of these vehicles did belong originally to the British Army, could he now answer the Question which was put down some time ago as to how many were stolen from the British Army?

Mr. Shinwell

I should have to look at that Question again.

General Sir George Jeffreys

Is it not a matter of old-established routine and rule that all losses of military equipment, whether vehicles or otherwise, have to be reported? If that rule has been complied with, must not the information asked for be in the possession of the military authorities?

Mr. Shinwell

Is it not perfectly obvious to the hon. and gallant Gentleman and those associated with him on this Question that, if the Army has the information, there is no reason why we should withhold it?

Mr. Frank Byers

Will the Minister resist the suggestion that he should get additional information, since this would only place added burdens on our troops at a time of great difficulty?

Mr. Shinwell

Of course, if the hon. Members ask for information, I must try to procure it for them. On the other hand, I am very conscious, as indeed all hon. Members are, that our people in the Middle East have many difficulties.