HC Deb 02 December 1952 vol 508 cc1262-4
13 and 15. Mr. McKay

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) why Mr. W. S. Turnbull, of 4, Radnor Gardens, Howden-on-Tyne, has been refused compensation for the loss of three days' work and travelling expenses owing to the fact that he received no official information that he was certified as unfit for Z duties; and if he will reconsider this claim for compensation;

(2) in considering the claim of Mr. W. S. Turnbull, of 4, Radnor Gardens, Howden-on-Tyne, for compensation for loss of work, what steps he has taken to ensure that the official instructions certifying Mr. Turnbull as unfit for Z duties were communicated to Mr. Turnbull.

Mr. Head

Mr. Turnbull will get his Army pay and allowances and the travelling expenses will be refunded.

Mr. McKay

Might I inform the right hon. Gentleman that Mr. Turnbull will be glad to hear that the Minister has changed his mind?

14. Mr. McKay

asked the Secretary of State for War why no action was taken, on receipt of a letter sent to him by the Member for Wallsend on 4th November, 1952, relating to the case of 22308502 T. W. Morris, British Army of the Rhine, 18, until a telephone call was made to his office by the hon. Member four days later.

Mr. Head

The hon. Member's letter, although dated 4th November, did not reach my Department until two days after he telephoned on this case. It has not been possible to discover the cause of the delay. However, my hon. Friend looked into the case as soon as he heard of it and was able to give a reply on 14th November.

Mr. McKay

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that the reason why I put down this Question was to prove that letters do go astray sometimes?

Mr. Head

I thought that was probably the reason.

24. Mr. Irving

asked the Secretary of State for War when he will compensate Mr. Robert Saggs of Tottenham for his wrongful arrest.

Mr. Head

Mr. Saggs has been released and will get pay and marriage allowance for the period during which he has been held.

Mr. Irving

Is the Minister aware that this man received a demobilisation suit in 1947, together with the necessary papers; that he went to the Tottenham Food Office and got his ration book, which has been renewed regularly ever since; that three weeks later he got a job as a coal porter, at which he has worked ever since; and that, on 13th October he was arrested in bed and held in close arrest? Is he further aware that, though the case against him was dismissed and he was sent home, as a result of it, he lost his job? Does not the Minister agree that some compensation is necessary in this case?

Mr. Head

I have been into this man's case very carefully. He was given compassionate leave for eight weeks before demobilisation, and should have returned to his unit in order to get demobilised. He never did so. In actual fact, we were perfectly within our rights to arrest him as a deserter, but, since a long time had elapsed and since actual proof and documents were not available, we released him without any trial. What happened was that, instead of returning to his unit to be officially demobilised, he never came back after his eight weeks' leave prior to demobilisation.

Mr. Irving

As the man was discharged in February, 1947, was there not ample opportunity to notify him that he must return? Why did the Minister have to wait nearly five years before having the man arrested in bed at 1 o'clock in the morning?

Mr. Head

This man was notified quite clearly as to the action which he should take, and he failed to take it.