HC Deb 03 December 1952 vol 508 cc1558-9
21. Colonel J. H. Harrison

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of British subjects killed and wounded by bandits in Malaya for the last three months for which figures are available and for the corresponding three months last year.

Mr. Lyttelton

I understand that the figures wanted by my hon. and gallant Friend are those relating to European civilians. In the three months ending 31st October, 1952, six European civilians were killed or wounded, against 24 during the corresponding period in 1951.

Colonel Harrison

Is my right hon. Friend aware that a large body of opinion is extremely grateful to him for the courageous lead he has given in this matter to bring about these favourable figures? I only wish he had been in office earlier.

Mr. Driberg

Could the right hon. Gentleman say whether any of these terrible crimes are covered by the extraordinary phrase he used in a previous supplementary answer that he gave to a previous Question about "crimes committed by the communities"? Does he wish to amend that phrase, or does he really mean that?

Mr. Lyttelton

If I used that phrase it was quite inadvertent. I meant crimes committed in the communities.

Mr. Driberg

The phrase was "by the communities."

Mr. Lyttelton

Well, that was a slip of the tongue. I can remember one of these occasions, when a Chinese was shot in a café in front of 200 people, and no witness would come forward to enable the authorities to bring the murderer to trial.

Mr. J. Griffiths

Has the right hon. Gentleman a copy available of the new directive to the Malayan Communist Party referred to in the Press, and would he consider putting a copy in the Library?

Mr. Lyttelton

I have seen a report of that kind. I will try to meet the right hon. Gentleman's request, but I cannot say how authentic the document is.

Mr. Griffiths

If I put a Question down, would the right hon. Gentleman consider, in view of the renewed concentration upon civilian rather than upon military efforts, pushing on quickly with economic and political advances?

Mr. Lyttelton

The Government's political measures have been pushed on with the utmost speed during the last year. I must tell the right hon. Gentleman frankly, that there is nothing we can do to accelerate them. We have pushed on with them at a much greater rate than ever before in Malaya.