HC Deb 17 December 1952 vol 509 c1374
15. Mr. Lewis

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will ensure that part of the viewing facilities in his Department's office on the Coronation line of route are reserved for serving naval personnel and disabled ex-Service men and women from Her Majesty's Senior Service to enable them to view the Coronation procession.

Mr. J. P. L. Thomas

The arrangements to be made for the use of windows in the Admiralty offices which have a view of the Coronation route are not yet decided. I will take into account the suggestion made by the hon. Member with the many other suggestions which I have received on the subject from other sources.

Mr. Lewis

I shall be very much obliged to the right hon. Gentleman, and I am sure the whole of the House will be, if he can in fact adopt the suggestions contained in the Question. May I further ask him whether he will consider the practicability of the children of men who lost their lives on service having some of this accommodation?

Mr. Thomas

I will certainly add that to the matters for consideration in the whole general policy. I think I may take this opportunity of warning the House that, in spite of the constant mention of Admiralty Arch and the Coronation route, less than a quarter of the windows of the Admiralty face the route.

Mr. Lewis

Yes, but the First Lord will, I think, appreciate that if he could give even some of the limited amount of accommodation for disabled ex-Service men and some of these children whose fathers lost their lives on service it would be preferable to it going to a lot of higher officers at the Admiralty, and so forth.

Mr. Thomas

I have already said that I will take the hon. Member's suggestion into consideration, with the many other matters that arise on this question.