HC Deb 16 December 1953 vol 522 cc380-1
61. Mr. Wyatt

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what representations he has received from Mr. Vincent Borg, of Malta, in regard to the debt owed to him by a naval officer of whom he has been informed, concerning which a judgment of a court of Malta has been made; and what action he proposes to take

Mr. J. P. L. Thomas

I have received a number of letters from Mr. Borg and the hon. Member, but I am only prepared to intervene in private matters of this nature in the most exceptional cases. I do not consider this to be a case of that kind.

Mr. Wyatt

How can the First Lord take this view, since it was not a private matter but a judgment of a court of Malta? Does the right hon. Gentleman know that there is still an outstanding payment of £159 due by Lieut. Prew to Mr. Borg for this debt; that this has caused widespread publicity in Malta and that the only reason the Minister gives for not intervening is that it is not an exceptional case when it is an exceptional case which is bringing the whole of the Royal Navy into disrepute in Malta?

Mr. Thomas

I regret very much that the hon. Member has mentioned the name of the officer. I wish he would do it outside the House of Commons. I would point out that the British courts are open to Mr. Borg as the officer is now in this country.

Mr. Wyatt

As the officer's name has already been given widespread publicity in Malta as a result of the judgment of the court on which he defaulted when he was posted away from Malta, and since the First Lord refuses to intervene and as I have written to the officer personally asking him to honour the debt so that the whole of this country will not be brought into disrepute in Malta, is it not now time that something was done?

Mr. Thomas

The hon. Member takes it upon himself to act as judge-cum-debt-collector. I wish that he would make that statement outside the privilege of the House of Commons.