§ Mrs. E. M. Braddock (Liverpool, Exchange)On a point of order. I am very sorry, Mr. Speaker, that owing to the lack of time I have not been able to give you notice of the fact that I proposed to ask 494 you for your advice. On Thursday of last week, during the debate on the Army Estimates, I raised the matter of a letter I had received from some men serving in the Forces. Arising from that debate, the Minister replied that he had sent a signal asking for information and that nothing would be said until he received that information.
Much to my surprise, an individual by the name of Colonel G. A. Rimbault, who thinks he is important, made a statement to the Associated Press. I have received no information from the War Office, and I do not know whether the information published in the Press has been sent to the War Office. What I want to ask you, Mr. Speaker, is what steps I can take to get this matter raised? I understand that when a letter or details are printed in HANSARD they become the property of the House. I think it is a matter for concern that when a question is raised in the House, and before any information is given about it from the official Department concerned, somebody should make a statement in the Press. I received no intimation of it at all, and that is the position in which the matter is left.
I think it very important indeed, because the information published in the Press confirms the truth of the allegations made in that it said that the platoon in question was actually formed. As I say, Mr. Speaker, I am sorry that I could not let you know before, but the matter has only just appeared in the Press and has been subject to a lot of comment.
§ Mr. SpeakerI heard the Undersecretary of State for War say that he was sending to East Africa for information on the point raised, but I do not know, of course, whether or not he has received an answer to his signal. On that the hon. Lady should ask for information by a Parliamentary Question, or should seek to raise the matter on the Adjournment or at some other appropriate opportunity.
As regards the statement in the Press to which the hon. Lady has drawn my attention, I am probably more ignorant about it than she is. I have no doubt that what she said about conditions out there gave rise to publicity in the Press there, and that this statement in the Press is the reply of someone to that 495 publicity. I do not think there is anything which the hon. Lady can do about it, or that there is any question of Privilege or anything of that sort. Her wisest course is to pursue the matter with the War Office and try to get satisfaction from them.
§ Mrs. BraddockThe reason I am raising the matter is that I was very specific in what I said in the House last Thursday. I said:
Although I have sent a copy of this to the War Office, I purposely have raised it here and hope, for two reasons, that a full inquiry will be instituted. First of all, if it is true, then somebody who is in authority needs reprimanding; and, secondly, if it is not correct, then some action must be taken to prevent wrong statements being sent out." —[OFFICIAL REPORT, 19th March, 1953; Vol. 513, c. 251.]I contend that having raised the matter in that way, and having asked for information, it should not have been referred to publicly until the War Office, having sent out a signal, had received the information and had replied to the statements made in the House.
§ Mr. SpeakerI can only repeat what I have said, that the hon. Lady should pursue the matter with the War Office. It may be that the answer given by the War Office as a result of their inquiry will be different from what has now appeared in the Press, but I think the hon. Lady should pursue the matter with the War Office.