HC Deb 02 June 1954 vol 528 cc1280-1
46. Mr. Awbery

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the incident which occurred in Singapore on 13th May in which 35 schoolchildren were injured when the police made a baton charge on 1,100 students as they were going to give moral support to a delegation which was going to interview the Governor; what was the cause of the disturbance; and if he will hold a public inquiry into the methods used to disperse these students.

Mr. Lyttelton

Pupils in two Singapore schools petitioned for exemption from registration for National Service on the ground that this service would interrupt their studies. The Acting Governor agreed to receive a deputation, but it failed to keep the appointment. Instead, a crowd of some 500 pupils (mostly between 16 and 18 years of age) assembled to demonstrate and refused to disperse. The police then dispersed them with the minimum of force and without using batons.

Later, about 100 re-assembled and began to stone the police, who broke them up with a baton charge. Forty-nine were arrested and have been charged with obstructing the police. Eleven of the arrested students suffered minor injuries. I am satisfied that the police used the minimum of force that was necessary, and the answer to the last part of the Question is "No, Sir."

Mr. Awbery

Is the Minister aware of the bitterness created in Singapore over the attack by the police on these young people, and will he reconsider his decision not to hold a public inquiry into the whole position?

Mr. Lyttelton

No, I will not reconsider the decision, nor will I—

Mr. Alport

On a point of order. Is it in order for an hon. Member to make a statement accusing the police in a Crown Colony such as Singapore of making an attack upon a number of school children in that Colony?

Mr. Speaker

Hon. Members make themselves responsible for their statements.

Mr. Lyttelton

I was about to say, when my hon. Friend intervened, that to describe this as an attack seems to me to be a very tendentious way of describing an incident in which the police were being stoned by 100 students.

Mr. Awbery

Is it not a fact that five young people were injured in this attack? How could they have been injured if they were not attacked by the police?

Mr. Lyttelton

I am afraid the hon. Member is misinformed on this matter.

Mr. McGovern

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that newspapers have already published pictures of the police batoning these young students, and, if he saw them and the way they were being batoned in the streets, surely he would not say that no force was used?

Mr. Lyttelton

I did not say there was no force used. I have said that there was a baton charge, and, in my Answer, I said there were 11 of the arrested students who suffered minor injuries, but that no student was admitted to or treated in any hospital as a result of the incident.