HC Deb 13 November 1956 vol 560 cc746-7
40. Mr. Wigg

asked the Prime Minister whether he will move to appoint a Select Committee to report on the events leading up to the recent operations in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The Prime Minister

I have studied the remarks on this subject made by the hon. Gentleman in his speech last Thursday. The answer is "No, Sir."

Mr. Wigg

Would the right hon. Gentleman not agree that it is a major British interest to establish, by means either of a Select Committee or of a Royal Commission, the nature of the events which led up to the recent crisis, if only to establish that there has not been a conspiracy or collusion, as is alleged in detail in many organs of the American Press? [An HON. MEMBER: "And in the British Press."] Would the right hon. Gentleman not realise that it is also probably necessary to widen such an inquiry to cover the nature of the recent operations, particularly in the Port Said area, for they reveal efficiency on the part of the Royal Air Force but, so far as the Army is concerned, almost complete and utter chaos?

The Prime Minister

In reply to the last part of the hon. Member's supplementary question, I cannot for one moment accept that so far as the Army is concerned the operations reveal almost complete and utter chaos. The action of one parachute brigade, without preliminary bombardment, in fulfilling its task was a military achievement, whatever else one may think of it, almost unsurpassed in the annals of any Army. In regard to the first part of the supplementary question, my right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary dealt with it at considerable length in a speech of 31st October, to which I would ask the hon. Member to refer.

Mr. Paget

Does the right hon. Gentleman not at least think that some investigation is necessary as to why the military operations were so desperately slow and some explanation as to why the right hon. Gentleman suddenly lost his nerve in the middle of the operation?

The Prime Minister

Upon the last part of that question, it must be left to others than myself to pronounce. As regards the first part, I have no comment to make about slowness, except that the hon. and learned Member can measure distances on the map as well as I can.

Air Commodore Harvey

Will my right hon. Friend ask the party opposite whether they are now complaining about the slowness of the operation?