§ 39. Mrs. Braddockasked the Secretary of State for War why the letter received by his Department on Monday, 2nd December, from the hon. Member for Liverpool, Exchange, marked very urgent, 1255 regarding Craftsman J. Donoghue, 44th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, has not yet been replied to.
§ Mr. J. AmeryThe hon. Member will have received my reply to her letter. It took a week to answer because the details she required had to be obtained from an overseas command.
§ Mrs. BraddockWhile I thank the Minister for the reply which I received yesterday, does he not think that in serious circumstances of this kind something ought to be done to give the parents some assurance about the position? This matter has been going on since 21st November, and the parents had no indication at all, except a very short letter from the officer in charge, that anything concerning the boy was wrong. Is there no way of ensuring that when serious inquiries are being made parents are given some immediate information about what is happening?
§ Mr. AmeryIt was precisely because the circumstances were serious that I did not wish to misinform either the hon. Lady or the parents.