HC Deb 12 February 1957 vol 564 cc1062-4
24. Mr. Chapman

asked the Secretary of State for War why his Department quoted £400 to £450 as the cost of bringing home from Gibraltar the body of 23178973 Private G. Elvins, 245 Alwold Road, Birmingham; in what circumstances this figure was reduced to £270; why the revised figure has never been quoted to the parents; whether he is aware that a reputable firm has submitted quotations which should result in a further substantial cut in this figure; whether he is aware of the distress caused to the parents by the handling of this matter by his Department; and whether he will make an immediate investigation into the whole matter.

Mr. J. Amery

I apologise for the length of the Answer, but the Question is a long one.

The original estimates quoted to the parents on 26th January were between £180 and £200 by sea and £240 and £260 by air. At the request of Mr. Elvins we asked Gibraltar to confirm this estimate. They quoted a figure of £400 to £450, which proved to be excessive on detailed examination. The correct figure was close to the original estimates.

Mr. Elvins informed the Record Office concerned that the funeral should take place in Gibraltar as he could not obtain the necessary money. At this stage the hon. Member took up the case, and he has since been kept fully informed by telephone. I now understand that instructions have been given for the repatriation of the body.

Mr. Chapman

Is it not unsatisfactory that in each of these cases the War Office should turn ad hoc to private firms to get the figures for the repatriations, figures for which it has no standards of judgment and which result in totally exorbitant estimates? For example, the cost of embalming is given as £50 when it should be three or five guineas, the cost of a special coffin as £70 when it should be £25, and the cost of transport as £120£140 when it should be £60. Is not all that totally unsatisfactory and misleading?

Mr. Amery

I do not know whether the hon. Gentleman is suggesting that we should go into the undertaking business ourselves, but, short of that, I do not see how we can do other than rely on professional advisers?

25. Mr. Chapman

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will now give the exact total cost to the parents of exhuming the body of 23178973 Private G. Elvins, preparing it for transport by air from Gibraltar, and delivering the body to the representative of the firm of Birmingham undertakers which estimates the air costs of transport to Birmingham to be about £75.

Mr. J. Amery

I doubt the estimate of £75, since we estimate the standard charge from Gibraltar by air to Birmingham to be about £100. On that basis and assuming that crating was necessary, total cost would be about £270.

In practice I understand that crating will probably not be necessary, in which case the cost will be about £220.

Mr. Chapman

Will the hon. Gentleman say whether in these figures he is still including the inflated estimates by which he has previously stood, such rubbishy figures as £70 for a coffin which should cost £25? Will he supply a breakdown of the figures which will enable us to know whether these costs are likely to be reasonable or not?

Mr. Amery

These are the best estimates that we have been able to get. If the hon. Gentleman would care to table a Question asking for a breakdown, I will certainly look into it.

Mr. S. Silverman

Will the hon. Gentleman say what effect it might have on our defence policy if it cost as much to send out a live soldier as it apparently costs to bring home a dead one?

Mr. Chapman

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I give notice that I shall raise the matter again at the earliest possible opportunity.