HC Deb 07 May 1958 vol 587 c1194
9. Mr. Lipton

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what naval vessels will visit the Riviera in the next few months.

Mr. R. Allan

Subject to the agreement of the French authorities, present plans are that the submarine depot ship "Forth" accompanied by a torpedo recovery vessel will visit Villefranche from 25th to 30th June, and at the same time two of Her Majesty's submarines will visit Nice. The cruiser "Cumberland" will visit Genoa from 14th to 19th July.

Mr. Lipton

Am I correct in assuming from that reply that the Government have at last abandoned the costly and unnecessary practice of sending battleships to the Riviera to film festivals, with their dubious retinue of hangers-on and would-be starlets, as has been the case in previous years?

Mr. Allan

I think last year the then Parliamentary Secretary explained that it was a coincidence. In fact, I think the film festival this year is being held now, and certainly it will be over before any of these ships get there.

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