HC Deb 09 December 1959 vol 615 cc490-1
6. Mr. Donnelly

asked the Secretary of State for War what arrangements he makes to examine the scripts of proposed speeches by senior officers of the Army.

Mr. Soames

Material which an officer wishes to publish must first be sent to the War Office. It is examined under normal Departmental arrangements and submitted to me if necessary.

Mr. Donnelly

Can the right hon. Gentleman say in what circumstances he approved General Cowley's lecture?

Mr. Soames

Yes, Sir. I have explained this matter before. When an officer submits a lecture to me I take into account all sorts of considerations beyond the content and material of the lecture, such as the place in which it is to be given, the audience to whom it is to be given and a number of other factors. After considering them all, I thought that it was an appropriate lecture to be given to the R.U.S.I.

Mr. John Hall

May I ask my right hon. Friend whether it is a fact that General Cowley made it clear in his address that the views he was expressing were entirely his own personal views?

Mr. Soames

Yes, Sir. I am grateful to my hon. Friend. I mentioned on an earlier occasion that that was a feature in my mind in passing this speech.

Mr. Strachey

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that many of us on this side of the House would be very sorry if he were to depart from the liberal policy of allowing such speeches to be made which he has pursued in this instance?

Major Legge-Bourke

Would my right hon. Friend give an assurance that the very useful exchanges of view which have taken place from time to time over the years at the Royal United Service Institution will not be in any way curbed as a result of the new arrangements?

Mr. Soames

I am not responsible for the R.U.S.I. or who it invites to speak at its Institution.

Mr. Donnelly

Could the right hon. Gentleman say what amendments to Queen's Regulations will be made in view of the new policy?

Mr. Soames

There is no question of amendment to Queen's Regulations. An officer's duty will remain the same—to submit anything he proposes to say to the War Office. His duty is completed when that has been done.