§ 11. Mr. Nabarroasked the Secretary of State for War why military police were sent to a cinema at Chaddesden, Derby, on the evening of Sunday, 26th April, 1959; to what extent they took part in searching parcels and bags of persons entering the cinema; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. SoamesA sergeant and four men attended the cinema at the request of the civil police. They did not search any bags or parcels.
§ Mr. NabarroWhy were red-caps sent there at all? Is my right hon. Friend aware that this created the impression that some sort of military protection is now being provided for the man referred to professionally as Terry Dene? As he was Grade A.1 medically at his pre-Service medical examination, Grade A.1 on first Army attestation and then discharged as totally unfit, would my right hon. Friend confirm that there cannot be any question of meeting the suggestion of the man's family that there should be a pension for his Army service?
§ Mr. SoamesAs to the question of what my hon. Friend chooses to call protection, what happened here was that the civil police asked the military police as a precautionary measure to accompany them to this cinema, but in the event, so far as I know, there were no incidents, certainly none involving the military police.
§ Mr. G. BrownAs I represent a local constituency, may I ask the right hon. Member if he is aware that there is a great deal of thankfulness locally that this action was taken and that it probably prevented incidents happening?