HC Deb 22 May 1973 vol 857 cc205-6
15. Mr. Leslie Huckfield

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will now make a further statement regarding compensation for the death of Signalman J. T. Johnson, a constituent of the hon. Member for Nuneaton.

Mr. Blaker

I wrote to the hon. Member on 17th May about this tragic case.

Mr. Huckfield

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for writing to me and for the information he has given me. Will he bear in mind, however, that it was on 24th September of last year that Signalman Johnson died in a very unfortunate acicdent? Will he undertake to look at these procedures again in view of the very long time it has taken to discover the facts of the situation, bearing in mind that the Johnson family still do not know whether they can get compensation?

Mr. Blaker

We went into the reasons for the delay in the course of a recent Adjournment debate. As I explained to the hon. Gentleman, it was due almost entirely to the fact that a court martial had to be held. As for the hon. Gentleman's point about compensation, my recent letter to him covered that and I take it that he will pass it on to Signalman Johnson's parents.