§ Mr. O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement on the death in the Falkland islands of Private Barry Hemingway.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonI very much regret the sad death of Private Hemingway, but I am sorry that there is nothing that I can add to what has already been made known to the hon. Gentleman in his correspondence with my Department.
§ Mr. O'BrienFollowing the tragic death of Private Barry Hemingway in a hospital in Montevideo from a virus developed as a result of diving in the Falklands, his family are at a loss because they have asked several questions but the answers are still outstanding. His mother was told on 8 August last year to be ready to fly out to her son, but that failed. She asked for more information and was told that it was not available because the satellite had broken down. People in Germany were made aware of her son's death before she was.
Will the Minister conduct an inquiry into the death of Private Barry Hemingway and will someone call to see the family so that they can be given the information first hand? Can we have answers to the questions that the family has put to me and that I have put to the Minister, but which have not yet been answered?
§ Mr. HamiltonI am sorry if some of the hon. Gentleman's questions have not yet been answered. The provision to fly Mrs. Hemingway to see her son was on the basis that he was recovering from the original viral pneumonia that was diagnosed. It was only subsequently that his condition deteriorated and he had a cardio-respiratory arrest, which, tragically, killed him. I shall look again at the correspondence that we have had with the hon. Gentleman and answer any questions that have not yet been answered. Somebody will certainly visit Mrs. Hemingway.