§ LORD WEDGWOODMy Lords, I beg to ask the question on the Paper in my name.
§ [The question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government whether in view of the fact that Rome is the bottleneck for transport from Germany to the south of Italy, and the Fascist headquarters, Rome may soon receive the attentions of the R.A.F.]
§ THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR AIR (LORD SHERWOOD)My Lords, the noble Lord will appreciate that it is not possible, without conveying information to the enemy, to give an indication of our future operational plans or to discuss the relative value of targets for Bomber Command. It will perhaps suffice if I draw attention to what my right honourable friend the Prime Minister said in another place—namely, that we shall not hesitate to bomb Rome to the best of our ability and as heavily as possible if the course of the war renders such action convenient and helpful.
§ LORD WEDGWOODMy Lords, it is no doubt meritorious, at the present time, to kill any Italians, but would the noble Lord realize that we have a preference for killing our Fascist enemies in Rome rather than Anti-Fascist Socialist workers in Turin?