HL Deb 28 October 1947 vol 152 cc160-1

2.35 p.m.

LORD TEYNHAM

My Lords, I beg to ask the question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

[The question was as follows:

To ask His Majesty's Government why the Navy List is available only for official use.]

VISCOUNT HALL

My Lords, although it is true that the Navy List is at present restricted to "official use," it is available to all members of your Lordships' House and to the members of another place, as copies of it have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. In its present form, however, it is not suitable for making available to the general public, but I have been in correspondence with the noble Lord who has asked the question and I have expressed to him the hope that it will not be long before we can give a general release to the Navy List.

LORD TEYNHAM

Arising out of the reply, for which I am most grateful, I should like to ask the noble Viscount if the real reason for denying the public the use of the Navy List is that the Government are anxious to hide the real position of the state of our fleets both at home and abroad.

VISCOUNT HALL

The noble Lord can be assured that the Government have no such fear regarding the strength of the Royal Navy either at home or abroad at the present time, and that certainly would not be the reason. The reason is well known to the noble Lord, and I will again explain it to him if he so desires.

LORD TEYNHAM

Might I ask a further question? When the Navy List is once again made available to members of the public, will it be the practice of the Admiralty to revert to the pre-war practice of publishing officers' appointments?

VISCOUNT HALL

I will take into consideration the suggestion of the noble Lord. I think it will be possible to revert to the pre-war practice.