LORD MOYNIHANMy Lords, before asking the Question which stands in my name, I feel that I should say that I am directly interested, since I am a grandson of, I think, the eighth V.C. that was ever presented to anyone in this country. I felt I ought to make that fact clear. I now beg to ask the Question standing in my name.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government, whether they will reconsider their decision not to permit direct descendants of original holders of the Victoria Cross, in the event of sons or daughters of those original holders being no longer alive, to attend the Centenary Celebrations in Hyde Park at which Her Majesty The Queen is to be present: particularly in view of the fact that the original award of the Victoria Cross was made personally by Her late Majesty Queen Victoria at the first ceremony in Hyde Park in 1857, and that it is that long distant ceremony which is this year being specifically commemorated, so that unless some concession of this sort is made there way well be all too few representatives present of the original holders.]
§ EARL FORTESCUEMy Lords, I am afraid that the noble Lord will be rather 65 disappointed at the Answer that I am going to give him. Her Majesty's Government have carefully considered this suggestion and have regretfully decided that it would be impracticable to widen the field of invitation as suggested to this extent.
LORD MOYNIHANMy Lords, naturally I am very disappointed at that reply. May I ask Her Majesty's Government whether they realise the few numbers that are concerned? By "original holders," I mean those people who received the V.C. in 1857. If Her Majesty's Government's representatives look up the numbers, they will find, surely, that Hyde Park could easily produce the requisite number of chairs to support these few people.
§ EARL FORTESCUEI am sorry to tell the noble Lord that Her Majesty's Government cannot change their minds. They have carefully considered this matter and are unable to accede to the noble Lord's request.
LORD REAMy Lords, would it be possible for the noble Earl to give some indication of what the field of invitation is? Surely, there cannot be many descendants of these V.Cs. I apologise for not having given notice of this supplementary question.
§ EARL FORTESCUEI understand that at the present time there are about 1,000 V.Cs. and their relatives coming.
§ LORD OGMOREMy Lords, if it is not possible to go hack to 1857, would it be possible for the Government to go back to the last war and invite representatives of those V.Cs. who were killed in the last war?
§ EARL FORTESCUEThe answer to the noble Lord is that at the present time invitations are limited to living V.Cs. and one relative each, and, in the case of posthumous V.Cs., the relative who received the Cross and one other relative.
The other category is one relative, who has to be father, mother, widow, brother, sister, son or daughter in the case of deceased V.Cs. I am sorry I am not able to go further than that.