§ VISCOUNT BRIDGEMANMy Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their attention has been drawn to a report in the Press of 2nd May to the effect that a rehearsal of the White City Tattoo was to be held at Rush-moor, Aldershot; and whether it is the 188 policy of Her Majesty's Government to reintroduce the Aldershot Tattoo in the near future.]
LORD FAIRFAX OF CAMERONMy Lords, the report referred to was not official, and it is not the policy of Her Majesty's Government to reintroduce the Aldershot Tattoo.
§ VISCOUNT BRIDGEMANMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that his Answer will give great satisfaction to those of us who think that modern soldiers should be trained for modern war and not for the battles of the past? And is he also aware that the use of National Service men on tattoos or events of the same kind should be approached with the greatest caution?
LORD FAIRFAX OF CAMERONMy Lords, I can assure my noble friend that my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for War has no intention of allowing training to be endangered by the devotion of excessive time to this kind of display.
§ VISCOUNT BRIDGEMANI thank my noble friend for his reply.