Mr. DOYLEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether Great Britain has intimated to the Governments of France and the United States that she admits her responsibility for the safe custody of the German fleet at Scapa Flow, and is prepared to compensate these countries for their losses by the criminal sinking of suck ships; how matters stand at the present time; and if he purposes instituting a court-martial to convict or exonerate the officers who were in charge of the British guardships when the German ships were sunk?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAAs regards the first part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on Thursday last to the hon. and gallant Member for Batter sea South (Viscount Curzon). The present position is still under discussion by the Supreme Council in Paris. As regards the last part of the question, the German ships, under the terms of the Armistice, were interned, and the officers in charge of the British guard-ships were not responsible, as the German ships were still in charge of their OWE officers and men.