§ Mr. Haydn Daviesasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is satisfied with the Report of the Committee 574W of Investigation on the incidents at Famagusta Transit Camp, Cyprus, on 8th October, when a Cypriot sergeant was killed and five privates wounded; and whether, in view of the public repudiation of the Committee's findings in the island, he will agree to the appointment of a public inquiry.
§ Mr. George HallI see no reason to question the findings of the Report of the Court of Investigation on the incidents at Famagusta Camp on 8th October, nor for the appointment of a further investigating body. The court, which was a military body, consisted of a Canadian Lieut.-Colonel, commanding an Indian unit, which was not, however, the unit concerned in the incident, a Cypriot Major and a United Kingdom Captain. Its findings, which have been published, are to the effect that the casualties among Cypriot soldiers were caused by soft-nosed pistol bullets fired by persons in the crowd. They could not have been caused by Indian troops, who were not armed with pistols nor with ammunition of that type. According to my information, the inquiry was conducted strictly in accordance with the King's Regulations, and its findings have been repudiated only by that section of the local Press which prejudged the issue although fully aware that the incidents were the subject of military inquiry.