HC Deb 06 July 1953 vol 517 cc65-6W
92. Mr. Anthony Greenwood

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that Mrs. S. F. Solly, whose husband was killed by a car driven by an American officer attached to 512 Fighter-Bomber Squadron of the United States Air Force, has not received any explanation from the American authorities as to the circumstances of her husband's death; that the inquest was adjourned indefinitely because the coroner considered that he was precluded by statutory regulation from carrying out an inquiry affecting an American soldier; and whether he will arrange for the circumstances of this case to be fully reviewed.

Sir D. Maxwell Fyfe

I am aware of the incident to which the hon. Member refers. The coroner adjourned the inquest on Mr. Solly in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 5 (5) of the Defence (Burial, Inquests and Registration of Deaths) Regulations, since the

— 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953
£ £ £ £ £ £ £
January … — 960 917 886 853 755 723
February … — 943 916 883 845 754 721
March … — 940 918 881 839 750 716
April … — 927 921 878 826 739 709
May … — 928 904 876 806 739 712
June … 1,000 912 900 880 803 726
July … 993 926 899 880 791 727
August … 999 926 898 883 787 732
September … 994 924 895 878 782 733
October … 987 923 890 869 776 726
November … 967 920 890 865 773 727
December … 964 919 888 861 768 722

Mr. Lewis

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the estimated cost to the Treasury of restoring a Member of Parliament's salary to the purchasing value of 1946.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

On the assumptions that the salary involved would be £1,455, that the number of Ministers and

American officer concerned had been charged by the American authorities with an offence involving responsibility for the death. It appears that there was later some misunderstanding, and that the American authorities believed that the police had informed Mrs. Solly of the result of the investigation by the American Service authorities of the charge against the officer concerned, whereas, in fact, this had not been done. The American authorities have since sent an officer to call on Mrs. Solly to give her full information about the circumstances of the accident. I do not think that any action is called for on my part.