§ 2. Mr. Lewisasked the Attorney-General on what date Lord Russell of Liverpool was appointed as Assistant Judge Advocate General, and at what salary; how long he held this appointment; on what date he resigned; and what was the reason for his resignation.
§ 3. Mr. Anthony Greenwoodasked the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the resignation of Lord Russell of Liverpool as Assistant Judge Advocate General to the Forces.
The Attorney-GeneralLord Russell of Liverpool was appointed an Assistant Judge Advocate General on 23rd January, 1950, and was re-appointed by the Lord Chancellor under Section 30 of the Courts-Martial (Appeals) Act, 1951, on 1st May, 1952. He served in the office of the Judge Advocate General from August, 1934, until his resignation on 8th August this year, when his salary was £2,193 7s. per annum.
I would refer the hon. Members to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Leek (Mr. Harold Davies) on 19th October. In view of certain statements which have appeared in the Press I think I should add that it is not the case that permission was given to Lord Russell to publish this book and that, later, that permission was withdrawn.
§ 57. Mr. Anthony Greenwoodasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has inquired into the circumstances in which his Department issued three conflicting statements to the Press at 12.35 p.m., 12.45 p.m. and 5.35 p.m., on 11th August, relating to the advice which the Foreign Office had or had not given to the Lord Chancellor in connection with the Assistant Judge Advocate General's book on German war crimes; and what steps he has taken to ensure that accurate information on the work of his Department is more readily available to the Press.
§ Mr. TurtonI assume that the hon. Member is referring to an article which appeared in the "Daily Express" on 12th August. I have read the three212W statements attributed to the Foreign Office in that article and do not find them in any way conflicting.