§ 1. Mr. Shepherdasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he authorised a speech by Captain W. J. Munn, of the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, alleging that the cuts in the armed services are due to slackness on the part of the British worker and what action he proposes to take to prevent a repetition of statements of this kind by serving officers.
§ Mr. SoamesThe statement to which my hon. Friend refers was made not in a speech but in answer to questions following a speech about the activities of the Royal Naval College, which Captain Munn made at a local luncheon. My noble Friend does not consider that this episode calls for any elaboration of the existing instructions which lay down that Admiralty approval is to be obtained for any public statement on official matters.