§ 62. Mr. Haleasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will arrange for immediate information as to her son's present condition to be supplied to the Oldham mother, whose name and address have been supplied to him, of an Oldham-born soldier who was shot and 13W seriously wounded in the Malayan jungle on or about 10th April, 1961.
§ Mr. ProfumoI have written to the hon. Member about this case. The soldier's next of kin has been kept informed throughout.
§ Mr. Leslie Hale (Oldham, West)asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will supply to the Oldham mother, whose name has been supplied to him, and to the hon. Member for Oldham, West, full particulars of the circumstances in which an Oldham-born soldier was seriously and accidently wounded and the nature of the wounds.
§ Mr. ProfumoMy inquiries into this case are not yet complete, but I have a preliminary report stating that the soldier was accidently wounded by a sub-machine gun whilst on jungle training exercise in South Johore. He sustained an injury to the head. I will let the hon. Gentleman have a further report as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Haleasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will provide transport for the Oldham mother, whose name has been supplied to him, to visit her wounded son in Singapore.
§ Mr. ProfumoNo. Free transport for one person is only provided when the patient is on the very seriously ill list, and when a visit is requested by the medical authority in charge of the case. These conditions do not apply here. Moreover, I am glad to hear that the soldier is improving steadily, and will be returned to this country as soon as he is fit to travel.