§ Mr. Cooperasked the Secretary of State for War (1) by what authority the convening officer at the trial of Lieutenant-Colonel H. R. Sandford by general court martial at Quetta, India, in 1934, cancelled an adjournment which had been granted by the court on an application by counsel for the accused officer;
(2) what steps have been taken by his Department to verify from the Calcutta High Court the evidence alleged to have been given by the witness Batukh Singh at the trial of Lieutenant-Colonel H. R. Sandford by general court martial at Quetta, India, in 1934, regarding certain attachment orders; and why these attachment orders, which were submitted to the court in evidence, were not attached to the proceedings;
(3) why the proceedings of the trial of Lieutenant-Colonel H. R. Sandford by general court martial at Quetta, India, in 1934, were retained at Headquarters Western Command, India, for at least five weeks after the promulgation of the sentence on 5th March, 1934; why two exhibits were detached and replaced by copies dated 12th April, 1934; and what was the date on which the proceedings were received at the War Office;
(4) whether the typewritten document now in the custody of the Judge Advocate General is the original proceedings of the trial of Lieutenant-Colonel H. R. Sandford by general court martial at Quetta, India, in 1934.
§ Mr. ProfumoI have nothing to add to the answer given to the hon. Gentleman by my predecessor on the 11th November, 1959.
§ Mr. Cooperasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will arrange for a copy of the memorandum regarding the case of Lieutenant-Colonel H. R. Sandford, who was tried by general court martial at Quetta, India, in 1934, which was submitted in 1938 to the Secretary of State for War by the late Major-General Sir Wyndham Childs, a former Adjutant General to the Forces, to be placed in the Members' library.
§ Mr. ProfumoI cannot see that this would serve any useful purpose.