§ 76. Mr. Dribergasked the Secretary of State for War what punishment was awarded to a number of guardsmen, serving at Pirbright in the 1st Battalion, Scots Guards, who elected to be tried summarily on Monday, 11th March, for having been absent without leave on 8th March.
§ Mr. ProfumoIt is not the practice to disclose details of the punishments awarded to soldiers who elect to be tried summarily by their commanding officer. Unlike a court-martial which is, of course, held in public, a summary trial is essentially a matter between the soldier and his commanding officer.
I am, therefore, not prepared to disclose the detailed punishments awarded to the 25 guardsmen of the 1st Battalion, Scots Guards, who elected to be tried summarily by their commanding officer on Monday, 11th March, for having been absent without leave on 8th March; but I can say that the sentences ranged from five days' restriction of privileges to fourteen days' detention.
§ 77. Mr. Dribergasked the Secretary of State for War what steps are taken in the 1st Battalion, Scots Guards, to ensure that 159W men excused duty by medical officers are not ordered to do guard duties, training, and fatigues.
§ Mr. ProfumoIt is the practice in the Scots Guards, as in all units in the Army, for a soldier with slight indisposition to undertake light duties; these do not include guards and picquets.
Where a soldier has anything more than slight indisposition, he would normally be ordered to bed.
§ 78. Mr. Brockwayasked the Secretary of State for War what recent complaints were laid before the commanding officer of the Scots Guards by guardsmen at the camp at Pirbright; and whether these complaints included incidents when they were required to perform ceremonial duties at Windsor Castle.
§ Mr. ProfumoIt would not be in the interests of discipline for me to make public the detailed nature of complaints made by guardsmen of the 1st Battalion, Scots Guards, to their commanding officer: such matters are essentially the internal concern of the unit.
The commanding officer is investigating all the complaints made to him.