§ Mr. Chris Smithasked the Attorney-General if the Lord Chancellor will take steps to release from
444W
Police Force Authorised Establishment Actual strength Vacancies Number of additional posts approved since May 1979 Avon and Somerset 3,020 2,996 24 167 Bedfordshire 1,000 999 1 53 Cambridgeshire 1,140 1,138 2 50 Cheshire 1,845 1,826 19 40 Cleveland 1,474 1,482 — 63 Cumbria 1,130 1,126 4 42 Derbyshire 1,767 1,763 4 58 Devon and Cornwall 2,757 2,762 — 84 classification all papers relating to the loss of three Royal Air Force Liberators from 358 Squadron while taking part in Operation Bazaar on 23–24 January 1945 from Jessore and those relating to the subsequent investigation; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FreemanI have been asked to reply.
All the surviving RAF operational records relating to the loss of three Liberators from 358 Squadron on 22–23 January 1945 are open in the Public Record Office. The only other relevant RAF records are the casualty files, and as confidential personal documents these remain closed. The records of the special operations executive held in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are classified and they too remain closed. General inquiries from members of the public related to the casualty files are answered by the air historical branch in the MOD, and SOE inquiries are handled by the SOE adviser in the FCO.