asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that a commander of a motor minesweeper was court-martialled, dismissed his ship and severely reprimanded for sitting down to Christmas dinner with five of his men; and if he will review this sentence and take steps to see that the Regulations making such conduct an offence are altered.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether his attention has been drawn to the court martial at which Lieutenant John Wardle was sentenced to forfeit three months' seniority, to be dismissed his ship, and to be severely reprimanded for taking lunch with five ratings on Christmas Day; and if he will make a statement on the sentence.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that a commissioned officer in the Royal Navy was recently court-martialled for taking a meal with ratings on Christmas Day; and, as the disciplinary action against this officer was not in accordance with the new spirit of democracy in the Services, whether he will review the sentence imposed.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty under what K.R.s, and A.I.s., Lieutenant John Wardle, R.N.V.R., recently sentenced by a Rosyth court martial for eating Christmas dinner with five ratings, was convicted; and whether he will review the case, and in future ensure that such treatment prejudicial to the development of a more democratic outlook in the Service will not be tolerated.

I would refer my hon. Friends to the statement which I made during the course of my speech last night.

Is it proper for my hon. Friend the Civil Lord, with all respect to him, to refer the House back to a statement of which the House is not in possession because it was made too late for inclusion in HANSARD today, particularly as that statement contains a very illogical argument which would really imply the desirability of the total abolition of the sale of alcoholic liquor on board ship?

If the House desires, with your permission, Mr. Speaker, I am quite prepared to read the statement again at this moment.

Hon. Members:

Circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

it is not very long, and perhaps I might as well read it right away. The statement is as follows: A considerable amount of misunderstanding has arisen about the court martial at Rosyth on 7th March of Lieutenant Wardle, R.N.V.R. This officer was charged with two acts to the prejudice of good order and naval discipline in taking lunch and intoxicating liquor with five ratings in a ratings' mess of his ship, and in giving beer and spirit to these ratings. The gift of spirits or intoxicating drink on board His Majesty's Ships is specifically prohibited by King's Regulations and Admiralty Instructions. Experience has shown that entertainment of ratings by officers frequently leads to acts of indiscipline or other unfortunate results and it has been found in the best interests of both officers and ratings that such entertainment should not take place. The wisdom of this rule was amply demonstrated on this occasion, for I am sorry to say that one of the ratings, who was seen after the meal in an intoxicated state, disappeared from the ship shortly afterwards and while there is no evidence to show how he disappeared, the possibility that he lost his life by falling overboard cannot be discounted. The circumstances of such an incident do not point to the desirability of altering the Regulations. I am advised that the trial was properly conducted in every way, and I see no reason for interfering with the sentence of the court martial.

Is not my hon. Friend aware of the old-standing custom in the army and the Royal Air Force, for officers actually to wait at table on other ranks on Christmas Day, to take drinks with them, and generally to entertain them?

I am not aware of the customs in the army, though I am aware slightly of the customs in the Navy. I feel that this incident alone shows the wisdom of, as far as possible, seeing that a position does not arise whereby ratings may be able to obtain intoxicating liquor on board, and which may result in the loss of life.

Could my hon. Friend tell me if this statement was drawn up in collaboration with the hon. Member for West Ealing (Mr. J. Hudson)?

I can assure the hon. Member that it was not.

Would the matter have been in order if it had been a teetotal lunch?

No, Sir, that is not in order. Under King's Regulations, as they exist at the present moment, it is not permissible for an officer to lunch or to drink with ratings on the fore mess-deck. That actually took place on this occasion. This occasion, as I have tried to point out, illustrates the undesirability of such a practice, in view of the possibility of ratings losing control of themselves.

Is my hon. Friend aware that Lieutenant Wardle was successful in his protest at the court martial against one of the judges, who was removed, because he was the informer; that that cannot happen in a civil court, but can happen in a naval court martial; and, surely, the time has arrived when this procedure should be abolished, and a more humane method of procedure instituted than obtains at the moment?

I can only say, so far as the court martial is concerned, that the accused officer pleaded guilty.