Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 17 December 1958.
I am aware of the two cases, one of which was answered at Question Time today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War and one of which was raised by the hon. Lady, which brought this subject to the fore. What my Answer means, on behalf of the Prime Minister, is that we are now looking at the whole question again. The hon. Lady's Question deals with civilians in general. She is aware that dependants of Service families are already catered for. This raises the broader question of the civilian abroad, the question of the interrelation of Government Departments and their responsibility and the question of how to deal with civilians abroad. I could give no definite undertaking of what result the inquiry will have. We think the matter sufficiently serious for immediate examination.