Mr Woodrow Wyatt: On 16th October, the Secretary of State for War announced in the House that all military officers in Group 21 would not finish their demobilisation until mid-February, although they would begin their demobilisation on 12th November. He went on to add that in consequence of this delay by three months, Groups 22, 23 and 24 would also be delayed. I am raising this matter tonight not so much...
Mr Woodrow Wyatt: asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that the free cigarette issue to Indian other ranks in the Indian army has been cancelled; and whether he will take steps to reinstitute this free issue.
Mr Woodrow Wyatt: asked the Under-Secretary of State for India what rates of war gratuity will be paid to Indian other ranks of the Indian Army.
Mr Woodrow Wyatt: asked the Secretary of State for War when he will be in a position to announce the conditions of service for the post-war Army.
Mr Woodrow Wyatt: asked the Secretary of State for War how many men who served in the Chindit campaigns in Burma are not eligible for the Burma Star.
Mr Woodrow Wyatt: Is it not a fact that some of these men are not eligible for the Burma Star, and does not my right hon. Friend think that some very special exception ought to be made in these cases? Will he undertake to investigate the matter?
Mr Woodrow Wyatt: asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has yet received the proceedings of the court of inquiry on the conditions at the Stakehill Military Detention Barracks; and whether he has any statement to make.
Mr Woodrow Wyatt: Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that the relations not only of men who are serving sentences in these detention barracks, but of men in detention barracks all over the country, are extremely concerned about the stories that have been given out that a man committed suicide there recently? Will he treat the matter as one of urgent public importance and make a statement on the whole...
Mr Woodrow Wyatt: Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in 1939 and 1940 the Army was run on a much smaller proportion of officers than at present and that the deficiency was met by giving far more responsibility to N.C.O.'s and Warrant Officers, Class 3? What steps is the right hon. Gentleman taking now to improvise methods of finding people who can do junior officers' jobs?
Mr Woodrow Wyatt: Is my hon. Friend aware that Intelligence officers in the South East Asia Air Force who had been delayed in their demobilisation are not being used for Intelligence duties but for documentation work at release embarkation depots?
Mr Woodrow Wyatt: asked the Prime Minister whether he will make arrangements for the sympathetic consideration of the cases of soldiers, sailors and airmen at present serving sentences for purely military offences not amounting to cowardice in face of the enemy.
Mr Woodrow Wyatt: Cannot instructions be given, in view of the end of the war, that superior military authorities should review these cases favourably, in view of the fact that these are military offences which would never have been committed at all had it not been for the war situation?
Mr Woodrow Wyatt: asked the Minister of Labour whether he will consider not instituting any further prosecutions against boys who were directed into the mines under the coalmining ballot and dropping any such prosecutions that may be outstanding.
Mr Woodrow Wyatt: asked the Under-Secretary of State for Burma whether he will now take steps to see that military administration in Burma will be discontinued immediately in all areas except where it is necessary for the maintenance of lines of communication, and in its place establish a Government of representative Burmans under the Governor on Burmese soil pending the holding of general elections under the...
Mr Woodrow Wyatt: asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction among personnel transferred from C.M.F. to B.L.A. under operation Goldflake, who are due for repatriation under Python, because they have not been repatriated, although personnel in similar circumstances remaining in C.M.F. are still being repatriated; that there is anxiety among such personnel lest their release...
Mr Woodrow Wyatt: Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in one small unit of the type mentioned in the Question, there are 186 men who have now been abroad for 4½years and have not received their leave under the Python scheme?
Mr Woodrow Wyatt: May I ask the indulgence of the House on rising to address it for the first time? As a new Member, I was rather astounded by some of the remarks of hon. Gentlemen opposite. I have no doubt that I shall get used to it in time. The right hon. Member for Woodford (Mr. Churchill), earlier in this Debate, said that he did not like "police government. "That to me was a very surprising statement....
Mr Woodrow Wyatt: I am very glad to have this encouragement from the hon. Member for Oxford (Mr. Hogg). We went on with the conversation. I said, "Supposing I did not take your job, what would you do then?" He said, "I should take steps to have you removed from the State." I said, "Supposing I did not leave the State, what would happen then?" He said, "Oh, well, you would go to gaol, and the whole process...