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Anti-U-Boat Warfare Committee

Volume 387: debated on Wednesday 17 March 1943

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46.

asked the Prime Minister to which Department questions should be addressed concerning the work of the Anti-U-Boat Committee, of which he is Chairman, and the Minister of Aircraft Production, Vice-Chairman?

As I explained in the statement which I made on 15th December, the Anti-U-Boat Warfare Committee in no way supersedes or replaces the regular and systematic control of anti-U-boat warfare by the Admiralty. Questions on this subject should therefore be addressed to the First Lord of the Admiralty, unless they raise wide strategic issues which would more appropriately be addressed to me as Minister of Defence.

Could the right hon. Gentleman consider affording the House an opportunity to discuss this whole question owing to the fact that when the Navy Estimates were introduced special reference was made to the impossibility of one Department dealing with a matter that concerns two Departments?

The relations of the House are with Ministers of the Crown and not with the chairmen or heads of committees, Cabinet or otherwise, in their capacity as chairmen or heads of committees. The question of a Debate must be settled through the usual channels.