asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that under company orders exhibited at 240 Training Regiment, R.A., Tonfanau, Merionethshire, North Wales, soldiers are forbidden to write to their Members of Parliament without the permission of the commanding officer; and if he will take steps to remedy this.

Instructions were given orally to the men in this Training Regiment that letters to their Members of Parliament should be passed through the commanding officer, who would add his remarks before forwarding the letters. These instructions were incorrect, and I have taken immediate steps to have them cancelled.

Is the Minister aware that, in spite of several decisions by this House that soldiers are free to write to hon. Members, the impression is still very widespread in the Army that they are not so free, and will he take steps to make it plain to every soldier that he can write to his Member?

If the hon. Member had an opportunity of looking at my postbag from Members of Parliament themselves, he would readily understand that soldiers are under no illusion about their right to write to Members.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the present strength of officers and men in the A.E.C.; and how many of each category are now being trained in addition to these.

The present strength of the R.A.E.C. is approximately 400 officers and 1,14o other ranks. In addition 25 officers and 380 other ranks are now being trained for transfer to the R.A.E.C. and arrangements are being made for the further training of 65o officers and 2,800 other ranks in the Army schools of education and instructional wings of Army colleges at Home and overseas during the 12 months started 1st April, 1947.

asked the Secretary of State for War what medical and other conditions are required for officers and men wishing to serve in the A.E.C.

All applicants must be fit for service at home or overseas. Officers must possess at least one of the following qualifications: a degree of a British university, or a qualification accepted by the Army Council as equivalent; recognition by the Ministry of Education as a qualified teacher; outstandingly successful experience under the Army Education Scheme. Other ranks must have qualified for admission to a British university or possess some other qualification accepted by the Army Council as equivalent; in exceptional cases evidence of outstanding work under the Army Education Scheme may be accepted.

Is my right hon. Friend satisfied that he is likely to obtain the number of recruits that he proposes for training in the current financial year?

Yes, Sir, I think so. These figures rather indicate that I ought to be able to get them.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is satisfied that newspapers produced and edited overseas for the use of British troops serving overseas are presenting a fair picture of home and foreign affairs free from political bias.

Yes, Sir.

Can it be, Sir, that the right hon. Gentleman is too easily satisfied, and will he say whether the officers who run these newspapers are appointed from a political or a purely military point of view?

They are certainly not political appointments. We have no politics in the Army.

Will the right hon. Gentleman, by way of testing this, take in the "Morning News" from Austria every day and then tell me whether he is of the same opinion?

I will certainly take an opportunity of looking at some of these newspapers.

In view of the answer which the Minister has just given, will he kindly instruct M.I.5 that there are no politics in the Army?.

I do not know that I have any power to instruct M.I.5.

asked the Secretary of State for War to what extent there is still danger to the public and to children from unexploded bombs, drifting mines and exposed ammunition.

About 230,000 acres of land in this country are still retained owing to the presence of explosives. Notices round the perimeters warn the public of the danger of interfering with objects found in the areas. As regards drifting mines, this is a matter for my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty. Some ammunition is still stored in roadside dumps which are regularly patrolled by mobile guards. These dumps will be cleared as soon as possible, but owing to shortage of manpower this will take some considerable time.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in the Charnwood Forest district of Leicestershire these roadside dumps are spread all over the area, that there is very little evidence of supervision, that serious incidents have occurred, and that it is impossible to keep children under constant supervision in a great natural playground like this? Would he take special steps to clear up the problem as soon as possible?

I am endeavouring to do so, but the more I am pressed to release personnel from the Army, the more difficult becomes my task of clearing these ammunition dumps.

Can the Minister say whether it would be possible to take the fuses out of ammunition which is stored by the roadside, as that would help?

Most of this ammunition is unfused.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that it will be 1951 before the dumps in Perthshire are removed?

I am very much obliged to the hon. Member for that information. I was not aware of it.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that some of the ammunition on roadside verges has been removed because it is dangerous, and has been placed in the vicinity of houses? Will he take action about it?

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will direct that the clearing of the Penmaenmawr-Aber area of unexploded bombs be expedited so as to be completed by 1st June instead of 30th August as previously announced in view of the fact that thousands of holiday makers and overseas visitors are expected during the summer in this tourist district.

I regret that I cannot undertake to have this area cleared by 1st June or indeed give any precise date for its release, although every effort will he made to clear it and other similar areas with the minimum delay. The clearance of these areas depends entirely on the availability of the necessary skilled labour, of which the Army's resources are extremely limited.

When the Minister refers to "similar" areas, does that include the area in Norfolk called the Battle Area of Whetting?

I do not know, but I know it includes a very large area in my constituency which I cannot get cleared yet.

What steps have been taken by the Secretary of State for War to clear away unexploded bombs from the neighbourhood of Ebbw Vale?

We are making every effort we can to clear every area of exploded and unexploded bombs, but unexploded bombs can be so deep that they are of no danger to anybody unless they go digging down to find them.

On a point of Order, Mr. Speaker. May I call your attention to the fact that the hon. Member for Oxford (Mr. Hogg) is reading a newspaper?

On that point of Order, Mr. Speaker. I think you know what is contained in this newspaper, and that I propose to raise the matter immediately after the end of Questions. I hope, therefore, you will be satisfied that there was neither discourtesy to you, nor breach of Order.

Mr. Swingler.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the case of 117727 Private M. A. Andrews, who was recently discharged but made application to rejoin the R.A.O.C. in order to complete his 12 years' service; that he was turned down because of some temporary unfitness; and if he will make inquiries and see whether he can allow this man to be re-examined medically at a later date.

Mr. Andrews was medically examined last November and again during March at his own request. Unfortunately, he was on both occasions found to be definitely unfit for re-enlistment and I am afraid that no useful purpose would be served by examining him again.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will consider the claim of Mr. William Amos, details of which have been sent to him, in respect of an accident on 14th September, 1946, as a result of which the driver of a military omnibus was convicted for carelessness; if he is aware that Mr. Amos's solicitors have been informed that it is the duty of all claimants to minimise their losses and that he has been offered £30 for necessary repairs estimated to cost more than £80; and whether he will accept liability for payment in full.

On 22nd March an offer of £80, without prejudice to the question of liability, was made to Mr. Amos's solicitors, who have refused this offer orally, but have not so far confirmed their refusal in writing or indeed formulated their client's claim in detail.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the average length of time taken to deal with applications for short service commissions sent in by officers stationed in West Africa Command.

Applications for short service commissions are not maintained by separate theatres or commands, and it is not, therefore, possible to state the average time for applications received from officers serving in West Africa Command.

Is the Minister aware that cases have arisen where these applications have not been dealt with until nine months afterwards? Will he look into this particular matter?

If the hon. and gallant Gentleman will be good enough to give me particulars of any of these cases, I will certainly look into them.

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) if the peti- tion of Corporal Stannard against his conviction for mutiny at Port Said in December, 1946, has yet been heard and with what result; and whether the hon. Member for Silvertown will now have an opportunity of reading the evidence submitted at the court-martial;

(2) if he is aware that, at the courtmartial of Corporal Stannard, charged with mutiny at Port Said in December, 1946, defending counsel was alleged to have refused to call essential witnesses for the defence although requested to do so by the accused man; and whether, in view of this and other allegations, he will have the whole conduct of the court-martial proceedings personally investigated.

I have not yet heard the result of Corporal Stannard's petition against his conviction and have called for a report from M.E.L.F. on this and on the points referred to in my hon. Friend's second Question. I have taken steps to expedite the report and will write to my hon. Friend when it has been received. The Proceedings of Trial have been kept in M.E.L.F. pending review by the Commander-in-Chief. I do not wish to divert them until the overseas Command have completed their action, but they will be reviewed on arrival in this country. As I have already informed my hon. Friend, I will consider letting him see them when I receive them.

asked the Secretary of State for War to make a statement on the issue of sheets and pyjamas to soldiers.

Enough sheets have been sent to tropical stations to enable all British troops there to be provided with them. Sheets are being made in Germany for Rhine Army. It is the intention to provide sheets for all troops at Home, but, unfortunately, the supply situation will make this impossible for some considerable time. Pyjamas will be provided for all British troops as soon as enough can be produced. In the meantime the fairest method of distributing the very limited quantity at present available is being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for War if the regulations have now been amended to enable ex-officers over 35 years of age to be eligible for permanent commissions in the Army.

As I indicated in reply to an earlier Question by the hon. Member the possibility of allowing released officers to apply for permanent commissions in certain cases was being reexamined. The decision has been taken that such released officers shall only be eligible to apply for permanent Regular commissions if they have first been granted short service Regular commissions. The reason for this decision is that it is considered inequitable to the candidate, who is still serving and who intends to make the Army his career, that he should have to compete for a permanent commission with candidates who have returned to civil life and wish to come back to the Army. In any case an officer over 35 would not be eligible for a permanent commission in one of the fighting arms except in very special 'circumstances.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say why his policy is different from that of the Air Ministry, which gives permanent commissions to men who have been in civil life and come back into the Service?

It may be that my particular Service is a little different from that of the Air Ministry.

Is the Secretary of State for War satisfied that he can get all the permanent officers he wants for the Army without adopting the suggestion made in the Question?

I think—and I hope I am not being unduly optimistic—that in time we shall get all the officers we shall want from the young age groups.

Would my right hon. Friend look at this as far as the Army Educational Corps is concerned, where a number of older officers are leaving the Service because they feel that their Service commission is not sufficient for their permanent needs and, if they could take a Regular commission, they would now probably stay in the Service?

There, again, I am not pessimistic about the situation in the Army Educational Corps, but, at any rate, there is no age limit in respect of that Corps.

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) whether he has authorised the preparations now being made in the British zone of Berlin for a Grand Military Tattoo lasting four days to be held in August, 1947; how many man hours of training time will be spent in B.A.O.R. in the next three months in preparation for this event; and how many officers and men will take part;

(2) how many special trains it is proposed to run between Hanover and Berlin for spectators of the Grand Military Tattoo to be held in August, 1947; and how many tons of coal will be needed for this purpose.

I am aware of the proposal to hold a tattoo in Berlin from 11th to 16th August. I have called for the particular information asked for by my hon. Friend and will communicate with him when I have it. The financial proceeds of the tattoo will be devoted to the welfare of German children.

Is not this proposal a gross wastage of manpower and resources? [HON. MEMBERS: "No."] Will not the Secretary of State reconsider it, and adopt some better policy for the troops in Germany at the moment?

No, Sir. I think it will be conducive to morale and discipline,. and I know from my own experience of the result of a similar tattoo in Austria that not only was it popular with the Army, but it was widely popular among Austrians as well.

Will the Secretary of State deny that it is proposed to run a number of special trains, and to use German rolling stock and coal for this purpose?

I am not in a position to deny that, but it is a piece of information which I will try to ascertain for my hon. Friend.