asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty in consequence of what provision and of which treaty or agreement is the United States submarine "Dogfish" to spend a month with the destroyer flotilla of the British Home Fleet; and whether he is satisfied that the security of the antisubmarine detection devices in the Firth of Clyde will not be compromised by the presence there of this warship of a foreign Power.

The arrangement to which the hon. Member refers is not the subject of any treaty or agreement. The answer to the second part of the Question is, "Yes, Sir."

Is it not clear that the Admiralty, of course in agreement with the Tories, are conniving at the first stages of the military occupation of our country?

There was an imputation in that supplementary question and the hon. Member must obey the rules for supplementary questions.

On a point of Order, Mr. Speaker, may I be permitted to complete my question and ask the latter part, which is not subject to your Ruling? Does the hon. Gentleman realise that if he were to announce openly to the country the effect of this kind of action, it would be denounced and opposed by millions of British people?

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that this example of close co-operation between the Royal Navy and the navy of the United States of America will be welcomed by the whole country as showing that the North Atlantic Pact has teeth?

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether any decision has now been taken regarding the future of H.M.S. "Ajax."

No, Sir.

Will the Parliamentary Secretary take the House into his confidence and explain how it is that for something like a year now the Government have been unable to decide not to sell to a foreign Power this ship which is connected with a gallant and, indeed, an immortal action in our naval history?

I realise that the time has been rather long and I have said in the past that I would make a statement before long. I hope the House will believe me when I say now I hope to be in a position to make a statement shortly and by "shortly" I mean within about three or four weeks.

Will the Parliamentary Secretary assure the House that neither the "Ajax" nor any other of His Majesty's ships, will be sold to Chile while that country is in occupation of British territory in the Falkland Islands?

I cannot anticipate the statement I shall make shortly.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what are the number, quality and type of married quarters available for both officers and ratings at Royal Naval Air Station, Eglinton.

No official married quarters have yet been provided at the Royal Naval Air Station, Eglinton, for officers, or for ratings. Certain redundant buildings have, however, been occupied for some time by a total of 28 officers and 69 ratings and their families. With the exception of the captain's quarters, none of the buildings in question was constructed for use as married quarters. The buildings occupied by the officers are in brick construction and their condition varies from fair to good. Those occupied by ratings are lined Nissen huts, all of which are in fair condition.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that facilities at these isolated air stations are of vital importance to the Navy and that, in comparison with the performance the Royal Air Force are putting up, they do not bear examination?

Yes, I am aware of that and in fact priority No. 1 for the Navy is being given to remote air stations.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is now in a position to make a statement on the retention of Rosyth Dockyard on a full-time basis.

I can only refer the hon. and gallant Member to the statement I made when this matter was raised on the Motion for the Adjournment on 27th October, 1947.

How long is this nonsense going on? Could not the hon. Gentleman agree that after nearly four years of peace they should be able to say whether they want Rosyth base or not? Who is holding it up?

I cannot agree that there is any nonsense at all. Contrary to what the then Government did after World War I, we have not closed it down. But what we have said is that Rosyth Dockyard, as all the other home dockyards, will be kept open until such time may arise when it is necessary to close one and then they will be taken into consideration together.

Could the hon. Gentleman ask the Foreign Secretary to get permission from the American Government when he is there this week-end?

That is out of Order.

Will the hon. Gentleman agree that times have changed very much since we had an Adjournment Debate on this matter and, in view of the importance of Rosyth in two world wars, that it should be prevented from going to rack and ruin?

It is of great importance to all five dockyards to keep in commission. We are not saying we will not keep Rosyth in full commission but we can made a promise that it will be considered along with other dockyards, if necessary.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will now consider the possibility of adopting the same arrangements made by the Air Ministry for officers of the rank of Wing-Commander and upwards, and will permit Naval officers of equivalent rank when proceeding abroad to obtain free passages for their children's nurses.

Naval officers holding certain shore appointments abroad have for some time been entitled to a passage for a children's nurse at Government expense. This arrangement has recently been under review and it is now proposed to substitute for it arrangements similar to those referred to by the hon. and gallant Member.

Are the same facilities applied to the bricklayers?

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty (1) what are the conditions or regulations involved and who is the final arbiter in determining whether an application for compassionate leave shall be granted to a marine serving overseas when it is reliably established that his parent is critically ill;

(2) why permission for compassionate leave was not granted to P.O./X127259 Marine Robert Mosedale, H.M.S. "Ocean," to visit his father, who lay critically ill, and about whom application had been made by the medical superintendent of the hospital in Stoke-on-Trent and by the local branch of the Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmen's Families Association on the request of the parents in the middle of February last.

No precise regulations are laid down for the grant of compassionate leave. Such leave is, however, granted, if at all practicable, in cases where there is no other son or daughter at home. The final decision in all cases rests with the local Naval authorities, who have to take into consideration the requirements of the Service, as well as the wishes of the man and his relatives. In the case of Marine Mosedale, it was found that a daughter and son-in-law were already at home and the captain of the ship decided that he could not be given leave.

Does my hon. Friend know that in this case the daughter had a small child and was not well and the son-in-law was not well? Does he appreciate that where there is only one son in the family it is most essential that the man should be permitted to go home, especially when he knows that a man in a ship nearby at Malta was permitted to go home, as a result of representations from his sister at home?

In this ease there was, as I say, another son present, but my noble Friend has decided to look into this case personally to see what the position was in regard to this particular rating.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will commence discussions with representatives of Western European and other nations with a view to achieving uniformity in lineage and frequency in television transmissions.

The United Kingdom is already taking part in the examination of television standards which is being made by a constituent organisation of the International Telecommunications Union.

Is the right hon. Gentleman intending that this country should persevere in a system which gives out the poorest definition in television of any country?

I do not agree with the implications of that statement.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that that is a technical fact?