I understand the Prime Minister has an important statement to make which it is essential he should make immediately. Perhaps the House would agree on this occasion that he should be allowed to make the statement before Questions, and I am sure the House will agree also that we should prolong Questions, beyond the time fixed for Questions, by the amount of time taken up by the statement.

I have bad news for the House, which I think I should pass on to them at the earliest possible moment. A report has been received from Singapore that His Majesty's Ship "Prince of Wales" and His Majesty's Ship "Repulse" have been sunk while carrying out operations against a Japanese attack on Malaya. No details are yet available except those contained in the Japanese official communique, which claims that both ships were sunk by air attack. I may add that on our next Sitting Day I shall take occasion to make a short statement on the general war situation, which has, from many points of view, both favourable and adverse, undergone important changes in the last few days.