Oral Answers to Questions — British Army – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 5 Mehefin 1945.
Mr John Profumo
, Kettering
12:00,
5 Mehefin 1945
asked the Secretary of State for War (1) whether he will examine the possibilities of a mare extensive use of Allied 'bomber aircraft as a means of transport, in order to increase the present scale of home leave from the Mediterranean and the Far East;
(2) whether the Government has now been able to make such adjustments to the forces occupying Germany and Italy as to allow a reduction of the qualifying period of service overseas for tine Python repatriation scheme;
(3) whether, since there are no longer any military operations in, the European theatre, he will take steps to ensure that troops who have served long periods in the M.E.F. and C.M.F. and have since been transferred to the B.L.A. without receiving the period of home leave to which they are entitled, shall be granted more than a week's leave on their first return to this country.
Mr Thomas Brooks
, Rothwell
asked the Secretary of State for War, now that the European war is at an end if he will consider reducing by one year the period of ser vice abroad, particularly in the S.E.A.C, in Assam and Burma; and why men who have served over three years in these districts now that their repatriation is imminent have had their disembarkation leave reduced from 28 days to 21 days.
Mr George Hall
, Merthyr Tydfil Aberdare
asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that men who fought with the 50th (N) Division in North Africa, were in the invasion of Sicily, have seen service in Europe from D plus six, including the Nijmegen salient and are in fairly early release groups, have been warned for service in the Far East; and if he will, in the light of these facts, say what limitations as to age, release group and fighting service overseas are applied before men are drafted to the Far East.
Mr. McNeil:
asked the Secretary of State for War if he has now been able to reduce the qualifying period for the Python leave scheme to three years or less.
Major Woollcy:
asked the Secretary of State for War what arrangements are now being made to provide additional home leave for those men now serving overseas.
Mr Gerald Palmer
, Winchester
asked the Secretary of State for War whether steps are being taken to make use of the rail route from Italy to facilitate an increase in the volume of home leave for Army personnel serving there.
Mr George Mathers
, Linlithgowshire
asked the Secretary of State for War whether the amount of shipping available will enable troops serving overseas to return earlier to this country; and whether he will state the maximum periods of service now applicable to the different theatres of operations.
Mr William Cluse
, Islington South
asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the feeling amongst the Servicemen abroad that they are being unfairly treated in the allocation of home leave; that many have served long periods without a break; that some are performing duties not vital to the war effort; and will he do his utmost to facilitate the granting of leave to those who have served long periods abroad.
Mr George Oliver
, Ilkeston
asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the general dissatisfaction among the Forces in the C.M.F., M.E.F. and S.E.A.C of his refusal to shorten the period of service qualifying for home leave, having regard to the cessation of hostilities in the West; and whether there is any immediate prospect of a revision of the period of 4½ to 3 years.
Mr Daniel Lipson
, Cheltenham
asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware of the disappointment felt by men who have served in North Africa and Italy and have been away four years without home leave; and will he now implement the undertaking that, after the war in Europe had been won, overseas service would be reduced to three years.
Mr Francis Watt
, Edinburgh Central
asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that the absence of any home leave for the troops in Italy is causing acute dissatisfaction among them; and will he take steps to have home leave for these men introduced as soon as possible.
Mr Herbert Williams
, Croydon South
asked the Secretary of State for War when the troops who have been serving in the Mediterranean zone four years or over will be repatriated, and when those who have been serving three years or more will be repatriated.
Mr Walter Edwards
, Stepney Whitechapel and St George's
asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the cessation of hostilities in Europe, the necessary adjustments have yet been made to enable a reduction in the length of service overseas to be made.
Mr Samuel Viant
, Willesden West
asked the Secretary of State for War why men who have served in the M.E.F. and C.M.F. for four years and four months and were then posted to Germany just before the war ceased, are excluded from the Python leave scheme.
Sir Charles Taylor
, Eastbourne
asked the Secretary of State for War whether it is now possible to reduce the length of over seas service in the C.M.F.
Mr Vernon Bartlett
, Bridgwater
asked the Secretary of State for War, in view of the termination of hostilities in Europe, what are the lastest arrangements for home leave for men in the B.L.A.
Mr John Profumo
, Kettering
Will my right hon. Friend be in a position to give an answer to this Question in the Debate on Friday?
Mr George Hall
, Merthyr Tydfil Aberdare
As one of those Questions is mine may I ask for your guidance, Mr. Speaker? The right hon. Gentleman has chosen a most unusual procedure, and may I ask whether there is anything we can do now to get answers to our Questions?
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
The House of Commons votes by dividing. Those voting Aye (yes) to any proposition walk through the division lobby to the right of the Speaker and those voting no through the lobby to the left. In each of the lobbies there are desks occupied by Clerks who tick Members' names off division lists as they pass through. Then at the exit doors the Members are counted by two Members acting as tellers. The Speaker calls for a vote by announcing "Clear the Lobbies". In the House of Lords "Clear the Bar" is called. Division Bells ring throughout the building and the police direct all Strangers to leave the vicinity of the Members’ Lobby. They also walk through the public rooms of the House shouting "division". MPs have eight minutes to get to the Division Lobby before the doors are closed. Members make their way to the Chamber, where Whips are on hand to remind the uncertain which way, if any, their party is voting. Meanwhile the Clerks who will take the names of those voting have taken their place at the high tables with the alphabetical lists of MPs' names on which ticks are made to record the vote. When the tellers are ready the counting process begins - the recording of names by the Clerk and the counting of heads by the tellers. When both lobbies have been counted and the figures entered on a card this is given to the Speaker who reads the figures and announces "So the Ayes [or Noes] have it". In the House of Lords the process is the same except that the Lobbies are called the Contents Lobby and the Not Contents Lobby. Unlike many other legislatures, the House of Commons and the House of Lords have not adopted a mechanical or electronic means of voting. This was considered in 1998 but rejected. Divisions rarely take less than ten minutes and those where most Members are voting usually take about fifteen. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P9 at the UK Parliament site.
The Speaker is an MP who has been elected to act as Chairman during debates in the House of Commons. He or she is responsible for ensuring that the rules laid down by the House for the carrying out of its business are observed. It is the Speaker who calls MPs to speak, and maintains order in the House. He or she acts as the House's representative in its relations with outside bodies and the other elements of Parliament such as the Lords and the Monarch. The Speaker is also responsible for protecting the interests of minorities in the House. He or she must ensure that the holders of an opinion, however unpopular, are allowed to put across their view without undue obstruction. It is also the Speaker who reprimands, on behalf of the House, an MP brought to the Bar of the House. In the case of disobedience the Speaker can 'name' an MP which results in their suspension from the House for a period. The Speaker must be impartial in all matters. He or she is elected by MPs in the House of Commons but then ceases to be involved in party politics. All sides in the House rely on the Speaker's disinterest. Even after retirement a former Speaker will not take part in political issues. Taking on the office means losing close contact with old colleagues and keeping apart from all groups and interests, even avoiding using the House of Commons dining rooms or bars. The Speaker continues as a Member of Parliament dealing with constituent's letters and problems. By tradition other candidates from the major parties do not contest the Speaker's seat at a General Election. The Speakership dates back to 1377 when Sir Thomas Hungerford was appointed to the role. The title Speaker comes from the fact that the Speaker was the official spokesman of the House of Commons to the Monarch. In the early years of the office, several Speakers suffered violent deaths when they presented unwelcome news to the King. Further information can be obtained from factsheet M2 on the UK Parliament website.
