asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations when a reply may be expected to the complaint of Major Morgan forwarded on the 25th April, 1947, by the hon. Member for the City of Oxford.

Major Morgan made his appeal in Burma in August, 1946, and, unfortunately, it was lost in transmission to the Government of India. A copy was, therefore, sent out in August of this year by my Department, who have been pressing for a decision since the hon. Member raised the matter in April last. My latest information is that the authorities in India are considering the appeal in consultation with Headquarters, Far East Land Forces, Singapore, since Major Morgan is now serving in South East Asia.

When the right hon. Gentleman refers to the authorities in India he refers, does he not, to the British authorities? Is there really any justification for this long period of delay?

The authority is the Governor-General, advised by the Minister of Defence.