Oral Answers to Questions — British Army – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 15 Ionawr 1964.
Mr Christopher Mayhew
, Woolwich East
12:00,
15 Ionawr 1964
asked the Secretary of State for War if he will publish, in part or in whole, the Mensforth Report on the Royal Ordnance Factory, Woolwich.
Sir Peter Kirk
, Gravesend
No, Sir. As stated by my right hon. Friend's predecessor and by my right hon. Friend on 10th April and 14th May, 1963, Sir Eric Mensforth was asked to give independent advice on the future of the Weapons and Fighting Vehicles Group of Royal Ordnance Factories which was currently the subject of Departmental examination. He did so confidentially and in a form not designed for publication as a self-contained report.
Mr Christopher Mayhew
, Woolwich East
Nevertheless, is the hon. Gentleman aware that it is hard to believe that there is any serious objection, for instance, from the security angle, to the publication of this report? The Government have not made out their case yet for closing down the R.O.F. Would it not be fair to those concerned to show the reasoningbehind the decision?
Sir Peter Kirk
, Gravesend
No, Sir; there are strong reasons why the report as such should not be published. We have made out a very strong case, not only in my right hon. Friend's original statement but in the Adjournment Debate which the hon. Gentleman was, unfortunately, prevented from attending.
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.
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