I beg to ask leave, Mr. Speaker, to move the Adjournment of the House, under Standing Order No. 9, for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent public importance, namely, the participation of a serving officer of the Royal Air Force in military operations against armed forces in rebellion against the Government of South Vietnam without a specific request from that Government for military assistance. I think that the matter is obviously definite, Sir, but I have to establish that I have raised it at the earliest opportunity, and that it is urgent.

This tragic incident arose, I believe, on or about last Friday week, and was reported in the Observer of last Sunday week. It was stated that the Americans and South Vietnamese armed forces had engaged in massive helicopter raids against rebel positions in South Vietnam, and that during the course of those operations some of the helicopters had been brought down. One had fallen into the sea, and amongst those who had been drowned there were two American officers and a wing commander of the Royal Air Force.

As that message came from one correspondent in Bangkok, I had, first, to try to ascertain whether the facts were substantially true. I eventually obtained other agency messages which confirmed that, and on the basis of those messages I tabled Questions to the Secretary of Stale for Foreign Affairs and to the Secretary of State for Air which were answered yesterday in writing, and were, therefore, available to hon. Members only last night or this morning in HANSARD.

There is still a dispute about the facts which concern the important question of responsibility. The agency message which I quoted in my Question to the Foreign Secretary said that this wing commander was visiting Vietnam in a private capacity as a guest of the United States Army and. Vietnamese armed forces, and was flying in a helicopter as a technical observer in operations against the guerrillas. That is said to be the statement given to the Press in Saigon by the British Embassy there, but in his Answer to me yesterday the Foreign Secretary left out the words "in a private capacity" and simply said: In reply to a telephone Press inquiry, Her Majesty's Embassy said orally that the wing commander was watching operations as a guest of the United States Army and Vietnamese armed forces."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 27th January, 1964; Vol. 688, c. 10.] It appears from this reply that the Government have withdrawn the original suggestion—which would have been very damaging to the memory of the wing commander and to his next of kin—that he was acting purely in a private capacity—in other words, that he was engaged in an irresponsible prank in deserting his duty. This was the implication of the statement made by the British Embassy that he was acting in a private capacity. This is what I am establishing. Now that this has apparently been withdrawn, it appears that Her Majesty's Government accept responsibility for the wing commander's actions.

The wing commander was taking part in operations in an armed helicopter engaged in military operations and in a country where we are not a belligerent. This therefore raises questions of the highest public importance, because it is perfectly clear that an incident of this character, for which the British Government accept responsibility, might result in the situation in which we were treated as a co-belligerent by the other side in South-East Asia and eventually, possibly, challenged—

Order. I know that the hon. Member will bear in mind that he cannot now make the speech which he would make were his application to succeed, otherwise we should open the door wide to possible abuse.

I appreciate your Intervention, Mr. Speaker, and I will abide by it immediately. Because of the circumstances of the case I thought it necessary, first, to establish the facts; secondly, this is the earliest opportunity on which I could have raised the matter; and, thirdly, I submit that it is both urgent and of public importance. Now that I think that I have shown that, I submit myself to your Ruling, Mr. Speaker.

The hon. Member asks leave to move the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No. 9 in order to discuss a definite matter of urgent public importance, namely, the participation of a serving officer of the Royal Air Force in military operations against armed forces in rebellion against the Government of South Vietnam without a specific request from that Government for military assistance. I cannot accede to the hon. Member's request. He raised the matter himself last Thursday and that fact deprives it of sufficient urgency to permit it to come within the Standing Order.