§ Q4. Mr. Davidsonasked the Prime Minister what is his policy towards more open government.
§ The Prime MinisterI am in favour of it, Sir.
§ Mr. DavidsonI am delighted to hear it. In that case, will the Prime Minister give a firm commitment today that he will overhaul the Official Secrets Act? Is he aware that many of us consider that Act to be a grave obstacle to open government? Does not my right hon. Friend agree that it would have been far better and in the interests of open government if the Government had agreed to an inquiry into the disquieting reports about the whole Littlejohn affair, because as long as such matters are kept secret, credence is given to rumours that may have no basis?
§ The Prime MinisterI know my hon. Friend's great knowledge of these matters from the work he has done in the past. 1089 The Franks Committee report was received, I think, in September 1972. We have had an opportunity to study it and other matters for only a month, but I hope to be able to give an answer to my hon. Friend and the House in a shorter time than the previous Government took before they gave any answer at all.
I dealt with my hon. Friend's second question yesterday in a Written Answer. Even had there been an inquiry, it could not have been an open inquiry. There has never been open inquiry in such matters in the past, and in my view that is right. I myself went into the matter as thoroughly as possible, and I was completely justified in what I said, namely, that no credence should be given to certain statements made on television last week by the person concerned.
§ Mr. ThorpeI do not comment on its content, but is the right hon. Gentleman aware that, in the interests of open government, the fact that the Foreign Secretary's speech to the Council of Ministers was published as a White Paper in advance was helpful to the House of Commons? Having said that, and remembering the courtesy which the right hon. Gentleman showed in 1967, in receiving his European colleagues in London and elsewhere, may I ask the Prime Minister to tell us what aspect of open government was advanced by the rather childish and churlish way in which the Foreign Secretary refused to receive the President of the European Parliament? Are we to take it that rudeness is now to be synonymous with active negotiations?
§ The Prime MinisterNo My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will be reporting to the House on all that happened in Brussels and Luxembourg this week, and no doubt the right hon. Gentleman will want to put that question to him. He has gone a long way from the question, but I am glad that he is delighted that we have followed the practice of the Conservative Government in 1971 and our own Government in 1967 in publishing a statement of that kind.
§ Mr. MolloyDoes not the Prime Minister agree that, in the interests of open government, for ordinary folk to understand the political situation in Great 1090 Britain, he ought to take it upon himself at every available opportunity to explain the recurring theme of a Labour Government always having to clear up the mess of a Tory administration? These are the things that people must understand. My right hon. Friend should not be too concerned about heavy threats from the Leader of the Opposition; the real danger was when he was Prime Minister. Will my right hon. Friend make these things clear to the British people and remain Prime Minister as long as he possibly can?
§ The Prime MinisterI was not aware that the Leader of the Opposition had made any threats. These matters are things to be dealt with in public statements or in speeches in the House. I hope that as regards open government we shall be able to make as many announcements as possible in the House. I cannot guarantee that it will always happen, but in the past two or three weeks we have gone to some lengths to achieve this. I hope that that will always be the position. We shall also encourage the process followed by successive Governments of publishing Green Papers—which we initiated a few years ago—and of widening the scope of Select Committees.
§ Mr. HigginsIf the Prime Minister is really in favour of open government, why does he refuse to publish the usual Treasury forecasts for the first half of next year, as has been done for many years past? Is it because of his fear of what the figures may show for growth or for employment?
§ The Prime MinisterThe hon. Gentleman put that question to my right hon. Friend the Chancellor last night and received a full answer. My right hon. Friend explained the difficulties of doing this now, but any figures published which were handed to the Chancellor at the beginning of March would reflect the position left to my right hon. Friend by the Conservative Government.