HL Deb 28 July 1959 vol 218 cc663-6

LORD COLERAINE had given Notice of the following Question:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their attention has been drawn to the statement made by the Lord Taylor in this House on July 13 implying that members of the staff of the Medical Research Council are cross-examined on their political affiliations before being permitted to serve as Justices of the Peace.

VISCOUNT STANSGATE

My Lords, on a point of order, may I ask the Leader of the House what he thinks about the next Question on the Paper? I have been in Parliament for a long time and I have never seen a Question of this kind on the Paper before, inviting the Government to make comment on a debate they have read—and we are constantly told that they give the most intimate attention to everything that is said. Now they are invited to make comment on what was said. If the noble Lord, Lord Coleraine, has a complaint to make, he should make that complaint plainly; and if the Government wish him to ask a Question in order to invoke a reply, let them make their reply on their own responsibility.

THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (VISCOUNT HAILSHAM)

My Lords, I do not see anything wrong with the Question or anything unusual about it, if my noble friend wishes to put it down. He has drawn attention to a statement made and asked if it is true, and, as the matter falls within my Departmental responsibility, I propose to answer it.

VISCOUNT STANSGATE

Is not this just a continuing of the debate in a one-sided way, in which one person makes a statement and no one has a chance to reject it.

VISCOUNT HAILSHAM

My Lords, I do not think so. Serious allegations were made, one relating to a particular case, by the noble Lord, Lord Taylor, without previous notice, certainly to the responsible Minister. It seems to me perfectly proper for my noble friend to inquire whether there is substance in the charge.

VISCOUNT STANSGATE

Is the Question put down at Lord Hailsham's request?

VISCOUNT HAILSHAM

No.

SEVERAL NOBLE LORDS: Order, order!

A NOBLE LORD

That is a shocking suggestion.

LORD COLERAINE

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

VISCOUNT HAILSHAM

Yes, my Lords, and I have naturally inquired of the Medical Research Council concerning the truth of this allegation. I am glad to learn that the Medical Research Council would consider it wholly improper to question a member of their staff on his political affiliations in this or any other context. I am informed that the Council regard the duties of a J.P. as fully compatible with service on their staff and would put no obstacle in the way of anyone wishing to undertake such work. I understand that the individual to whom the noble Lord alluded has been personally much distressed by the entirely false impression that the speech created.

LORD COLERAINE

My Lords, while thanking my noble friend for his statement, which I think quite evidently clears the Medical Research Council of the unfortunate imputation which the noble Lord made, and while not wishing to stand between the House and the statement that I have no doubt the noble Lord will wish to make on this matter, may I ask my noble friend whether he has actually seen evidence from the doctor concerned as to the correctness or incorrectness of the speech——

SEVERAL NOBLE LORDS: Order, order!

LORD COLERAINE

—and whether the doctor was made a Justice of the Peace with the approval of the Medical Research Council? May I ask, finally, when this alleged incident was supposed to have occurred?

VISCOUNT HAILSHAM

My Lords, as regards the last point, I understand that the incident referred to took place nine years ago. The member of the staff of the Medical Research Council was made a Justice of the Peace. I do not think I should say more about the first part of the matter than that I have satisfied myself that the research worker concerned did, in fact, categorically deny what the noble Lord attributed to him.

VISCOUNT STANSGATE

My Lords, nobody knows anything about the case except the two noble Lords who have trumped up this Question.

THE EARL OF SWINTON

My Lords, may I ask the noble Viscount the Deputy Leader of the House whether the noble Lord who made this statement did not know something about it before he made this allegation?

LORD TAYLOR

My Lords, I certainly knew something about it, and in view of the allegations made by the noble Viscount, I think the proper course for me to take is, with your Lordships' permission, to make a personal statement to-morrow.

SEVERAL NOBLE LORDS: Hear, hear!