HL Deb 11 November 1971 vol 325 cc467-8

3.22 p.m.

THE LORD CHANCELLOR (LORD HAILSHAM OF ST. MARYLEBONE)

My Lords, your Lordships will remember that the House kindly gave me permission to attend the 25th Anniversary of the foundation of UNESCO, which necessitated my absence from this House on November 3 and 4. One of the additional duties which I was thereby enabled to perform was a visit to the Senate of the French Republic at the invitation of its President, M. Poher; and as an incident then took place which I believe will give your Lordships pleasure, I will describe it shortly.

I was shown into the gallery of the Senate, where they were discussing what in our House would he described as a Committee stage. and since I have spent my life in the British Parliament, where we pay no attention whatever to what goes on in the Gallery, I was not prepared for what then took place. Just after my arrival, the President of the Senate drew the attention of the Senate to the presence in the gallery of the Speaker of the House of Lords in words which would have been highly gratifying to your Lordships. After equally gracious words from M. Tinaud, the Secretary of State, on behalf of the Government of the Republic, the assembly rose, turned round and clapped. Perhaps I should repeat to your Lorsdhips what the Secretary of State said. He said: I should like, in the name of the Government, to associate myself with the words of the President. No one in France, any more than elsewhere, has forgotten that in 1940, when the fate of the Free World was in danger, the Free World owed its safety to a great country, your country; to a great people, your people; and to a great Parliament, that which you represent here to-day. It is for that reason that it is pleasant for me to greet you with gratitude in the name of the French Republic. My Lords, I was greatly sensible of the fact that what was intended was a compliment to your Lordships' House, all the more moving because it was universal and obviously sincere, and of the warm feelings of friendship which subsist between this country and France. I recount this incident because it pleased me greatly when it happened, and I trust that your Lordships will feel equally gratified. Since then, I have received a most gracious letter from M. Poher containing a certified copy of their equivalent of Hansard in which the incident is recounted. I am sure I would be expressing the wish of the House when I say that we would wish to reciprocate the warm feelings then expressed to this country and to your Lordships' House by our sister institution across the Channel, and say how much we welcome their kindness and share the feelings of friendship shown by the Senate and the Government of France.

LORD SHACKLETON

I am not clear, my Lords, whether this is a personal or a Ministerial statement, but I am sure the House will wish to echo the message which the noble and learned Lord proposes to send, and to share his gratification.