HC Deb 30 March 1897 vol 48 cc122-3
SIR HENRY CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN (Stirling Burghs)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury which Minister of the Crown is responsible, in the absence from the country of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and of the Prime Minister, for the answers given in the House of Commons to Questions upon Foreign Affairs?

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR, Manchester, E.)

I am rather surprised that a gentleman of the right hon. Member's experience should ask a question such as he has put on the Paper. Of course, in the first instance, my right hon. Friend the Under Secretary is responsible for the answers which he gives, and no man is more capable or qualified to bear that responsibility. [Ministerial cheers.] In the second place, the Government of which my light hon. Friend is a Member is responsible for his action, as it is for all other actions of those who compose it. I hope that answer will satisfy the right hon. Gentleman, whose knowledge of Parliamentary traditions I should have thought might have saved him from putting such a question. [Ministerial cheers.]

SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of any occasion within this century when the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary were together out of the country. [Laughter.] And is he not aware that on such important matters as those with which we are dealing it is usual for the House of Commons to have its information given on the direct authority and the responsible authority of a Cabinet Minister? [Opposition cheers.]

* SIR C. DILKE

Is it not the case that when the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary were absent during negotiations for the Treaty of Berlin the Secretary of State for the Home Department, the present Lord Cross, acted as Secretary of Foreign Affairs in their absence?

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY

Yes, I believe it is true that Lord Cross did on that occasion sign the Dispatches, as one Secretary of State may always do in the absence of another Secretary of State. I do not see, however, how that is relevant to the present issue.

MR. J. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)

May I ask as a person of Parliamentary inexperience— [laughter]—in reference to this matter whether the Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs is a Minister of the Crown at all? Is he a Minister of the Cabinet, or is he the personal appointment of Lord Salisbury?

* MR. SPEAKER

Order, order! These inquiries are travelling some distance from the original Question.