§ MR. WEDGWOOD (Newcastle-under-Lyme)asked the Chairman of the Select Committee on Housing of the Working Classes whether his attention had been called to the premature publication in a newspaper of a summary of the Report of the Select Committee, why the Report was communicated to the Press before it 690 was circulated to the Members of the House, and whether he could give the House the names of the persons who contributed the summary to the Press.
§ *SIR J. DICKSON-POYNDER (Wiltshire, Chippenham)said, as Chairman of the Select Committee referred to, that he desired to say that he had noted with equal surprise, and even greater annoyance, the paragraphs in The Times of two days ago, and the additional paragraph in to-day's Political Column of that paper. Perhaps he might be permitted to say, in justification of himself, that in no way, either directly or indirectly, was he responsible for imparting this premature information to the paper. As the House might be aware, the Chairman of a Select Committee possessed no control over his colleagues in matters of discretion of this character, and any information that might be given by any member of the Committee of course lay solely in the discretion of that member, and the chairman, in his capacity, had no control. If a member of that Select Committee had given the information he could only express the opinion, which was largely shared in all quarters of the House, that such action was greatly to be deplored, and that every means should be taken to avoid the recurrence of it in future Select Committees. The House would realise that he was placed in a somewhat invidious position in being asked categorically to give certain answers to his hon. friend. They had been sitting on that Select Committee since the early days of the session, a very laborious and long task, and the chief feature which had characterised the Committee had been the harmony and good feeling among all the members. He had no desire to disturb that harmony by assuming, as it were, an inquisitorial position over his colleagues, over whom he really had no control in this matter. This was by no means the first experience of such leakages—it had become an almost constant practice; and he was sure his statement would be borne out by other chairmen, that it was extremely injurious to the results and the impressions of the Report of a Committee that premature information in an emasculated and abridged form should appear in a paper before the publication of the Report. The hon. Member was proceeding to make a suggestion, when
§ *MR. SPEAKERsaid the reply of the hon. Member was somewhat exceeding the usual limits.
§ SIR J. DICKSON-POYNDERbowed to Mr. Speaker's ruling. He had wished very respectfully to indicate a way in which they might be able to prevent these leakages in future. He believed Members themselves were the chief offenders. He hoped that at an early date next session the Government would take steps which would ensure that these premature paragraphs did not appear in the Press.
MR. KEIRHARDIE (Merthyr Tydvil)asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of these frequent leakages, it would not be worth while to appoint a small Committee to consider and report on what steps might be taken to prevent their recurrence in future.
AN HON. MEMBERWould it not be possible to prosecute the newspaper in question as a receiver of stolen goods?
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN (Worcestershire, E.)asked the Prime Minister if he did not see his way at once to accede to the request of the hon. Member below the gangway, whether the Government would not, at any rate, take this matter into very serious consideration during the recess. The right hon. Gentleman would remember that Questions had already been addressed to him on these subjects. These leakages had been especially frequent of late, although complaints had been made in the House for many years past. He ventured to suggest that they were almost an infringement, certainly an abuse, of the privileges of the House which required serious consideration.
§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANI am quite alive to the importance of the matter. I do not know that it has got worse recently. My memory goes back a great number of years to a time when there was less soliciting in the immediate neighbourhood of the House, and Members were not assailed at every step by gentlemen whose object it is to screw out of them all the information they can. If Members are foolish enough to succumb to this species of terrorisation or 692 persuasion—I do not know which—these things will happen; but let us hope that Members, now that they have heard this little discussion, may button up the recesses of their minds against these encroachments. I will bear it in mind, and if any step can be taken to assist the promotion of better secrecy I shall be very glad to take it.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI understand that you, Mr. Speaker, generally delegate to the Sergeant-at-Arms your power in reference to tickets for the Press Gallery. In the case of repeated instances of misconduct by a paper—and The Times has been the chief offender—if these instances of misconduct are repeated may I ask you whether you consider it, in your discretion, right to admit the agents of that paper to the courtesy of the Press Gallery I That would put an end to it at once.
§ *MR. SPEAKERIf there were any question of misconduct on the part of any paper admitted to the Press Gallery or Lobby I should at once take notice of it; but I am not in a position to say, when a paper is handed by an hon. Member of this House to a newspaper and then published by that newspaper, that any charge of misconduct can be made against the newspaper.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLWith very great respect, Sir, I put this aspect of the case before you. These leakages have repeatedly been the subject of comment in this House; editors and proprietors know that they are violating Parliamentary etiquettes and the rules of this House by it; and, if that is the case, would it not lie in your discretion not to give tickets to the papers whose proprietors and editors offend in this respect?
§ *MR. SPEAKERThe best way to stop a leakage is to fill up the hole.