§ SIR W. EVANS GORDON (Tower Hamlets, Stepney):I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can give the dates upon which the hon. Member for South Berkshire was allowed to see and make extracts from Mr. Bucknill's confidential Report.
§ MR. T. L. CORBETT (Down, N.)asked whether the hon. Member for South Berkshire, on asking to see the report and to make extracts from it, stated that he would show it only to his own friends, and whether it was given to him on that condition.
§ MR. CHURCHILLStatements have been made fully on other occasions, and the hon. Member knows how the misunderstanding arose, for a misunderstanding undoubtedly it was.
§ MR. T. L. CORBETTsaid the Prime Minister had stated that he was not aware that any such condition had been made or accepted.
§ MR. CHURCHILLIf the hon. Gentleman will read the Answer I gave a week ago,† which contains a statement on the authority of the Secretary of State for the Colonies of the part taken in this matter by the private secretary to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, he will see that his Question is fully answered. In reply to the hon. Member for the Stepney Division, I understand that the hon. Member for South Berkshire had access to the Report on 31st October, 1st November, and 2nd November.
† See (4) Debates, clxv., 392 et seq.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)asked whether the ex-Colonial Secretary had asked to see the Report.
§ MR. CHURCHILLNo request has reached us from the right hon. Gentleman. We shall be quite ready to submit the Report to him if he wishes it.
§ MR. LYTTELTONMay I say it is not my habit to ask to see documents which have been declared by the Prime Minister in the House to be private and confidential?