§ Sir F. BANBURYI wish to raise the question of privilege which I raised this evening. The question is shortly this. The Development Fund Bill was introduced to-day, and owing to the Rules under which we are working no explanation of it could be given. But the House had decided that a Memorandum explanatory of the objects of the Bill should be issued to the House. The Bill was introduced at a quarter to four, and at six o'clock it was brought to my notice that the "Westminser Gazette" had published the text of the Memorandum. It is headed: "The following Memorandum explanatory of the Bill was circulated among the Members." I proceeded to the Vote Office and found that no such Memorandum had been circulated to the Members. I procured a copy of the Paper at ten minutes to seven, and went again to the Vote Office and found no Memorandum was available for the use of Members. At half-past nine I again went to the Vote Office and found no Memorandum had been circulated. At twenty-five minutes past ten 12 copies of the Memorandum were available for the 670 Members who compose this House. All parties in this House have always been ex- 2424 tremely jealous of any information which was intended for their benefit being circulated to the Press beforehand. I do not myself so much blame the "Westminster Gazette" as the person who gave the information. It is impossible for me to bring the name of that person before the House because I do not know it, but if the Chancellor of the Exchequer can assist me, I am quite certain he will be only too willing to do so. I have put before you what I conceive to be a gross breach of the privileges of this House—the communication to a particular newspaper of information which was destined solely for this House, and the giving to that particular newspaper of a privileged communication which should not have been communicated to the Press until it had been communicated to the Members of the House. That I believe to be an infringement of the privileges of the House. It has always been held by all Members on every side of the House that things of this sort should be jealously guarded. It is with confidence that I submit that this is a breach of the privileges of the House, and if you, Mr. Speaker, should so rule, I should be prepared to make a Motion.
§ Mr. SPEAKERI do not know whether the Chancellor of the Exchequer wishes to throw any light on this matter.
§ The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER (Mr. Lloyd-George)I can throw light on the matter, and if anyone is to blame it is myself. I tell the hon. 2425 Baronet that quite frankly. For the reason which has been explained by the hon. Baronet it was quite impossible to make any explanation to the House, and I thought I could create a precedent by circulating an explanatory statement to the House. I gave instructions that that should be printed; I was not aware there had been an Order of the House last night to do so. I thought it was simply printed at the expense of the Treasury, to be circulated in the usual way, and I gave instructions that it was to be in the Vote Office to-night. Somebody came to me and asked me for a copy, and I gave it. [Hon. Members: "Who?"] Somebody on behalf of the paper. I accept the whole responsibility. I thought the Memorandum would be in the Vote Office certainly before the paper would be printed. I very much regret that there has been some delay in getting a sufficient number of copies. That is really the whole position of the matter. Whatever responsibility there is I fully accept it. That is the whole statement, so far as I am concerned.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Baronet the Member for the City of London began by calling attention to this matter as being a breach of privilege. After having heard what he has said, I do not think there can be any breach of privilege in the matter. The House, as he said, and I think the House will support me in saying, has always been very jealous of information of this character being given to the Press before it goes into the hands of Members. In this instance the Order was made yesterday that a particular Memorandum should be printed and circulated, and it is certainly regrettable that it should come into the hands of the Press before it reached the hands of Members. I cannot go further than to say that it is a regrettable occurrence, and I am sure the Chancellor of the Exchequer and any who are interested in circulating matters of this sort will take care that the occurrence shall not happen again.