§ Mr. MARTINasked the Prime Minister whether it was at the request of the Liberal Members of the Conference that it was agreed that its deliberations should be kept secret; and whether the Conference was agreed that questions in dispute should be submitted to a joint session of representatives of both Houses?
§ Mr. WEDGWOODasked whether the Unionist leaders at the last Conference meeting urged that an official statement should be made as to the extent to which agreement between the two Front Benches was reached, but that the four Liberal leaders opposed this request, arguing that if silence were observed the method of Conference could be kept alive for use on a future occasion?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe decision of the Conference on the subject of publication was unanimous. In my opinion and (I am authorised to say) in the opinion also of all the surviving members of the Conference, it would be inconsistent with this decision to make any further statement in reply to the questions on the Paper.
Sir HENRY DALZIELMay I ask whether he is able consistently with the arrangement which has been arrived at to say whether the agreement as to secrecy was made at the beginning or at the end of the Conference?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIt was announced in this House at the beginning of the Conference that all the proceedings would be confidential.