§ 50. Mr. LAURENCE HARDYasked the Prime Minister if he was aware that the Attorney-General communicated to two, Members of the Marconi Committee information concerning his dealings in the shares of the American Marconi Company which was withheld from the Chairman and the other Members of the Committee; and whether it was with his consent that the Attorney-General took this course?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe answer to both parts of the question is in the negative. I was not consulted.
§ Mr. JAMES HOPEDoes the right hon. Gentleman approve of these communications having been made?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat is a question to which I do not feel bound to reply.
§ Mr. CROFTWould it not be in the interest of the country, of Parliament, and the Government that Ministers and ex-Ministers should make a clean breast of any transactions like that in affairs of this kind?
§ 57. Mr. WALTER GUINNESSasked the Prime Minister whether he was informed of the further purchase by Lord Murray of 3,000 shares in the American Marconi Company before the disclosure of this transaction to the Select Committee on the Marconi Contract on Thursday, 5th June; and, if so, on what date?
§ 60. Mr. RONALD M'NEILLasked whether the Prime Minister was made 1247 aware, and, if so, on what date, that the late Patronage Secretary purchased 2,500 American Marconi shares on 18th April, 1912, at 3¼, and 500 more of the same shares on 14th May, 1912, at 2 7–16?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI was first made aware of these transactions when I returned from abroad at the beginning of last week.
§ Mr. GEORGE TERRELLCan the right hon. Gentleman state whether the money belonged to Lord Murray or whether it was money of which he was trustee for the Radical party funds?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI know nothing whatever about it.
§ Mr. HUNTCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Government have summoned Lord Murray to attend the Marconi Committee, and, if not, why not?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe Government have no power to summon anybody to attend the Committee?
§ Viscount WOLMERMay I ask who informed the right hon. Gentleman? Will he say whether it was Lord Murray or somebody else?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI was informed when I returned at the beginning of last week by my hon. Friend the Chief Whip, who called my attention to certain statements which had appeared in the newspapers in my absence, and with regard to which he said he was making inquiry.
§ Mr. RONALD M'NEILLMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he will inform the House whether Lord Murray paid for these shares a sum of nearly £10,000, whereas for a smaller number of shares at a smaller price he did not pay?
§ The PRIME MINISTERNo, Sir, I am simply informed what I have told the House.
§ 61. Mr. WALTER GUINNESSasked the Prime Minister whether, since the 2nd April, he has had any information from any other of his colleagues besides those then mentioned as to any as yet undisclosed share transactions in any Marconi Company?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe answer is in the negative.
§ Mr. W. GUINNESSMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he will convey to his colleagues that if there be any such transactions as yet undisclosed it is much better to make a full disclosure?