§ 47. Mr. GRIFFITHSasked the Prime Minister whether he will in future make it a condition of acceptance of office that no ex-Minister shall be permitted, when writing articles for monetary considerations, to make use of information of a confidential character acquired during his period of office?
§ The PRIME MINISTERSir, I cannot attempt to prescribe the rules which should govern the decisions of those who in future times may be called upon by the Crown to form administrations. The rules which His Majesty's present advisers have adopted preclude the practice by Ministers of journalism in any form; but this inhibition does not extend, and has never extended, to authorship or to writings of a literary, historical, scientific philosophical or romantic character, for which there exist numerous and respectable precedents. Information of a confidential character should never be used improperly by any person, and in particular those who have held high office under the Crown are, in my opinion, under an obligation to consult the Government of the day or the heads of the Departments affected upon the publication of any confidential matter of which they may have acquired official knowledge which may affect the public interest; and to obtain in any doubtful case formal permission.
§ Mr. AMMONMay we take it, then, the Prime Minister condemns the action of one of his colleagues who has reflected upon a very high person in the Admiralty by recent statements he has made in the Press, and does the Prime Minister consider that literature or journalism?
§ Major CRAWFURDMay I ask if the Prime Minister is aware that, a few months ago, an official, I think under the jurisdiction of the right hon. Gentleman's colleague the Home Secretary, was fined a very large amount for a similar offence, and will the right hon. Gentleman see that the Law Officers of the Crown will consider any case of an ex-Minister doing the same thing?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am sure they will consider any suitable case. With regard to what may or may not be in the book in question, and which may be 560 a matter of opinion, I would advise hon. Members to purchase the book, and read it.
§ Mr. AMMONMay I ask whether that covers the contribution already in the "Times"—not the book itself—in which the Chancellor of the Exchequer has already condemned in effect an Admiral who gave gallant service in the War?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Gentleman is anticipating another question on the subject.