HC Deb 30 May 1927 vol 207 cc11-2
23. Dr. DRUMMOND SHIELS

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the terms on which the action Lambourne and others v. Gee was settled, he is prepared to make a further statement in qualification of the opinion expressed on behalf of his Department on 17th November, 1925, with reference to charges made against the officials of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals?

The MINISTER of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Guinness)

The statement made in this House on my behalf on the 17th November, 1925, contained no reference to the film upon which the action Lambourne and others v. Gee was based, and I have no comment to make upon the terms upon which that action was settled.

Dr. SHIELS

Is it not the case that a representative of the Ministry, on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture, associated himself with the remarks of the late Member for the Bosworth Division; and therefore is it not appropriate that the Minister should now dissociate himself from those remarks and explain to the House what is the position?

Mr. GUINNESS

I certainly cannot in any way repudiate the Report of the Departmental Committee. The Committee was specially appointed to inquire into certain allegations of cruelty, and they stated in their Report that they had seen affidavits of the slaughtermen to the effect that they were paid to kill horses for the film, and clearly I have no reason to doubt the finding of this Departmental Committee which was presided over by the hon. and gallant Member for Ripon (Major Hills), which included several Members of this House, and which had the full evidence before them.

Dr. SHIELS

Is it not the case that Captain Gee, then Member for Bosworth, made a very definite accusation in this House against the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and that the representative of the Ministry of Agriculture associated himself with those observations; it is not also the case that Captain Gee has quite definitely and formally withdrawn those allegations, including that of the use of a "faked film"; and is it not right and appropriate that the right hon. Gentleman should now withdraw the remarks which were made by his representative?

Mr. GUINNESS

Captain Gee, I understand, is now living in Australia, and his action in withdrawing from the legal proceedings is entirely for him, and is in no way binding on anyone but himself.

Dr. SHIELS

Captain Gee has stated that he is satisfied that the charges which he made were false.

Mr. SPEAKER

The hon. Member cannot debate the matter now.