§ 48. Mr. SHINWELLasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is considering an arrangement with any assurance companies for handing over control of the National Health scheme; and whether he will put the House in possession of all the facts?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI have seen this suggestion in a weekly journal and it is only another illustration of the danger of basing Parliamentary questions upon newspaper statements. I gave a denial to it in answering a Supplementary Question put on the 31st January by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Platting (Mr. Clynes). I am glad to have this opportunity of repeating the denial. The story is quite untrue. No such project has ever been brought before me or considered by me or by any of my advisers.
§ Mr. CLYNESDoes the right hon. Gentleman not see the suspicions and misapprehensions which would have arisen from the newspaper report had his denial not been given?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLYes, I am very much obliged to the right hon. Gentleman and the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Shinwell) for having given me a proper opportunity of making such a denial.
§ Mr. SHINWELLWhy did the right hon. Gentleman not put the country in possession of the facts when the report which appeared in this periodical was presented to him, and why did he wait until a Parliamentary Question was put to him before giving this emphatic denial?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLIf I went about correcting every misstatement made, not only in the Press but on the platform, I should have no time for the duties with which I am entrusted.
§ Mr. W. THORNEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware of the journal in which this statement appeared, and does he propose to take any action against it?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLNo, I think there ought to be a very wide measure of free speech in this country.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIn what way would the handing over of this 1592 service to a private company differ from previous actions of the present Government in handing over national property?