§ 47. Mr. BELLENGERasked the Prime Minister whether he will inform the House of the names of the individuals accompanying the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Epping (Mr. Churchill) at an interview given by him on Monday afternoon last; and whether a pledge of secrecy was asked from or given by all Members of the deputation?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate the names in the OFFICIAL REPORT. No secret information was given to the deputation, and no pledge of secrecy was asked for or given. The conversations, however, being of a private character, will naturally be treated as such by those who took part in them.
§ Mr. BELLENGERIn view of the preferential treatment that has been shown to these gentlemen by the Prime Minister, will the right hon. Gentleman indicate to the House the grounds on which he refused the request by a Privy Councillor, a Member of His Majesty's Opposition, to accompany that deputation?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI have always been prepared, as I have said over and over again, to consider similar requests from the Opposition. I have not, to the best of my recollection, received such a request at any time.
§ Sir AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINIs my right hon. Friend aware that no request from a Member of the Opposition to accompany the deputation reached Members of the deputation?
§ Following were the members of the deputation:
§ The right hon. the Marquess of Salisbury,
§ The right hon. Viscount FitzAlan,
§ The Viscount Trenchard,
§ The right hon. Lord Lloyd,
§ The Lord Milne,
§ My right hon. and Noble Friend the Member for Horsham and Worthing (Earl Winterton),
§ My right hon. and Noble Friend the Member for Aldershot (Viscount Wolmer),
§ My right hon. Friend the Member for West Birmingham (Sir A. Chamberlain),
§ My right hon. Friend the Member for Epping (Mr. Churchill),
§ My right hon. Friend the Member for the Hillhead Division of Glasgow (Sir R. Horne),
§ My right hon. Friend the Member for the Drake Division of Plymouth (Captain F. E. Guest),
§ My right hon. Friend the Member for Antrim (Sir Hugh O'Neill),
§ My right hon. Friend the Member for Sparkbrook (Mr. Amery),
§ My right hon. Friend the Member for the Pollok Division of Glasgow (Sir J. Gilmour),
§ My hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Portsmouth, North (Sir R. Keyes),
§ My hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Bournemouth (Sir H. Croft),
§ My hon. Friend the Member for Altrincham (Sir E. Grigg),
§ My hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Wallasey (Colonel MooreBrabazon).