§ 10. Mr. Vernon Bartlettasked the Minister of Information whether his Department admits the right of a Member of Parliament to prevent the holding of any meetings in his constituency, even though an all-party local information committee recommends that such meetings should be held?
Mr. CooperNo Member of Parliament has either the right or the power to prevent the holding of meetings in his constituency, but in my view it is undesirable that the Ministry of Information should organise meetings at the public expense in a constituency against the expressed wishes of the sitting Member.
§ Mr. BartlettIs the Minister aware that every one of his Regional Committees—and I think they are 10 in number in England—have voted unanimously in most cases against this regulation? In view of the great misunderstanding throughout the country about for example, the inevitability of our intervention in Greece, will he not reconsider these regulations?
Mr. CooperI am not aware that the Regional Committees have taken any action of the kind. They are not there to criticise the policy of the Ministry, but to carry it out. I have expressed the view I take, that I would not myself go into a colleague's constituency and hold a meeting against his wishes, and therefore I do not think I ought to arrange such meetings.
§ Mr. ThorneIs it the Minister's intention to stop public meetings?