HC Deb 24 January 1945 vol 407 cc801-2
21. Mr. Bowles

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will publish verbatim all the speeches delivered at the plenary sessions of the Chicago Conference on Civil Aviation.

Sir A. Sinclair

The International Civil Aviation Conference passed the following resolution: That the Government of the United States of America be authorised to publish the Final Act of this Conference, the Reports of the Committees, the Minutes of the Public Sessions, the Texts of any Multi-lateral Agreements concluded at the Conference, and to make available for publication such additional documents in connection with the work of this Conference as in its judgment may be considered in the public interest. Arrangements will be made for the documents issued by the United States Government to be made available in this country. I understand that my Noble Friend, the Minister for Civil Aviation, has placed in the Library of the House copies of the Final Act of the Conference, and of the minutes of all the plenary sessions, except the final plenary session, the minutes of which have not yet been received in this country.

Mr. Bowles

I knew all that. My question is whether the Minister for Civil Aviation will publish verbatim all the speeches made in the plenary sessions of the Chicago Conference on Civil Aviation. I asked the Leader of the House last Thursday when he was announcing Business. We shall need those speeches in the Debate on civil aviation next Friday. Does my right hon. Friend realise that any hon. Member taking part in the Debate on Friday must have the political or other reasons which were given for turning down various proposals made at the plenary session?

Sir A. Sinclair

They are all in the Library except those of the final plenary session.

Mr. Bowles

The only speeches in the Library are Mr. Berle's speech and two speeches by the Minister for Civil Aviation. I want verbatim all the speeches which were uttered in the plenary sessions.

Earl Winterton

Now that civil aviation is separated from the right hon. Gentleman's Department, and in view of the rather unfortunate history of the relation- ship of that Department with civil aviation, could the Debate in this House be in the hands of another Cabinet Minister?

Sir A. Sinclair

First of all, I repudiate any suggestion that there is anything unfortunate in the relations between my Department and civil aviation. The noble Lord's question has nothing whatever to do with the Question on the Order Paper.

Mr. Bowles

Will the right hon. Gentleman allow me, before the Debate on Friday, to have a look at the verbatim copies which he or the Minister for Civil Aviation has?

Sir A. Sinclair

The hon. Member is trying to make out that I am trying to hide something from him and the House. I am not doing so. As far as I know, what he asks for will be in the document to which I have referred. If not, I will certainly ask the Minister for Civil Aviation if there are any other documents or accounts of speeches which he has. I am quite sure that he does not want to keep anything back.

Mr. A. Bevan

Will the right hon. Gentleman say when he thinks this document will be available? Does he say the other minutes are in the Library?

Sir A. Sinclair

All except the minutes of the last session, the final plenary session. I am afraid I do not know when they will be available.