HC Deb 02 April 1946 vol 421 cc1099-101
48. Mr. Edelman

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will cancel Secretariat Instruction No. 41, issued from the office of the Deputy Military Governor, Main Headquarters, Lübbecke, on 5th January, which orders officers of the Control Commission not to give direct replies to written requests for information made by Members of Parliment touring the British zone, but to refer them for their replies to the Control Office for Germany and Austria, Norfolk House, London.

Mr. J. Hynd

No, Sir. The procedure is in line with normal practice. Its object is to ensure that hon. Members receive considered replies from or on behalf of the responsible Minister.

Mr. Edelman

Does that reply mean that officers of the Control Commission in a private capacity may not send direct information to a Member of Parliament?

Mr. Hynd

No, Sir. Written requests for information from Members of Parliament to employees of the Crown should be replied to by the responsible Depart- ments. I believe that that is the procedure laid down in all Departments and is proper in that it makes the Ministers responsible for the replies given.

Earl Winterton

Could the hon. Gentleman, for the information of the House, state what are the conditions under which Members of the House can visit Germany, in view of the fact that there Was a misleading statement published to the effect that Field-Marshal Montgomery said that Members could not go?

Mr. Hynd

It was the case that official visits were organised in the last Session. It was at the request of the Control Commission, because of the difficulties of transport during the winter months, which were very considerable, that these visits were suspended. It is hoped it will be possible to renew them.

Earl Winterton

Can the hon. Gentleman say who is officially responsible? Is it he or Field-Marshal Montgomery?

Mr. Speaker

That is beyond the scope of the Question, which relates to written communications, not to visits.

Earl Winterton

I should like to give notice that I shall raise this on the Adjournment.

Mr. Scollan

Are we to understand—[HON. MEMBERS: Speak up."] Are we to understand from that reply that they are prohibited from having any correspondence of that character with a Member of Parliament?

Mr. Hynd

I am not very clear that I have heard the question aright. I think it was a repetition of the Question already asked. If so, the answer is that written requests from Members of Parliament for information from the Control Commission in Germany should be addressed to the responsible Minister.

Mr. Scollan

That is not the point. The hon. Gentleman's reply gave us the impression that they ought to write to the Government for the information, but that if they did write to a member of the Allied Control Commission they would be prohibited from receiving an answer. Is that the position?

Earl Winterton

On a point of Order. I have already given notice that I am going to raise this matter on the Adjournment. Shall I be precluded from referring to these matters on the Adjournment?

Mr. Speaker

I was not aware that the Noble Lord had given notice that he would raise the matter on the Adjournment.

Mr. Sydney Silverman

On that point of Order. I understood that the Noble Lord gave notice to raise on the Adjournment a question which you. Sir, decided he was not entitled to ask.

Earl Winterton

I gave notice to raise the whole question of the relationship between the Control Commission in Germany and Members of the House.

Mr. Speaker

I think we had better proceed with the next Question.