HC Deb 14 February 1946 vol 419 cc521-2
46. Mr. McKinlay

asked the Prime Minister if it is the intention of the Government to introduce legislation giving authority to the State to claim 50 per cent. of all earnings of former Ministers of the Crown derived from the publication of books or newspaper articles based on official document'; collected during their term of office.

Mr. H. Morrison

No, Sir. Such earnings are already subject to Income Tax and, in appropriate cases, to Surtax also.

Mr. McKinlay

Is my right hon. Friend aware that it is grossly offensive to a great section of the community that documents which are documents of State should be converted into biographies and used in newspaper articles for personal gain by former Ministers? Is it not a fact, in view of what has taken place recently, that it is quite obvious they are being sold to the highest bidder, whether they are publishers in this country or not?

Mr. Speaker

There is an imputation there against an hon. Member, which I think the hon. Member should withdraw.

Hon. Members

Withdraw.

Mr. McKinlay

I want to give hon. Members an opportunity to recover. If there is anything I have said that conveys the impression which apparently it has conveyed, I unreservedly withdraw it but I should like to ask my right hon. Friend whether it is not the height of vulgarity that these things should be bandied about in the Press for gain?

Mr. Morrison

Of course, I am not quite sure what is being referred to though I could have a good and intelligent guess, but if it is the publication of certain speeches of the right hon. Member for Woodford (Mr. Churchill), they were not State documents.

Mr. McKinlay

On a point of Order. I think I have tried to make the point clear. I was not referring to any particular person. I submit through "you, Mr. Speaker, that I am raising a question of vital principle affecting State documents in this country.

Mr. Morrison

The hon. Gentleman will see that is the difficulty we get into. If there is a particular document or a particular person concerned, and if my hon. Friend will put a Question down, I will do my best to answer it but, unless there is, we are arguing in the dark as to whether a document is a State document or not.