§ 15. Mr. Boyd-Carpenterasked the Minister of Labour the names of the party which accompanied him to the U.S. during the Recess; which members of this party travelled at public expense; the date of arrival of this party in the U.S.; and the nature of the duties performed by the members of this party between that date and the opening of the I.L.O. Conference.
§ Mr. IsaacsI was accompanied on my visit to the United States at public expense by Sir Godfrey Ince, Permanent Secretary of my Department, Mr. D. C. Barnes, Principal Private Secretary, and the hon. Member for Belper (Mr. G. Brown), Parliamentary Private Secretary. Some members of the official delegation to the International Labour Conference, who were on the way to Montreal at the same time, gave us some assistance in the United States before going on to Canada. The party arrived in New York on 3rd September. Between then and the opening of the International Labour Conference, I, and other members of the party, had meetings and discussions with members and officials of the United States Government, American and Canadian industrialists and trade unionists, representatives of American newspapers, and other persons in Washington and elsewhere. Mrs. Isaacs, and Lady Ince, travelled to America with us in a private capacity.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether the two ladies, whose names he mentioned, travelled at the public expense, or at their own?
§ Mr. IsaacsI could perhaps ask that question about people going to Blackpool, but if the hon. Member had paid attention to the answer I gave, he would have heard these words: 10
I was accompanied on my visit to the United States at public expense …—by certain people. I did not attempt to mislead the House in any way.
§ Brigadier LowWill the right hon. Gentleman explain the aspersion about Blackpool?
§ Major Cecil PooleWill not my right hon. Friend agree that it is rather remarkable that similar questions were not received from the same source when the Prime Minister of the Coalition Government was accompanied round the world by members of his family?