HC Deb 26 November 1947 vol 444 c1992
Lieut.-Colonel Elliot (by Private Notice)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether it is by his authority that the Press Office, St. Andrew's House, has issued a statement giving complete details of six meetings on St. Andrew's Day, to be provided with a programme of songs and documentary films, under the heading "Scotland's answer to present social and economic problems," and to be addressed by a series of Socialist speakers only; and whether members of the other political parties were invited to take part in these meetings.

The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Woodburn)

Since their inception in 1942, St. Andrew's Day meetings, held under the auspices of the Scottish Information Office, have been made the occasion of authoritative pronouncements on Scottish Departmental affairs. This year similar arrangements have, with my concurrence, been made. The addresses, under the general theme of "Scotland and the Crisis," will deal with the work of the Health and Agricultural Departments, the Tourist Board and the Board for Industry, and I propose myself to make a general survey of Scottish affairs. As on previous occasions, the substance of all the addresses will be factual and have no party character. Since the invitations were for speakers speaking authoritatively for public activities in industry and Government, it would have been difficult to invite party speakers as such on this occasion.

Lieut.-Colonel Elliot

Surely, the Secretary of State realises how very inadvisable it is that a series of speeches on these important subjects should be given by Members of one political party only, and, while not denying the need for authoritative speakers on these matters, I should like to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he considers that his own Parliamentary Private Secretary is a greater authority on these matters than, let us say, Sir Archibald Sinclair?

Mr. Woodburn

The only point there is that the Parliamentary Private Secretary, though not a member of the Government, has clearly been so associated with the Government that he can be asked to speak at such a meeting on the factual work of the Department. I agree at once with what the right hon. and gallant Gentleman said, that the programmes, taken together, may appear to have the aspect which the right hon. and gallant Gentleman places upon them, and I thank him for giving me the opportunity for making quite clear that there is no party political character about these meetings.

Lieut.-Colonel Elliot

I do not think that goes far enough. The Secretary of State may wish to avoid it now, but he cannot deny, surely, that the complexion of the programme can have only one interpretation? May I ask him, further, since the speeches are to be delivered at the public expense, whether he is prepared to have a copy of each of them placed in the Library of the House?

Mr. Woodburn

The right hon. and gallant Gentleman will understand that the brightness of meetings depends upon speaking, and not necessarily on reading from briefs, and I hope he will not insist on all public meetings being turned into delegations with somebody reading entirely from a brief. I have no doubt that the public Press and the gentlemen who are taking the Chair, among them the Lord Provost and people from other political parties, will note what has been said. I can assure him that these meetings are factual, and carry on a tradition of previous Governments. In 1944, for example, these meetings were held without one Socialist being on the platform, although there was a Coalition Government.

Lieut.-Colonel Elliot

The Minister's answer has made it still more necessary that an authoritative report of the speeches at these meetings should be taken and should be laid on the Library Table. The very fact that the Minister has just said, in justifying them, that these speeches will be factual statements delivered by the speakers without notes on these very important matters—[Interruption.] I have no intention whatever of being shouted down by hon. Members opposite. The Secretary of State is spending public money on the National Day of Scotland, and these addresses are to be given by members of one political party only. I ask him to consider what would be the view of himself or any of his right hon. and hon. Friends if, on St. George's Day in England, a series of speeches, at the public expense and delivered only by prominent Tory speakers, had been authorised.

Mr. Woodburn

I think the right hon. and gallant Gentleman is mistaken. The persons invited are not invited there because of any party political opinions which they hold. They have been invited there because they hold public offices of one kind or another and represent the public duty. For instance, the Chairman of the Regional Board will be there to represent the production side of industry and that aspect of these matters. When hon. Members opposite talk about the question of helping in the production drive, I can assure the right hon. and gallant Gentleman that, if he and his colleagues are willing to help in the production drive, we shall welcome their co-operation at any time.

Colonel J. R. H. Hutchison

Will the Minister say that this is part of the system of cheerful little parties, which was recommended by the former. Minister for Economic Affairs, and does he think that a diet of exclusive Socialist fare is likely to lead to a cheery atmosphere on St. Andrew's Day?