§ Mr. KeelingI beg to present a Petition from Peter Frederick Carter-Ruck partner in the firm of Oswald Hickson Collier and Co., Solicitors for the Defendants in an action entered for trial in the King's Bench Division and entitled Braddock v. Tillotson's Newspapers Ltd.
The Petition states that the evidence of certain hon. Members and certain Press men attending the House is desired touching incidents in the House during the Report Stage of the Transport Bill on the night of 30th April-1st May, 1947, and the Petition continues:
Wherefore your Petitioner prays that the leave of your Honourable House may be given to call the following witnesses to give evidence of incidents in the House of Commons in the said proceedings in the High Court of Justice, namely, Patrick George Thomas Buchan-Hepburn. Member of Parliament for the Liverpool East Toxteth Division, Henry Studholme, Member of Parliament for the Tavistock Division, Martin Lindsay, Member of Parliament for the Solihull Division; Harry Mcl twain Bunton. Harold Douglas Bradley, Reginald A. J. Shore, Parliamentary Reporters; Robert Burns Carvel, Political Correspondent.And your Petitioner, as in duty bound, will ever pray.As I propose to move a Motion in respect of this Petition, I ask that the Petition be read.
§ Petition read.
§ Mr. KeelingI beg to move, "That leave be given to the said Members and the other persons named in the Petition to attend and give evidence accordingly."
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI beg to second the Motion.
§ Question put, and agreed to.
1000§ Mr. Ungoed-ThomasI ask leave to present a Petition of the hon. Member for the Exchange Division of Liverpool (Mrs. Braddock) which is signed by the Petitioner.
The Petitioner alleges that on 1st May, 1947, certain defamatory statements were published in the "Bolton Evening News" concerning the Petitioner's conduct during the Debates on proceedings in this House, that they are untrue, that your Petitioner has commenced an action in the King's Bench Division of the High Court of Justice against Tillotson's Newspapers Ltd., the printers and publishers of the newspaper, that it is expedient to call certain Members and officials as witnesses, and this cannot be done without committing a contempt of Parliament unless the consent of this House is given, and the Petition continues:
Wherefore your Petitioner prays that your Honourable House will be graciously pleased to give leave to the Members and officials of your Honourable House named herein and any other persons there named to attend the trial of the said action and to give evidence as witnesses and to produce the journals of your Honourable House so far as they relate to the matters in question, each according to his competence, namely, the right hon. William Whiteley, the right hon. Alfred Barnes, Mr. Mitchison, Mrs. Wills, Mr. Daines, Mrs. Manning, Mr. Tom Brown, Mr. Bruce, Mr. Julius Silverman, Mr. George Thomas, Mr. Millington, one of the Clerks of the Table or other appropriate Officer, your Petitioner.And your Petitioner, as in duty bound, will ever pray.
§ I beg that the Prayer be read.
§ Petition read.
§ Mr. Ungoed-ThomasI beg to move, That leave be given to the said Members and to the said Officer to attend and give evidence and to produce the Journal accordingly."
This Motion relates to the same action as was mentioned in the Petition which has just been presented and is brought on simultaneously, or as simultaneously as possible, with it.
§ Mr. WillisI beg to second the Motion.
§ Question put, and agreed to.