§ The Secretary of State for War (Mr. John Strachey)With your permission, Mr. Speaker, I should like to make a personal statement.
A suggestion has been made in a Parliamentary Question that, while I was Minister of Food, I directed the Overseas Food Corporation to try to prevent the publication of a book on the East African groundnut scheme. This suggestion is entirely without foundation. Neither in my official nor in my personal capacity have I ever attempted to ban or censor this hook, nor, of course, have I ever had any power to do so. With the author's knowledge, Mr. Gollancz showed me the manuscript and proofs of the book, and I told him that I considered that many parts of the book were a grave distortion of the history of the scheme and that I should be compelled to say so on its publication.
1764 At no time was there any question of my bringing proceedings for libel. I could not, of course, guarantee what action other individuals or firms might take in this matter. Mr. Gollancz decided not to publish the book. It will, I have no doubt, be published by some other publisher, and, far from it being suppressed, parts of it are now appearing serially in a newspaper.
Mr. StanleyAlthough this matter involves the question of Ministerial responsibility, are we to regard it as a personal statement on which no comment is allowed, Mr. Speaker, and must we, therefore, raise the matter, as we certainly shall, in a different form?
§ Mr. SpeakerYes. It is placed before the House as a personal statement. I must accept it, and I do accept it, of course. There are other opportunities open to the right hon. Gentleman and his hon. Friends of examining the matter.