§ 46. Mr. Profumoasked the Prime Minister what arrangements he is making to ensure that the time and work involved in discharging his new responsibilities in connection with the Home and Overseas Information Services will not prevent the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations performing fully the duties and functions of that office.
§ Mr. H. MorrisonI have been asked to reply. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is fully satisfied that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations will be able to discharge his responsibilities in connection with the information services without detriment to his Departmental duties.
§ Mr. ProfumoDoes not that answer appear to indicate that if the Minister can do these two jobs satisfactorily he must have been fairly seriously underemployed previously? Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us which of these two jobs will take priority, public relations or Commonwealth relations? Finally, can the right hon. Gentleman assure the House that one of the first jobs the Minister will undertake will be to cut down the home information services' inflated and unnecessary expenditure on boosting the Government and Socialism?
§ Mr. MorrisonIn reply to that speech, which contains a very great deal of foolishness and lack of information, I would say that to talk about two jobs here is utterly ridiculous. I have had something to do with the information services and I know exactly what they mean. To talk about them as a full-time job is utterly ridiculous and is almost provoking the Government to manufacture ministerial jobs.