HC Deb 02 December 1952 vol 508 cc1283-4
48. Miss Burton

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that in 1945 the 12 university Members were returned with an average vote of under 9,000; that in the rest of the country the average number of votes cast was 40,000 in each constituency; and if, in order to avoid one section of constituencies averaging an electorate of under 20,000 while the great majority average 60,000 and more, he will reconsider his decision to give an additional vote to those who have attended a university.

The Prime Minister

I have nothing to add to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Lewis) on 19th of November.

Miss Burton

As it was the policy of the Boundary Commission to make constituencies more or less equal, might I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he is informing the House that he believes it is democratic not only to create constituencies which are a third of the size of the normal ones but to give people two votes each in doing so?

The Prime Minister

I am bound to say that I do not think that Question time and supplementary questions would be a good opportunity for discussing at length, as it has so often been discussed before, the general question of university representation, which has long historic traditions in this country and from which, I think, we had derived very considerable advantages. [HON. MEMBERS: "The Tory Party."] At any rate, it was part of the agreement reached between the parties in the conferences upon this matter during the war.

Miss Lee

No.

Mr. Attlee

Can we take it that when the right hon. Gentleman said "we" he was referring to the Conservatives?

The Prime Minister

No, Sir, that is not so. A large number of these Members were extremely independent. I do not use the word "independent" in the narrow sense in which it is interpreted on the benches opposite. They brought a new line of thought which, for many generations, was of great value to this House.

Mr. Gordon Walker

Is the Prime Minister aware how many previous university Members are now full-blown members of his own party in Parliament today?

The Prime Minister

It may be true that highly educated and independent opinion moves steadily to our side.