HC Deb 16 December 1952 vol 509 cc1188-9
31. Mr. Lewis

asked the President of the Board of Trade to state in detail the matters that have been, and are now, under discussion with Argentina concerning a new trade agreement; how many meetings have been held; when the discussions first commenced; and how the progress on these talks compares with similar discussions last year.

Mr. Mackeson

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 9th December to the Question asked by the right hon. Member for Battersea. North (Mr. Jay).

Mr. Lewis

That is a complete evasion of the Question, because the answer to that Question made no reference to the points asked for in this Question. I am asking what matters have been and are now under discussion; how many meetings have been held, and when the discussions first commenced. None of those questions is answered in the previous answer which the hon. Member mentioned. Can I ask him now whether he will answer the Question on the Order Paper?

Mr. Mackeson

The answer is in the negative.

Hon. Members

Oh.

Mr. Bottomley

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the Minister of Food told me yesterday that he was satisfied with the way these negotiations were proceeding? Can I ask him whether the President of the Board of Trade shares that view?

Mr. Mackeson

Yes, Sir, but I should not like to go further—and I am sure that hon. and right hon. Gentlemen in all parts of the House will understand this—than to say that they are proceeding in a very amicable manner.

Mr. Willey

Can the hon. Gentleman inform the House why the House should not be informed when these discussions were first commenced and how many meetings have been held?

Mr. Mackeson

As the hon. Gentleman knows, there are formal and informal meetings in negotiations of this sort.

Mr. Lewis

On a point of order. You will recollect, Mr. Speaker, that I did see you privately concerning the principle of this matter. When a Minister says that he will answer a Question and then, as in this case, goes on to evade an answer to the Question, what right and what means and what methods has a Member of raising, either on the Floor of the House or with you, the attempt of the Minister completely to evade answering the Question?

Mr. Speaker

I can only repeat the advice I gave the hon. Gentleman on that occasion, which was that if an hon. Member is dissatisfied with the particularity of the reply he receives he is quite in order in putting down another Question so as to elicit information which has not already been given.

Mr. Lewis

If a Member puts down a Question which the Minister says he will answer but then completely evades it and makes no attempt to answer it and the Member keeps putting down that Question, what means has the Member of getting the Minister to answer it?

Mr. Speaker

I should imagine that perseverance of that character will generally be rewarded, but I have no power to compel a Minister to answer a Question.

Mr. S. Silverman

Surely there must be some way in which the House can protect itself, or in which you can protect it, from being treated by Ministers with studied contempt?

Mr. Speaker

In the case of studied contempt, I think I should.

Mr. Lewis

In view of the completely unsatisfactory nature of the lack of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment.