HC Deb 24 March 1952 vol 498 cc24-5
51. Mr. Baker White

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs for how long he proposes to retain Mr. H. D. Walston as unpaid agricultural adviser to his Department.

Mr. Eden

Mr. H. D. Walston holds no position of any kind in the Foreign Office. He was the agricultural adviser to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, who was then responsible for the German Section of the Foreign Office, from 1947 to 1949. The appointment was on a part-time unsalaried basis, and lapsed on 20th May, 1949.

Major Legge-Bourke

Would my right hon. Friend bear in mind that if he requires any similar advice for his Department in the coming months or years there are many Cambridgeshire farmers far more qualified than Mr. Walston?

Mr. Michael Foot

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he does not think it most undesirable that the Order Paper of the House of Commons—[Interruption.]

Mr. Speaker

Order. I must hear what is said. Is the hon. Member rising on a point of order?

Mr. Foot

Yes, Mr. Speaker. Is it not most undesirable that the Order Paper of the House of Commons should be used for the purpose of a quite gratuitous attack on a gentleman who has given service in the past under the Government in an unpaid position, and that such slurs should be made by the hon. Member?

Mr. Eden

That clearly is not a matter for me.

Mr. Speaker

The Question on the Order Paper contains no attack on any one. It is in the supplementary question that some suggestions were made, and it is, I ought to say, not in accordance with the best usage of this House to make attacks in Parliament on people who cannot answer back.

Major Legge-Bourke

Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker, and the Ruling you have just given. I was not intending in any way to reflect on this gentleman. What I was saying was that there are other efficient farmers in Cambridgeshire.

Mr. Speaker

I think that the supplementary question of the hon. and gallant Member was open to that interpretation—[HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]—and was open to the innocent interpretation as well.

Major Legge-Bourke

If that was so, may I please have the opportunity of withdrawing, as it certainly was not my intention to cast reflection.

Mr. Baker White

May I be allowed to say that I intended no personal attack on Mr. Walston? Having got the information I required, I did not ask a supplementary question. There is one which I could ask, which could be most pertinent, but I do not propose to ask it.

Mr. Speaker

I think we can consider the incident as closed.