§ 50. Mr. Swinglerasked the Minister of Education if she has now received the information which she requested from adult education bodies; the nature of this information; and if she can now make a statement about the proposed 10 per cent. cut in grants.
§ Miss HorsbrughI have now received the information from the responsible bodies and have arranged to meet their representatives shortly. Until I have met them I cannot make any further statement.
§ Mr. SwinglerAre we to take it that the Minister accepts the assertion in the last part of the Question; and are we to understand that the right hon. Lady has temporarily withdrawn her proposal for a 10 per cent. cut in these grants pending discussions with responsible bodies?
§ Miss HorsbrughThe discussions with responsible bodies were arranged from the start, and have been going on for some time. I cannot give the hon. Gentleman any more information until the discussions are concluded. As I have stated, I am meeting them soon.
§ Mr. SwinglerBut is the Minister having discussions with the responsible bodies on the basis that she is proposing a 10 per cent. cut, or has she withdrawn her 10 per cent. cut proposal and is now discussing the situation anew? What is the situation?
§ Miss HorsbrughThe situation is the same as it was some months ago: discussions are going on. The only difference is that the discussions will, I hope, now be concluded, and I shall be able to inform the hon. Gentleman.
§ Mr. EdeWhen does the right hon. Lady expect to be able to publish the correspondence that has passed?
§ Miss HorsbrughAs I have said before —and I think the right hon. Gentleman will agree—it is useful for Ministers in charge of Departments to have consultations, which will be looked upon as confidential, before coming to decisions. That 374 has been the practice in every Department, and if a Minister wanted to have consultations with outside bodies it would be a pity if, before the consultations concluded, the whole thing had to be published. We would not get the same value from the consultations which take place.
§ Miss HorsbrughI propose to make a statement when the discussions are concluded, but no statement before then.
§ Mr. H. MorrisonSurely this initiation of discussions, starting with a communication—a letter—was part of an important decision on policy by the Government or of a provisional decision on policy by the Government. When will the right hon. Lady learn that Parliament has a right to know of such Government decisions, and why does not she respond to the elementary request of my right hon. Friend and publish the letter?
§ Miss HorsbrughAs soon as there is a Government decision—and I hope that it will not be long delayed—I shall inform Parliament. There has been no Government final decision as yet. Consultations have been going on, as I am sure they did several times when the right hon. Gentleman was in charge of a Department, which are helpful to the Minister before final decisions are taken. I think that it would be a great pity if the custom of having these consultations had to be given up.
§ Mr. ShinwellI think that for purposes of elucidation the House is entitled to know the facts. Will the right hon. Lady tell the House on what basis these discussions are proceeding, and has any proposal of a financial character yet been made to the bodies concerned?
§ Miss HorsbrughI am continuing these discussions, which have been regarded, I thought, as confidential. I hope that the discussions will be completed very shortly, and then I shall make a statement to Parliament.
§ Sir H. WilliamsOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. May I inquire why four questions should be asked in series by Privy Councillors, abusing their privileges in this House?
§ Mr. SpeakerThat is not a point of order.
§ Mr. Langford-HoltWill my right hon. Friend reject the principle put forward rather surprisingly by two ex-Home Secretaries that before a Minister reaches a decision the correspondence and the discussions should be made public?
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. It is well after 3.30.