HC Deb 23 April 1953 vol 514 cc1406-8
The Prime Minister

I desire, Mr. Speaker, with your permission, to make a statement about the Council of Europe.

The Consultative Assembly will meet at Strasbourg on 7th May and I have appointed 18 delegates from the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The distribution of the appointments between the parties is the same as in the previous delegation, that is, nine Members of the Conservative Party, eight Members of the Labour Party, and a representative of the Liberal Party.

The appointments of the Labour and Liberal representatives have, of course, been made on the basis of nominations by the leaders of those parties.

The representatives from the Government benches are my hon. Friends the Members for Melton (Mr. Nutting), who is Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Aberdeenshire, East (Mr. Boothby), Belfast, North (Lieut.-Colonel Hyde), Devizes (Mr. Hollis), Hertfordshire, South-West (Mr. G. Longden), Lewes (Major Beamish), Pentlands (Lord John Hope), Preston, North (Mr. J. Amery), and the noble Lord, Lord Goschen.

From the Labour Party the right hon. Gentlemen the Members for Belper (Mr. G. Brown), Blyth (Mr. Robens), and Rochester and Chatham (Mr. Bottomley); the right hon. Lady the Member for Fulham, West (Dr. Summerskill), and the hon. Gentlemen the Members for Kilmarnock (Mr. Ross), Leeds, South-East (Mr. D. Healey), Leicester, South-West (Mr. Bowden) and Lincoln (Mr. de Freitas).

From the Liberal Party, the noble Lord, Lord Layton.

Substitutes are being appointed to act for the delegates when they are absent from Strasbourg.

Mr. H. Hynd

Is the Prime Minister aware that the allocation of these seats is not in accordance with the constitution of the Council of Europe? Would he at least comply with the constitution to the extent of submitting these names for the approval of the House?

The Prime Minister

I think we are following exactly the procedure which has been followed on other occasions with general consent. I have been in contact with the leaders of the other parties in every step that has been taken, and I am not aware of any violation of the constitution of the Council of Europe.

Mr. Hynd

If the right hon. Gentleman is not aware of any violation will he look at the constitution and see if this procedure is in accordance with it? He will find it is not.

Sir H. Williams

May we have an assurance that hon. and right hon. Gentlemen, when they get to Strasbourg, will be speaking solely for themselves and for nobody else?

Mr. Snow

Underlining what my hon. Friend the Member for Accrington (Mr. H. Hynd) said just now, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman to bear in mind the rather changed function of Strasbourg, bearing in mind the evolution of the Schuman agencies?

The Prime Minister

All I am doing today is to say who are going to represent the House of Commons.

Mr. Hale

Would the right hon. Gentleman try to take an early opportunity of reading the exceedingly able and informative speech made by the right hon. Member for Woodford (Mr. Churchill) at The Hague in my presence in 1946 on this matter, and at some time enter into discussions on the possibility of sending to Strasbourg some people who really believe in a united Europe?

The Prime Minister

I do not know why a slur should be cast on all these Members from all parties. I think it would only do harm if it were believed outside this House and lessen our influence in supporting the cause of united Europe.

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