ANGLO-EGYPTIAN NEGOTIATIONS (Hansard, 14 July 1954)

§ 54. Mr. A. HENDERSON
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a further statement on the resumption of negotiations between Her Majesty's Government and the Egyptian Government over the Canal Zone.

§ Mr. Lewis
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. In view of the urgency of the question and the grave political consequences that may, and possibly will, arise from it, will you give permission for this Question to be answered, particularly in view of the fact that we know that the 1922 Committee revolted last night and that the hon. and gallant Member for the Isle of Ely (Major Legge-Bourke) has resigned from the Tory Party?

§ Mr. Speaker
The Minister is the judge of the importance of the Question. I have received no request for this Question to be answered after Questions. I have received a request from the Colonial Secretary to answer Question No. 91.

§ Mr. Lewis
It may well be, Mr. Speaker, that the Minister has not had an opportunity of asking your permission, but in view of the latest news of the resignation of the hon. and gallant Member for the Isle of Ely—[Interruption.]

§ Mr. J. Amery
Would it not be of great assistance to the House and to the debate that is to follow if we could have an answer to this Question?

§ Mr. Speaker
It is not a question for me. I have received no request for this Question to be answered.

§ Mr. A. Henderson
On a point of order. In view of the importance of the Anglo-Egyptian negotiations in the forthcoming debate, may I ask you, Mr. Speaker, if the Minister can see his way to answer Question No. 54?

§ Mr. Speaker
Hon. Members can ask these questions in the debate.

§ Mr. Shinwell
A great deal of time was spent this afternoon, no doubt quite unwittingly, and I am not complaining, on 474 a number of Questions regarding transport, which were no doubt very important, but we are to have a debate on foreign affairs and this matter of the Anglo-Egyptian negotiations will undoubtedly be raised. Would it not be advisable to have an answer to this Question if, with great respect, that is the wish of the House and the Minister of State has no objection?

§ Mr. Speaker
The House is about to embark, in Committee of Supply, on a debate on foreign affairs, and, naturally, a matter of this importance is bound to arise. I do not see how I can anticipate it at this stage.

§ Mr. Shinwell
In that event, are we to understand that the Minister of State, or whoever will reply for the Government, will deal with this question?

§ Mr. Speaker
I could not answer that question: I really do not know the answer.

§ Mr. H. Morrison
May I ask the Minister of State whether, for the general convenience of the House, he would be willing to answer this Question and to request your permission, Mr. Speaker, to do so? In that case, I imagine that you would permit him to do so.

§ Mr. Speaker
It is quite irregular to try to anticipate a debate in Committee of Supply.

§ Mr. Shinwell
Are not the circumstances somewhat exceptional, in view of the fact that a very large number of hon. Members opposite are anxious to hear what the Government have to say in this connection; and, furthermore, in view of the fact that the hon. and gallant Member for the Isle of Ely (Major Legge-Bourke) has actually resigned because of the Government's attitude to this very important topic? Surely this Question ought to be answered?

§ Mr. Speaker
The procedure of this House has weathered many vicissitudes, and even the matters which the right hon. Gentleman has brought to my attention do not justify me in departing from its rules.

§ Mr. Morrison
Personally, I only wish to be helpful and to relieve you, Mr. Speaker, of the responsibility in this matter. I ask whether the Minister of State or the Parliamentary Secretary—

§ The Prime Minister (Sir Winston Churchill)
I will answer the Question in the course of my remarks.

§ Mr. Morrison
The Prime Minister says he will answer it in the course of his remarks, but surely it would be more convenient to have the Question answered in advance? May I therefore ask the Minister of State or the Parliamentary Secretary whether he would be willing to answer the Question now, and, in that case, whether you will permit him, unless we are forbidden to do so by the occasional anti-House of Commons touches of the Prime Minister?

§ Mr. Speaker
In view of the fact that the Question will be answered very early in the debate, I think the House is merely postponing the answer by these questions.

§ Mr. Lewis
I wish to raise a further point of order with regard to the question which I originally raised. There is an accepted understanding that, if there is to be an important debate, such as we are to embark upon shortly in connection with foreign affairs, and there is a statement that can be made to help and facilitate the conduct of that debate, the House of Commons should be informed. In view of the fact that the Press has reported that certain sections of the Tory Party have been informed at a private meeting upstairs of what has transpired, is it not unfair to hon. Members on this side of the House when a debate is now to take place that hon. Gentlemen opposite should have prior information on a matter of national policy, about which we know nothing?

§ Mr. Speaker
That is clearly the same point, dressed up again, but not very differently.

§ Mr. Amery
May I say that the hon. Gentleman is quite wrong in thinking that we have been informed upstairs? May I put a point of order? Is it not somewhat discourteous to the House of Commons that hon. Members should learn in the Press about the result of negotiations on a matter of vital importance to this country, and that they should not be in possession of an official statement before entering upon a debate of this character?

§ Mr. Speaker
These are all matters for the debate and not for me.