HC Deb 22 June 1955 vol 542 cc1313-5
The Prime Minister

With your permission, Mr. Speaker, and that of the House, I wish to make a statement about the Council of Europe.

The Consultative Assembly will meet at Strasbourg on 5th July and I have appointed eighteen 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. I have also appointed a number of substitute delegates.

The appointments of the Labour and Liberal representatives and substitutes have, of course, been made on the basis of nominations by the Leaders of those parties. It would, perhaps, be more convenient if the names were circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

The same delegation will represent the United Kingdom Parliament at the new Western European Union Assembly, which is also expected to meet at Strasbourg on 5th July. In the course of its meeting, this Assembly will, no doubt, adopt its own rules as regards substitutes. It seems probable, however, that the substitute delegates for the Council of Europe will also serve as substitutes for the Western European Union Assembly.

Mr. Ellis Smith

Does this mean that the appointments made by the Prime Minister are not of representative men and women and that the delegates will be specially selected, in the main safe, and, therefore, not in tune and harmony with our country, which desires that democracy should prevail?

The Prime Minister

I should hope that hon. Members of this House selected by the Leaders of the parties will not necessarily be regarded as unrepresentative of the House.

Following are the names:

From the Government benches:

The right hon. Member for Renfrew, West (Mr. Maclay); the hon. Members for Aberdeenshire, East (Sir R. Boothby), Belfast, South (Sir D. Campbell), Darwen (Mr. Fletcher-Cooke), Scotstoun (Mr. J. R. H. Hutchison), Bebington (Mr. Oakshott), Edgbaston (Miss Pitt), Winchester (Mr. Smithers), and Lord Chesham.

From the Labour Party:

The right hon. Members for Lewisham, South (Mr. H. Morrison), Brighouse and Spenborough (Mr. J. Edwards), Derby, South (Mr. P. Noel-Baker), the hon. Members for Coventry, South (Miss Burton), Bermondsey (Mr. Mellish), Dundee, East (Mr. G. M. Thomson), the hon. and learned Member for Northampton (Mr. Paget), and Lord Henderson.

From the Liberal Party:

Lord Layton.

The following substitutes have been appointed to act for the delegates when they are absent from Strasbourg:

From the Government benches:

The hon. Members for Wells (Lieut.-Commander Maydon), Bournemouth, East and Christchurch (Mr. N. Nicolson), Harrogate (Mr. Ramsden), Sutton and Cheam (Major Sharples), and Viscount Stonehaven.

From the Labour Party:

The hon. Members for Goole (Mr. G. Jeger), Stechford (Mr. Roy Jenkins), The Hartlepools (Mr. D. Jones), and Newcastle-upon-Tyne, West (Mr. Popplewell).

From the Liberal Party:

The hon. and learned Member for Cardigan (Mr. Bowen).