HC Deb 10 December 1956 vol 562 cc32-4
Mr. Wigg

With your permission, Mr. Speaker, I want to raise a question of Privilege. I very much regret that owing to the shortage of time I have been unable to give notice of my intention to the hon. Member for Lanark (Mr. Patrick Maitland). On Saturday morning, there appeared in the Daily Herald a statement attributed to the hon. Member for Lanark, in these terms: … one of the Tory M.P.s who abstained in Thursday's vote of confidence in the House of Commons, issued an astonishing statement last night. He said: 'In view of the extraordinary and unexampled pressures—some of them altogether underhand—which have been used to force Tories into line, I think we did pretty well to have 15 of our number daring to show themselves.' As that statement obviously refers to pressures on hon. Members as to how they should vote, I submit that there is a prima facie case of breach of Privilege.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member ought to substantiate his complaint by bringing the newspaper to the Table.

Copy of newspaper handed in.

Sir W. Anstruther Gray

Further to that point of order—

Mr. Speaker

It is not a point of order. It is a point of Privilege which has been raised.

Sir W. Anstruther-Gray

Further to that point of Privilege, Mr. Speaker. While you are considering the document, is it not the practice for hon. Members to make every effort to inform other hon. Members whom they intend to attack before raising such matters? While the hon. Member for Dudley (Mr. Wigg) stated that he had been unable to inform my hon. Friend the Member for Lanark (Mr. Patrick Maitland) that he was raising this matter, may I ask the hon. Member what steps he took to inform my hon. Friend before raising it and to give my hon. Friend an opportunity of being in his place to reply to the discussion on the subject?

Mr. Speaker

This is the first notice that I have had. It appears to me to be a complaint founded upon a report in a newspaper about what another hon. Member of the House is supposed to have said. I therefore could not possibly rule on the matter without hearing that other hon. Member, but I rule for the time being, if it is any satisfaction to the hon. Member for Dudley (Mr. Wigg), that he has raised the point at the earliest opportunity; otherwise, I cannot rule on it without hearing what is said. There appears to be no prima facie case of breach of Privilege against the newspaper, anyhow.

Mr. Wigg

I have taken the opportunity of raising the matter at the earliest possible moment, Sir, as I was bound to do, otherwise the matter would have been out of order. I will make every effort—[HON. MEMBERS: "Will?"]—to acquaint the hon. Member for Lanark. I could not do it before because I had only just read the article. Of course, there is no question of Privilege against the newspaper. The breach of Privilege, if there be any, is with the Patronage Secretary and the hon. Member for Lanark.

Sir W. Anstruther-Gray

May we take it, Mr. Speaker, that my hon. Friend the Member for Lanark will be given an opportunity of making a statement on this matter, should he wish, before you give a final Ruling?

Mr. Speaker

I have said that I will certainly consider what the hon. Member for Lanark has to say before I give a Ruling. Whether he wants to make a statement is a matter for him—or for me when I see what the statement is.

Mr. C. Pannell

Further to that point of Privilege, Sir, I should like your guidance. You may remember that a week or two ago my hon. Friend the Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Lewis) raised a question of Privilege, which was referred to the Committee of Precileges. I understand that when you find a prima facie case, it is the duty of the Leader of the House, with the utmost dispatch, to convene the Committee of Privileges. Why should that matter still be left over the head of my hon. Friend? Does not this procrastination in clearing the name of an hon. Member, and removing the odium which is attached to him, rather reflect upon the spirit of the House in failing to protect its Members? Is it not time that the Committee of Privileges was called together? There is considerable feeling on this side of the House about this tardiness to clear the name of my hon. Friend.

Mr. Speaker

It is not a matter for me. I know that the matter of the complaint by the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Lewis) was referred to the Committee. That is all I know about it.

Mr. J. Griffiths

It is you, Mr. Speaker, who decides from the Chair that there is a prima facie case to go before the Committee of Privileges. Is that not an instruction to the Leader of the House to set up the Committee of Privileges?

Mr. Speaker

I do not think that it is anything to do with the Leader of the House. It is for the Chairman of the Committee, I understand, to summon the Committee.

Mr. Gaitskell

Nevertheless, we would be grateful if the Leader of the House could make a statement, Mr. Speaker. As far as I know, the Committee has not yet met. What are the intentions of the right hon. Gentleman?

The Lord Privy Seal (Mr. R. A. Butler)

I was discussing the matter before Questions. I think that there has been delay, but the matter should be proceeded with without delay and I will see that it is.