§ 46. Mr. Emrys Hughesasked the Prime Minister if he will arrange for the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to accompany him to Bermuda in order to co-ordinate the information services on matters arising from his conference.
§ The Secretary of State for the Home Department and Lord Privy Seal (Mr. R. A. Butler)I have been asked to reply.
No, Sir; the services of my right hon. Friend will be very valuable when the time comes for public information to be given as the policies resulting from this important meeting unfold.
§ Mr. HughesWill the Lord Privy Seal consult the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster so that the Chancellor can explain to him the difference between a shot in the arm and a kick in the pants?
§ Mr. GaitskellDoes the Answer of the Lord Privy Seal imply that no information about this meeting is to be given during the course of the conference in Bermuda?
§ Mr. ButlerIf I may answer the hon. Member, who has invariably complained about communiqués following from our international meetings, it is our intention that a communiqué should be issued on this occasion. No doubt when the communiqué is issued it will be seen what a valuable meeting it is likely to have been. It will then be possible for the services of my right hon. Friend to be employed in unfolding the results of the meeting.
§ Mr. GaitskellWould it not be a wise precaution for the Prime Minister to take the Chancellor of the Duchy with him to ensure that the communiqué is the right sort of communiqué?
§ Mr. ButlerThe duties of my right hon. Friend amount to clarification. Therefore he will be very valuable when the communiqué is placed in his hands.
§ Mr. CrossmanIn view of the communiqué which was issued after the last meeting of a British Prime Minister with the President of the U.S.A. when we were told that full agreement was reached on every detail of Middle Eastern policy, could not the Chancellor be sent on this occasion to prevent clear lies being told to British people on behalf of the Government?