HC Deb 11 July 1957 vol 573 cc545-50
Mr. Gaitskell

May I ask the Lord Privy Seal whether he will state the business for next week?

The Secretary of State for the Home Department and Lord Privy Seal (Mr. R. A. Butler)

Yes, Sir. The business for next week will be as follows:

MONDAY, 15TH JULY—Supply [21st Allotted Day]: Committee.

Debate on Cyprus.

Consideration of the Motion relating to Immunities and Privileges of the International Tin Council.

TUESDAY, 16TH JULY—Report stage of the Finance Bill.

WEDNESDAY, 17TH JULY—It is proposed to conclude the Report stage of the Finance Bill by 7 o'clock.

We shall then consider the opposed Private Business which has been set down by the Deputy-Chairman of Ways and Means, for which it will be necessary to suspend the Ten o'clock Rule.

Second Reading of the Road Transport Lighting Bill [Lords], which is a consolidation Measure.

THURSDAY, 18TH JULY—Supply [22nd Allotted Day]: Committee.

Debate on Industry in Scotland.

Consideration of the Motions to approve the Draft Agriculture Safety Regulations.

FRIDAY, 19TH JULY—Third Reading of the Finance Bill, which it is hoped to obtain by 2 o'clock.

Committee and remaining stages of the Federation of Malaya Independence Bill, the Geneva Conventions Bill [Lords], and of the Road Transport Lighting Bill [Lords].

Mr. Gaitskell

Can the right hon. Gentleman say when the White Paper on disarmament will be published?

Mr. Butler

My right hon. Friend hopes that it may be published next week, probably later rather than earlier next week.

Mr. Peyton

Does not my right hon. Friend think that the House of Commons should have an opportunity, before the Recess, for discussing the wider aspects of our industrial affairs, with particular reference to the relationship between wage demands and productivity, since that relationship lies at the root of our inflationary problem?

Mr. Butler

It is always very difficult to fit in debates at this time of the year. There is a number of Supply days and beyond that I cannot give any undertaking in view of the number of days that are left and the nature of the business which it is desired to fit in.

Mr. Hoy

Can the right hon. Gentleman say when we shall have a statement from the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food about the new subsidies for the fishing industry, in view of the fact that The Scotsman, on Tuesday of this week, contained a report of a private meeting, addressed by the Minister and one of the Joint Under-Secretaries of State for Scotland at which they informed the fishing group of the Tory Party what these new subsidies were to be?

Mr. Butler

It is always interesting to obtain from the Press accounts of party meetings on either side; but I cannot give an actual date for any action which the Minister desires to take. I will, however, inform the hon. Gentleman after acquainting myself of the Minister's intentions.

Mr. Hoy

Will the right hon. Gentleman agree to look into this point, because I am assured that the meeting took place and was addressed by the Minister a Joint Under-Secretary of State? Surely it is a little discourteous to the House that information should be given to a private meeting of a political party before it is given to hon. Members of this House?

Mr. Butler

I will certainly look into it, but I am not aware that any decisions were announced at that meeting at all. All I can do, not having been apprised of the statement in The Scotsman, is to look into the matter.

Mr. Hoy

We are very concerned about this. I am willing to send the newspaper to the right hon. Gentleman.

Dame Irene Ward

As the Litter Bill of the hon. Member for Hexham (Mr. Speir) is due to go to Standing Committee on Wednesday morning, would my right hon. Friend, as one of the Ministers responsible, and the Minister of Housing and Local Government, see that the appropriate Amendments that the Ministries want are in the hands of hon. Members before the Committee sits? Further, will my right hon. Friend give an undertaking that the Government will not drag their feet on this Bill, which the whole of the House wants?

Mr. Butler

This is a matter which is in the hands of the private Member responsible for the Bill. So far as I am concerned, I must not interfere with the discretion of the hon. Member.

Mr. H. Wilson

Since the whole House will obviously want to insist that there must be a debate on the grave developments of the inflationary situation before we adjourn for the Recess, will the right hon. Gentleman make sure that the Chancellor of the Exchequer is in a position, by the time that debate takes place, to announce positive policies for dealing with inflation, instead of just washing his hands of the matter as he did in his speech yesterday?

Mr. Butler

I cannot accept the interpretation given by the right hon. Gentleman of the speech delivered by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. I think we may be perfectly satisfied that the Chancellor knows what he is doing.

Mr. Ramsden

Can my right hon. Friend say whether we shall have an opportunity for a debate on local government before the House rises, in view of the fact that there are three White Papers now upon which the House has not yet had an opportunity of expressing an opinion?

Mr. Butler

Yes, Sir. It is hoped to have a comprehensive debate on local government and its various aspects, which have already been put before the House, before we rise for the Summer Recess.

Mr. S. Silverman

While sympathising with the right hon. Gentleman in the difficulties which he must have in trying to accommodate all the hon. Members who want him to find time for debates between now and the end of the Session, may I ask him whether he has noticed upon the Order Paper a Motion, fairly substantially signed by hon. Members on both sides of the House, relating to the case of one humble individual, Alfred George Hinds, and, if so, whether he is aware that there are a great many Members of the House who have paid some attention to this case and think that there are, in the case itself, quite apart from the man's own great courage and determination, a number of disquieting features which, in the public interest, should be further investigated?

Does he think that it may be possible to find a short time on a day between now and the end of the Session when this matter might be further explored?

[That this House calls the attention of the Home Secretary to the case of Alfred George Hinds, now serving a long sentence of imprisonment, who has always protested his innocence of the offence of which he was convicted, who has twice escaped from prison and who is now on hunger-strike, and urges him in the public interest to set up a Select Committee or some other appropriate form of public inquiry to investigate all the circumstances and report whether there has been a miscarriage of justice in this case.]

Mr. Butler

I am, of course, aware that there is anxiety about this case. I have now had an opportunity of looking at it myself, although I have not given it the full study which it deserves. If we cannot find an occasion for a debate, that does not estop hon. Members from putting to me any points that they want to put. I think that they should take that opportunity if they so wish; but I will certainly pay attention to the request of the hon. Member.

Mr. Osborne

May I ask my right hon. Friend why he has decided to give a whole day, Thursday, to a debate on Scottish industries—[HON. MEMBERS: "Why not?"]—and only half a day on Friday to the Third Reading of the Finance Bill, which affects the whole of Great Britain? Since Scotland is only a small part of Great Britain, is it not possible to have a switch round and give the whole day on Thursday to the Finance Bill and the half day on Friday to Scotland?

Mr. Butler

First, this is Opposition time and must be defended as one of our constitutional usages and, secondly, it is customary at this time of the year to have two days to discuss Scottish affairs. It is very important, therefore, that this debate should take place and the needs of Scotland be considered.

Mr. Hector Hughes

Reverting to the Hinds case, does the Home Secretary remember that he told me, in Answer to a Question the other day, that there is no means whereby a person in the position of Hinds, who is dissatisfied with the result of a disciplinary tribunal, can have his case reheard, adduce evidence and be represented by counsel or next friend? Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that a great injustice may be done to this man unless his case is reconsidered and dealt with before the Recess?

Mr. Butler

I do not think the Recess makes any difference. It depends very much on the consideration given to this matter by the Secretary of State. If the hon. and learned Member wishes to put any point before me, he is at liberty to do so at any time of the year, whether the House is sitting or not.

Mr. Hughes

I thank the right hon. Gentleman.

Mr. Braine

During Question time, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister referred to a possible White Paper on investment and development in the Commonwealth. Can my right hon. Friend say when this White Paper will be available to hon. Members?

Mr. Butler

We hope that it will be published before the end of the Session. I will let my hon. Friend know the sort of date that we have in mind.