HC Deb 13 April 1960 vol 621 cc1279-81
Mr. G. Brown

If I may respectfully say so, Mr. Speaker, I think the point was that they had all failed to answer anything at all satisfactorily.

May I now ask whether the Minister of Defence has given further thought, in the interim, to the idea of having an inquiry, and whether he will now undertake to discuss the setting up of such a body?

Mr. Watkinson

I am only too anxious to answer that, and I am sorry if I got rather mixed up in the other proceedings of the House. I said at the end, and I should like to say again, that I am only too anxious that all the very difficult considerations which surround missile policy of all kinds should be fully exposed. That is my wish, and, if the matter is debated in the House at any time, no one would welcome more than I the chance of putting the full facts before the House.

That is the first reason. I think that it will help the House if I give the reasons, which I have been turning over in my mind while we had a short break in our proceedings.

The second one is that this is not an outright cancellation of this missile. It is a statement that the missile is not now to be developed for military purposes. It has not, in any case, reached the point where it can be developed for military purposes for a number of years yet. What I have said is that we are now going to look very carefully into the question of whether it can be diverted into a vehicle for space research. When that decision is taken, it will, obviously, have to be communicated to the House and that will give a further opportunity for examination of the, whole position. In the meantime, with the best will in the world, as one who wants all the facts to be known—as I say, it would be to the advantage of the Government—I do not think that an inquiry would serve any useful purpose at all.

Mr. Brown

In view of that most unsatisfactory reply, which seemed to imply that some continuing expenditure will go on even after to-day's announcement, would this be the moment, Mr. Speaker, for me to give you notice that I shall shortly ask your permission to raise the matter on the Adjournment?

Mr. Speaker

I shall receive it in due course, but there is another statement on the way.

As regards this matter, I hope that I can have the assistance of the House, because there is no Question before it.

Mr. Bowles

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. We have often protested at Ministerial leaks to the Press, yet almost every newspaper this morning, as all hon. Members know, carried this information. May I ask you, Sir, to find out from the Minister of Defence how the newspapers knew all about this matter in the early morning?

Sir K. Pickthorn

How did the Opposition Front Bench know?

Mr. Speaker

With respect, I do not think that the point raised by the hon. Member for Nuneaton (Mr. Bowles) is a point of order. No doubt, what the hon. Member has said will have been heard.

Several Hon. Members

rose—

Mr. Speaker

I should like the assistance of the House. There is no Question before it. I will receive the application of the right hon. Member for Belper (Mr. G. Brown) in due course. I am not wearing an encouraging face, for reasons which will be apparent in due course.

Later—

Mr. G. Brown

With your permission, Mr. Speaker, I beg to move the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No. 9, to call attention to a definite matter of urgent public importance, namely, the cancellation of the Blue Streak missile project after the expenditure of £65 million of the taxpayers' money and the refusal by the Government of an inquiry into the circumstances leading up to this decision.

Mr. Speaker

The right hon. Gentleman asks leave to move the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No. 9 to call attention to a definite matter of urgent public importance, namely, the cancellation of the Blue Streak missile project after the expenditure of £65 million of the taxpayers' money and the refusal by the Government of an inquiry into the circumstances leading up to this decision.

I regret that I cannot accede to the right hon. Gentleman's application. I do not think that it falls within the Standing Order.

Mr. Gaitskell

In view of your decision, Mr. Speaker, I beg to give notice that the Opposition will table a Motion of censure on the Government tonight.