HC Deb 02 February 1960 vol 616 cc764-6
1. Mr. Hector Hughes

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the present plans of the History of Parliament Trust for investigating, writing and publishing the History of Parliament, indicating the scope of the proposed work, in view of the recent Report of the Public Accounts Committee about it.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr. Derick Heathcoat Amory)

The limited scope of this project, as the trustees are at present able to foresee it, is indicated in the Report of the Public Accounts Committee to which the hon. and learned Member refers. It lies with Parliament to decide whether any change should be made in the existing arrangements which govern the work of the Trust.

Mr. Hughes

As the work is designed to be a permanent record of great national and international importance, not only for our own generation but for future generations, will the Chancellor look into the limitation which he has mentioned and see that what emerges is worthy of the work?

Mr. Amory

I have no control over the policy or the administration of the trustees. So far, I think, the only action that has been taken has been to promise them a grant of £360,000 over twenty years.

Mr. Woodburn

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether this is to be a history of this Parliament or a history of the British Parliament with its antecedents in Scotland and England?

Mr. Amory

The right hon. Gentleman had better get into touch with the trustees on that point. I am not quite sure what limits they are going to set themselves in the scope of their work.

2 and 3. Mr. Hector Hughes

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he is aware that recent advertisements by the History of Parliament Trust for Scottish assistants to work on the forthcoming History of Parliament require that such Scottish assistants must live in London, and that the remuneration offered is inadequate; and why these limitations are imposed on workers much of whose research work must necessarily be done in Scotland;

(2) why the Scottish aspects of the History of the British Parliament, now in the hands of the History of Parliament Trust, are to be limited so as to begin with the year 1714.

Mr. Amory

The administration and policy of the Trust are the responsibility of the trustees, to whom I must therefore refer the hon. and learned Gentleman.

Mr. Hughes

As to Question No. 2, is it not essential that in a work of such great importance assistants of the very highest ability and training should be employed and that they should be adequately remunerated, as they are not being adequately remunerated at present?

Mr. Amory

That is precisely a matter for the trustees, because it falls within the policy and administration of their work.

Mr. Osborne

Since this complaint has been made for the last 350 years, ever since James VI came to London, that Scots in London have not been adequately paid, can my right hon. Friend explain why they are still coming to London in their tens of thousands?

Mr. Amory

I think the rate of their coming is rather higher than my hon. Friend has suggested.

Mr. Speaker

Mr. Driberg.

Mr. Hughes

May I not put a supplementary question on Question No. 3? Am I not entitled to a supplementary question on Question No. 3?

Mr. Speaker

It is not a question of entitlement, as the hon. and learned Member knows.

Mr. Hughes

Surely I am entitled to put a supplementary question to Question No. 3. Is the Chancellor aware that Scottish history did not begin—

Mr. Speaker

The hon. and learned Gentleman apparently did not hear me. I called the next Question.