HC Deb 08 March 1961 vol 636 cc482-3
Mr. Thorpe

Would it be in order, Mr. Speaker, to raise at this stage a matter of Privilege?

I refer to a report on page 6 of today's edition of the Daily Express, in which I am alleged, in the course of my duties as a Member of Sub-Committee G of the Select Committee on Estimates, first, to have stated the purchase price paid by His Excellency the High Commissioner for the Federation of Nigeria in regard to the purchase of a Rolls-Royce car.

It is also suggested that I made certain specific statements, which are included in this newspaper report in inverted commas, to the effect that it was the general expectation that a cheaper car would have been purchased and also that, in consequence, that less Purchase Tax would have been contributed by Her Majesty's Government.

If one refers to the first Report from the Estimates Committee, which contains the full summary of the evidence which was taken and the questions which were asked by members of that Committee and the answers that were received, it can be seen, by turning to page 101, that no such statement was made by me, no such comment was made by me, or, indeed, by any other member of that Committee.

It is true that, last night, at approximately 6 p.m. I was rung up by a reporter representing the Daily Express and asked to comment, and to that inquiry I replied that in so far as the proceedings of the Select Committee were confidential, save for the matters which that Committee thought fit to publish in the form of a Report, no comment could or would be forthcoming. from me.

It is my submission, Mr. Speaker, first, that the proceedings of the Select Committee are essentially part of the proceedings and work of this House; secondly, that those proceedings are confidential and that the only matters which are not confidential are those matters which the Committee sees fit to publish in the Report; thirdly, that this House and hon. Members of this House are quite prepared to be attacked and to be very often misrepresented in the Press, but to have words put into their mouths, which, it is alleged, were uttered on a confidential occasion while discharging their duties as members of the Select Committee appointed by this House, is, in my respectful submission, a case of wilful misrepresentation and constitutes an attack upon the privileges of this House.

I would, therefore, submit, with respect, that this is a prima facie case for consideration by the Committee of Privileges.

Mr. Speaker

I shall consider the points raised by the hon. Member for Devon, North (Mr. Thorpe) over the 24 hours which I have under the Sessional Resolution. I would say now that he gave me privately due notice of this point as early as possible, and that he is in order about that. Would the hon. Member be good enough to have marked in the newspaper, before he hands it in, the passages to which he has, in fact, referred? I do not think that he need read them today. I think that that will identify them sufficiently. May I have the newspaper, please?

Copy of newspaper handed in.