HC Deb 07 November 1961 vol 648 cc774-6
11 and 12. Mr. Tomney

asked the Postmaster-General (1) why the hon. Member for Hammersmith, North was not invited to the centenary celebration of the Post Office Savings Bank, on the occasion of the Queen Mother's visit;

(2) on what date the official invitations to attend the centenary celebration of the Post Office Savings Bank were issued.

Mr. Bevins

The invitations were issued on 3rd October. The intention, of course, was to invite the hon. Member in whose constituency the Savings Bank headquarters are situated. I am sorry to say that, as a result of appropriate consultations with the Hammersmith local authority, my hon. Friend the Member for Barons Court (Mr. Compton Carr) was invited instead of the hon. Member for Hammersmith, North (Mr. Tomney).

This mistake was discovered when my hon. Friend spoke to the hon. Gentleman on the morning of the ceremony and subsequently informed my office. As the hon. Gentleman knows, I offered him my apologies immediately I knew of the situation.

Mr. Tomney

While I accept the right hon. Gentleman's apologies on behalf of his Department, may I ask whether the Minister is aware that this fiasco could not have happened if the accepted conventions of the House of Commons and the courtesies which hon. Members usually extend beyond this Chamber, and which add to the dignity and status of Parliament, had been observed? Hon. Members do not, as a general rule, accept public engagements in the constituencies of other hon. Members. This matter caused a great deal of embarrassment to a lot of people.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member's Question is out of order.

Mr. Tomney

On a point of order. Could you possibly enlighten me as to why it is out of order?

Mr. Speaker

I do not want to take up the time of the House now, if the hon. Member will forgive me. The short point is that you cannot in a question criticise the conduct of an hon. Member of either House of Parliament, because that is a matter requiring a substantive Motion.

Mr. Tomney

In which case it is bad luck because I really intended to put this matter right today. I think it is rather deplorable.

Mr. Speaker

This is Question Time and my obligations to others require me to go on.

Mr. W. R. Williams

May I ask the Postmaster-General whether there were consultations between his Department and the local authority concerned before this happened? How is it that, between the two of them, a mistake of this nature was possible?

Mr. Bevins

My Department consulted the Hammersmith Town Hall as to who was the appropriate hon. Member. The Savings Bank headquarters is situated in the southern corner of the constituency of the hon. Member for Hammersmith, North (Mr. Tomney), and is within a few yards of Barons Court, but the area was a part of the former Hammersmith, South constituency which was taken into Hammersmith, North at the time of the redistribution in 1955.

Mr. Tomney

Which makes matters rather worse, because Hammersmith Borough Council denies responsibility for this and has no knowledge of the right hon. Gentleman's Department ever contacting its department.

Hon. Members

Answer.

Mr. Bevins

I am perfectly prepared to answer. It is a fact, which I have confirmed, that this invitation was sent following personal consultations between my officials and the Hammersmith Town Hall.