§ 23 and 24. Mr. Reynoldsasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) who was present at the meeting between officials of his Department and representatives of the Observer newspaper on 30th October; and for what reason this meeting was held;
§ (2) what steps were taken by the Press department of the Treasury following the report of his speech at Leicester on 28th October, published in the Observer newspaper.
Mr. LloydOne of my private secretaries, one member of the Treasury Press Office, two members of the Press department of the Conservative Central Office and two members of the staff of the Observer newspaper were present. I instructed the Treasury Press Office to 180 ensure that what I had said at Leicester was made known to the Press.
§ Mr. ReynoldsWill the right hon. and learned Gentleman inform us who actually sponsored the meeting at which he spoke? If, as I believe, it was sponsored by the Conservative Party, can he tell us why Press hand-out issued by the Conservative Central Office and the subsequent reporting of his speech were dealt with apparently by the Press department of the Treasury, and who authorised the calling into a conference in the Press department of the Treasury two officers of the Conservative Central Office? What was the purpose of having two political officers of that nature there? As after the statement in the Observer the Press Office of the Treasury, presumably on the Minister's instructions, issued a categorical denial which was printed in some newspapers and cast aspersions on the integrity of a reliable reporter, will the right hon. and learned Gentleman now admit that the reporting in the Observer was, in fact, correct?
Mr. LloydThe hon. Gentleman has no business to suggest what he has just suggested. I have never at any time cast any aspersion on the integrity of the reporter. I still think that he made a mistake. I am certain that it was not intentional and that there was no question of there being any bad faith about it. This idea that it is impossible for anyone to make a mistake seems really surprising. With regard to the question about why any representatives of the Conservative Central Office came to the Treasury, under the direction of the editor the Observer kindly said that they would make available to me a transcript of the shorthand note. They said they would make it available and in order to avoid the representative of the Observer having to go first to the Treasury and then to the Conservative Central Office, it was arranged that he could hand it over to both concerned at the same place and at the same time.
Mr. H. WilsonBut whatever the Chancellor may or may not have said—and I am surprised that anyone takes seriously anything he says—does not the right hon. Gentleman agree that when a meeting has been organised by a political party to clear up any mess—whether 181 done by the Chancellor or someone else —this should be a matter for the party concerned, and Treasury officials should not be brought into it? Does not the right hon. Gentleman agree that it is very important, despite the low standard set by this Government in recent years, to avoid blurring the line between Government officials and party officials in any case of this type?
Mr. LloydIt is an absolutely ridiculous proposition to say that, because a statement was made at a party meeting, my private secretaries and the Treasury should be debarred of any knowledge of what goes on and what has been said.