§ Q8. Mr. Fletcherasked the Prime Minister if he will extend the terms of reference of the Royal Commission on the Press to enable them to report on the new policies announced by the Sunday Times.
§ The Prime MinisterI am not aware that the Sunday Times has announced any new policies that might call for an extension of the terms of reference of the Royal Commission on the Press.
§ Mr. FletcherIs not the Prime Minister aware that the recently proposed appointment of Lord Snowdon has, to say the least, provoked a certain amount of controversy on constitutional grounds? Does not the Prime Minister think that it might be wise to invite the Royal Commission to express an opinion on the subject?
§ The Prime MinisterNo. If it were true that the appointment has given rise to controversy on constitutional grounds, I do not think that it could possibly be brought within the terms of the Royal Commission, which was appointed, as the House will remember, as a result of one newspaper going out of business and a possibility of monopoly conditions, and so forth. It has no relevance to any constitutional issue.
§ Mr. EdelmanWill the Prime Minister bear in mind that the right to work is a fundamental human right and that 895 it should be denied to no one, not even by chagrined competitors?
§ The Prime MinisterThat is a very robust contribution to this Question.