MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO (Hansard, 29 May 1962)

§ Q1 Viscount Lambton
asked the Prime Minister to what extent it is to be the responsibility of the Minister Without Portfolio to mediate between employers and the trade unions.

§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Macmillan)
None, Sir.

§ Viscount Lambton
I thank my right hon. Friend for his reply. Will he also give an assurance that from no source in any way related to his office will there come any suggestion that the Minister Without Portfolio has mediated when in fact he has not, as such suggestions, when they appear to be totally unfounded, cause my right hon. Friend to appear in a most eccentric light?

§ The Prime Minister
No statement of any kind was made from my office.

§ Mr. M. Foot
Can the Prime Minister say whether he has made any investigation into the widespread story, published in a large number of newspapers, that the Minister Without Portfolio had had discussions with the port employers on this matter? Does not he think something much more honest and straightforward should be said by the Government in view of the repudiation of these charges made by Mr. Crichton, and does not he think that the Government should make a full statement of what happened?

§ The Prime Minister
I know that Lord Mills played no part except as a member of the Cabinet. No statement to the contrary was made by me or by a member of my office.

§ Viscount Lambton
May I have an elucidation of this point? Will my right hon. Friend give an absolute assurance that from no source of which he has any knowledge was information imparted to suggest that Lord Mills played any part in this mediation?

§ The Prime Minister
Yes, Sir, so far as I am aware, absolutely.

§ Mr. Jay
In order to clear up the matter, may I ask whether the Prime Minister is saying that the Government did not interfere in any way in an effort to influence these wage negotiations?

§ The Prime Minister
No, Sir. The employers themselves said in a statement immediately after the settlement that they were made perfectly aware of the attitude of the Government and of the result of their settlement on the incomes policy. There was no doubt about that at all. But they thought that there were particular circumstances which justified them in going beyond the policy.