§ Q3. Mr. Shinwellasked the Prime Minister why he has decided that it would not be appropriate to publish the report of the Lord President of the Council on the North-East.
§ The Prime MinisterThere will be publication of the Government's policy for this region, but the views put forward for discussion in order to crystallise that policy must remain confidential like other Cabinet business.
§ Mr. ShinwellDid not the right hon. Gentleman appoint the noble Lord, Lord Hailsham, as a special commissioner to investigate the conditions in the North-East? Surely what is contained in Lord Hailsham's report should be made available, at any rate to the people in the North-East? May I ask the right hon. Gentleman, is there something in the report—no doubt he has already seen it—that he wishes to conceal from the people of the North-East?
§ The Prime MinisterRegarding the second part of the supplementary question, I have not seen the report, it is not completed. Regarding the first part, inter-Ministerial papers are not normally published. There is, moreover, some detail in part of the Report, I am told, which makes use of information and estimates obtained from commercial undertakings in confidence and which should not be published.
§ Mr. R. W. ElliottIs my right hon. Friend aware that the people of the North-East will take much more notice of such announcements as that made yesterday of developments on quite a large scale by David Brown Industries in Sunderland, and further development at Spennymoor by Perkins of Peterborough, than they will of the Labour Party's constant carping criticism?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir. I think that a great advance has already been 1411 made by the short-term proposals which the Government have made and the advantage already taken of them by industrialists.
Mr. H. WilsonIs not the difficulty which has arisen really this? Although we are told that this is a purely inter-Ministerial, inter-Departmental report which is not normally published, at all times Lord Hailsham himself in the North-East and also the Government on other occasions have referred to this report and got what they hoped would be favourable publicity from the fact that there would be this report? Had not they better decide which way to have it? Either this is a purely inter-Departmental document, in which case Ministerial reference should not have been made to it, or it is not, in which case it should be published.
§ The Prime MinisterI think that the right hon. Gentleman draws a rather too narrow and even pedantic distinction.
§ Mr. ShinwellHow can we indulge in"carping criticism" if we do not know what is in the report, and, more particularly, when the right hon. Gentleman himself has not seen the report and does not know what the Government's recommendations will be?
§ The Prime MinisterIn reply to the first part of that question, I am afraid that after a long experience of politics I have never found that there is any inhibition caused by ignorance as regards criticism. As to the second part of the question, the Government's duty is to study the report. We have already made a large number of short-term proposals. We shall make the next set of proposals, and we hope in due course to make long-term proposals.
§ Mr. ShinwellOn a point of order. [HON. MEMBERS:"Oh."] Oh, yes. Owing to the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall take the earliest opportunity of raising this matter on the Adjournment.
§ Q9. Mr. Bottomleyasked the Prime Minister whether the plan for the North-East, to be announced by Her Majesty's Government before the Summer Recess, will be comprehensive or partial.
§ The Prime MinisterThe Government certainly intend that any proposals 1412 adopted for the North-East shall be as comprehensive in character as possible.
§ Mr. BottomleyDoes thismean that the plan proposed for the North-East will in fact not be presented until the House has resumed after the Summer Recess?
§ The Prime MinisterIt is very difficult to make it absolutely hard-and-fast, but we have done a great number of short-term things, we have to do some middle-term things and there will be some longer-ranging problems which we must take time to study.
§ Mr. BottomleyIs the Prime Minister aware that all that has been done so far could have been done by the President of the Board of Trade using the powers given to him by Parliament?
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. He could not have introduced these arrangements to encourage industrialists which are fundamental to the Budget and which for the first time are of a discriminatory character.
§ Dame Irene WardWould it not be a good idea to make perfectly plain that a certain portion of the report on the North-East to be received by the Cabinet will be published in October after it has been given full consideration?
§ The Prime MinisterI think the important thing is to publish the recommendations of the Government.