§ 21. Mr. Shinwellasked the Minister without Portfolio what information he received from Press and other sources between the months of January and March of 1963 regarding the activities of Captain Ivanov, who was on the staff of the Soviet Embassy, and of his relations with members of Her Majesty's Government.
§ The Minister without Portfolio (Mr. W. F. Deedes)It is not my practice to make public any information of this kind.
§ Mr. ShinwellAre we not to understand that the right hon. Gentleman has the responsibility of gathering information from various sources and conveying it to the Government? Why should there be any secrecy about the information in 16 his possession? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Lord President of the Council, Lord Hailsham, addressing the community in general the other night, declared that it was immoral for any member of the Government to indulge in evasion? Are we to understand that this is what the right hon. Gentleman is doing? Why cannot he come clean?
§ Mr. DeedesThe right hon. Gentleman must understand nothing of the kind. It would be quite intolerable if information received in this way by Ministers were to be treated as the right hon. Gentleman invites me to treat it. He must not anticipate the debate to which the House is coming.
§ Mr. ShinwellWhat has it got to do with the debate which is about to take place? I am entitled to ask the question and to expect an answer from the right hon. Gentleman. Is it the new Government dictum that information in the possession of the Government which may have some relation to espionage or attempted espionage is not to be made known to hon. Members?
§ Mr. DeedesThe right hon. Gentleman knows that to be quite incorrect. He must await the statement my right hon. Friend will make in the debate this afternoon.