HC Deb 30 May 1963 vol 678 cc1527-9
27. Mr. M. Foot

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the financial assistance to be provided for those who appeared before the Radcliffe Tribunal.

Mr. Brooke

The Office of the Treasury Solicitor has invited the soli- citors whose clients were granted legal representation before the Tribunal to submit their bills of costs, if they desire to do so. The Treasury Solicitor will then ask the Tribunal to advise whether a claim from each particular applicant for an ex gratia contribution from public funds should be entertained and, if so, what proportion of the reasonable costs incurred the contribution should represent. If the Tribunal favour the application, the Treasury Solicitor will then negotiate with the applicant's solicitor as to the amount of costs, including disbursements, which can be regarded as reasonable. If agreement cannot be reached on this point, the assistance of the Chief Taxing Master of the High Court will be sought.

Mr. Foot

Will all these figures be published so that we can see what has actually happened? Has the Home Secretary taken note of the fact that apparently members of the Government are proposing to take legal action, partly at least, as it is said, to recoup themselves for expenses involved in connection with the Tribunal? Does he not think this is a very curious procedure and, it may be, an improper use of the findings of the Tribunal to use them to influence the courts later, particularly as those who have suffered injustices in the course of the proceedings of the Tribunal have no remedy whatsoever?

Mr. Brooke

I think we had better take this one step at a time. The whole House agreed that the Tribunal should have an opportunity of expressing a view as to whether applications for ex gratia contributions should be entertained. That is the stage which we have now reached. Surely we should give the Tribunal an opportunity to express its views when the applications have been received.

Mr. Fletcher

In view of the general public importance of this matter, will the Home Secretary make representations to the effect that it would be most desirable that the Tribunal, whilst considering these applications, should sit in public?

Mr. Brooke

I think this really must be a matter for the Tribunal itself and that I ought not to interfere.