HC Deb 08 December 1964 vol 703 cc1315-7
Q1. Sir J. Eden

asked the Prime Minister what is to be the practice of Ministers regarding the priority they are to give to making Departmental statements to the House of Commons, or to the Press.

Q2. Sir T. Beamish

asked the Prime Minister why, and at what time, information was given to the Press regarding the proposed corporation tax, before such information was announced to Parliament.

Q7. Mr. Stratton Mills

asked the Prime Minister by what criteria Ministers decide which matters should be announced first in the House of Commons before release to the Press.

The First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs (Mr. George Brown)

rose—

Hon. Members

Hear, hear.

Mr. George Brown

I am obliged to hon. Members on both sides of the House.

I have been asked to reply.

There is no change in the long-established practice in these matters.

Sir J. Eden

Would not the right hon. Gentleman agree that the leaks which have taken place since his Government took office seem to indicate that in some way the Government are trying to by-pass Parliament? Why was it that on this occasion the Chancellor of the Exchequer did not take the first opportunity to follow up his leak with a statement in the House?

Mr. Brown

If the Opposition really want to call into question a convention which they used for 13 years and which goes back far, far longer than that, we are willing to discuss it with them but I suggest that the hon. Gentleman would be better advised to talk to his right hon. Friend the Leader of the Opposition about it before in fact he does it.

Sir T. Beamish

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that this is very much a House of Commons matter and not a matter of party politics? Does he further agree that the maintenance of the existing very friendly relationship between Press and Parliament is of great importance, highly valued and well tried; but that the week before last it appeared that this relationship was seriously upset when the Government refused to give Parliament information to which hon. Members thought they were entitled, and subsequently gave it to the Press, and even refused to confirm to Parliament what the Press had already been told?

Mr. Brown

No, Sir, and I repeat that I think the hon. and gallant Gentleman had better talk to his own Front Bench about this before he goes on with the subject.

Mr. Stratton Mills

Does not the Deputy Prime Minister appreciate the constitutional significance of leaking to the Press unofficially, through an unnamed spokesman, matters relating to taxation? Will he say who in fact was responsible for the actual leak? Who was it who actually made it? Will he confirm that in fact it was none other than the Prime Minister himself?

Mr. Brown

There was no leak. [Horn. MEMBERS: "Oh."] Very well, if the Opposition want to challenge a convention that was in existence many Parliaments before we arrived here, let them do it. I wonder whether one of the alternative Leaders of the Opposition would like to get up and support his hon. Friends.

Mr. Selwyn Lloyd

rose—

Hon. Members

Hear, hear.

Mr. Selwyn Lloyd

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is no wish on our side to challenge the confidential relationship between Press and Parliament, nor in this instance is there any criticism at all of the action of the Press? May I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman is aware that what seems to us to have been an abuse of this practice is to use that method of passing on particular information with the intention that it should be acted upon?

Mr. Brown

Will the right hon. and learned Gentleman, who was recently the Leader of the House, tell me what he used to do on a certain evening in the week?

Mr. Selwyn Lloyd

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that I can find no previous example where information with regard to taxation)—[Hors MEMBERS: "Oh."]—was passed on with the intention that action should be taken upon it?

Mr. Brown

Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that I could find many—[HoN. MEMBERS: "Answer."]—This is a matter for Parliament—[HoN. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."] If the right hon. and learned Gentleman and his hon. Friends want to play politics, O.K., but is he aware that I have many examples where he did exactly the same thing?