HC Deb 14 January 1964 vol 687 cc26-9
Q1. Mr. Pavitt

asked the Prime Minister if he will give instructions to ensure that replies to Parliamentary Questions are not released to the Press for publication until after they have been announced in this House.

The Prime Minister (Sir Alec Douglas-Home)

Replies to Parliamentary Questions are not released to the Press for publication until after they have been delivered.

Mr. Pavitt

Has the Prime Minister informed himself of the circumstances leading to the publication in the Evening Standard of 29th November of the reply subsequently given to me in the House on 9th December? Has he informed himself also of the disquiet and dissatisfaction in the House last Session about the way in which Ministers were dealing with Questions, and will he look at the matter again with a view, perhaps, to having my particular case taken up by the Select Committee on Procedure?

The Prime Minister

No, Sir; I have looked into this particular case and I am quite satisfied that there is nothing in the hon. Gentleman's charge.

Mr. Pavitt

Is the Prime Minister aware that in this matter it appears that he is judge and jury in his own case? Would it not be fairer to put it before the Select Committee on Procedure?

The Prime Minister

I do not think so. I think that the House at large is satisfied—[Hon. Members: "No."]—that replies to Parliamentary Questions are not, as I said in my original Answer, released to the Press for publication until after they have been delivered.

Q2. Mr. Wigg

asked the Prime Minister whether he will issue an instruction that Questions put to Ministers in relation to their personal responsibility for action taken by them in a Ministerial capacity shall not be transferred to another Minister on the ground that Departmental responsibility remains unchanged.

The Prime Minister

No, Sir.

Mr. Wigg

Does the Prime Minister recall that I have given him notice of the particular instance to which the Question refers, namely, the action of the right hon. Gentleman the Minister of Aviation who, when a Question was put to him, held on to it for a week, then transferred it to the Secretary of State for Air, and then, on 20th December, said that his action in answering the Question would set a precedent but, in fact, the same morning answered it? Is the Prime Minister aware that the Question involved the veracity and the personal honour of the Minister of Aviation, and should not he, therefore, have answered it in the first instance?

The Prime Minister

If I understand him, the hon. Gentleman is advancing a general proposition in his question, and I do not think that that proposition is in accordance with the practice of the House. To expect ex-Ministers to answer Parliamentary Questions when they no longer have Ministerial responsibility for the subjects would be to introduce into our procedure something quite alien to it.

Mr. Wigg

Does the Prime Minister realise that, if the Question concerned an ex-Minister who had left the Administration, the matter would not arise; but, as the right hon. Gentleman is still a member of the Administration and his veracity is involved, as is, indeed, the action of the Minister of Defence, it is not in the public interest only right that the Minister should tell the House of Commons, having misled it in the first instance, what the actual truth is?

The Prime Minister

I go back to the point that the hon. Gentleman is proposing something which is really unacceptable. I take, for instance, the position of the present Foreign Secretary, who has held a lot of offices. My right hon. Friend cannot now be asked Questions about matters which were his concern when he was Home Secretary. To come to the particular case, my right hon. Friend the Minister of Aviation came to the House and made a personal statement because he thought that his honour was impugned, and I think that this is surely the right way to deal with the matter.

Mr. Wigg

Is the Prime Minister aware that the Minister did not come and make a personal statement? Threatened with a Motion to set up a Select Committee to inquire into his action, he then came here and made a statement, which is something very different.

The Prime Minister

The hon. Gentleman is being a little ungenerous. The Minister did come to the House and he made a full explanation.