§ Q5. Mr. Hamlingasked the Prime Minister if he will introduce legislation to end the practice of annual honours lists, in so far as they relate to honours for political services.
§ The Prime MinisterLegislation would not be necessary.
§ Mr. HamlingIs my right hon. Friend aware that the proliferation of political honours in recent years has brought the whole system into contempt and has detracted from the real work of many people who deserve and receive honours?
§ The Prime MinisterI think that there was a good deal of adverse comment, not least from the Liberal Party, last year and the year before about the lists year after year of baronetcies and knighthoods for Members of this House. There was a good deal of suspicion about the way in which this was linked to the activities of the Government Whips. While I do not see that it would be right to abolish the practice of annual honours in general, I can give my hon. Friend the assurance—[An HON. MEMBER: "What about Woodrow?"]—Wait and see. [Laughter.] I can certainly assure my hon. Friend that these lists will not be used for political purposes, so far as knighthoods and baronetcies for Members of this House are concerned.
With regard to the question which was shouted at me, I can certainly say—I do not think that this could be said by successive Patronage Secretaries on that side—that at no point since we came into office have any political honours been dangled in return for political behaviour.
§ Mr. Maxwell-HyslopHow is the statement which the right hon. Gentleman has just made rendered compatible with what 702 happened at Leyton, when political honours were awarded in order to make room for one of his right hon. Friends?
§ The Prime Minister rose—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. We got on to this through a fictional suggestion about a recommendation. The fact is that a discussion of individual honours would be out of order.
§ Mr. HeathDid the Prime Minister have to ask his own Patronage Secretary to stay away while he talks such nonsense so that he should not be contradicted? [Laughter.]
§ The Prime MinisterOver the next 13 years I will give the right hon. Member for Bexley (Mr. Heath) each year the opportunity of saying whether we have given a single knighthood or baronetcy in respect of votes in this House. I shall then invite him to tell us how many were given by him and his successors, from Suez onwards, under the previous Government.
§ Mr. ShinwellHas my right hon. Friend received any representations from the Leader of the Opposition about the desire of many of his hon. Friends to go to another place, and what has been his reaction?
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. I have had no such representations from the right hon. Gentleman. Perhaps it would not be right to say how many of his hon. Friends might have made representations.