HC Deb 18 May 1965 vol 712 cc1208-11

The following Question stood upon the Order Paper:

Q13. Mr. BRAINE

To ask the Prime Minister what official investigation has been carried out into the circumstances in which confidential Government papers were found in a public restaurant on 10th May; and whether he will make a statement.

The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Wilson)

With permission, I will now answer Question No. Q13.

Within minutes of this case coming to light all the facts were reported to me. And, as all the facts are known, no investigation is necessary.

Mr. Braine

While making all allowance for human error, would not the Prime Minister agree that this was a most unfortunate occurrence, coming so quickly after his lecture on security to the House last week? Why should there not be a full inquiry? Are we to take it from the right hon. Gentleman's reply that there is to be one law for his right hon. and hon. Friends and another for those engaged in Government business?

The Prime Minister

No, Sir. That is a rather unworthy remark of the hon. Gentleman. As all the facts are known to me, as I said, but may not be known to the House, perhaps I should say that in this case the documents were picked up by a gentleman—an officer and a gentleman. The House may wonder why it took so long for him to hand them over to the police. The fact is that he did not take them to the police. He took them to the Daily Express.

Mr. Shinwell

Would not my right hon. Friend agree that, instead of this episode being regarded as unfortunate, it was somewhat discreditable on the part of the person who found the document to fail to hand them over to the proprietor of the restaurant concerned? Is he aware that conduct of this kind is so discreditable that it ought to be repudiated by every decent person?

The Prime Minister

Of course the situation was unfortunate and my right hon. Friend immediately made a statement about it. What happened was that the documents, which were not, I may say, either secret or modern, although certainly classified, were picked up accidently by him with other papers when he went to have a debate with the right hon. Member for Enfield, West (Mr. Iain Macleod). Because there were people in the restaurant who were looking at these documents, my right hon. Friend, rightly or wrongly, put them out of their sight and forgot to pick them up again. That was the unfortunate part about it.

On the subject of the custodianship of official documents, care has been taken since then to make sure that documents are not placed about in offices so that they can be picked up in this way.

In answer to my right hon. Friend the Member for Easington (Mr. Shinwell), two years ago my right hon Friend the Paymaster-General came into possession of some highly sensitive information about security. Instead of taking it to the Daily Express, or any other newspaper, he took it immediately and secretly to the then Prime Minister and the Press knew nothing of this until all the facts were made available by the then Prime Minister three months later.

Mr. Braine

I was careful to preface my previous question by saying, "While making all allowance for human error" in cases like this. Is it not a fact that strict instructions are enjoined on Ministers when they take office about the handling of confidential Government papers in public places? Is it not also the case that but for my Question these facts would not have been elicited from the right hon. Gentleman? Is this not, therefore, a case for full investigation?

The Prime Minister

I do not know about the hon. Gentleman's Question. As I say, without waiting several months for the Prime Minister to make known even the very minimal facts in a case of this kind, as happened a year or two ago in another case, I had a full investigation that evening and had all the available facts, and now the House is in possession of them.

While I agree with what the hon. Gentleman said about human conduct, and while I have said that action has already been taken in that Department, as is general in others, to see that papers cannot be picked up in this way by accident, I still think that it is reprehensible for someone I assume to be one of the hon. Gentleman's supporters to regard this as a matter for talking to the Press for political purposes, as was clearly the case.

If hon. Members opposite ask why I think that it is reprehensible, all I can say is that on the experience of the case I mentioned, when my right hon. Friend took it to the then Prime Minister in secrecy and said nothing to the Press, our standards are different from theirs. That is all.

Mr. Braine

On a point of order. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the right hon. Gentleman's remarks, especially his latter remarks, I beg leave to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment.

Dame Irene Ward

On a point of order. Whatever the merits or demerits [Interruption.]

Mr. Speaker

Order. Let there be silence when I am being addressed on a point of order. I must be able to hear it.

Dame Irene Ward

Whatever the merits or demerits of the case may be, is it not rather unusual in this House to attack someone who is not able to defend himself?

Mr. Speaker

I have heard it done before, but it does not raise a point of order.