HC Deb 19 November 1969 vol 791 cc1314-7
Mr. Speaker

Sir Frederick Bennett. To raise a point of order.

Sir F. Bennett

I should like to address you, Mr. Speaker, on a point of order of which I sought to give you slight private advance notice.

In the formal words of the Standing Order, I now beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No. 9 for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration, namely, the statement of the Argentine Government this morning that a joint statement would be made on Friday next, 21st November, by the Foreign Offices of both the British and Argentine Governments on the future of the Falkland Islands. I can address you briefly on this matter, Sir. I do not think that. I should need a great deal to justify what I am about to say. There is no doubt of the specific nature of what I have said, because it has been reported widely on the tape, and such inquiries as I have been able to make of Her Majesty's Foreign Office have not elicited any contradiction of this report.

Secondly, I do not think that I need emphasise the importance of what I have said not only to this country and its people, but, even more so, to the people of the Falkland Islands, who will, by now, have been thrown into a situation of considerable doubt and apprehension about their future, which cannot be resolved one way or the other unless Her Majesty's Government make a statement or you, Mr. Speaker, grant my plea, until at least after Friday of this week.

I may add that, apart from our interests and those of the Falkland Islands, in this case the whole question of self-determination, to which both sides of the House pay attention, should receive serious consideration today

Finally, I do not think that I need emphasise the urgency of what I have said. Had I waited until tomorrow I should have been too late under the Standing Order procedure. In view of the difference in timing that obtains in the Argentine and here, if the statement is made in the Argentine at other than the extraordinarily early hours of the morning, the House of Commons will have risen on Friday afternoon before a statement could be made here. In any case, I query the propriety by which an Argentine Minister is able to announce in advance to the people of the Argentine a joint decision tomorrow by the British and Argentine Governments about the future of a British Colony before this House is informed.

I hope that it will be understood that on this occasion in making this plea no party point is involved. There are many hon. Members on both sides who pay equally serious attention to the problem. I hope that we can all accept that. I am not making any criticism of what may well be a reasonable answer by the Government to what I have raised. I am seeking the earliest opportunity for the Government to clarify something which otherwise will have to remain unresolved in this House probably until Monday next.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Gentleman the Member for Torquay (Sir F. Bennett) was courteous enough to inform me this morning that he would seek to move the Adjournment of the House under Standing No. 9 on the issue which he has now raised in the House.

The hon. Gentleman asks leave to move the Adjournment of the House for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that he thinks should have urgent consideration, namely, the statement of the Argentine Government this morning that a joint statement would be made on Friday next, 21st November, by the Foreign Offices of the British and Argentine Governments on the future of the Falkland Islands. As the House knows, under Standing Order No. 9 I am directed to take into account the several factors set out in the order, but to give no reason for my decision. I have listened carefully to the hon. Gentleman and have given careful consideration to the representations that he has made, but I have to rule that his submission does not fall within the provisions of Standing Order No. 9. There- fore, I cannot submit his application to the House.

Mr. Braine

On a point of order. While not in any way questioning your Ruling, Mr. Speaker—

Hon. Members

Oh.

Mr. Speaker

Order. The hon. Gentleman is quite right. He cannot question my Ruling.

Mr. Braine

May I ask for your guidance concerning the real difficulty with which the House now finds itself confronted, Sir? First, it is surely without precedent that news of the joint statement concerning the future of British subjects in a British Colony should first reach the ears of Parliament by courtesy of a foreign Government and the diligence of a Press agency.

Secondly, since the joint statement is to be made on Friday and the House may have dispersed for the weekend before any opportunity is given to hon. Members on both sides to question the Foreign Secretary, is there any way that we can insist on the right hon. Gentleman making a statement by not later than Friday morning?

Mr. Speaker

The House has heard what the hon. Gentleman has said. Mr. Speaker can never comment on his reasons for not allowing an application under Standing Order No. 9.

Mr. Thorpe

Further to that point of order. We accept your Ruling, Mr. Speaker, but could you assist the House in what now becomes a somewhat difficult procedural matter? If any hon. Member was minded to put down a Private Notice Question tomorrow on this matter, it could be that because the matter has already been raised in some shape or form he would be precluded from putting down such a Question. Therefore, hon. Members would, in that context, be at a disadvantage. Would it be in order to ask whether the Leader of the House, as he is here, could resolve these difficulties by stating whether the Foreign Secretary will make a statement tomorrow?

Mr. Speaker

I cannot answer on the part relating to Private Notice Questions. I decide the Private Notice Question when I receive it. I cannot pre-empt my tomorrow's decision. The Government will have heard what the right hon. Gentleman said.

Mr. Shinwell

Further to that point of order. Following what the right hon. Member for Devon, North (Mr. Thorpe) has suggested, would it not be possible for the Government to make a statement on the matter tomorrow and avoid any further trouble?

Mr. Speaker

Order. In Parliament everything is possible.

Mr. Heath

Further to that point of order. May I appeal to the Leader of the House, in this situation, to look into this again, in view of the great importance of the subject at issue, which is accepted by both sides of the House, as the right hon. Gentleman has just said, to see whether the Foreign Secretary could advance this matter with the Argentine Government and make a statement tomorrow which could be synchronised in both countries?

The Lord President of the Council arid Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. Fred Peart)

In view of the representations which have been made, through points of order or otherwise, I will certainly consult and make representations to my right hon. Friend.