COMPLAINT OF PRIVILEGE (Hansard, 13 October 1969)

§ Mr. Robert Maxwell
On a point of order. I wish to obtain your Ruling, Mr. Speaker, on a matter affecting the privileges of the House.
I draw attention to the Sunday Times Weekly Review, published yesterday, 12th October, and an article in it headed "Robert Maxwell" illustrated by a photograph of myself with Mr. and Mrs. Gaitskell and others, with the caption including the words "Maxwell the politician". In the most recent of many articles, for the first time my conduct as Chairman of the Catering Sub-Committee has been called into question.
45 In the sixth column of this two-page article, the Sunday Times suggests that I applied to the affairs of the Catering Sub-Committee the same malpractices which they allege I apply in business. I quote: Maxwell's success is achieved by applying a certain technique to one situation after another. The pattern can be observed in microcosm through one recent episode: the ballet of Robert Maxwell, caterer extraordinary to the House of Commons. You, Mr. Speaker, will find the language as colourful as I do. It displays all the classical movements in Maxwell's repertoire—the Amazing Leap from the Wings, with Loud Promises of Modern Efficiency; the Masterly Treatment of Accounts and the Rapid Disappearance, just before the audience starts to throw things. The sixth column on page 49 and the third column on page 50 bear the following meanings: that for reasons of self-aggrandisement I obtained from the Treasury a loan of £50,000,—I quote— But such marginal economies were not going to produce the profit Maxwell wanted. Help from the public purse was necessary for that, as Select Committee Reports show. The £61,000 overdraft was an embarrassment, and was costing £3,000 a year in bank charges. Maxwell persuaded the Treasury to lend the Refreshment Department £50,000 with the interest being met from money from the grant-in-aid, itself Treasury money. The article goes on to make allegations that I made unrealistic and inflated forecasts of profit, that I produced a false picture in the books of the Catering Sub-Committee by reducing stock, hurrying the collection of debts and delaying the payment of bills, that I included a false figure of £2,850 in the accounts of the Catering Sub-Committee, did not make sufficient provision for depreciation, made a major policy directive without the knowledge of the Committee and was forced to resign. I quote: There remained only the exit. Early this year, the other members of the Refreshment Committee found that a major policy directive had been issued entirely without their knowledge. The committee, it seems, were not amused. In April, 1969, Maxwell resigned. Although I have taken legal action necessary to protect my reputation in respect of the other articles about me which have appeared in the Sunday Times, the present article is in a different 46 category in that it attacks me in my capacity as a Member of this House, as Chairman of one of its Sub-Committees and as a member of its Select Committee on House of Commons Services. I have not yet sought to exercise my legal remedies with regard to this particular article, as I am advised that no redress could be obtained at law for many months due to the normal legal process and also in order that the matter should not become sub judice, which could possibly prevent me from asking this House to decide at the earliest moment on a matter which affects its privileges.
That part of the article which relates to the conduct of the affairs of the Catering Sub-Committee, in my view, constitutes a grave intrusion into the activities of its members and, in particular, of its Chairman in such a way that it might discourage other Members from accepting this or similar onerous duties in this House.
This is a matter to which I draw attention, Mr. Speaker. I ask you to say whether there is disclosed in this article a prima facie case of breach of privilege and to rule on the allegations in this article against myself as Chairman of the Catering Sub-Committee and as a member of the Select Committee on House of Commons Services.

§ Mr. Speaker
Will the lion. Gentleman hand in at the Table the newspaper of which he complains?

§ Mr. Speaker
The hon. Gentleman has complained to the House of certain paragraphs in an article in a Sunday newspaper yesterday and is asking the Chair to rule on whether such comments constitute a prima facie breach of privilege.
I will rule on that in the usual way in 24 hours' time.