HC Deb 29 April 1970 vol 800 cc1246-50
35. Mr. William Hamilton

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the names of those brewery companies which have contributed to political organisations since the Company Act, 1967 came into effect; and indicate the amount subscribed in each case.

Mr. Roy Mason

I am publishing in the OFFICIAL REPORT this information in respect of brewery companies with net assets exceeding £500,000 or profits exceeding £50,000.

Mr. Hamilton

Does my right hon. Friend not agree that Mr. Andrew Roth's latest edition of the Business Interests of Members of Parliament shows that at least 16 Tory Members of Parliament are either chairmen or directors of breweries? Does he not think that there is something sinister about the use of shareholders' money for party political purposes? Can he say how much of this money has gone to the Labour Party?

Mr. Mason

It is quite likely that Conservative Members of Parliament have played their part. The figures will show that in 1968 breweries gave £98,358. Apart from some hundreds of £s to Aims for Industry, Common Cause, the Economic League, etc., it went to the Tory Party.

Sir G. Nabarro

While declaring at once that I have no interest directly or indirectly in any brewery company as a non-bibulous character in beer, might I ask the Minister whether he is not departing from normal parliamentary practice in publishing the affairs of private companies—

Hon. Members

Public companies.

Sir G. Nabarro

—private companies and public companies, and whether he would not be more comprehensive in his publications by relating contributions to Labour Party funds by all trade unions, particularly sums contributed during this General Election year?

Mr. Mason

The hon. Gentleman is out of date. Trade unions have always released information about their contributions to the Labour Party. They have always been honest.

Sir G. Nabarro

So have the breweries.

Mr. Mason

Furthermore, the trade unionists have a chance to contract out if they so wish, in contrast to shareholders in private companies. Section 19 of the Companies Act, 1967, requires a company to show in its directors' report information about the political contributions made in the year covered by the report. Because of the Act companies must now come clean. These figures are public knowledge. We are just tabulating them for the information of the House.

Mr. Corfield

But the Minister knows very well that many political contributions made by trade unions come out of the general fund. [HoN. MEMBERS: " No."] I am willing to substantiate that with evidence. They can be made and do not have to be disclosed. The A.E.U., for example, contributes to the Labour Party Research Fund. If that is not a party political organisation, I do not know what is.

Mr. Mason

I am sorry that the hon. Gentleman is getting worked up because we are revealing the figures of what the Tory Party is really receiving. It is public knowledge that sums of any substance given by trade unions to the Labour Party have always been published.

Mr. Rose

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the analogy given by the Opposition is entirely unfair? In this case the consumer is contributing to Tory Party funds, because every time I drink a pint of beer I have to contribute to the Tory Party.

Mr. Mason

That is very interesting. No doubt my hon. Friend, who comes from the south, enjoys Watney Mann's beer. That company has been a main contributor to the Tory Party with £25,000 a year.

Mr. Kenneth Lewis

Is the Minister aware that at successive General Elections the Co-operative Society has heavily subsidised my opponent in my constituency? Will he persuade that society that it is throwing good money after bad?

Mr. Mason

It sounds to me to be a jolly good investment. Let us hope it pays off soon.

Later

Mr. Spriggs

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. An allegation has been made from the Front Bench opposite that trade union general funds are used for political purposes—

Mr. Heifer

It is untrue.

Mr. Spriggs

May I point out to right hon. and hon. Members on both sides of the House—

Mr. Heifer

It is a lie.

Mr. Spriggs

—that this allegation is completely untrue?

Mr. Speaker

Order. The practice is growing of raising points of argument as points of order.

Mr. Arthur Lewis

Further to that point of order—

Mr. Speaker

Order. I have just ruled that it is not a point of order.

Mr. Arthur Lewis

Then, on another point of order. Is it not a fact that if an hon. Member of this House deliberately accuses someone of knowingly breaking a law, that is a serious offence? The hon. Member for Gloucestershire, South (Mr. Corfield) has said that the trade unions are breaking the law. May I remind him that they are not allowed by law to contribute from their general funds to any political party, and no trade union has done it or does it? Should not the hon. Gentleman withdraw, because he is accusing the trade unions of breaking the law?

Mr. Speaker

Order. That is not a point of order. It is a point of argument.

Mr. Corfield

Further to that point of order. As I have been referred to by the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Arthur Lewis), perhaps I might be allowed to make it clear that I was accusing hon. Gentlemen opposite of not knowing the law, not of being outside it.

Mr. Speaker

Order. We have a lot of work ahead.

Following is the information:

POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS BY BREWERY COMPANIES AS DISCLOSED IN RETURNS FILED WITH THE REGISTRAR OF COMPANIES.
1968 1969
£ £
Arthur Guinness, Son & Co. Ltd. 16,700 16,500
Associated British Maltsters 1,000 531
Boddingtons Breweries Ltd. 625 625
Cameron (J.W.) & Co. Ltd. 705 705
Higsons Brewery Ltd. Nil 124
Home Brewery Co. Ltd. 1,500 Nil
Hull Brewery Co. Ltd. 70 77
Mansfield Brewery Co. Ltd. 250 NA
Morland & Co. Ltd. 50 100
Brickwoods Ltd. 2,076 NA
Brown (Matthew) & Co. Ltd Nil 160
Marston, Thompson & Evershed Ltd 200 NA
Greene, King & Sons Ltd. 50 50
Shipstone (James) & Sons Ltd 250 NA
Scottish & Newcastle Breweries Ltd. 3,906 8,006
Vaux & Associated Breweries Ltd 1,323 1,110
Truman Hanbury Buxton & Co. Ltd 250 NA
Webster (Samuel) & Sons Ltd 100 NA
Whithread & Co. Ltd. 21,100 NA
Fuller, Smith & Turner Ltd. 655 NA
Thwaites (Daniel) & Co. Ltd 820 NA
Tollemache & Cobbold Breweries Ltd. 10 286
Watney Mann Ltd. 24,750 25,000
Greenall, Whitley & Co. Ltd 1,450 35
1968 1969
£ £
Davenport's C. B. & Brewery (Holdings) Ltd. 283 183
Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries Ltd. 97 68
Smiths (John) Tadcaster Brewery Co. Ltd. 344 226
Eldridge, Pope & Co. Ltd. 11 45
Bass-Charrington Ltd. 450 67
Courage Barclay & Simonds Ltd. 16,415 NA
McMullen & Sons Ltd. 100 104
Hardy's Kimberley Brewery Ltd 525 NA
Allied Breweries Ltd. 2,187 1,177
Devenish (J.A.) & Co. Ltd. 71 66
Hall & Woodhouse Ltd. 35 NA
98,358 55,245

NA= Not available as no report has yet been field with the Register of Companies for 1969.

A contribution is assigned to 1968 if made in the financial year of a company which ended in the period 6th April, 1968 to 5th April, 1969.