§ Mr. Harold WilsonOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I hope that you will rule that this is a point of order, because it arises out of the statement you made from the Chair yesterday afternoon. You then informed the House that you had been invited by the Prime Minister to preside over a conference, Mr. Speaker's Conference, to deal with matters affecting electoral law.
Whatever may have happened—and I do not think that anyone intended to be discourteous or in any way at fault—there must have been a slip-up through one or other channel, usual or unusual. But the statement was made yesterday, and the Opposition had been given no notice that it was to be made, nor had we had any chance for collective consideration of the proposed terms of reference. My hon. Friend the Member for Hitchin (Mrs. Shirley Williams) had been taken into consultation on the matter by the Home Secretary, and had expressed some opinions and conducted some consultation, but it was only at the end of last week that she heard what the proposed terms of reference were. We had not had time to consider them.
In those circumstances, I think that it would be unfortunate if the House were to feel itself committed by the statement of the terms of reference that was placed in your hands, Mr. Speaker, as a result of the Government's initiative. While I personally would see no objection to arrangements going ahead for the work of the conference, which presumably will not be next week, or until our return, I hope that the exact wording of the terms of reference can be left in abeyance so that there can be discussions not merely through the usual channels 975 between the two major parties but in a way in which other hon. Members on both sides can express their views about the matter, and so that we can go forward to Mr. Speaker's Conference, under your chairmanship, with the highest possible measure of agreement.
§ The Secretary of State for the Home Department, Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. Robert Carr)I understand the spirit in which the right hon. Gentleman the Leader of the Opposition made his remarks, and his acknowledgement that my predecessor as Home Secretary had consultations with the hon. Member for Hitchin (Mrs. Shirley Williams). Certainly, it was not our wish that any apparent discourtesy should occur at the last moment. If I or any of my colleagues are in any way to blame, I should like to apologise. The proposals in the terms of reference contain not only all the matters we put forward but also all the additional matters which the hon. Lady put forward. All I can say on behalf of the Government is that—subject, of course, to your agreement, Mr. Speaker, and that of your conference—we should be very happy for any supplementary matters to be added to those terms of reference if that were thought desirable.
§ Mr. SpeakerProbably the fault is entirely mine, in that I made the statement too soon, without ascertaining that it had been agreed. I thought that it had been agreed between the two sides. Of course, I think that the terms of reference can be altered by agreement and I shall take into account what anyone may say about them. I was advised to make the statement as soon as possible so that consultations should take place about who might serve on the conference. It was thought desirable to do that while the House was still sitting. One promise I definitely make is that the conference will not meet next week.
§ Mr. WilsonWe had hoped that that was so, Mr. Speaker. For my part, and 976 speaking on behalf of my right hon. and hon. Friends, I see no objection to that kind of consultation going on. It is a question of the terms of reference. We need to consult a little further.
There is another matter, but not necessarily one for a ruling next week. Between now and the autumn consideration might be given to flashing the news of an important statement from the Chair around the House on the television screens, in the same way as other statements are now announced. Any tuppeny-ha'penny Minister of my party or any other party can be making a statement of more or less importance and have it announced, but some most important statements are made by the Chair and it might be convenient if the whole House had a chance to be given notice of them.
§ Mr. SpeakerWithout agreeing with the "tuppeny ha'penny" part of what the right hon. Gentleman said, I think that there is great force in his suggestion.