COMPLAINT OF PRIVILEGE (Hansard, 8 December 1972)

§ Mr. Carter

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I wish to raise with you a matter which I am led to believe gives rise to a breach of privilege, as it affects not only myself but all hon. Members of this House.

Yesterday afternoon, at approximately half-past five o'clock, I went into the main Lobby, where I was handed a green card. Having read it, I went out into the Lobby to meet the gentleman who had sent it in, a Mr. D. S. West. Mr. West then handed me this envelope and said "I have been instructed to give it to you". I opened it, and in it was a letter together with a writ served in the High Court of Justice, Queen's Bench Division, yesterday, between the St. Christopher Motorists Association Limited, plaintiffs, and myself, Alastair Hetherington, Editor of The Guardian, and The Guardian Newspapers Limited.

The writ goes on to say: We command you that within eight days after the service of this Writ on you, inclusive of the day of service, you do cause an appearance to be entered for you in the action at the suit of St. Christopher Motorists Association Limited, and take notice that in default of your so doing the Plaintiff may proceed therein, and judgment may be given in your absence. That is in the name of Quintin McGarel Baron Hailsham of St. Marylebone, Witness, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, the 7th day of December 1972. I should say, Mr. Speaker, that this writ arose out of an article in some copies of The Guardian of Thursday morning in which I had publicly stated that I had in my possession a dossier of information about this company, and which I intended to place in the hands of the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in order that he might consider, having invited me in parliamentary Questions some days previously to submit such information to 1798 him, the possibility of holding an inquiry into this company.

It seems to me that the writ is a clear attempt at intimidation, an attempt to prevent me from carrying out my public responsibilities as a Member of Parliament. The writ was served on me in this House, which I understand to be a gross breach of privilege. It is on those grounds, Mr. Speaker, that I ask you to rule.