HC Deb 17 December 1973 vol 866 cc979-81
Mr. Skinner

You will recall, Mr. Speaker, that when I raised this matter at Question Time I mentioned a dinner in the City concerned with the raising of sufficient funds for those Members of Parliament who attend the Strasbourg Assembly.

I referred to an article in the Observer yesterday by Iain Murray on the plight of our Strasbourg MPs. He referred to the fact that 100 City bankers were guests at the Banqueting Hall in order to assist those Members. They were addressed by the Secretary of State for Defence, Lord Carrington. The article said: The burden of his message was that our men and women in the European Parliament were, what with one thing and another, finding it difficult to make ends meet"— notwithstanding the fact that they get £25 a day tax-free, with expenses on top— and their task would be greatly eased if the City could see its way clear to providing the odd £100,000 for each of the next four years. Perhaps the most important point, which should concern you, Mr. Speaker, is that the article went on to say: The explanation was that, because the Labour Party persists in its stubborn refusal to send MPs to Strasbourg, it would be both embarrassing and inexpedient for the Conservatives"— and, one assumes, the Liberals and the hon. and learned Member for Lincoln (Mr. Taverne) as well— to ask the House of Commons for cash, particularly at a time when the Government is trying to cut back on public expenditure. I am not moved to raise points about breaches of privilege when they concern individual Members, but I am concerned about breaches of privilege which affect the ability of an Opposition to carry out a policy that they believe right. Therefore, since £100,000 is sought to be raised from the City for people who attend Strasbourg, since they would be taking action as a result of the determination of Labour's policy, and since we are supposedly to debate a Companies Bill some time, although the Government seem rather loth to get around to it, which may well have more than an indirect effect on the City and its relationship not only with hon. Members with with people outside, I suggest that this article needs your close scrutiny, Mr. Speaker, and should be examined to ensure that what takes place between the City and those hon. Members who attended that dinner does not result in a breach of privilege.

Mr. Speaker

I think that the hon. Member said that he was relying on a report in a newspaper—

Mr. Skinner

I usually do.

Mr. Speaker

Will he bring it up? [Copy of newspaper handed in.] I am obliged to the hon. Member. I will rule in accordance with practice on his point tomorrow.

Mr. English

Further to that point of order. When you are ruling, Mr. Speaker, would you also take into consideration my related question, asked last Monday and not yet answered, as to why, apparently, the Civil Aviation Authority is operating a special plane at a rate lower than it licenses—

Mr. Speaker

Order. I do not detect any question of privilege in that matter.