HC Deb 12 March 1973 vol 852 cc883-5
35. Mr. William Hamilton

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will now take steps to implement the recommendations of the Select Committee on Members' Interests (Declaration) of 4th December 1969; and what discussions he is having to ascertain the feasibility of establishing a compulsory public register of Members' outside financial interests.

The Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. James Prior)

I have nothing further to add at this stage to the Written Answer which I gave to my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Hertfordshire, East (Sir D. Walker-Smith) on 19th February. Discussions on this matter are continuing. [Vol. 851, c. 14.]

Mr. Hamilton

Will the right hon. Gentleman indicate when these discussions will be concluded? Will he, in the course of the discussions, direct his attention to the recent proposals put to the West German Parliament about a code of conduct for its members? Will he provide time for a debate on the report, which has now been before the House for nearly two-and-a-half years? The situation is extremely unsatisfactory. Hon. Members who have nothing to hide will not take objection to the compulsory public register for which I am asking.

Mr. Prior

I do not feel that the British Parliament will necessarily want to be guided by what other Parliaments are doing in making up its own mind on the issue, but of course I will consider what the German Parliament is doing. I think that it would be sensible now to proceed with the discussions that have been going on in both the Conservative and the Labour Parties and, I think, in the Liberal Party, and that they should be brought to a conclusion before much longer. I recognise that the hon. Gentleman is keen that the vast majority of hon. Members should be protected in the way he thinks necessary, and I am certain that a good many others share his concern. It would be for the convenience of the House if we could come to a decision on all this before very much longer.

Mr. William Clark

Does not my right hon. Friend agree that if this public register is introduced it should cover not only Members of Parliament but local councillors throughout the country?

Mr. Prior

That is a rather wider question, for which I am not certain I have responsibility. Certainly, I believe that the reputation of Parliament in this respect is extremely high and that the main purpose of any register would be to see that hon. Members were given proper protection against some of the imputations made against them.

Mr. Edelman

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider adding to this potential public register all those other lobbyists operating within the precincts of Parliament, including journalists?

Mr. Prior

That is a much wider question, and one which requires a good deal of consideration. Members of the Parliamentary Lobby have told me that they believe that they should be included in some such register. I think that we had better see how the consultations between Members of Parliament go before we proceed further on that course.

Sir G. Nabarro

Will my right hon. Friend also bear in mind that a wide variety of business and professional men in the House earn their living outside the House by a variety of professional means, and that they include notably, authors?

Mr. Prior

Yes. What is more, I think that the House would be very much the poorer place if they were not here.

Mr. Atkinson

During the consultations which the right hon. Gentleman has mentioned, will he seek to establish the principle that it is wrong for the Government to be able to practise their patronage by giving thousands of pounds to back benchers on both sides of the House and to use their influence in the appointment to Government-sponsored jobs, whereby many back benchers hold appointments and receive large amounts of money handed out by the Government? Will the right hon. Gentleman seek an opportunity to stop this practice?

Mr. Prior

The answer to that is a firm, "No". I also strongly reject the imputations in what the hon. Gentleman said.