HC Deb 23 May 1973 vol 857 cc472-3
Mr. Wellbeloved

I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House, under Standing Order No. 9, for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration, namely, The security arrangements at the Ministry of Defence. I apologise to you, Mr. Speaker, for the late notice which I gave you about this matter. It has only just reached my ears that the Prime Minister, as head of security, did not intend to make a statement to the House today. I submit that this is a matter of definite importance as there are allegations circulating both in the national and international Press about matters which have occurred twice in a decade as far as this nation is concerned.

Further, it is a matter of importance because any delay in the Prime Minister making a statement to the House will invite speculation and will arouse in untutored minds perhaps unfounded fears that the delay has a sinister motive in allowing a cover-up to be prepared.

Unless a debate takes place tomorrow under Standing Order No. 9 there will not be adequate opportunity for this important matter of national importance to be debated by the House. Even if a statement were made tomorrow by the Prime Minister, there would not be adequate time for the House to debate any terms of reference for any judicial inquiry which seemed to many people to be imperative. Many people consider that it is imperative that such an inquiry should be set up.

I again apologise to you, Mr. Speaker, for the lateness of the notice which I gave you, but the matter is of grave national importance. I urge that the House be given time to debate it before the Whitsun Recess.

Mr. Speaker

I think that I should explain to the House the reason why I have taken this application now. I have had cast upon me the burden of presiding at the Conference on Electoral Law. That has slightly altered the time for which I can be in the Chair, because it is a fairly onerous task, and it involves my leaving the Chair rather earlier on a Wednesday. But I thought it right that I should deal with this application myself.

Under the Standing Order, notice must be given by 12 noon. Notice was not given by then, but was given just before the hon. Gentleman raised the matter. The only other information I have about the matter is that the Prime Minister intends to make a statement tomorrow. In the circumstances, I have no hesitation in making my decision. I will not grant the application.

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

Further to that point of order. [HON. MEMBERS: "It was not a point of order."] In that case, on a fresh point of order. I should like to inform the House that my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister expects to make a statement tomorrow afternoon on matters arising from recent reports in the Press.