§ Mr. PardoeWith permission, Mr. Speaker, I should like to make a personal explanation.
Following an exchange during the debate on the Third Reading of the Education (Scotland) Bill on 9th July this year and subsequent comment in The Guardian last Friday, there appears to be great doubt about my connection with the National Association of Schoolmasters.
At the end of last year I terminated my arrangement with the National Association of Schoolmasters whereby for about five years I had been one of the three parliamentary advisers to the association. This arrangement I have frequently declared in the House, and it was listed in the Parliamentary Liberal Party's register of Members of Parliament.
The association wished to maintain its political balance and asked whether it could contribute an equivalent sum of £400 to Liberal Party research facilities. For 1973 it has made a contribution of that amount to the Liberal Central Association, from which I have received no direct benefit—[Interruption.]
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. It is a longstanding convention of the House that a personal explanation is heard in silence.
§ Mr. SkinnerI was interrupted on such an occasion.
§ Mr. PardoeI am not, and never have been, paid to represent any organisation in this House.