HC Deb 24 June 1976 vol 913 cc1840-1
Mr. Peyton

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 Government's refusal to promise even an interim statement next week on the progress made by Sir Douglas Allen's inquiry into the leakage of Cabinet papers. It is quite unnecessary for me to rehearse at any length the facts of the situation. I would only remind the House that just now, when I put to the Leader of the House what he himself described as a modest request for the promise of a statement by next Thursday at the latest—in other words, within two weeks of the Prime Minister's statement setting up the inquiry—the best he could say was that the Government would consider the possibility of making a statement.

The House has been patient. All that we have to go on at the moment is a series of Press reports which indicate leisurely progress in what is an urgent and important matter. Therefore I hope, Mr. Speaker, that you will give me the leave for which I respectfully ask.

Mr. Speaker

The right hon. Member has asked leave to move the Adjournment of the House for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that he thinks should have urgent consideration, namely, the Government's refusal to promise even an interim statement next week on the progress made by Sir Douglas Allen's inquiry into the leakage of Cabinet papers. I have listened very carefully to the arguments. I am satisfied that the matter raised by the right hon. Member is proper to be discussed under Standing Order No. 9.

Has the right hon. Gentleman the leave of the House?

The leave of the House having been given—

Mr. Speaker

The motion for the Adjournment of the House will now stand over until the commencement of public business on Monday next week, when a debate on the matter will take place for three hours.

The motion stood over under Standing Order No. 9 (Adjournment on specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration) until the commencement of public business on Monday next.