HC Deb 14 June 1977 vol 933 cc249-51
Dr. McDonald

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I wish to raise a matter of privilege. This matter relates to a circular published by the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children. Whereas I respect the right of that society to lobby Members of Parliament, this circular attempts to prevent hon. Members from voting in accordance with their consciences on the Standing Committee on the Abortion (Amendment) Bill, and it attempts to stir up hatred against individual named Members.

The circular says: "The Standing Committee in respect of the Abortion (Amendment) Bill has been established. Bill Benyon is delighted that it stands at nine to seven in our favour. The following MPs will be serving on it:

OUR SUPPORTERS: Mr. W. Benyon; Sir Bernard Braine; Mr. Alan Clark; Mr. Ian Campbell; Mrs. Winifred Ewing; Mrs. Jill Knight; Mr. Keith Stainton; Mr. Ivor Stanbrook; Mr. James White.

OUR ENEMIES: Mrs. Maureen Colquhoun; Dr. Oonagh McDonald; Mr. Roland Moyle; Miss Jo Richardson; Mrs. Renée Short: Sir George Sinclair; Mrs. Audrey Wise."

Note that it calls the opponents "enemies". The circular goes on: The Standing Committee will begin its sessions towards the end of June, probably June 22nd. Be sure that your MP is swamped with letters urging him to sign the Early Day Motion so that we can finish 'the job' (or, at least, so that Parliament can finish the job). Love to you all, Phyllis Bowman.

Mr. Speaker

Following recent practice, I shall give a decision tomorrow when I have had an opportunity to consider the matter in depth.

Mr. Rhodes James

Further to this point of privilege, Mr. Speaker. I wish to draw attention to a sentence on the same document that was not quoted by the hon. Member for Thurrock (Dr. McDonald), but that seems to me to be much more serious than the part she quoted. It relates to an Early-Day Motion that certain hon. Members have put down about this Bill. I shall not go into whether the Early-Day Motion contains any inaccuracies, but I must point out that, after urging people to write to their Members of Parliament calling on them to support the Early-Day Motion and urging announcements in churches asking people to write to their MPs, the circular says: Anybody who opposes the Early Day Motion is, in effect, preventing the true, democratic running of Parliament and is opposing freedom of speech. That is not only an inaccurate statement, but it gravely reflects on both the House and hon. Members. I should be grateful, Mr. Speaker, if, when considering the matter raised by the hon. Member for Thurrock, you would also take that statement into account.

Mr. Speaker

I shall, of course, take the whole document into account.