§ Mr. SpeakerMr. Eyre—to raise a point of order.
§ Mr. EyreOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. At Prime Minister's Questions last Thursday, my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Withington (Mr. Silvester) raised the question of the distribution of leaflets to schoolchildren urging them to become members of the National Union of School Students and, to those who replied, further giving them information as to how disruptive activities should be carried on in schools. Although my hon. Friend's question included reference to the National Front as well as the Young Socialists, the Prime Minister declined to answer on the ground that the activities of the Young Socialists did not give rise to ministerial responsibility. The Prime Minister added that it would be wrong of him to use the Dispatch Box to make comments about party matters.
Left-wing activists in Birmingham, including the Young Socialists, are similarly working hard to distribute these leaflets and to encourage disruptive activity of this kind, and I wish to put a Question to the Prime Minister on 2nd May on this issue. In my submission, it is the nature of the activity rather than the agencies by which it is pursued that gives rise to ministerial responsibility, and these activities have widespread and serious consequences for society as a whole.
In these circumstances, Mr. Speaker, I ask you to give me guidance as to the manner in which ministerial responsibility, including Prime Ministerial responsibility, can arise in matters of this kind.
§ Mr. SpeakerFirst, perhaps I may say that the hon. Gentleman had sought to raise this point of order yesterday. I 255 have apologised privately to him for the fact that I overlooked calling him and moved on to other business.
When the hon. Member for Manchester, Withington (Mr. Silvester) asked the Prime Minister on Thursday last to consider the damage done by the distribution to schools of 100,000 leaflets by the Young Socialists, the Prime Minister replied that he had no official responsibility. This reply accords with the long-standing position that Ministers are not answerable to the House for party matters. There is, however, undoubted ministerial responsibility for what happens in schools. It would be open to the hon. Member to question the responsible Minister, for example, about the rules governing the reception and distribution of political leaflets in schools.
§ Mr. HefferFurther to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. In view of the fact that the matter has now been raised in the House by the hon. Member for Birmingham, Hall Green (Mr Eyre), and in view of the fact that the Prime Minister was quite right to say that there was no ministerial responsibility will you give a ruling on the question, Mr. Speaker, because in fact the position is that the Young Socialists' leaflet pointed out only that there was a National Union of School Students affiliated to the National Union of Students? The former has two full-time organisers under the aegis of the National Union of Students. All that she Young Socialists did in their leaflet was to point out that anyone who wished to associate himself with that union could do so, and that is all, Mr. Speaker. On that basis, is it not quite wrong that hon. Members should take advantage of the House in order to raise extraneous matters that are political questions for parties and not matters for the House?
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I have made it clear that the responsible Minister may be questioned in the House about what happens in schools.
§ Mr. Eldon GriffithsFurther to that point of order, Mr. Speaker I think that you have made it clear now that, in spite of the Prime Minister's view, it will be possible for hon. Members to pit down Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Science about matters 256 arising in the schools. I should like to put this further point to you, Mr. Speaker Since the content of those leaflets in some respects was an incitement to public disorder—
§ Mr. HefferRubbish!
§ Mr. Griffiths—there is a question whether the police service may be involved in dealing with those problems of public order. May I ask you, Mr. Speaker, to rule also that it is proper to put down Questions to the Home Secretary as a result of matters arising from the leaflets referred to by my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Hall Green (Mr. Eyre)?
§ Mr. Hefferrose—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I have made the position perfectly clear. The Secretary of State for Education and Science can be questioned about what happens in schools. If the hon. Gentleman can get any Question past the Table Office, I shall wish him the best of luck. But it is not for me to say offhand which Questions can be addressed. I have given a ruling on the important issue.
§ Mr. HefferFurther to that point of order, Mr. Speaker.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I hope that both sides will not try to argue the matter out. I understand the strong feelings of the hon. Member for Liverpool, Walton (Mr. Heffer) on the question. If he has a real point of order for me to answer, I shall, of course, gladly answer it.
§ Mr. HefferFurther to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. We really ought to have protection from statements made that the leaflet—[Interruption.]
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. There is no need for the temperature to rise over this question. I have given a ruling, and I think that both sides had now better take time to digest it.
§ Mr. Hefferrose—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I hope that the hon. Member for Walton will not pursue the matter. I know that he feels that an injustice is done by the charges made about the content of the leaflets. But I have not seen one of them. I cannot comment on it. I have only said that hon. 257 Members may ask Questions of the Secretary of State for Education and Science.
§ Mr. HefferFurther to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. It may be that Opposition Members regard the matter as a bore, but the hon. Member for Bury St. Edmunds (Mr. Griffiths) made the statement that the leaflet was an incitement to public disorder. As you yourself said, Mr. Speaker, you have not seen the leaflet. In my view, 99.9 per cent. of Members of this House have not seen the leaflet. I have seen it.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. We shall be requiring leaflets here if we go on with this. The hon. Gentleman is making his point. He is making it fairly enough, and I hope that he will now come to a conclusion.
§ Mr. HefferThe point that I am making is that hon. Members are apparently allowed to rise in the House to say that certain statements are in fact incitements to public disorder, which is a grave charge. Therefore, if it is a grave charge, surely hon. Members who have actually read the leaflet have a right to say that it is not causing or likely to cause public disorder. Whatever defects there were in the leaflet it will not in fact do that. Unless the hon. Member for Bury St. Edmunds can produce the leaflet and let every hon. Member see it, I ask him to withdraw that statement. It is an absolute disgrace.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder.