§ Mr. Gavin Strang (Edinburgh, East)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 proposal to use public money to pay an American-owned advertising agency to mount a campaign promoting their policy on nuclear weapons".The matter is specific, Mr. Speaker, because over the weekend Government spokesmen have admitted that they are discussing such a scheme with J. Walter Thompson, an American advertising agency. The scheme will involve advertisements in the press and on radio and television. The Lord President confirmed the existence of such a proposal this afternoon.There are many who will find it offensive that the Government's nuclear weapons policy should be promoted as if it were Pepsi-Cola. The matter is important because it relates to the momentous decision to deploy American cruise missiles in Britain by the end of the year. Secondly, it involves the use of public money for political propaganda on an issue that will be central to the forthcoming general election.
The Government are losing the argument on cruise and Trident, and it will be a constitutional outrage if public money were used to soft-sell the deployment of weapons of mass destruction that are opposed by the majority of the people.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Member for Edinburgh, East (Mr. Strang) gave me notice before 12 noon today that he would seek leave to make an application under Standing Order No. 9 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, 24
the Government's proposal to use public money to pay an American-owned advertising agency to mount a campaign promoting their policy on nuclear weapons".The House will have listened to the exchanges this afternoon before the hon. Gentleman made his application as well as the statement that he made. I have listened carefully to what the hon. Gentleman said but I must rule that his submission does not fall within the provisions of the Standing Order. Therefore, I cannot submit his application to the House.
§ Later—
§ Mr. Bob Cryer (Keighley)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. My point of order concerns the Government spending money on political propaganda against the peace movement. I am not trying to question your judgment about the application by my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, East (Mr. Strang) to move the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No. 9. Under the Exchequer and Audit Departments Act 1866 the permanent secretary to the Department has the right to minute the Secretary of State if he feels that a political decision about expenditure of which he does not approve is being taken. In the ordinary course of the business of the House, such a decision, although it would eventually filter its way through to the House because it is reported to the Comptroller and Auditor General and thence to the Public Accounts Committee, would not, because it is an internal decision of government, be subject to questioning.
Can you, Mr. Speaker, examine the general position regarding minutes by permanent secretaries about this and other matters, as it is important to enable the House to judge better the view of a permanent secretary about this type of political expenditure?
§ Mr. SpeakerI am obliged to the hon. Member for Keighley (Mr. Cryer). He will understand that it is not for me to find out what permanent secretaries are doing. There are other ways in which the hon. Gentleman and his hon. Friends can pursue the matter.