Mr. Speaker's Ruling (House of Commons Crest) (Hansard, 7 May 1986)

§ Mr. Speaker
Earlier this afternoon the hon. Member for Northampton, North (Mr. Marlow) drew attention, on a point of order, to an alleged misuse of House stationery, in that a circular letter bearing the crowned portcullis had been sent out by the Leader of the Liberal party as a contribution to the current by-election campaigns. I undertook to examine any evidence which the hon. Member could produce in support of the allegation.
I have now looked at the letters in question and I find that they are headed not by a crowned portcullis, but by a version of the Royal Arms which was used for House of Commons stationery until recently, and associated with the words "House of Commons".
The regulations governing the use of House of Commons stationery make it quite clear that this stationery must not be used in connection with … the return of any person to public office. The application of these rules, which are approved by myself on the recommendations of the Services Committee, must, as the rules themselves say, rest on the good sense of individual Members. In this instance, I have to find that there has been a technical breach of the rules which no interpretation can gainsay. Does the right hon. Member, the Leader of the Liberal party, wish to say something?

§ Mr. David Steel (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale)
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. May I first express my surprise that, contrary to the well-established courtesies of this House, I was given no notice that this matter was to be raised on a point of order this afternoon, and again early this evening—[Interruption.] It is true.
Contrary to what I understand has been asserted, no House of Commons stationery has been used for the letter circulated to electors yesterday. It has been printed and accounted for as a normal election leaflet.
On the matter of the emblem printed in the top left-hand corner of the leaflet, I took advice before agreeing to that, as I was well aware that it was not permitted to reproduce our current portcullis letter heading. I regret the technical breach of our rules that has occurred as a result of that, and I shall ensure that it is not repeated.

§ Mr. Tony Marlow (Northampton, North)
Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. I regret that it was impossible to warn the right hon. Member for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (Mr. Steel) about my point of order, as I believe that he was not present in the House at the time. I have spoken to him subsequently and he told me that he did not mind anyway, so why he raises that matter on the Floor of the House mystifies me.
The right hon. Gentleman also said, and it is important, that there was an assertion that House of Commons stationery was being used. Nobody said that. The point of order that was raised, as the right hon. Gentleman can read 234 in Hansard tomorrow, was about the use of the logo. You have ruled on that Mr. Speaker, and we are supremely grateful.
There is a great problem with our elections. The transatlantic habit of hyping elections is becoming increasingly prevalent in the United Kingdom. We are used to the abuse of statistics in particular canvass returns.
We are grateful to you, Mr. Speaker, for preserving the rights and privileges of this House. Those who seek to join this House and to produce the rules of the country in which we live, should abide by the rules of this House. We are grateful.

§ Mr. Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield)
Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. I listened very carefully to your ruling. I was in the House earlier today when my hon. Friend the Member for Northampton, North (Mr. Marlow) raised the matter. In fact, it has been raised twice today.
I must ask you, Mr. Speaker, whether you consider the explanation given by the Leader of the Liberal party to be adequate as an apology to the House for what is clearly a gross abuse of the House.

§ Mr. Anthony Beaumont-Dark (Birmingham. Selly Oak)
It is a flagrant abuse of the House.

§ Mr. Winterton
I say with all sincerity that I am not trying to score points off the right hon. Member for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (Mr. Steele). However, there is clearly on a piece of paper the words "House of Commons", together with the old logo of the House of Commons which is still available to hon. Members—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I have already dealt with that matter. The hon. Gentleman need not protest about the use of that.
I can clearly answer the hon. Gentleman's initial question. I think that what was said by the right hon. Member for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale was entirely appropriate. He has apologised for the technical breach of the rules governing stationery.

§ Mr. Winterton
Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. May I suggest that the words that I heard from the Leader of the Liberal party constituted a grudging apology, if it can even be considered an apology?
Will you, Mr. Speaker, give guidance to all Members of this House that in no circumstances, on any future occasion, is the logo of the House of Commons to be used in the build-up either to a general election or to a by-election, and that if it happens you will take the appropriate steps?
I say to you, Mr. Speaker, that it might well be that, because of the political climate in this country at the present, that particular circular might have an important effect on the outcome of a by-election. If that is the case, it will be a grotesque abuse of this place and of our democratic principles.

Several Hon. Members
rose—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. Let me deal with one point of order at a time.

§ Mr. Beaumont-Dark
Can I ask you a simple question, Mr. Speaker?

§ Mr. Speaker
No.

§ Mr. Beaumont-Dark
rose—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I am on my feet. I shall deal with one point of order at a time.
I do not think that it will be an enormous revelation to the electors of West Derbyshire that the right hon. Member for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale is a Member of the House of Commons. I do not think that what he has done will have any effect upon the by-election.

Several Hon. Members
rose—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order.

§ Mr. Beaumont-Dark
On a point of order—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I have already ruled on the use of the stationery. I do not need to say any more about that.

§ Mr. Ivan Lawrence (Burton)
On a point of order—

§ Mr. Bowen Wells (Hertford and Stortford)
May I make a serious point of order, Mr. Speaker?

§ Mr. Speaker
No, I shall first take the point of order of the hon. and learned Member for Burton (Mr. Lawrence).

§ Mr. Lawrence
I am most grateful, Mr. Speaker. You dealt with the question of the abuse of the House by the use of the logo. Can you deal also with the question of the dignity of the House, which you are here to protect? I know that you do so with great care. The matter arises because of the text which is associated with the logo. The words are so absurd and fatuous that the effect of having the logo on the letter is to hold the House of Commons up to disrepute. May I refer you to some of the words?

§ Mr. Speaker
No, I shall not allow the hon. and learned Member to do so. If he is alleging that there is anything in the letter which is a breach of privilege, he must raise the matter in the usual way. I do not think that we should deal with the contents of a letter. I am only concerned with the use of the logo. I am not concerned with what is in the letter.

§ Mr. Lawrence
I am extremely grateful, Mr. Speaker. May I use this opportunity to correct what may be a profound disservice which I have done to the Leader of the Liberal party, the right hon. Member for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (Mr. Steel)?. It was not my fault, but when I raised the matter last I was cut off in mid-sentence by Mr. Deputy Speaker Armstrong. It is only fair to the House and to the Leader of the Liberal party to complete the sentence.
I made the point that the text was so ridiculous as to bring the House of Commons into disrepute by the use of the logo. Hansard has recorded that the text which is associated with the logo of the House of Commons states: We have reached a crucial point in our history in Britain. Are we going to pull ourselves". It was at that moment that I was cut off, and that is how Hansard reads. However ludicrous the letter, I am sure that it was not that ludicrous. Perhaps I can complete that sentence so that I do no disservice to the Leader of the Liberal party. The sentence was: Are we going to pull ourselves together and face the future with confidence? As I have said before, it was a sentence so banal as to bring the reputation of the House into disrepute. I call upon you, 236 Mr. Speaker, to make some observation about that reputation, because you are here to protect the interests of hon. Members and of Back Benchers in particular.

§ Mr. Bowen Wells
I draw your attention, Mr. Speaker, to the statement by the Leader of the Liberal party that he had taken serious advice before using the House of Commons logo—admittedly, the old-fashioned logo. The right hon. Gentleman took advice and deliberately used the logo, in a calculated way, to influence the electors to whom he was writing. That is not a technical breach; it is a deliberate act by the Liberal party to use the right hon. Gentleman's position in the House to influence the electors of West Derbyshire.

§ Mr. Speaker
I think that I can deal with the matter. The right hon. Member for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale did not take advice from me, so I can only assume that the advice he took turned out to be incorrect.

§ Mr. Beaumont-Dark
Mr. Speaker—

§ Mr. Speaker
I do not think that we need—

§ Mr. Beaumont-Dark
But, Mr. Speaker—

§ Mr. Speaker
Well, if it is a serious contribution—

§ Mr. Beaumont-Dark
Perish the thought that it should not be a serious point, Mr. Speaker. You gave an excellent ruling, Sir, for which we are, as ever, eternally grateful, but you did not say what the outcome should be. The letter contained the words "The right hon. David Steel MP", not "the Leader of the Liberal party". The implication was that the words "The right hon. David Steel MP" added a greater emphasis to being a distinguished Member of the House.
What will be your ruling, Mr. Speaker? Should the letter be withdrawn so that there is never any taint on the reputation of the House? I know that the right hon. Member for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (Mr. Steel) did not want to take unfair advantage, but the letter should be withdrawn. Will the "right honourable MP" send his people around to get the letter out of the feeble grasp of those people, or will you, Mr. Speaker, let this grave injustice go unheard and unchanged?

§ Mr. David Penhaligon (Truro)
rose—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. Is it going to be helpful?

§ Mr. Penhaligon
All hon. Members are of course aware that, the moment a Member reaches the Chair, he readhes a point of absolute political neutrality. I am sure that we would all pay due homage to you for having achieved that, Mr. Speaker. Will you draw your own conclusions from the past 15 or 20 minutes and discover whether Ladbroke or William Hill is still open and apply a pound in the right direction, because I am sure that you would make money?

§ Mr. Speaker
I shall not be tempted. May I just say to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Mr. Beaumont-Dark) that the right hon. Member for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (Mr. Steel) is a right honourable Member. He has every right to use that high and honourable title.