§ 33. Mr. DalyellTo ask the Lord President of the Council if he will raise with the Select Committee on House of Commons (Services) the question of guidance to the Librarian on the purchase for the Library of books which are the subject of court injunctions; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. John Wakeham)No, Sir. I am satisfied that the Librarian has available to him any guidance he may wish to seek from the Library Sub-Committee of the Services Committee in carrying out his duties.
§ Mr. DalyellAs the whole point of slapping injunctions on Wright was not about the national security of our country, but about domestic politics and people bugging and burgling their way through London; and as the whole point of slapping an injunction on Cavendish was, again, not about national security but about the smears on Harold Wilson, on Ted Short and on the right hon. Member for Old Bexley and Sidcup (Mr. Heath), are not those additional reasons why the House of Commons should have injuncted books available and should not have to rely on hon. Members presenting them to the Library? The Library should have the ability to purchase them.
§ Mr. WakehamAcquisition of books for the Library is a matter for the Librarian and not the Government. The Librarian is responsible to you, Mr. Speaker, and ultimately to the House as a whole. I understand that the Librarian would not seek to purchase or borrow any hook that is the subject of a legal ban on sale or publication.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursIf the Librarian would not seek to purchase or borrow any book that was the subject of a ban, why was he willing to accept a copy of "Spycatcher" from me, with my compliments, and place it in the Library?
§ Mr. Wakeham1 understand that the Librarian was offered a copy by the hon. Gentleman and decided that the proper course was to make it available for reference to hon. Members only. He did that in view of the Government's declaration that, legal claims apart, they would not seek to prohibit the book's circulation or import into this country.
§ Mr. Alex CarlileDoes the right hon. Gentleman agree that when a book of considerable public interest is being debated on an almost daily basis, and can be bought across the counter in Camden Passage, for example—I saw it there a couple of weeks ago — it is nonsense that it should not be available in the Library?
§ Mr. WakehamI repeat that the acquisition of books for the Library is not a matter for the Government, but for the Librarian—and ultimately, for Mr. Speaker.
§ Mr. MarlowWill my right hon. Friend accept from me that many Conservative Members would find it deeply distasteful if such a book as "Spycatcher" were bought at public expense and placed in the Library of the House?
§ Mr. WakehamI recognise the strength of what my hon. Friend has said.
§ Mr. SkinnerIt seems to me that there is more freedom in the Library than under this Government,despite the fact that the Government—and the right hon. Gentleman—were elected on the basis of freedom. We never stopped hearing about it in 1979, 1983 and 1987. The Prime Minister rabbited on about freedom, yet the Government do not even have the guts to authorise a book being placed in the Library for everyone to read.
§ Mr. WakehamI do not think the hon. Gentleman could have been listening carefully. I said that it is not a question of the Government authorising anything.