§ LORD HAVERSHAMMy Lords, should like to ask the noble Marquess the Leader of the House whether there is any intention on the part of His Majesty's Ministers to make a statement on foreign affairs, particularly on the subject of the Balkans, similar to that which I understand is to be made in the House of Commons on Thursday next by Sir Edward Grey.
THE MARQUESS OF CREWEMy Lords, in these matters we are, of course, greatly in the hands of the House. As a general rule it is felt that where a statement is made in one House in ordinary times it is due to the other House that a similar statement should be made there; but I confess I do not feel certain that in a matter of this kind there is any very great advantage in duplicating a statement on foreign affairs. My noble friend (Lord Lansdowne) and I naturally cannot speak with precisely the same first-hand knowledge of the Foreign Office that the Foreign Secretary in another place possesses. It is possible, of course, for us to ascertain the lines on which the statement is to be made and endeavour so far as possible to say precisely the same thing in other words, but whether the House or the public profit greatly by duplication of that kind I take some leave to doubt. As a matter of personal recommendation, I should recommend any noble friend of mine to attend the Gallery which the House of Commons is good enough to set apart for us in order to hear the statement at first hand. But, as I say, we are greatly in the hands of the House in this matter.
§ VISCOUNT MORLEYMy Lords, I would like to put it to my noble friend that this is surely reducing our system to single-Chamber government. Here is, by general admission, a most important and a remarkable occasion. The Foreign Secretary has told the other House that he will make a full statement there on Thursday. What is this house for if, on occasions of this enormous importance, our opinion is not to be in any way consulted and if none of us are to have an opportunity of saying whether we agree with the view of His Majesty's Government or whether we do not? I submit that my noble friend is going rather far.
§ THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNEMy Lords, I should be inclined to agree with what has just been said by the noble 1039 Viscount on the Cross Benches if it could be reasonably inferred from the statement of the Leader of the House that there was any desire on our part to deprive your Lordships of an opportunity of discussing the position in the Balkans or in any other part of the world. I understand that the Foreign Secretary on Thursday will give to the House of Commons some account of the actual position in regard to affairs in the Balkans. That announcement will be public property, and it will be open to any of yew Lordships after it has been made to call attention to the matter and to provoke discussion here. But I see some practical inconvenience in an attempt on the part of Ministers to duplicate the same statement ill both Houses of Parliament. Unless I am mistaken, a few days ago my noble friend (Lord Crewe) made a statement with regard to a question of foreign policy which had already been dealt with or was being dealt with at the same time in the other House by the Secretary of State. What was the result? The two statements were collated and compared, and I observed newspaper comments which fastened upon minute differences between the language of my noble friend and the language of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and all sorts of fanciful theories were constructed upon that basis. I confess that in a case of this kind I should have thought it desirable in the public interest that the authoritative statement should be made by the only person who can make it, and that is the Minister responsible for the Department.
§ VISCOUNT MORLEYI have no wish to raise a discussion, but I would point out to the noble Marquess that great stress has always been laid upon the importance of any step in foreign policy being made subject to Parliament. Without the least desire to say anything indiscreet, I would remark that the decision of the Government as to the course to be taken might be affected by the opinion of the two Houses of Parliament, and things might be said here which might be useful to the Government as showing the mind of some of us.
THE MARQUESS OF CREWEAfter the expression of opinion which has fallen from my noble friend on the Cross Benches, the noble Marquess (Lord Lansdowne) and I will take the opportunity of discussing the question with the Foreign Secretary. It occurs to me that it would be at least 1040 equally convenient, as my noble friends on the Cross Bench appear to desire that a debate should take place, that the debate should be opened on a Motion by some other noble Lord, and the Government can then take part in it. But we hold the objection which my noble friend behind me described to any attempt at a duplicated statement, which is certain to be taken hold of in the way that he suggested by those who desire to trace some possible difference of opinion or at any rate difference of method between members of the Government. But, as I have said, we will speak to my right hon. friend on the subject and take an opportunity of letting my noble friend know what decision is arrived at.
§ THE EARL OF CROMERAs regards the noble Marquess's remark that we might go to the Peers' Gallery in the House of Commons, I would point out to him that the space there is very limited indeed, and, moreover, when you get there it is very difficult to hear. I think that is rather a practical objection.
§ LORD COURTNEY OF PENWITHMy Lords, I should like to add a word with reference to the noble Marquess's suggestion that we should go to the Peers' Gallery of the House of Commons and hear the statement by the Foreign Secretary at first hand. I recognise the inconvenience of a duplicated statement where the duplication cannot be made on the same authority, but I would point out to the noble Marquess that the suggestion which he made involves the possibility of a still further inconvenience. We might go to the Peers' Gallery in the House of Commons and hear the Foreign Minister's statement under the difficulties referred to by my noble friend beside me and we might come here afterwards and ask a Question—without any statement on the part of Ministers here—on the basis of a partly-heard statement in the other House. Inasmuch as our sittings open an hour and a-half later than the sittings of the other House, that would be possible. But I venture to think it would produce inconvenience even greater than that of the risk of a possible misunderstanding between two statements made in the two Houses—a risk, considering the facilities on the part of Ministers of conferring together before the statements are made, which is, I must say, one of very slight importance.
§ LORD ST. DAVIDSI should like to ask the noble Marquess the Leader of the House whether, in the event of his deciding in the public interest to make a statement in this House, he can give us any indication on what day he will make it.
THE MARQUESS OF CREWEThe original Question asked by my noble friend behind me (Lord Haversham) was directed to a statement being made in your Lordships' House as nearly as possible simultaneously with that in the other House. I quite understand that if a statement is to be made here it is expected that 1042 it should be made on Thursday, and if one is to be made at all I am quite as willing to make it on Thursday as on any other day.