§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (LORD MOYNE)My Lords, the Motion which stands in my name on the Paper arises from a personal explanation which the noble Lord, Lord Strabolgi, made a fortnight ago, and by the courtesy of the noble Viscount, Lord 484 Samuel, who has the first Motion on the Paper, I am allowed to move my Resolution at the beginning of business. The House will remember that any action on the noble Lord's personal explanation was deferred to give us an opportunity of examining it in detail in the Official Report and also to look at precedents. No close precedent to the noble Lord's case was found in this House, but, as was evident when he made the statement, the story had a great resemblance to a matter which was raised in another place and which was the subject of a Select Committee on the Conduct of a Member. The Select Committee found that this member had a claim to participation in the realisation of Czech assets, and the Committee were satisfied that the promise to pay was given on the understanding that the member would render services in return. Such services included political speeches and pressure on Ministers of the Crown and Treasury officials. This statement was founded on the facts which were brought out in the inquiry, and the question arose whether your Lordships should be advised to set up an inquiry into the case which was disclosed to us by Lord Strabolgi.
It seems that there is a very considerable difference because, whereas the facts were in dispute in another place, here they have been disclosed to us by the noble Lord's own admission, and it would appear that we have enough of the facts in his admission to enable us to form an opinion. I feel sure that your Lordships will wish to affirm as strict a standard of conduct for the members of this House as was suggested in the conclusions of the Select Committee in another place and accepted by that House. Therefore we have followed the precedents in not attempting in the Resolution to define what is the proper standard of conduct, or to generalise from a particular case; but I have had the advantage of consulting the experience of the leaders of the other Parties in this House, and, as they approve of the terms of the Resolution which I have set on the Paper, I hope it may meet with your Lordships' general acceptance. I beg to move.
§ Moved to resolve, That this House, having heard the personal statement made by the Lord Strabolgi at its sitting on Wednesday, February 12, 1941, is of the opinion that it is not necessary to inquire further into the matters dealt with 485 in his statement; but regrets that having regard to the facts as presented in his own statement, he should have failed to observe that standard of conduct in matters of this nature which this House expects of its members.—(Lord Moyne.)
§ LORD ADDISONMy Lords, as the noble Lord has just told us, he brought me, with others, into consultation on this matter, and we have very carefully examined the case. I only rise to say that in the vital safeguarding of our Parliamentary institutions under the standards Parliament adopts and expects of its members, I concur in this suggestion.
§ VISCOUNT SAMUELMy Lords, the House will approach the unhappy incident that has occurred in a judicial spirit. The Leader of the House, after consultation with some: of us who are regarded as representative members, has put down the Resolution now before us, and I trust your Lordships will regard it as meeting the necessities of the case.
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.