HL Deb 26 June 1952 vol 177 cc465-6

3.38 p.m.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH RELATIONS (THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY)

My Lords, I hope the House will forgive me if I intervene for one moment on another topic. First of all, I should like to make my most sincere apologies to the noble and learned Earl, Lord Jowitt, and to the House for not being in the House when his private notice Question was asked, but I was detained by an official engagement; nor had I notice that the Question was going to be asked—and I do not complain. I should like to say at once that I shall be very glad to accede to the request of the Opposition that, following the statement of the Minister of Defence at about 3.30 p.m. on Tuesday next, a debate should take place on the situation in Korea.

I should not like it to be regarded as a precedent for all Government statements, nor, I imagine, would the Opposition themselves suggest that; for, as your Lordships all know, the strict rule of the House is that debates should take place on Motions. But I gave an assurance yesterday, and was very glad to give it, that we would always try to find time for topics of really urgent public interest, and this is certainly one of those. The Minister of Defence has already intimated to me that he will be very willing to answer this debate, by leave of the House. Indeed, I think he is probably the only person who could capably do so. I would suggest—though, of course, I wish in no way to curtail the rights of debate of the House—that this discussion on Korea should not be prolonged unduly, for as the House knows, we have already a great deal of business on the Order Paper, including two Bills the passage of which is urgently required.

3.40 p.m.

EARL JOWITT

My Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Marquess Leader of the House for what he has said. I agree that it is undesirable that the debate should be unduly prolonged. When I made the request earlier this afternoon I made it plain that I had given the noble Marquess no notice of it, and I make not the smallest complaint because, owing to his many public engagements, he was not able to be here.