HL Deb 23 November 1955 vol 194 cc772-3

3.55 p.m.

VISCOUNT WOOLTON

My Lords, with the permission of the House, I should like to repeat a statement about the appointment of a Conference of Privy Counsellors to consider security precautions, which has just been made by my right honourable friend the Prime Minister in another place. The Prime Minister said: I have discussed the matter with the right honourable gentleman the Leader of the Opposition and the Conference will now consist of the following Privy Counsellors:

  • My noble friend the Lord President of the Council;
  • My noble and learned friend the Lord Chancellor;
  • My right honourable and gallant friend the Home Secretary;
  • The noble and learned Earl, Lord Jowitt;
  • The right honourable gentlemen, the Member for Lewisham South and the Member for Vauxhall;
  • The Permanent Secretary to Her Majesty's Treasury.
The terms of reference for the Conference will be: 'To examine the security procedures now applied in the public services and to consider whether any further precautions are called for and should be taken'.

LORD BALFOUR OF INCHRYE

My Lords, while appreciating that this Report, by the very nature of the inquiry, must be secret and probably not revealed to anyone, would Her Majesty's Government go so far as to consider informing the House should the Conference recommend changes; and, if so, whether such changes will be adopted? I believe that some such general statement would give wide reassurance to the country, without revealing anything which, quite rightly, must be kept secret.

VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGH

My Lords, I was not going to follow what the noble Lord has just said but was about to continue the agricultural debate, after thanking the noble Viscount for his courtesy in making this statement. Perhaps I should now give way in case the noble Viscount wishes to answer the question.

VISCOUNT WOOLTON

My Lords, what the noble Lord asks is reasonable. If the Conference considers that additional precautions are called for but that these cannot be made effective under the existing law, then of course it will be within the terms of reference for such alterations to be recommended. If, as a result of this Conference, Her Majesty's Government decide that existing security precautions should be tightened up, the House will be so informed. I hope that will satisfy the noble Lord.

LORD BALFOUR OF INCHRYE

I thank the noble Viscount.