§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, I should like to ask the noble Marquess the Leader of the House the Question of which I have given him Private Notice: Whether he can now inform your Lordships' House on what date the Defence White Paper for the year 1957–58 will be supplied to Parliament?
§ THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY)My Lords, I understand that it is proposed to publish the Defence White Paper in the last week in March.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, that is not a very definite date. However, I am much obliged to the noble Marquess for his Answer. I hope that publication of the White Paper will not be further delayed. I wish to ask the noble Marquess whether it would not be wise to place on record that, whatever special circumstances may have arisen this year to delay publication, this should not be regarded as any precedent for departing from the custom which was introduced by my noble friend Lord Attlee of having a full White Paper and a considered overall Defence policy of the Government supplied to Parliament, and debated, before the presentation of Military Estimates of Supply.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYMy Lords, I can assure the noble Viscount that this is not a change in the usual procedure. It was merely that there were special circumstances—that is to say, a new Minister of Defence. Clearly, he had to become master of his Department and see all the considerations involved before he produced a White Paper on policy.
§ Earl ATTLEEMy Lords, I hope the noble Marquess will not think it is a necessary precedent that there should always be a new Minister of Defence every year, or every few months, before the White Paper comes out.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYMy Lords, that does not alter my point that 566 it is no good the Minister of Defence producing his White Paper until he has mastered his subject.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHBut it is fundamental, from the point of view of Parliament, that it is well-established and good practice to have a considered statement of policy of the Government, and not merely of a new Minister of Defence, who is introduced before these very important Estimates of Military Supply are considered. We have now had to revert to what was purely a war-time practice of considering in another place large Estimates on account.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYMy Lords, the noble Marquess can no doubt remember when he himself was Minister of Defence, and I am sure he would not have agreed to the publication of a White Paper before he himself was ready to approve it.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, I should think the new Minister of Defence would be glad to be loyal to the overall decision of his Cabinet.