§ 3.42 p.m.
§ THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL AND MINISTER FOR SCIENCE (VISCOUNT HAILSHAM)My Lords, it may be for the convenience of the House if I repeat a statement which has now been made by my right honourable friend the Prime Minister in another place on the Report of the Tribunal set up to inquire into the Vassall case and related matters. The statement is as follows:
"With permission I wish to make a statement on the Report of the Tribunal appointed to inquire into the Vassall case and related matters. The Report has been formally presented by my right honourable friend, the Home Secretary, and copies will be available in the Vote Office this afternoon.
"I should first like to express to Lord Radcliffe and his colleagues the Government's thanks for the time and care which they have devoted to this important inquiry.
"Certain specific references in the original Report have been omitted or amended in the published text, in the interest of national security. These changes are few in number and of small significance in the context of the Report as a whole. Lord Radcliffe has agreed on behalf of the tribunal that they do not affect the substance of the Report or its conclusions. In accordance with previous understandings the right honourable Gentleman, the Leader of the Opposition, has been shown both the full and the published versions of the Report. I think that it would be right for me to refrain from commenting on the Report until all honourable 1318 Members have had an opportunity to read it."
My Lords, that is the text of the statement.
§ LORD SILKINMy Lords, we are grateful to the noble and learned Viscount for having made this statement, and we are very glad indeed that this Report is now available. Obviously, it is impossible to comment on it until we have read it, and I understand that a debate has been or will be arranged, through the usual channels, for the near future. I should like to say only two things. The first is to echo the words of the noble and learned Viscount in expressing thanks to Lord Radcliffe and his Committee for the difficult task they undertook. It is always a great pleasure to me to express a word of appreciation to the Chairmen and Commissions who undertake these tasks, the difficulty of which is not always fully recognised. I am very glad indeed that in this case the whole country will be looking with great eagerness at this Report and that it will be fully discussed. I do not think that any further comment is called for, except that it is only right to say that my right honourable friend the Leader of the Opposition in another place has confirmed that he has seen the actual Report and the deletions, and he agrees that the deletions are not of significance, except from the point of view of security, and do not affect the substance of the Report as a whole.
LORD REAMy Lords, I should like to add, from these Benches, our appreciation of the work done by the noble and learned Viscount, Lord Radcliffe, and his colleagues, and to thank the noble and learned Viscount the Leader of the House for his statement to-day. He will, I am sure, appreciate that in both Houses there are those who, having undertaken the Official Secrets Act, or for some similar reason, are unable to give the matter the same piercing interrogation they would like, and in that case we are very much in the hands of the Government. I should like to say to the noble Viscount that of course we have perfect confidence in him, and if he says that these matters which are left out are not of great significance, we naturally take that for granted.
I notice that the Leader of the Opposition in another place has been 1319 shown both the full and published versions of the Report. It seems, therefore, that the full Report is available only to the two reactionary Parties, and that the third political Party is rather left out of this. Whether this is due to the political affiliations of those who have been accused or convicted of such matters, I will not go into further, but doubtless this has passed through the mind of the right honourable gentleman the Prime Minister.
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMMy Lords, I am grateful to both noble Lords for their thanks, which I know the whole House will echo, to the Chairman of the Tribunal and his colleagues for the work they have done. I do not think it is for me to comment upon the latter part of the observations of the noble Lord, Lord Rea. I understand that precedent is in favour of a document of this kind being shown in its original form to the Leader of the Opposition. I have not myself seen it. Whether or not this is a tribute to my progressive nature, I leave it to the noble Lord to say.