BRIGHTON CORPORATION BILL (Hansard, 8 August 1966)

§ THE CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (THE EARL OF LISTOWEL)
My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be now read a second time.

§ LORD RUSSELL OF LIVERPOOL
My Lords, I thought it was at the end of the Starred Questions that I was supposed to ask your Lordships' leave to ask Her Majesty's Government the Question of which I had given Private Notice. The Question is:
"To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any further information to give regarding the efforts of the police to trace and interview Peter Louis Alphon."

§ LORD CARRINGTON
My Lords, before the noble Lord asks that Question, may I ask whether this is really not an abuse of the procedure of Private Notice Questions? Surely a Private Notice Question is supposed to be something of urgent public importance.

THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE, HOME OFFICE) (LORD STONHAM)
My Lords, it was my understanding that it was for that reason the noble Lord asked it as a Private Notice Question.

§ LORD CARRINGTON
My Lords, could the noble Lord tell me why it is urgent or of great public importance?

§ LORD STONHAM
My Lords, I cannot answer the second part of the question. I think the Answer will show that it was a matter of some urgency, and when I knew the noble Lord's intention I did consult with the proper channels and was told that the matter would be in order.

§ LORD CONESFORD
My Lords, so far as I understand it—I may have missed something—this discussion is arising on the Brighton Corporation Bill. Surely we might give that a Second Reading.

§ THE EARL OF LONGFORD
My Lords, I understand there might have been some slight misunderstanding on the relationship between this Business and the Bill which the noble Lord mentioned. As the House is aware, this whole question was gone into quite lately. It was decided that the noble Lord had the right to raise a matter of this kind unless the House wished otherwise. With great deference, I do hope, in view of all the circumstances, that the House will not decline to allow this Question to be put this afternoon.

§ LORD CARRINGTON
My Lords, I understand perfectly why the noble Lord, Lord Russell of Liverpool, wants to ask the Question, because from reading my evening paper it seems he was given some misinformation by the noble Lord, Lord Stonham, and not unnaturally he wishes to find out the truth of the matter. But there is a perfectly good constitutional Parliamentary remedy in the hands of the noble Lord, Lord Stonham. He can get up and make a statement.

§ THE EARL OF LONGFORD
My Lords, I will leave my noble friend Lord Stonham to deal with that aspect himself, and I am sure he will do it very satisfactorily. But I personally hope that the noble Lord, Lord Carrington, having voiced his disquiet, will not press the House to reject this procedure this afternoon. The matter has been raised. No objection has been raised by me to this Question being put, and I very much hope the noble Lord will not stand in the way.

§ LORD CARRINGTON
My Lords, of course I will not, because I understand why the noble Lord, Lord Russell of Liverpool, wants an Answer. But I think there is a perfectly good Parliamentary way in which the noble Lord, Lord Ston- 1582 ham, can give this Answer to the House without abuse of the Private Notice Question procedure.

§ THE EARL OF LONGFORD
My Lords, perhaps as the noble Lord has been kind enough to say he will not stand in the way, he will let my noble friend Lord Stonham answer and then the House can consider the matter.

§ LORD CONESFORD
My Lords, I do not want to obstruct anything, but I cannot see why a Private Notice Question of this kind should not be asked after we have dealt with what has been already moved—namely, the Second Reading of the Brighton Corporation Bill. Why on earth cannot we complete that matter before the Question is put? Otherwise, we get into a lunatic state.

§ THE EARL OF LONGFORD
My Lords, would. that be in order? May I just answer that point on procedure? So far as I am concerned, if that would ease the disquiet of the noble Lord, Lord Conesford, I should be perfectly happy to see that procedure adopted. I hope there is no difficulty about that. If the House considers that quite satisfactory, we will deal with the Brighton Corporation Bill and then have the Private Notice Question. In that way, perhaps everybody will be happy.