HL Deb 28 February 1967 vol 280 cc1025-6

3.52 p.m.

THE EARL OF LONGFORD

My Lords, with permission I should like to repeat a Statement which my right honourable friend the Prime Minister is making in another place. I will use his own words:

"I regret that it was not possible to make this yesterday, the first Parliamentary opportunity for a formal announcement, but, as the House knows, I was in The Hague.

"As honourable Members will be aware, I have appointed a Committee of Privy Councillors, under the chairmanship of Lord Radcliffe, with the following terms of reference: 'To examine the circumstances surrounding the publication of an article in the Daily Express of the 21st of February entitled "Cable Vetting Sensation" in relation to the "D" Notice system; and to consider what improvements, if any, are required in that system in order to maintain it as a voluntary system based on mutual trust and confidence between the Government and Press in the interests alike of the freedom of the Press and of the security of the State'. "The other members of the Committee will be my right honourable friend the Member for Easington (Mr. Shin-well) and the right honourable and learned Gentleman the Member for Wirral (Mr. Selwyn Lloyd), who was nominated by the Leader of the Opposition."

My Lords, that concludes the Prime Minister's Statement.

LORD CARRINGTON

My Lords, I thank the noble Earl the Leader of the House for repeating that Statement. I am sure that all your Lordships will be pleased that the Prime Minister found it possible to accept the suggestion made by Mr. Heath, I think on two occasions, that a Committee of this kind, of three Privy Counsellors, should be set up. In my view, it is a very good thing because there is no doubt that there is uneasiness about the events of the last ten days or so. May I ask the noble Earl the Leader of the House whether the Committee's terms of reference make it possible for them to inquire into whether cable vetting should or should not be the subject to a "D" notice?

THE EARL OF LONGFORD

My Lords, I certainly take it from the terms of reference that that matter must be within the terms.