HL Deb 20 April 1971 vol 317 cc524-5
VISCOUNT ST. DAVIDS

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government why Mr. Illtyd Harrington is not being reappointed to the British Waterways Board, and the chairmanship of the Inland Waterways Amenity Advisory Committee, in spite of his admitted achievements in both posts and the advice of his own committee, which is being reappointed.]

LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTON

My Lords, it would not be to anyone's advantage for Ministers to make a practice of explaining matters of this sort.

VISCOUNT ST. DAVIDS

My Lords, while expressing some amazement at that Answer, may I ask whether the noble Lord appreciates that this particular action has filled the waterways world with dismay, as it appears that this gentleman has been sacked for being too successful? While the Government have appointed an excellent successor, will they please understand that if they do this sort of thing often they will get no co-operation from anybody on the waterways.

LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTON

My right honourable friend has no intention of going against anyone's feelings; he is acting in the best interests of everyone.

LORD SHACKLETON

My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether he is aware that, even though he may not think it desirable to give a reason why this reappointment was not made, this did not inhibit his noble Leader in explaining why Professor Clegg was not reappointed. What is the Government's policy in this matter?

LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTON

My Lords, in this particular matter we are only following the practice which the noble Lord's Government followed.

LORD SLATER

My Lords, in view of the nature of the noble Lord's reply to the supplementary questions that have been asked, may I ask how a third body, the Press, can pass on information to The general public as to the reason for the dismissal of these people—or the reason for their non-reappointment to these particular Boards? How does this come about? What means do the Government use in passing on this information? They must pass the information on to someone, otherwise the Press could not get it.

LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTON

My Lords, I believe that in this case the information was passed to the Press by the gentleman himself.