§ 2.5 p.m.
THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (EARL JELLICOE)My Lords, I should like to offer to noble Lords opposite our deep sympathy on the terribly sad loss which they, and indeed all of us, sustained last night in the collapse and sudden death of Lord Delacourt-Smith. I think that our convention is that we normally pay tributes only on the death of a Member of your Lordships' House who has been a Cabinet Minister. However, we have a habit of making our rules as we go along, and in the special and rather tragic circumstances of last night I feel that your Lordships will allow me to say a few words.
Charles Delacourt-Smith was a comparative newcomer to your Lordships' House, having been made a Life Peer as recently as 1967; but he brought unusual gifts and qualities to this House. He had a mind of exceptional clarity and scope, and joined that select number in your Lordships' House who are classical scholars and received first-class honours in Classics. He was also a working trade unionist of great experience, skill and tenacity. I think that, on whatever side of the political fence we may chance to fall, all this was made very evident in his notable contributions to our debates last year on the Industrial Relations Bill. Be it as a Back Bencher, as an Opposition Front-Bencher or as a Minister, Charles Delacourt-Smith grasped subjects with exceptional speed, and also with a quite unusual gift of clear and balanced Parliamentary exposition. As my noble friends on these Benches have plenty of reason to know, he was a debater of really formidable calibre, but his attack in debate was always presented in an altogether pleasing and acceptable moderation of manner.
268 Finally, my Lords, as was so notably and indeed tragically demonstrated, and as my noble and learned friend the Lord Chancellor intimated last night, Charles Delacourt-Smith was a brave man, and a brave man who stuck to his guns. It was typical of his life and of the man that he should have died, as it were, at his post. I am sure that I am expressing the feeling of all Members of your Lordships' House in expressing our deep and sincere sympathy to Lady Delacourt-Smith and to Charles Delacourt-Smith's family. We all know—and here I echo the words of my noble and learned friend the Lord Chancellor last night—that in Charles Delacourt-Smith not only has this House lost one of its most valuable Members but many of your Lordships have lost a good friend.
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, on behalf of my colleagues I should like to say how much we appreciate the fact that the noble Earl the Leader of the House has amended tradition in order to pay this tribute to our colleague. Both the character of the individual and the circumstances of the tragedy were such that I am sure it was appropriate to do something that we do not normally do.
My Lords, we could not have had a kinder, more considerate or more loyal colleague than Charles Delacourt-Smith, and I agree that the House has lost some-one who was making, and could have made, a tremendous contribution. To his family his sudden death was of course a tremendous shock, and our sympathies are all the more deep and sincere. I would say again how much we appreciate the fact that noble Lords opposite should have put on record their views about a man for whom we had the deepest possible affection and respect.
§ LORD GLADWYNMy Lords, I am glad to be able to follow the two noble Lords in paying tribute to our departed friend. Though I did not myself know him very well, I knew quite enough to appreciate the fact that he was one of the most painstaking, hard-working and, indeed, one of the most generally popular Members of our House. In addition, he was, as I think has already been said, since his days at Wadham essentially a scholar and therefore representing a kind of excellence which some of us rather fear is becoming increasingly rare. In conveying all our sympathies to Lord 269 Delacourt-Smith's widow the Leader of the House will, I am sure, not fail to add the recognition by all of us of the fact that he died, as no doubt he would have wanted to die, in harness and in the execution of his Parliamentary duties. My Lords, the passing of Lord Delacourt-Smith is genuinely and sincerely mourned.
THE LORD BISHOP OF CHESTERMy Lords, the right reverend Prelates from these Benches would wish to be associated with the words that have been spoken. We recognised in Lord Delacourt-Smith one who was not only efficient but also courteous and kind. We regret his passing beyond the expression of words, but from these Benches we would ask that our sympathy should be conveyed to his family.
§ LORD SLATERMy Lords, I sincerely hope that your Lordships will not think it discourteous that a Back-Bencher should rise on this occasion. It so happens that I was very close to Charles Delacourt-Smith. He was one of my Sponsors at the time of my Introduction into your Lordships' House. During his Ministerial service in a previous Government I had contacts with him. During my long service for five years as a junior Minister at the Post Office I met him when he was dealing with trade union matters on behalf of a membership which he endeavoured to serve so well. We have lost a very loyal colleague. I am most grateful for the sentiments expressed by the noble Earl, by my noble friend and by the right reverend Prelate in regard to the loss that we have suffered.
§ LORD ALPORTMy Lords, as a political opponent of the late Lord Delacourt-Smith of some 20 years ago I should like to say something about that period of his life when he was Member for Parliament for Colchester. As a Member of Parliament he set a new standard of service to the people of Colchester in the five years that he was there. To-day he and his wife are remembered with great affection and respect by people of all Parties and all classes in the town. We realise, now that we have seen the great display of ability that he showed in your Lordships' House, what a mere few votes 20 years ago lost to Parliament over a period of 20 years. I am only sorry that 270 he has not been spared to give the service to your Lordships' House which he could so well and so ably have rendered had he been spared longer. On behalf of the people of Colchester, if I may be allowed to speak on their behalf, I would say how sad we are that his death has robbed us of a very able man and a fine public servant.
§ 2.15 p.m.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (LORD HAILSHAM OF SAINT MARYLEBONE)My Lords, as I was present on the Woolsack last night, perhaps I may be allowed to add a few words. It would have been my duty to reply to last night's debate had it reached its conclusion. I must say that I am very glad that the duty would have fallen on me. Therefore it was my duty to take a note of what the noble Lord, Lord Delacourt-Smith, was saying. Those of your Lordships who were there will remember that his speech was perfect in its logic and in its restraint. As he sank back into the arms of his friends, although his words and the level of his voice faded his sentiments remained perfectly articulated and illumined with the architecture of his argument. I felt very deeply for him as he sank. I did not know then that there was to be a tragic sequel to the story. I should like to express my own sorrow at his death and my sympathy with his family. This is a country where we can love our opponents.
THE EARL OF BESSBOROUGHMy Lords, having also been present last night to hear the noble Lord make his tragic last speech from the Despatch Box, may I from these Benches join with other noble Lords in saying how much we shall all miss the noble Lord, Lord Delacourt-Smith. Having been his so-called "Shadow" for some months while he was a Minister of State at the Ministry of Technology, and having succeeded him in that post, I should like to pay a tribute to his remarkable qualities of friendship and scholarship, and to the comradeship which these qualities inspired. We were associated not only in our work in your Lordships' House hut also outside; our common interest in music and the theatre brought us closer together. Above all, however, I know what devotion and affection the staff whom I inherited from him in Horse Guards Avenue had for him. He was certainly a much-loved and courteous Minister and a very brave man. 271 With other noble Lords I would extend to his widow and his family the deepest sorrow and condolences.
§ LORD SEGALMy Lords, as one of the old friends of Charles Delacourt-Smith in the 1945 Parliament, and as one of the last Members of your Lordships' House to see him alive. I should like to add my own deep tribute to his wonderful character, his unfailing kindness and consideration for others, his generosity of spirit and his self-enffacement. I, too, should like to offer my sympathy to his widow and to his family. He drove himself hard—perhaps too hard—in the service of your Lordships' House and in the service of his Party. He leaves behind him a name and a record that will not easily be forgotten.