§ 11.18 a.m.
§ LORD SHINWELLMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what sums have been made available to those persons responsible for organising celebrations on British entry into the E.E.C.; how much has been spent and what will be the nature of the celebrations.
§ THE PAYMASTER GENERAL (VISCOUNT ECCLES)My Lords, the sum of £250,000 has been made available to the Committee of the noble Lord, Lord Goodman, and £100,000 to the Committee of my noble friend Lord Mancroft. 2254 Almost all the funds have been committed but will not be spent until early next year. The noble Lord will have seen the Press reports of the programme which was announced on Tuesday last. I will send him copies of the programme leaflet and of the programme book which is to be published later.
§ LORD SHINWELLMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Viscount for that Answer. Is it not somewhat significant—and I put it mildly and modestly—that nothing appeared in the newspapers furnishing any details about the celebrations associated with the E.E.C. until my Question appeared on the Order Paper? Was this necessary in order to obtain information to be conveyed to the public? As regards these celebrations, which the noble Lord, Lord Goodman, stated in the Press are to be non-political in character, if there are gala performances at Covent Garden or elsewhere are we to understand that provided there are any free tickets they will be available not only to pro-Marketeers but to anti-Marketeers also? May I also ask this question, because I think it is important that the public should know? May I ask whether the £250,000 available to the noble Lord, Lord Goodman, is in order to satisfy his taste for music, when there is only £100,000 for the noble Lord, Lord Mancroft, who is, I understand, to be responsible for fireworks?
§ VISCOUNT ECCLESMy Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Shinwell, is, of course, a man of great influence, but I rather doubt whether the date of the Press conference was due to his putting down his Question. I have a copy of the programme and there really is something for everybody. I am going to mark it before sending it to the noble Lord. For instance, there is a performance called "Out of Step". It is on Thursday, January 11, and has the support of the Rotterdamse Kunststichtung. I think the noble Lord would like that. There is a rally of veteran and vintage cars, and that is from London to Brussels. I thought that the noble Lord might volunteer for that. Anyway, my Lords, these celebrations will give a great deal of pleasure to a great many people.
LORD INGLEWOODMy Lords, may I ask my noble friend whether, when he says that there will be something for 2255 everybody, it means that a fair proportion of the money will be spent outside London and that this is not going to be just a "Londoners' benefit"?
§ VISCOUNT ECCLESMy Lords, I can assure my noble friend that there is a very long programme of events outside London. I will send him also a copy of the programme.
§ LORD DAVIES OF LEEKMy Lords, if there is something for everybody, would the noble Lord suggest that the schoolchildren of England should have a mug on which is inscribed the Shakespearean piece, "his England"? Is he aware that there is an esoteric professorial chair being established at Keele University, called psycho-ceramics, for the examination of "crackpots"?
§ VISCOUNT ECCLESMy Lords, perhaps the noble Lord would also care to know that at Whitechapel Art Gallery there is an exhibition of sweets that will give the children an opportunity to look at sweets as popular art instead of just eating them.
§ LORD SHINWELLMy Lords, may I, with great respect, ask one further question? May I ask the noble Viscount whether it would not have been more appropriate, before having any celebrations, to wait, perhaps a few months, perhaps a year or so, and see how the E.E.C. turns out?
§ VISCOUNT ECCLESMy Lords, normally you have a party at the time when some alliance or marriage is celebrated. If you waited for a few months after it might not be so good.
§ BARONESS SUMMERSKILLMy Lords, I was about to put the same question in this way. I was going to say that as the proof of the pudding is in the eating, does not common sense itself suggest that we delay a little while before we set off the fireworks?
§ VISCOUNT ECCLESMy Lords, I really think that this is a great occasion and there are a very large number of 2256 people in this country who never before have had a chance to see all these European artists who have agreed to come when we have asked them. It is going to be something extraordinarily interesting, right through the whole range of the arts.
§ BARONESS SUMMERSKILLMy Lords, as we are told that the Common Market will last for ever, are these European artists going to die? Is their life expectancy so short? Will there not be plenty of years in the future when they could come here and dance?
§ VISCOUNT ECCLESMy Lords, I think that nothing really lasts for ever, but this is a good first step and I am glad that we are taking it.
§ LORD PARGITERMy Lords, would not the noble Viscount agree that having regard to the position of the pound it might be more appropriate if we had prayers of intercession throughout the churches, rather than celebrations?
§ BARONESS PHILLIPSMy Lords, may I ask whether this occasion would not provide an opportunity when we could declare January 1 a public holiday?
§ VISCOUNT ECCLESMy Lords, I thank the noble Baroness; I had not thought of that. January 1, I think, is a Saturday—I am not quite sure.
§ BARONESS PHILLIPSMy Lords, I have put this question down before. It seemed to me appropriate, as more and more people normally do not go to work on January 1, because they have had an enjoyable evening the night before. As I understand it January 1 is entry day.
§ VISCOUNT ECCLESMy Lords, I will mention that to my right honourable friend, or my noble friend—whoever is responsible; I think it is the Home Secretary.
§ LORD LEATHERLANDMy Lords, is the noble Viscount aware that he is wrong again in saying that January 1 is a Saturday? In fact, according to the calendar, it is a Monday.