§ 2.49 p.m.
Baroness WARD of NORTH TYNESIDEMy 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 whether they will specify a date on which the Fay Report on the Crown Agents will be published and whether they will give an assurance that the recommendations will be implemented.
§ Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOEMy Lords, Her Majesty's Government appreciate the noble Baroness's concern, but I am afraid I cannot add to the reply which I gave on 18th October about the date of publication. The Fay Committee has yet to complete its investigations and the Government would not wish to rush it unduly on so important and complicated a matter.
Baroness WARD of NORTH TYNESIDEMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord, having regard to that most unsatisfactory reply, why almost for months and months Her Majesty's Government have been saying that the report was going to be presented within a week or two The noble Baroness will agree that that happened several times. Is she quite sure that the Government wish to publish the report or are they deliberately holding out against publicising it? Could she not add something to the reply, having regard to our economic difficulties? Could she not say what is going to happen about the problem of the Crown Agents who seem to have spent a large amount of money without getting any satisfactory results for it? This is matter which ought to be dealt with and I should like it dealt with.
§ Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOEMy Lords, I am afraid that the noble Baroness is labouring under a misapprehension, indeed a total misunderstanding of the entire position. No Minister at this Box has ever said that the report will be published immediately, or—
§ Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOE—has ever said it will be published before the end of this year or in the early part of next year. I have looked this up and no Minister has ever said so. I am sure the House accepts that, and that your Lordships as a whole entirely accept that no question of deliberately withholding the report has ever entered the mind of Her Majesty's Government. So perhaps we may get that straight. Secondly, regarding our difficulties, balance of payments difficulties and economic difficulties, the Crown Agents provide the most magnificent services to developing countries and others. They bring a great deal of foreign currency into this country. There is no question of them being a waste in the Government's economic situation.
Baroness WARD of NORTH TYNESIDEMy Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for that unsatisfactory reply—
Several noble Lords: Baroness!
Baroness WARD of NORTH TYNESIDE—would she accept that it is she who is under a misapprehension? There was an occasion when it was said that the report would probably be published within a fortnight. Would the noble Baroness accept that we all know the many advantages that this country has received from very many of the Crown Agents? Would she bear in mind that I never criticise people who do well, but I do criticise people who do badly? It is much better to criticise people who do badly than praise people who do well.
§ Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOEMy Lords, I may be an unsatisfactory Lord; but I hope very much that I am not an unsatisfactory Lady! I have done my homework, and no Minister has ever said the report will be published, even in a fortnight.
§ Lord DAVIES of LEEKMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that while none of us would consider that she had any ulterior motive or decided to hide any fact, others of us also follow the work of the Crown Agency and appreciate what they have done in various parts of the world, and have seen it? Nevertheless, it is time that a report came before Parliament. It should be made aware that some of us want to discuss in depth some of the actions of the Crown Agency, while we appreciate what they have done over the years in various parts of the world.
§ Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOEMy Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend. I must explain once again that this inquiry is conducted on the analogy of a Companies Act investigation. That usually takes between three and four years. So far it has not taken much longer than eighteen months.