INFORMATION ON PUBLIC POLICY (Hansard, 5 December 1978)

§ The Earl of LAUDERDALE
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

§ The LORD CHANCELLOR (Lord Elwyn-Jones)
My Lords, the Government intend to continue with the process of making more information about public policy available in the same way as they have done both before, and in particular since, my right honourable friend the Prime Minister's Statement in another place on 24th November 1976. He said that the practice of publishing Green 2 Papers would continue for appropriate subjects. In addition, the policy would in future be to publish as much as possible of the factual and analytical material which is used as the background to major policy studies. This would include material used in the programme analysis reviews unless there was good reason to the contrary. This practice has continued since then. In a Written Answer to the noble Lord, Lord O'Hagan, my noble friend the Lord Privy Seal gave a long list of examples of publications by a number of Government Departments. This, I hope, shows how seriously the Government have taken their commitment to publish more information.

§ The Earl of LAUDERDALE
My Lords, in thanking the noble and learned Lord for his reply, which was perhaps longer in wordage than in information, I should like to ask whether he is aware that the House in general welcomed the intention expressed in the Queen's Speech, but was puzzled by the word "continue"? Furthermore, might it not have been a good start to this new age of open government had the Government been prepared to answer a round dozen or so questions on energy policy which were asked during the debate on the gracious Speech?

§ The LORD CHANCELLOR
My Lords, I have the feeling that the latter part of the noble Earl's supplementary does not directly arise from the main Question. I have no doubt that in the 3 course of the debate my noble friends answered whatever questions the noble Earl, with his pertinacity and consistency, put to them. However, I am surprised that the noble Earl finds it difficult to follow my Answer to the Question that the Government intend to continue the practice of making more information available than has occurred in any previous Administration.

§ The Earl of LAUDERDALE
My Lords, in thanking the noble and learned Lord for that courteous and timely reply, may I ask him whether he is aware that continuity implies a first cause, and we are wondering whether the first cause is present in this case? Furthermore, would he be so kind as to ask his right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Energy whether he would now publish the names of the 55 groups which have applied for licences under the sixth round?

§ The LORD CHANCELLOR
My Lords, of course the concept of continuity implies a beginning and it needs no theologian of the quality of the noble Earl perhaps to explain that to us. Happily, in this case it does not imply an end and the process will continue. I cannot assist with regard to the other question, but if it is tabled to my noble friend (I see a nod from the direction of my noble friend) he will be eager and willing—but not now—to answer it.

§ Lord HAILSHAM of SAINT MARY-LEBONE
My Lords, is the noble and learned Lord aware that there is a small and unpopular minority among us who actually think that too much government paper is being issued and would prefer to see it in the form of forests growing and destroying the carbon dioxide clouds?

§ The LORD CHANCELLOR
My Lords, I confess that I have a certain amount of sympathy with that point, especially since the introduction of photostat machinery!

§ Viscount ECCLES
My Lords, is the noble and learned Lord aware that there are a number of Government Departments which are not complying with their statutory duty to deposit one copy of all 4 their publications with the British Library? Will he please ensure that that is done in future?

§ The LORD CHANCELLOR
My Lords, I am sorry to hear of that grave breach of statutory duty which I shall, of course, draw to the attention of the Ministers responsible forthwith. But I am comforted by the implication of the noble Viscount's question that there is plenty of room in the Library to take further documentation.

§ Lord LEATHERLAND
My Lords, does not my noble and learned friend think that too much fuss is being made about this matter? Is he aware of the fact that, when I was a Lobby correspondent in the other place 55 years ago, any decent Lobby correspondent could always manage to get all the information that he wanted?

§ The LORD CHANCELLOR
My Lords, the great experience of my noble friend will be of value especially at this time when newspapers are perhaps not as available as they might be.