HL Deb 01 February 1978 vol 388 cc742-4

2.37 p.m.

Lord HOUGHTON of SOWERBY

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

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in the consideration of the Salmon Report on Standards of Conduct in Public Life.

The MINISTER of STATE, HOME OFFICE (Lord Harris of Greenwich)

My Lords, our consultations with interested bodies on the Royal Commission's proposals as a whole have produced many helpful and constructive comments, which are now being studied by my right honourable friends who have responsibility for various aspects of the Commission's report. This is a major task which will take some time to complete.

Meanwhile, I hope to be able shortly to inform the House of the action we are taking on one matter arising from the Royal Commission's report on which legislation is not required. This is the question of special police procedures for handling allegations of corruption, a subject dealt with in Part IV of the report. New procedures have now been worked out in consultation with chief officers of police, which I hope can be introduced in the near future.

Lord HOUGHTON of SOWERBY

My Lords, may I ask my noble friend whether he can feel satisfied with that reply? Does he recall the panic stations that the Government went to during the Poulson scandals of 1974 and the hurried setting up of the Redcliffe-Maud Committee? That Committee's report was immediately referred to the Salmon Commission, which was set up in December 1974 and reported in July 1976. The matter was debated in this House a year ago and only the first beginnings of action are being taken today. May I ask my noble friend when we may see concrete proposals brought before both Houses of Parliament to implement the main recommendations of the Royal Commission?

Lord HARRIS of GREENWICH

My Lords, I cannot give a specific date; but it would be wrong to suggest that this is the first action which has been taken as a result of the Royal Commission's report. I can give another example. That is on the question of selection of contractors and consultants, which was the subject of another recommendation of the Royal Commission, and on which the Department of the Environment issued advice in the summer of last year as to procurement procedure. It would be foolish of me to suggest that it would be possible to give a firm date. We want to make as much progress as swiftly as is possible, but this is a highly complicated matter and legislation will inevitably be involved.

Lord PANNELL

My Lords, will the Government start from the view that there is very little corruption in public life compared with the good old days? Corruption really means the falling away from standards which were once high. Perhaps the Government or the Home Secretary can tell us the high point from which we are presumed to have fallen.

Lord HARRIS of GREENWICH

My Lords, I do not think thet even my right honourable friend could answer that particular question. Nevertheless, I think that we accept that there is a real problem here and it is dealt with in the report of the Royal Commission. Action is being taken on a number of recommendations which will not require legislation, but, inevitably, legislation will take quite a long time to prepare.