§ 11.37 a.m.
§ Lord Hatch of LusbyMy Lords, may I ask the noble Viscount the Leader of the House a Question of which I have given him notice? The Soviet Union has unilaterally declared a moratorium—
§ The Lord President of the Council (Viscount Whitelaw)My Lords, I think I am entitled, since the noble Lord, I understand, wishes to question the ruling that I gave, to say to him that I do not think it is quite fair to the House that he should immediately launch out on the matter of the Private Notice Question. I considered that it was the duty placed upon me by the House to decide whether this Question put down by the noble Lord as a Private Notice Question was of sufficient urgency. I notice that it was based on a short report in The Times of yesterday. I therefore concluded that it was not of sufficient urgency, as is the duty placed upon me. If the noble Lord wishes to question my ruling, I think that the House would say that is perfectly fair and within his rights. I do not think it is within his rights to use the objection to further his own Private Notice Question.
§ Lord Hatch of LusbyMy Lords, I was not using the objection. I was simply trying to question the noble Viscount's ruling on the basis of the reason for my putting down the Private Notice Question. As I say, the Soviet Union had unilaterally declared a moratorium on testing. I awaited yesterday a Statement from Her Majesty's Government in response to that. It did not come, so last night I submitted a Private Notice Question in order to enable the Government to respond to that move before the House rose.
As this is the week marking the 40th anniversary of the Nagasaki tragedy, surely it is a reasonable request to ask the Government whether they will respond before the House rises to this matter of peace and death that concerns all of us and the rest of the world.
§ Viscount WhitelawMy Lords, naturally, I looked very carefully at the noble Lord's request. I read the article very carefully and I did not conclude that it was a matter of such urgency as would permit me in the name of the House to decide that a Private Notice Question should be allowed. That was my decision. I understand the noble Lord's anxieties. He is right; but I have to say that in doing my duty to this House I concluded that it was not a question which should be a Private Notice Question. That is the duty placed upon me by the House. I took that decision and I have to tell the noble Lord that I feel I must stand by it.