HL Deb 17 April 1986 vol 473 cc752-4

3.5 p.m.

Lord Hatch of Lusby

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

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in view of subsequent developments, they will reconsider their refusal of 10th February (H.L. Debates, cols. 5–6) to inquire into the allegations of Mr. Alan Bristow that he was offered a knighthood in return for certain commercial actions.

The Lord Chancellor (Lord Hailsham of Saint Marylebone)

My Lords, as my right honourable and learned friend the Attorney-General stated on 8th April in another place, an investigation into these allegations has been initiated.

Lord Hatch of Lusby

My Lords, I thank the noble and learned Lord for that Answer. Is he aware of the fact that his noble friend the Leader of the House on 10th February (at col. 6 of Hansard), in answering a question from my noble friend Lord Stallard, described this alleged offer of an honour to Mr. Bristow as "gossip and tittle-tattle"? How long has it been the custom of the law department of this Government to refer gossip and tittle-tattle to the police? Will the noble and learned Lord note that my Question has nothing to do with any case, or any police action, but is based upon the necessity of an inquiry by this House into the allegations that were made?

The Lord Chancellor

My Lords, I am not in any way dissenting from what my noble friend the Leader of the House said on 10th February. However, I think that the noble Lord has momentarily forgotten the provisions of the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925, which was passed through Parliament, I believe, when my father was Attorney-General. Section 1 of that Act reads as follows: If any person accepts or obtains or agrees to accept or attempts to obtain from any person, for himself or for any other purpose, any gift, money or valuable consideration as an inducement or reward for procuring or assisting or endeavouring to procure the grant of a dignity or title of honour to any person, or otherwise in connection with such a grant, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanour. The Attorney-General's investigation is very different from that which was put in a Question to my noble friend.

Lord Cottesloe

My Lords, if Mr. Bristow has in fact been offered a knighthood he will have had a letter from the Prime Minister asking whether he was willing to accept one. Does he suggest that he has such a letter?

The Lord Chancellor

My Lords, I am sorry, I did not hear the question.

Lord Cottesloe

My Lords, the question was whether Mr. Bristow suggests that he had in his possession a letter from the Prime Minister asking whether he was willing to accept a knighthood. If he had been offered one, he would certainly have such a letter.

The Lord Chancellor

My Lords, I do not know the answer. It seems to me to be highly unlikely. When I was chairman of the Conservative Party there was a man going about London saying that if anyone was prepared to pay me £10,000 I would get him a knighthood. He asked two people to my knowledge. One laughed him out of court, and the other was so shocked that he told Mr. Gaitskell.

Lord Stallard

My Lords, perhaps I may take the noble and learned Lord the Lord Chancellor back to the original Question that was asked by my noble friend. Since I raised the Question on 10th February, when I asked for an internal inquiry to take place into the allegations, I was hoping that we would get some reply today which would tell us what has changed between then and now to convince the Director of Public Prosecutions, no less, that it ought now to be investigated. What has changed from the tittle-tattle position to it now being a serious issue which ought to be investigated by the DPP?

The Lord Chancellor

My Lords, I suppose that even tittle-tattle can result in a misdemeanour at law.

Lord Campbell of Croy

My Lords, is my noble and learned friend aware of the theory that there has been a gross misunderstanding and that the offer made by the two mysterious Peers was not of a knighthood but of a night out, and that it was a matter of seats for the opera or for "Cats"?

The Lord Chancellor

My Lords, I do not think that would come within the terms of the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925.

Viscount St. Davids

My Lords, if every stupid suggestion of a possible honour or anything else had to be referred to a member of the judiciary, can the noble and learned Lord suggest just how many judges we would have to have in this country?

The Lord Chancellor

My Lords, I am sure that I should have to water the brandy a bit!

Lord Wilson of Langside

My Lords, with regard to the other allegations reported as having been made by Mr. Bristow, unrelated to the knighthood question, was any consideration given to whether these allegations, if true, involved a contravention of the Prevention of Corruption Acts of 1906 and 1916?

The Lord Chancellor

My Lords, I do not think I can answer that question; but I thought that the Question originally asked in February, and probably that which was asked by the noble Lord, Lord Hatch of Lusby, referred to the potential use of honours as an inducement. If the noble and learned Lord wants a definitive answer to the question he has just asked, I am afraid that I cannot give it to him now.