§ 11.42 a.m.
§ Lord Hatch of LusbyMy Lords, based on the Companion to Standing Orders in the absence of the noble Viscount the Leader of the House, perhaps I may ask the Deputy Leader of the House and the House itself to allow me to put an issue to them. Last night, based on the rules of the Companion I put down the following Private Notice Question to the noble Viscount the Leader of the House:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, in view of President Botha's threat to repeat South Africa's aggression against Commonwealth states, what actions they propose to take during the next I0 days in conjunction with other members of the Commonwealth to deter the South African Government from further breaches of international law.The Companion guides us to base any Private Notice Question on urgency. I have received a note this morning from the noble Viscount the Leader of the House that he does not consider that this Question is of sufficient urgency for an immediate answer.Last night President Botha threatened to renew his attacks against Commonwealth states. Already this week Commonwealth lives have been lost through the aggression of a foreign power. This is now a further threat to further loss of life among our fellow Commonwealth citizens. Is that not an urgent matter for this House? Secondly, the decisions of Her Majesty's Government over the next few days will determine the future British role in the Commonwealth and in all probability the continued existence of the Commonwealth itself. Is this not a matter of urgency?
Thirdly, during the next 10 days Parliament will not be in Session. Therefore, is there not an urgent need for the Government to put their proposals and their decisions before Parliament in order to protect Commonwealth citizens during the next 10 days? Is not the direct further threat to Commonwealth lives a matter of urgency for this House and for Parliament itself?
§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Belstead)My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Hatch, did indeed kindly give notice of this Question late yesterday afternoon. My noble friend the Leader of the House and I took the view that the Question was not of sufficient urgency to justify an immediate reply.
§ Lord BottomleyMy Lords, I deeply respect the views of the noble Viscount the Leader of the House; but I feel that on this occasion this decision is wrong. It is an urgent matter upon which to give some notice, particularly to the Commonwealth as a whole, about the British Government's attitude to the statements by Mr. Botha, the Prime Minister of South Africa. Will the noble Lord not reconsider the matter?
§ Lord BelsteadMy Lords, the Question of the noble Lord, Lord Hatch, relates of course to a hypothetical situation. It relates to possible action on the part of the South African Government against unspecified targets and at no specified time. This is of course a matter for your Lordships' House, but I really do not believe that the procedure of the Private Notice Question is the appropriate vehicle for the noble Lord on this occasion.
§ Lord Boyd-CarpenterMy Lords, as he is acting Leader of the House, can my noble friend indicate whether it is in accordance with the rules and practice of the House to challenge in this way the decision, right or wrong, of the Leader of the House on a Private Notice Question?
§ Lord BelsteadMy Lords, the Companion to Standing Orders makes it perfectly clear that in the first instance it is a matter for the Leader of the House to decide whether a Question is of sufficient urgency to justify an immediate reply. Hence my original answer. Ultimately this is a matter for the general sense of the House. I must say that, despite the point which has been put to me, I think that the general sense of the House on this matter would be that we ought to proceed to other business.