§ 2.40 p.m.
§ Lord Jenkins of Putney asked Her Majesty"s Government:
§ When Mr. Neil Hamilton MP, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Corporate Affairs, went to Rio de Janeiro "to help British industry to export weapons of mass destruction" (House of Commons Standing Committee, 24th February 1994; col. 199), to which countries did he expect such exports to be made.
§ The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Strathclyde)My Lords, the words of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Corporate Affairs were taken out of context as part of a bantering exchange with the Opposition.
§ Lord Jenkins of PutneyMy Lords, does that not show that yet again Ministers ought not to indulge in banter or they might be seriously misunderstood?
§ Lord StrathclydeMy Lords, all that it demonstrates is that the noble Lord does not have a great sense of humour.
§ Lord PestonMy Lords, I do have a sense of humour—
§ Lord PestonAnd I am willing to engage in a further bantering exchange with the Minister. My Lords, I am intrigued. Will the Minister now tell us the context of the remarks so that we can fully appreciate the joke?
§ Lord StrathclydeMy Lords, the noble Lord, who I know has a well-developed sense of humour, will recognise that when jokes are explained often they fall flat. However, if the noble Lord reads col. 199 and the preceding pages he will understand the context in which the remark was made.
§ Lord Jenkins of PutneyMy Lords, is the Minister aware that long experience tells me that the people who are really without a sense of humour are those who accuse others of not having it?
§ Lord StrathclydeMy Lords, that may well be true. However, I, among many others, would not have brought this Question before the House.