IRREGULARITIES ALLEGED

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25638, 29 October 1948, Page 7

IRREGULARITIES ALLEGED

BRITISH BOARD OF TRADE INQUIRY TRIBUNAL SET UP BY COMMONS (N.Z.P.A.—Reuter— Copyright) (Rec 7 p.m.) LONDON. October 27. The House of Commons to-day agreed to set up a tribunal to inquire into allegations of irregularities at the Board of Trade. Mr Attlee moved the motion to establish a tribunal. The motion also provides for a judicial inquiry into alleged irregularities m other Government departments. The full terms of the motion are: “to establish a tribunal to inquire into allegations that payments, rewards, or other considerate .s have been sought, offered, promised, made or received by or to Ministers or other public servants in connexion with licences or permissions required under any enactment, regulation, order, or in connexion frith the withdrawal of any prosecution.” Four specific matters to be referred to the tribunal were: (1) Proposals relating to applications to import amusement machinery. (2) A proposal relating to an application for a building licence. (3) A proposal relating to permission to issue capital for the formation of a company operating football pools. (4) The withdrawal of a prosecution for contravention of the paper control order by a firm of football pool promoters, and representations made by the firm for an increased allocation. Mr Attlee’s motion was agreed to without a division. Mr Attlee said that a judge would preside over the tribunal, and would have two eminent lawyers associated with him. The tribunal'would have all the powers of the High Court to enforce the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents. Mr Churchill said that no Parliament had shown itself more vigorous and forward in matters affecting the honour of members or Ministers on questions of breach of confidence, privilege, and of the character of the case nqw brought forward. He appealed to members not to indulge in gossip or a wide diffusion of names and other scandalous matters.

Mr Churchill added: “We have every confidence in the course the Government proposes, and we shall await the results with hopes that it will vindicate completely the honour and reputation of individuals and, if not of individuals. of the system by which we carry on the Government/’

Allegations of Bribery Mr Attlee said that last August the President of the Board of Trade (Mr J. Harold Wilson) was informed by officials of the Board that allegations had been made that the Parliamentary Secretary and other Ministers and officials had been offered or had received bribes in respect of a prosecution against a certain firm of football pool promoters and in respect of the allocation of paper to thfe same firm. The President of the Board of Trade and Sir Stafford Cripps, acting in the Prime Minister’s absence, had agreed that the Lord Chancellor should be asked to inquire into the allegations. Scotland Yard in the meantime had been aSkefl to mak e inquiries. The police had already received information that a licence to import amusement machines could be obtained by bribing Ministers or officials, said Mr Attlee, and they had begun investigations. 4 Mr Attlee added that all the allegations could be traced back to the activities of certain aliens. Certain individuals figured in some, but not in others, of the four allegations. He said: “If criminal proceedings have been, or are about to be, instituted while the tribunal is sitting, the tribunal might consider its appropriate course of action.”

It was clearly right, said Mr Attlee, that the whole of the circumstances connected with -all four allegations and with certain aliens’ activities should be considered by the same tribunal. The Government had carefully considered whether these four allegations should be set out in the terms of reference, and whether the inquiry should subsequently be limited to those four matters. The Government had decided against that, since it was anxious not to limit unduly the scope'of the inquiry and not so tb frame the terms Jofreference as to prevent the .tribunal from inquiring into relevant matters which could not be specifically covered by more limited terms of reference. It would always be open to the tribunal to recommend that any matter should be dealt with by other means. The Government was most anxious to have the fullest public investigation into allegations reflecting on the purity of the public administration ‘said Mr Attlee. The inquiry would' proceed whether any prosecution was launched or not. The tribunal no doubt would ensure that the interests of justice were safeguarded and a defence would not be prejudiced by the inquiry. It must not be thought that the holding of the inquiry would prevent the institution of criminal proceedings should sufficient evidence subsequently come to light, whether as a result of the inquiry or not. Mr Attlee said the House could rest assured that there would be a thorough and searching public inquiry into all the allegations. The tribunal’s report would be laid before Parliament and arrangements would be made to discuss it if there was a general desire to do so.