Grave Allegations Of Bribery Of Ministers And Officials Of British Board Of Trade

Wanganui Chronicle, 29 October 1948, Page 5

Grave Allegations Of Bribery Of Ministers And Officials Of British Board Of Trade

House Of Commons To Set Up Tribunal To Make A Full Inquiry

(N.Z. P. A.—Reuter—Copyright)

LONDON. Oct. 27.—The House of Commons today agreed to set up a tribunal to inquire into allegations of irregularities at the Board of Trade. The Prime Minister, Mr. Attlee, moved a motion to establish a tribunal. The motion also provides for a judicial inquiry into alleged irregularities in other Government departments. The full terms of the motion are:— To establish a tribunal into allegations that payments, re-

wards or other considerations had been sought, offered, promised, made or received by or to Ministers or other public servants in connection with licences or permissions required under any enactment, regulation, order or in connection with the withdrawal of any prosecution. Four specific matters to be referred to the tribunal were: (1) Proposals relating to applications to the import of 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 a 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 a judge would preside over the tribunal and would have two eminent lawyers associated with him. It would have all the powers of a High Court to enforce the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents.

Mr. Attlee said that last August the president of the BoAd of Trade 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 an allocation of paper to the same firm. The president of the Board of Trade and Sir Stafford Cripps, acting in Mr. Attlee's absence, had agreed that the Lord Chancellor should be asked to inquire into the allegations. Scotland Yard in the meantime had been asked to make inquiries. Mr. Attlee said the police had already received information that a licence to import amusement machines could be obtained by bribing Ministers or officials, and they began investigations. ACTIVITIES OF ALIENS. 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 four allegations. Mr. Attlee said: “If criminal proceedings have been or are about to be instituted while the tribunal is sitting the tribunal might consider its approprite course of action.” Mr. Attlee said it was clearly right that the whole circumstances connected with all four allegations, and with certain aliens’ activities, should be V>nsidered by the same tribunal. The Government had carefully considered whether these four allegations should be set out in the terms of the reference, and whether the inquiry should subsequently be limited to those four

matters, but had decided against that. The Government had decided against that, since it was anxious not to limit unduly the scope of inquiry, and not so as to frame the terms of reference as to prevent the tribunal from inquiring into relevant matters which could not be specifically covered by the more limited terms of reference. Mr. Attlee said it would always be open to the tribunal to recommend that any matter it thought was not appropriate to its consideration should be dealt with by other means. The Government was most anxious for the fullest public investigation into allegations reflecting on the purity of the public administration. WILL NOT STOP PROSECUTIONS. Mr. Attlee added that the inquiry I would proceed whether any prosecu- | tion was launched or not. The triI bunal no doubt would ensure that the interests ol justice were safeguarded I and that defence would not be pre- • judiced 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 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. Mr. Churchill said that no Parliament had shown itself more vigorous and forward in matters affecting the honour of members or Ministers on the question of a breach of confidence, privilege, and of character. Of the case now brought forward, he appealed to members not to indulge in gossip or a wide‘diffusion of names and other scandalous matters, and added: “We have every confidence in the course the Government proposes and shall await the results with hopes that it will vindicate completely the honour and reputation of individuals, and if not individuals, the system by which we carry on government.”