BY A STAFF REPORTER
THE number of Catholic M.P.s in the House of Commons has increased from 30 to 37 as a result of the General Election, This is the highest total since the days of the Irish Nationalists half a century or more ago.
There arc five new Members. plus four others who return after being defeated in either the 1964 or 1966 elections.
The only Catholic Member to lose his seat this time was Mr. Peter Mahon, who had represented Preston South for Labour since 1964.
His majority of 2,789 at the last election was turned into a 1,331-vote deficit by his Conservative opponent. One of his three sons. David. stood unsuccessfully for Labour in South Fylde,
Three Catholics have been given posts in the new Government. Sir Peter Rawlinson. Q.C., becomes AttorneyGeneral; Mr. David Brand, Q.C., is the new SolicitorGeneral for Scotland; and Lord Windlesham has been appointed Minister of State, Home Office.
The five new M.P.s are :
Mr. Stanley Cohen, 42 (Lab.. Leeds South-East), a British Railways clerical officer and Leeds alderman. Married, with four children.
Mr. Robert Parry, 37 (Lab., Liverpool Exchange), a building trade worker. member of Liverpool City Council and Member of the Transport and General Workers' Union. Married.
Mr. Tom Pendry (Lab , Stalybridge and Hyde, Cheshire), full-time official of the National Union of Public Employees and former member of Paddington Borough Council. Married.
Mr. Albert William Stallard, 48 (Lab., St. Pancras North), technical training officer. Member of Camden Council and of the Amalgamated Engineering and Foundry Workers' Union. Educated at Lowaters School and Hamilton Academy.
Mr, Christopher Tugendhat, 33 (Cons., Cities of London and Westminster), author, publisher and journalist. Educated at Ampleforth and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where he was President of the Union in 1960. Married.
FOUR RETURN The four M.P.s who return to the House after an absence are:
Mr. Patrick Duffy, 50 (Lab., Sheffield Attercliffe), a university lecturer and M.P. for Colne Valley, 1963-66.
Mr. Charles Curran, 67 (Cons.. Uxbridge), barrister and journalist and Uxbridge M.P. from 1959-66.
Mr. Anthony Fell, 56 (Cons., Yarmouth), business consultant, who represented the division from 1951-66; and Mr. David James, 50 (Cons., Dorset North), author and publisher. Managing director of Bow Holdings Ltd. M.P. for Brighton Kemptown from I 959-64.
Of the 37 Catholic M.P.s, 13 are Conservatives and 22 Labour. the other two being Miss Bernadette Devlin (Ind. Unity, Mid-Ulster) and Mr. Gerard Fitt (Republican Lab., Belfast West). These two will act as a counter to the Rev. Ian Paisley, Protestant Unionist. The Conservatives are: John
Biggs Davison (Chigwell), Charles Curran (Uxbridge). Anthony Fell (Yarmouth), Hugh Fraser (Stafford & Stone), Wing Cdr. Sir Robert GrantFerris (Nantwich), David James (N. Dorset), Timothy Kitson (Richmond, Yorks). David Price (Eastleigh), Sir Peter Rawlinson (Epsom), Hugh Rossi (Hornsey), Norman St John Stevas (Chelmsford). Christopher Tugendhat (Cities of London & Westminster), Patrick Wall (Haltemprice).
The Labour M.P.s are : Walter Alldritt (Liverpool, Scotland), Richard Buchanan (Glasgow, Springburn), Stanley Cohen (Leeds, S.E.), Hugh Delargy (Thurrock), James Dempsey (Coatbridge & Airdrie). Patrick Duffy (Sheffield, Attercliffe), James Dunn (Liverpool, Kirkdale), Maurice Foley (West Bromwich), James Hamilton (Bothwell), Neil Mc Bride (Swansea, E.), Frank McElhone (Glasgow, Gorbals). Michael McGuire (Ince), Kevin McNamara (Hull, NJ, Simon Mahon (Bootle), Robert Mellish (Bermondsey), Michael O'Halloran (Islington N.), Brian O'Malley (Rotherham), Robert Parry (Liverpool, Exchange), Thomas Pendry (Stalybridge & Hyde), Albert Stallard (St. Pancras, N.), William Wells (Walsall N.). Mrs. Shirley Williams (Hitchin).