HC Deb 30 October 1956 vol 558 cc1252-3
Mr. Shinwell

Mr. Speaker, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman, the Prime Minister—or, in his absence, the Lord Privy Seal—a Question of which I have given him Private Notice, namely, whether he has any information about the movement of Israeli troops, and whether he can make a statement about the general position in the Middle East.

The Lord Privy Seal (Mr. R. A. Butler)

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is still in consultation with the French Ministers, and will make a statement to the House at 4.30 p.m.

Mr. Shinwell

May I seek your guidance, Sir? This may be partly a hypothetical question, nevertheless I venture to put it to you. In the event of the Prime Minister's statement being regarded as unsatisfactory or incomplete, would you then be prepared to accept a Motion, in accordance with Standing Order No. 9, for the Adjournment of the House?

Mr. Speaker

I do not think that that would be possible then. The Motion should be made immediately after Questions. It is a difficulty, I think, but I will consider what can be done. Of course, if the House wants to come to some arrangement to debate the matter, I can fall in with that.

Mr. Shinwell

You will appreciate the position, Sir. The absence of the Prime Minister creates a difficulty for myself, and possibly for other hon. Members, also. I had expected that the Prime Minister would be able to reply to the Private Notice Question of which I gave notice early this morning, but I recognise his difficulty. He is evidently obtaining further information, and the House must appreciate that, but surely we should be permitted—

Mr. Speaker

I appreciate the difficulty, too. I suffer from the same difficulty. There is certainly nothing before me now on which I could agree to the Adjournment. I know no more than—probably not as much as—the right hon. Gentleman. There could not, therefore, be such an Adjournment now. The Prime Minister, if he intervenes later, can only do so on a Motion, which we should have to consider. I could not give an answer to that question at the moment, beyond what I have said.

Mr. Shinwell

I appreciate your difficulty, Mr. Speaker, but you recognise that I am in a difficulty, also. Could I ascertain from you whether you would be prepared to consider such a Motion after the Prime Minister's statement?

Mr. Elliot

Further to that point of order. Do I understand you to rule, Mr. Speaker, that the Prime Minister would be intervening on a Motion, and that the rights of the House would thereby be preserved? I agree with the right hon. Member for Easington (Mr. Shinwell) that it is important that the rights of the House should be preserved, but, if the Prime Minister were intervening on a Motion, I gather from your Ruling that the rights of the House would be so preserved, and that the matter would be open to debate.

Mr. Speaker

Thinking the matter over, it looks as if the Prime Minister will make the statement, if he is to make it later, on a Motion for the Adjournment of the House, I should think. That Motion would be before the House, and would be for the House to deal with. I do not think that I can go further than that at the moment.