§ Mr. Tony Marlow (Northampton, North)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. M. Delors, who knows a thing or two about the European Community because he is, I think, President of the Commission, has said that within a 852 short time 80 per cent. of the legislation of the European Community countries will be decided in Brussels, within the Community itself. We are aware of what is called the democratic deficit. It is massive and it is growing. Is the House aware, for example, that the European Community is seeking to introduce a draft directive to require everybody in cars to wear seat belts? This is not the sort of thing that we anticipated would come from the Community.
We have one opportunity every few weeks to ask questions about the European Community, and that was today. But there was not a single question on the Order Paper that was asked on the European Community. The first question to be asked on the European Community was No. 24, and of course we did not reach it; I am not complaining about that. In the past we had a specific slot for European questions. Given the growing impact of European legislation on the House, and given the present massive democratic deficit, I put the plea to you, Mr. Speaker, that you get together with the usual channels with a view to reinstituting the very important facility that the House used to have.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I share the hon. Gentleman's concern, and I am aware that, in the past, 10 minutes were allocated to European questions.
§ Mr. Dennis Skinner (Bolsover)Twenty minutes.
§ Mr. SpeakerTwenty minutes, then.
The best course for the hon. Gentleman and for other right hon. and hon. Members to take, if they feel strongly about this matter, is to question the Leader of the House during business questions tomorrow.