§ Mr. HUNTasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that Members of the two Front Benches, in proportion to their numbers, take up on the average about ten times as much of the time of the House as do the Members not on the front benches, and in view of the fact that the two Front Benches usually decide between themselves the amount of time to be spent in most Debates he could see his way to suspending the eleven o'clock rule on really important Debates, so as to give the back bench Members a chance of putting their views before the House and the country?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am afraid I cannot accept the hon. Member's figures. I am told that an examination of the OFFICIAL REPORT shows that on the two days which were given last week to the introduction of the Parliament Bill there were six speeches from the two Front Benches, occupying about sixty - two columns, and twenty-eight speeches from private Members occupying about 156 202 columns. I see no sufficient reason for suspending the Eleven o'clock Rule.