HC Deb 12 February 1917 vol 90 cc266-7
45. Sir PHILIP MAGNUS

asked the Prime Minister whether, having regard to the necessity of utilising, in the best interests of the nation, the available energies of the permanent staffs of the several public Departments of State and to the amount of time and labour occupied in preparing answers to the questions of private Members, he can see his way to impose some further limitation to the number of questions which a Member may ask on any one day or to restrict by some other arrangement the total number of questions on each day's Order Paper.

46. Mr. SAMUEL ROBERTS

asked whether, in view of the increasing labour thrown on the public Departments, he can see his way to make suggestions for the restriction of the number of questions put to Ministers in this House?

Mr. BONAR LAW

There is no doubt that a very heavy burden is thrown upon the Civil Service in preparing answers to questions, and that the time so occupied does interfere with work of pressing importance in the prosecution of the War. On the other hand, the putting of questions is not only greatly prized by Members of this House, but is often very useful, and no change could be made without the general assent of the House. I should, therefore, be very glad to receive any definite suggestions from hon. Members, and such suggestions would be carefully considered by the Government.

Sir P. MAGNUS

Does the right hon. Gentleman not consider it advisable that a small Committee should be appointed to make suggestions to the Prime Minister, with a view to carrying out restrictions?

Mr. HOGGE

Could not some of the eighty-one members of the Government give their attention to answering questions?

Mr. S. ROBERTS

Will the right hon. Gentleman communicate in the usual way with hon. Members, with a view to ascertaining the opinion of the House?

Mr. BONAR LAW

I should very much like to have the general feeling of the House on the subject, if it is possible by one means or another to arrive at it.

Colonel Lord HENRY CAVENDISH-BENTINCK

Is not the right to put questions one of our best safeguards?

Mr. R. McNEILL

Does the right hon. Gentleman not think that the number of questions would largely diminish if all the Ministers were to frame their answers in such a way as to give as much information as possible, instead of as little as possible?

Mr. BONAR LAW

I am sure that any Minister who knows his business will recognise that he gains nothing by trying to evade questions.