HC Deb 18 March 1919 vol 113 c1904
Question 62 stood in the name of Lieutenant-Colonel WEIGALL.

Lieutenant-Colonel WEIGALL

May I ask my next question?

Mr. SPEAKER

This question is in excess of the hon. and gallant Member's ration.

Lieutenant-Colonel WEIGALL

I have had only three.

Mr. SPEAKER

The hon. and gallant Member has had four, and two or three supplementaries.

At the conclusion of Questions

Lieutenant-Colonel WEIGALL

May I ask your ruling, Sir, as to the issue of rations in the form of questions and as to whether the four that were generally acceded to by the House are calculated to include supplementary questions to answers, however unsatisfactory and insufficient the answer may be? I ask particularly for your ruling because, in the event of your ruling including supplementary questions, may I ask what action you would take in the case to-day of the hon. and gallant Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Colonel Wedgwood), who overdrew his issue?

Mr. SPEAKER

I thought I was carrying out the general wish of the House in limiting to four the number of questions on the Paper. If the hon. and gallant Member will look at the Paper he will see that questions Nos. 11, 12, 46, and 61 already stood in his name. That is four, and when we reached No. 65 I passed him over, and then I added, because I did not think he had been badly treated, that before we reached that point he had put two or three supplementary questions.

Mr. BILLING

May I ask, Sir, whether this applies to non-coupon Members?

Mr. SPEAKER

As far as this goes, we are all coupon Members, except myself, who cannot ask any question.