HC Deb 19 February 1920 vol 125 cc1050-1
Commander BELLAIRS

May I put a question to you, Mr. Speaker, with regard to the state of the Order Paper to-day? There are 175 questions on the Paper. Of these76 were asked, with the result that only five Ministers were able to reach their questions. In regard to the Prime Minister's questions there were 50 addressed to him, involving well over 50 supplementary questions. I desire to ask two questions. Last year you reduced the number of starred questions per Member to four. I respectfully suggest that we should still further reduce the number of starred questions to each Member. Secondly, in regard to the Prime Minister's questions, there is a certain tactical position which is reached by a Member putting a question to the Prime Minister, though it is obviously designed for another Minister. I suggest that some supervision might be exercised by which the questions are compulsorily changed to the proper Minister, and the Member does not secure that tactical position through what is, after all, not a fair method.

Mr. SPEAKER

I quite agree that the position with regard to questions to-day is very unsatisfactory, but I would remind the hon. Member that, although 73 questions on the Paper were asked, there were asked, in addition, 62 questions which were not on the Paper. If the total of 138 questions had been asked the result would have been very different. As I said before, I do not feel that I have sufficient authority to limit the number of hon. Members' questions without the general assent of the House. If the House generally thought it desirable to limit Members' questions to two, it would be my duty to carry out the wishes of the House, and I would give instructions accordingly. With regard to the possibility of allowing questions put to the Prime Minister to be diverted to other departments, I think the Clerks at the Table do their best. But what happens is that a Member whose questions are transferred from the Prime Minister to another department does not always take it lying down, and says he particularly wishes to call the attention of the Prime Minister to that particular matter, and that that is the reason why the question was put down to the Prime Minister. I will endeavour to do the best I can.

Commander BELLAIRS

May I respectfully suggest that you might follow the precedent created last year, when you reduced the number of questions to four per Member as a sort of trial? The House has generally indicated its approval of a reduction of questions to two per Member. [Cries of No, no!"]

Mr. W. THORNE

Is it not a fact that, when the Prime Minister answers questions and on the same day Ireland has first chance, that is the only day when we cannot get through many questions?

Major Sir B. FALLE

Would it not be possible, instead of limiting them to less than four per day, to limit each Member to ten questions per week? [Cries of "No!"]

Mr. SPEAKER

We should require another gentlemar, to sit at the table to classify them. [Cries of "Two a day!" and "No!"] I suggest that we compromise by making it three.

The House indicated agreement.