HC Deb 02 June 1921 vol 142 cc1249-50
Commander BELLAIRS

I wish, Sir, to direct your attention to the state of the Order Paper in regard to Irish questions. There are to-day 131 questions on the Paper, and 58 are addressed to the Irish Office or are questions addressed to the Prime Minister concerning Irish affairs. That is nearly one-half. The House can judge of the other questions and the Supplementary and Private Notice questions by what has already occurred. I submit that many of these questions are old and have been answered again and again. They interfere with other Members of the House who want to ask questions of other Departments, and I wish to ask whether there is no remedy for this state of affairs. We have rationed Members with regard to questions; is it not possible to ration Ministers with regard to the questions that they are asked? You, Sir, have said that we ought to get through 100 questions per day. I submit that one-quarter of the questions on the Order Paper is a fair ration for any Minister.

Mr. SPEAKER

I am afraid that I do not see my way to ration Ministers. Perhaps their share of iniquity varies from time to time. May I observe that we have to-day got through over 100 questions, and I thank hon. Members for responding to my appeal of yesterday. It shows what is possible. My object is to defend legitimate supplementary questions. I can only do it if the House supports me in suppressing illegitimate and unnecessary supplementary questions.

Mr. CLYNES

Could you indicate what might be the number of questions on the Order Paper relating to any other part of the United Kingdom if it were governed the same as Ireland?

Mr. SPEAKER

That is a question which I should not like to answer.

Commander BELLAIRS

May I draw your attention to the fact that a number of questions addressed to the Irish Office were not asked because the Members were not here. That is another grievance, because many of these questions involve allegations of a very serious character against the Crown forces. The least that a Member can do if he makes such serious allegations is to be in his place to ask the question.

Mr. SPEAKER

We can all look at the Order Paper, and we all have some share of understanding. If the Member is absent, we can draw our own conclusions.