§ 46. Viscount SANDONasked the Prime Minister whether the China Indemnity Amendment Bill and the Judicial Committee (India) Bill will be introduced this Session?
§ The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Baldwin)I am not yet in a position to make any statement in regard to these Bills.
§ Mr. PALINGMay I ask the Prime Minister whether the delay in introducing this Bill and other Bills mentioned in the King's Speech is due to acute division in his own Cabinet?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member is constantly asking supplementary questions which carry insinuations.
§ At the end of Questions—
§ Mr. PALINGOn a point of Order, Sir. In regard to the remarks which you addressed to me just now, may I respectfully ask in what way I was guilty of disorder either on that or on previous occasions?
§ Mr. SPEAKEROn this and other occasions I have had to point out to the hon. Member that he puts supplementary questions, which, in fact, are insinuations, or are a mere retort. They are not questions at all. I think, if he considers the matter, he will come to realise that it is not a proper thing to do at Question Time. At any rate, I am determined not to allow it.
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSFurther to that point of Order. May I call to your mind that during the Debate yesterday several Members on the opposite benches made a reference to what they described as the characteristic disunity among Members of the front bench; and may I ask whether it is the special prerogative of hon. Members on the opposite side to speak in that way?
§ Mr. SPEAKERNot a bit of it. There is a proper time and an improper time. In Debate these matters can be brought up but, of course. What I was referring to was Question Time.
§ Mr. STEPHENOn that point of Order. I would like to ask whether in the proceedings to-day there were not several supplementary questions which were insinuations? For instance, one hon. Member below the Gangway suggested that a friendly Government was a Government of robbers, and that was passed without remark.
§ Mr. SPEAKERI am very glad to have the hon. Member's assistance. I agree that supplementary questions of this kind do not come from one quarter alone. They come from all parts of the House at times.
§ Mr. STEPHENWhy refer to the one particular Member?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member must allow me to conduct the proceedings. I try to apply the same rule to all parties in the House.