§ Mr. MACPHERSONMay I ask for your guidance, Mr. Speaker. There are 21 questions on the Order Paper dealing with Scottish affairs, and only one question has been asked. It was understood at the beginning of this Session that some arrangement would be made by means of which Scottish questions would be reached. That arrangement has not been carried out, and I would ask your guidance on what steps Scottish Members should take to have a legitimate share of the Order Paper on a fixed day of the week?
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYMay I respectfully point out that certain of the questions already asked were put by Scottish Members, and that Scottish Members try to have it both ways.
Mr. MACLEANWhen a protest was made from these benches and the benches on the other side earlier in the Session with regard to the Ministry of Labour and the Scottish Office, we understood that the matter would be put right. Only one day is alloted for Scottish Members to ask Scottish questions, and to-day Scottish Members have had no opportunity of asking questions relating to Scottish affairs. With regard to the statement of the hon. and gallant Member for Central Hull (Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy), Scottish Members are sent here, not only to represent Scotland, as we are often told, but the whole country.
§ Sir JOHN GILMOURI trust that the Government may be able to find some solution of this problem. I can only say that during the last four years, when we had charge of the Office, we we're able always to reach our questions, and I see no reason why the arrangement should not be continued.
§ Mr. R. MORRISONIs not the real solution to lessen the number of supplementary questions?
§ Mr. SPEAKERIf there be any real grievance on this question, I shall be only too glad to look into it and to endeavour, with the assistance of the Departments, to come to some arrangement which will prove more satisfactory. Hon. Members, however, must remember that to-day is an unfortunate one, as there are 35 questions down to the Board of Trade. This is an unusually large number and they have taken a long time. I must also remind hon. Members that if they ask so many supplementary questions, we cannot get beyond a certain number on the Paper, and those who come later must obviously suffer.
§ Sir W. DAVISONWill you, Mr. Speaker, also take into consideration the desirability of giving an additional quarter of an hour to questions, so that public business can start at 4 o'clock, and so that a full hour can be given to questions to Ministers.
Mr. MACLEANWith due deference to your statement, Mr. Speaker, is it not the case that during the last four years questions directed to the Secretary for Scotland occupied an earlier part in the Order Paper, and if that particular position had been held, every Scottish question could have been answered today?
§ Mr. SPEAKERWhen I made my original reply to the point of Order I said that I would look into this question, and that if any fresh arrangement could be made which would be more satisfactory I should be glad to see it carried out.
§ Mr. VAUGHANAs a new Member may I ask whether it would not be possible for questions to be taken at 10 o'clock in the evening?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI fancy that the time allotted and the hour at which they are taken are approved of by the great majority of the Members of the House.