Mr. PI KE (by Private Notice)asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to an advertisement inserted in London and Scottish newspapers of to-day's date by the promoters o£ the Caledonian Art Union Legal Derby Sweepstakes (1934) Draw, intimating that, in order to include numerous counterfoils which arrived late, the draw will take place at the McLellan Galleries, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, on Wednesday, 6th June, at 7 p.m. after the Derby has been run; that it will be in the presence of the public and members of the Press, and that the full results of the draw will be published in those columns on Friday, the 8th instant; and whether he proposes to take further action?
§ Mr. KIRKWOODOn a point of Order. This is a Glasgow question, which I handed to the President of the Board of Trade regarding this Caledonian art union draw taking place in the McLellan Galleries, Sauehiehall Street. What action can be taken in a case like that, where the President hands the question over to a member of his own party to put the question?
§ Mr. SPEAKERWe had better hear what the answer is.
§ Mr. MAXTONFurther to the point of Order. Is it the practice of this House to accept, as an urgent private 925 notice question, a question that has already been placed on the Order Paper?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI have not seen any question of this kind on the Order Paper.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODOn the point of Order. It is true that I did hand it in at the Table, but I gave it to the President of the Board of Trade because the question had been raised, in order that he would not tell me, when he replied, that he had replied to the hon. Member for the Attercliffe Division of Sheffield (Mr. Pike), and that was only a pushover. In order that I could give him time to make inquiries, I handed the question to him, and this is what he does. He gives it to a member of his own party. This is a downright fraud, and I am astonished at him doing it. If he plays that game with me——
§ Dr. BURGINWhen the right hon. Gentleman——
§ Mr. KIRKWOODI will keep order if I am treated like an ordinary Member.
§ Dr. BURGINWhen the right hon. Gentleman the President of the Board of Trade——
§ Mr. KIRKWOODHe is away at the Derby.
§ Dr. BURGINWhen the right hon. Gentleman the President of the Board of Trade learns what has been said about him, I feel sure the House can leave it to him to give an adequate reply. It is an entirely false suggestion that any question has been handed to anybody. This Private Notice question reached me approximately an hour ago. For the first time did I then know anything about it or its contents, and I have made myself familiar with the question with a view to giving to the House the answer which I now propose to give: The whole question of this draw and all its circumstances are under active consideration.
§ Mr. PIKEIn view of the fact that this draw is not to take place until four hours after the race has been run, will my hon. Friend take immediate action to protect the British subscribers against 926 any possible injustice in the matter of the draw
§ Dr. BURGINThe desire of the hon. Member to see that public interests are protected is well understood. I hope that in a matter of this kind, if the draw is not to take place until seven o'clock, he will not press me further to indicate the nature of the action which it may be desired to take.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODArising out of the reply given by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade, the fact that he only received this question an hour ago does not alter the fact that the words contained in the question are the words which were contained in the question which I gave to the President of the Board of Trade. The reason I raise the question is that the hon. Member for Attercliffe (Mr. Pike) had previously put down a question upon the matter of this draw business which was supposed to be taking place in Sheffield. This Private Notice question has reference to the question which I put in regard to the same kind of draw which is operating in Glasgow, at the McLennan Galleries, Sauchiehall Street, and he could not have got it from any other source but me.
§ Mr. PIKEOn a point of Order, may I ask your Ruling, Mr. Speaker, on the matter of these allegations across the Floor of the House and seek your protection? I put my question down. I framed my question very early this morning. I brought it to your notice at the earliest possible opportunity, circulated copies of my question when it had been accepted, and I have carried out my duties in this connection in conformity with the Rules and etiquette of this House, and I ask whether it is in order that an hon. Member should make such despicable allegations across the Floor of the House without justification?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI did not know anything about it. The proper way to deal with questions is to hand them in at the Table.
§ Mr. MACLEANMay I ask you, Sir, why a question which affects the law of Scotland has been replied to by the Board of Trade, and why such a question should not be addressed to the Secretary of State for Scotland?
§ Mr. SPEAKERIt depends whose business it is to reply.
§ Mr. MACLEANSurely, the Secretary of State for Scotland or the Lord Advocate should reply on matters affecting Scotland or the laws of Scotland.