HC Deb 03 February 1938 vol 331 cc384-5
Mr. Davidson

I desire to raise a point of Order, Mr. Speaker, and to ask for your guidance. Recently a branch of an important organisation in Scotland sent a resolution to the Prime Minister with regard to the cost of living. I put a question down, in ample time for the Prime Minister to give a reply, asking whether he had received this resolution, and, if so, had he considered it, and had he any statement to make? Yesterday I received word that my question had been transferred to the President of the Board of Trade. It appears on to-day's Order Paper as Question No. no, and it is given wrongly, because it says, To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he has considered the cost of living resolution sent to him, when the resolution was sent to the Prime Minister asking for his consideration. I desire to ask your guidance as to the way in which a Member, when a specific question such as this, is put down, can see to it that his question is replied to by the appropriate Minister?

Mr. Speaker

The resolution was not sent to me, and I have no knowledge of it at all. With regard to the allocation of questions to the appropriate Ministers, when a question is put down to the wrong Minister, it is always transferred to the Minister of the Department concerned.

Mr. Davidson

The resolution was definitely sent to the Prime Minister, and my question was addressed to the Prime Minister, and in no circumstances can I ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he has considered a resolution that was not sent to him, but was sent to the Prime Minister. I am satisfied in raising my point of Order, as long as I have been able to point out the methods by which the Prime Minister obviously shirks his responsibility.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member should not make such accusations in a question on a point of Order.

Mr. Wedgwood Benn

Are questions transferred from one Minister to another at the desire of a particular Minister whom we seek to question or is it a matter which is decided at the Table?

Mr. Speaker

The ultimate responsibility for the transference rests with me. Obviously a question on a particular subject should be addressed to the Minister responsible.

Mr. Benjamin Smith

Would it not be better when questions are in fact transferred from one Minister to another, that they should have priority on the Order Paper so that they may be asked in the House?

Mr. Speaker

That would cut both ways.