HC Deb 09 February 1938 vol 331 cc1054-5
Mr. Perkins

On a point of Order. Would it not be possible to have a change made in the order of questions which would be for the convenience of the House? I understand the present arrangement to be that Air Ministry questions are asked on Wednesdays, and that they come fourth in order on the Paper. There have been many occasions in the past when some of those questions have not been reached. To-day not one of them has been reached. Would it not be possible to alter the present arrangement so that questions about air matters could be asked in the House? Would it not be possible, for instance, to put them in the third place on Mondays instead of questions addressed to the Ministry of Pensions?

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member has my sympathy in the question which he raises. If arrangements can be made by which questions addressed to the Air Ministry can be called upon without inconvenience to others, we shall try to do it. The matter can be dealt with through the usual channels.

Captain P. Macdonald

Would not the claim of my hon. Friend be satisfied if we arranged that Air Ministry questions and Colonial Office questions should be taken on alternate Wednesdays?

Sir P. Harris

As there are hundreds of millions of people concerned in the questions which are addressed to the Colonial Office, are they not entitled at least to one day in the week?

Mr. Kirkwood

Why not arrange to have the questions about air matters put down for Friday? That will test the hon. Members concerned.

Sir N. Grattan-Doyle

Is it not a fact that there has been an extraordinary increase in the number of Supplementary questions during the past six months?

Mr. T. Williams

Does not the problem at the moment arise out of the fact that this is the second week of this part of the Session, and not the 17th?

Mr. Speaker

It seems to me that if we come to a satisfactory arrangement as regards the order in which questions are to be asked, all those matters will be taken into consideration.