47. Captain Shawasked the Prime Minister what steps he proposes to take in view of the fact that the present Minister of Labour has not yet secured election to this House?
§ Mr. AttleeI hope that my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and National Service will soon take his seat in this House.
§ At the end of Questions—
§ Mr. LoganMay I ask you, Mr. Speaker, with regard to a Private Notice Question that I have submitted whether I can raise it now?
§ Mr. SpeakerI have sent a reply to the hon. Member which, I thought, would satisfy him.
§ Mr. LoganI have not received that reply. I wish to raise a question of procedure appertaining to the secret meeting of the House on 10th inst., and to ask whether it is possible for Mr. Ernest Bevin, Minister of Labour, to be summoned to the House on that date to give a report? I wish to ask for your guidance, Sir, in regard to the procedure so that we may have the Minister's presence and such a report on that day.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe contents of my letter were to the effect that it would be quite contrary to the practice of this House for anyone, other than a Member of Parliament, to speak in this House. If the hon. Member gives it his further reflection, he will agree that it would be very unwise to depart from that Rule.
§ Mr. LoganOwing to the importance of the situation, I thought it necessary to raise this question, as Mr. Ernest Bevin is the one person who can give such information to the House.