The following Question stood on the Order Paper in the name of Mr. ELLIS SMITH: 117817. "To ask the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been directed to the revelations in the case of Thompson, His Majesty's Inspector of Taxes, versus Magnesium Elektron, Limited, and the restrictions contained in an agreement made between Magnesium Elektron, Limited, and I.C.I., providing that the former company should not sell caustic soda and other by-products; whether this agreement has remained in force during the war; how it has affected our total war effort; and how is the company disposing of the caustic soda produced.
§ Mr. Ellis SmithMay I ask you, Mr. Speaker, why Question No. 17, which stands in my name, has not been called?
§ Mr. SpeakerIt has been crossed out on my Paper and I presumed that it was not to be asked.
§ Mr. DaltonThis Question is to be answered by the Minister of Aircraft Production.
§ Mr. Ellis SmithWhy?
§ Mr. DaltonBecause it relates to the Department of that Minister, who took over the Question by arrangement.
§ Mr. Ellis SmithI do not want to create a difficulty but there is some misunderstanding here. This matter is the direct responsibility, as far as the agreement is concerned, of the Board of Trade, and the question of administration is one for the Minister of Aircraft Production. I am asking a question about the law report, to which I would like an answer.
§ Mr. SpeakerI have no control over which Minister should answer a Question.
§ Earl WintertonIs it not in accordance with the custom of this House that, where a Question is transferred in this way, the hon. Member concerned should be so advised?
§ Mr. DaltonI regret if there has been any slip up on this matter. The Question is addressed to me on the Paper but, as very often happens, as you will be aware, Mr. Speaker, following discussions between my officials and officials at the Ministry of Aircraft Production, it was agreed by both of us that the matter fell within the sphere of the Ministry of Aircraft Production and not within mine. I had assumed, therefore, that either the Minister of Aircraft Production or the Parliamentary Secretary would be here to answer it. That was the understanding between us. I am very sorry that some misunderstanding may have occurred but that is their affair and not mine.
§ Mr. Ellis SmithI must claim your protection here, Mr. Speaker. The Question refers to a matter which was dealt with before the Ministry of Aircraft Production was set up at all. This is an agreement that has been in existence for some time and, therefore, seeing that this is a pre-war matter and that this restrictive agreement has been in operation during the war, am I not entitled to an answer, and is it not the responsibility of the Board of Trade?
§ Mr. SpeakerI regret I cannot order a Question to be answered by a particular Ministry.
Mr. Pethiek-LawrenceOn a point of Order, Mr. Speaker. We quite recognise that a Question can be transferred, but this Question is on the Order Paper to be put to the President of the Board of Trade. In these circumstances is it not in accordance with the usual practice for you to call upon the hon. Member to ask his Question so that when he asks his Question any explanation can be given by the Government? Surely, the Question can be asked at this point of time.
§ Mr. SpeakerWe were told that this Question was not being asked, and it was crossed off my Paper. As a matter of fact this Question has not been asked, but if there is any answer the Question can be answered when the Minister arrives.
§ Mr. StokesMay we have an explanation why there is no Minister present to answer the Question if it has been transferred by arrangement?
§ Mr. SpeakerI do not know.
§ Mr. Ellis SmithMay I defer this Question until next week?
§ Mr. SpeakerYes, certainly.