§ Mr. A. Bevan: May I be permitted to ask you, Mr. Speaker, whether you are now in a position to reply to a point I raised on Tuesday concerning the responsibility of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to this House for the administration of the finance corporations?
§ Mr. Speaker: The problem that the hon. Member has put before me is somewhat complicated, and I thank him for bringing it to my notice. The rule is that there must be Ministerial responsibility for the subject-matter of the Question. I do not think it possible for the Table, in the case of these corporations, to realise at first sight where the responsibility lies and, therefore, what is in Order and what is out of Order. To meet the difficulty, I have instructed the Clerks to consult the Treasury in order to ascertain whether they have any responsibility in all cases of doubt. I do not regard this as a satisfactory or permanent solution, and I suggest that the situation should be clarified by a Debate at an early convenient opportunity.