§ Mr. Dodds (Dartford)With your permission, Mr. Speaker, I would like to make a short statement which, I trust, will clear up a misapprehension that I believe has arisen in unfortunate circumstances. As you are well aware, I endeavoured to take part in the Foreign Affairs Debate, but, despite the fact that I rarely left the Chamber, I was not fortunate enough to catch your eye. I left the Chamber when the winding up of the Debate commenced. As I was leaving, I passed the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs as he was entering the Chamber. I greeted him and I proceeded to the Library, to endeavour to make up for time lost as a result of sitting in this Chamber. It was with a certain amount of surprise that yesterday my attention was drawn to the fact that the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs had spent quite a considerable time in making reference to me. Evidence of that is to 2308 be found in the OFFICIAL REPORT columns 2122–3–5. I would like my colleagues in the Labour Party to know that I did not speak in that Debate and that I had no notice whatever that my name was to be introduced into the Debate. Had that courtesy been extended to me I should most certainly have been in the Chamber and, believing that many of the statements were untrue, I should have endeavoured to challenge them. That is my statement, that I did not speak in the Debate and I was not informed that my name would be introduced. Finally, I would like your guidance. I have a desire, knowing that many of the statements are untrue, to raise the matter on the Adjournment. I should like to know whether, I am in Order in making an application to do so.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Member is certainly in Order in wishing to raise the matter on the Adjournment. When the occasion will occur I cannot say. I will make a note of it.