GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, STAFFS (REVIEW) (Hansard, 16 June 1947)

§ 46. Wing-Commander Hulbert
asked the Prime Minister, if he is now in a position to make a statement on the result of the Government's review of the number of persons employed in Government Departments.

§ The Prime Minister
I hope to make a statement very shortly.

§ Wing-Commander Hulbert
Does the Prime Minister realise that there is public disquiet on this matter, and can he give any indication when this statement will be made, and what he means by "very shortly"?

§ The Prime Minister
In the course of a few days.

§ Sir W. Smithers rose
—

§ Mr. Speaker
The hon. Member must not expect to ask a supplementary on every question.

§ Mr. Eden
On a point of Order. Is it out of Order for a hon. Member to rise to ask a supplementary question?

§ Mr. Speaker
It is not out of Order for an hon. Member to rise, but it is not necessary that I should call him.

§ Sir W. Smithers
On a point of Order. May I draw your attention, Mr. Speaker, to the fact that, to the best of my memory, I have only asked two supplementary questions this morning, and I wanted to ask the Prime Minister a supplementary on Question No. 45.

§ Mr. Walkden
Both of them were crazy, anyway.

§ Sir W. Smithers
May I also ask if it is in Order for an hon. Member to say that "Both of them were crazy, anyway"?

§ Lord John Hope
When you, Mr. Speaker, say that an hon. Member is not expected to ask a supplementary on every question, is it not the case that you exercise your judgment in calling the next question with reference to the time already expended on the last question? Surely, the fact that one hon. Member has asked a supplementary does not preclude him from asking one later on?

§ Mr. Speaker
I think that the House will readily agree that the hon. Member to whom I referred did not wait to be called. He was asking a question as he got up.

§ Wing-Commander Hulbert
On a point of Order. The hon. Member said that my Question was "crazy, anyway." [HON. MEMBERS: "No."] May I ask your guidance, Mr. Speaker? Is that not a reflection on the Chair?

§ Mr. Speaker
I was not aware that the hon. Member's Question was put down as crazy. I understood that someone made that remark about a supplementary question, or a hypothetical supplementary: but, in any case, I did not hear it.