§ Mr. GallacherOn a point of Order, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday, I put down a Question addressed to the Prime Minister asking for information about M.I.5. The Question was handed back to me, and I was informed, with a reference to Erskine May, that I could not ask a question about this organisation. M.1.5 did not exist when Erskine May prepared his wise guide for the hon. Members of this House, and may I ask if there is any way possible for hon. Members of this House to obtain information about this very sinister secret police force in this country? Is there any way of getting information, or any way in which hon. Members of this House, or this House as a whole, can get control over this organisation?
§ Mr. SpeakerI have had no notice of this Question, therefore I cannot give a 2100 considered reply. A Minister is always entitled to refuse to answer any Question which deals with our Secret Service, and which he may consider affects the security of the State. That, I believe, has been the unchanging Parliamentary practice, and without notice I can give no further answer.
§ Mr. GallacherFurther to that point of Order, Mr. Speaker. It was not a case of the Minister refusing to answer the Question on public or security grounds. At the Table I was given a reference to Erskine May and told that I could not ask a question about M.I.5.
§ Mr. SpeakerI was given no reference to Erskine May. I did not know anything about it, and therefore I cannot say anything at the moment.