HC Deb 23 February 1949 vol 461 cc1866-8
Mr. Kenneth Lindsay

On a point of Order. May I seek your guidance, Mr. Speaker? This week the Questions on foreign affairs have come last and last but one in the list of Questions. Next week, I believe, they come fourth, both on Monday and on Wednesday. You will remember that before this new order of Questions it was the custom in this House for foreign affairs to have an early priority on one day in the week. Apart from keeping the Foreign Secretary waiting for a long time, as I see he has been today, would it be possible, after the Easter Recess, to re-arrange the order of Questions so that foreign affairs may have early priority on one day in the week?

Mr. Speaker

That is rather difficult, because on Monday foreign affairs Questions were reached and answered. On Monday there are five Departments which take their turn. It revolves, so to speak, around five cogs. On Wednesday six Departments take their turn. It happens that this week the wheels have so revolved that foreign affairs come rather late. Next week they will be getting better and in two weeks' time foreign affairs will be first on both Monday and Wednesday.

It is very difficult to arrange that foreign affairs should always be first on one of those two days but we do our best. It is by general agreement I understand, between all parties in the House that the present arrangement exists.

Mr. Stanley

I do not pretend to know how it could be done, but it would seem inconvenient that this week foreign affairs should come last on both Monday and Wednesday, whereas in the week after next they will come almost first on both days. Would it be possible to have an arrangement whereby, if foreign affairs Questions came late on one of the two days, they would come rather earlier on the other day, instead of being late on both days in one week and early on both days in another week?

Mr. Speaker

Of course, I am not really responsible. We do our best to try to suit the House and I have no doubt that between now and Easter we can see if some other arrangements can be come to.

Mr. Warbey

Would it be possible to consider giving priority on one day each week after the Prime Minister's Questions, as is done for some Departments?

Mr. Speaker

That depends on the number of supplementary questions. On some days we have not even reached the Prime Minister's questions. If it was always understood that we could reach Question 45 the hon. Member's suggestion might be worth considering.

Mr. Pickthorn

With respectful submission to your recollection, Mr. Speaker, about agreement between all parties, is it not the fact that at least once—I thought twice—in the course of this Parliament we have received something like a half-promise that after the experiment, consideration should be given to going back to having Foreign Office Questions always first on Wednesday, which is a matter of immense convenience to the Press of the world? I think it has been promised us more than once that that should be reconsidered before this Parliament is out.

Mr. H. Morrison

May I say that at all times both the Chair and I are perfectly willing to consider readjustments for the general convenience of the House. As it is, I understand that Foreign Office Questions are first on one day and stand a fair chance of being reached on the second day [An HON. MEMBER: "Not this week."] Not every week, but there is a fair chance of that.

We have to keep in mind that if we put up one Department to a premier position of precedence on the Order Paper we shall be involved in complaints from other hon. Members as a consequence of other Departments being pushed down. Therefore, if I may say so with respect, the whole question wants thinking about before we become committed. As far as I am concerned, if complaints and representations are made I am perfectly willing to consider them and I am sure that you, too, Sir, would do so. I only warn the House to be a little careful in case we create another complaint as a result of solving this one.

Mr. K. Lindsay

May I thank you, Sir, and the Leader of the House for the possibility, at any rate, of re-arrangement, because at present it would be possible not to be able to ask a question on foreign affairs for a week and a half or two weeks. On Monday of this week we had a very rapid question period and did actually reach them, but we might easily have had no foreign affairs questions for the whole of this week.

Mr. Speaker

I have no doubt that the Leader of the House and the two Front Benches will consider this matter, and so will I. I can assure the hon. Gentleman however, that it is a more complicated matter than appears at first sight.