HC Deb 07 November 1950 vol 480 cc771-3
Mrs. Braddock

I should like, Mr. Speaker, to ask for your Ruling, or assistance, in a matter which is causing Members on the back benches on my side of the House a great deal of concern. It is with reference—and I hope that you will allow me to put this matter in the way I desire—to the peculiar phrase known as "catching the Speaker's eye." I want to know exactly what is the situation, because if the method of catching the Speaker's eye is to come to you and to make reference to the fact that a person desires to speak, or if a person has to put his or her name down and you select the names, that is quite all right; but if the situation is that there is some other way of catching the Speaker's eye, most of us would like to know exactly what is this method.

Yesterday, three lady Members on this side of the House remained in their seats continuously, without moving, from 2.30 p.m. until the Division was called at 10 o'clock. The lady Members do not desire any privileges, but at the same time they desire to be considered in the methods adopted to catch the Speaker's eye. I should like to know whether there is any other method of someone being able to arrange that you should catch somebody's eye or that they should catch your eye—we all know what that procedure is—so that we can deal with the position in our own individual ways and see whether one section can be more effective in catching the Speaker's eye than some sections seem to have been in this House for a very long time.

Mr. Speaker

I am afraid that I cannot help the hon. Lady very much. I can assure her that there is no other way. I look round, and I decide whom to call. Sometimes I know beforehand who wants to get up, but very often I choose at the last minute, because I think that may help the Debate. As regards the lady Members we did have two in the Debate on Friday——

Mrs. Braddock

One.

Mr. Speaker

—and we did not have any yesterday, but I warned the House very carefully beforehand that we probably would not have time for very many back bench speeches. We only had six yesterday, and I suspect that we shall get even fewer today; so the chances are not very good. All I know is that during the first four days of the Debate there were 59 back bench speeches and 11 Front Bench speeches, so that the back benchers, on the whole, I think, had a fair amount of the time available for taking part in the business of the House.

Mr. Hamilton

Further to that point of order. Can we eliminate entirely the method of putting one's name down in the Speaker's Secretary's office, or, alternatively, of giving it in at the Speaker's Chair?

Mr. Speaker

I would not resent that in the least, but the trouble is that hon. Members are anxious to send their names in, and I cannot stop them doing so.

Mrs. Braddock

I am quite satisfied with your comment, Mr. Speaker, because I think that it means that neither the Whips nor anyone else have the opportunity of deciding who shall, through you, take part in the various debates.

Mr. Speaker

I use my own judgment. Sometimes I may be told that Mr. So-and-so is an expert on some subject; but I use my own judgment and do not take orders from the Whips on either side.