HC Deb 25 October 1950 vol 478 cc2791-3
Sir T. Moore

On a point of order.

Mr. Speaker

Does the hon. and gallant Gentleman want to ask a supplementary question?

Sir T. Moore

No, Sir, I want to raise a point of order. I hesitated because I did not know whether we had finished Questions and whether the time had come to raise a point of order. May I, with respect, ask for your guidance, and perhaps for your Ruling, on the following matter? On Question No. 8 I put some inquiries to the Colonial Secretary about a body known as Jehovah's Witnesses. After two supplementaries, including my own, had been asked, my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Brigadier Thorp) rose to put another one. You, Sir, were good enough to call upon him by name. Before he could put his supplementary the hon. Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. Emrys Hughes), hitherto quiescent, rose, and on a point of order, gave notice that he would raise the matter on the Adjournment. You, Sir, seemed—if I may say so with great respect—to accept that Motion from the hon. Member for South Ayrshire rather than allow my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed to put his supplementary question. I would ask if that is the correct procedure, and whether it would not have been right, perhaps, that my hon. and gallant Friend should have asked his supplementary question?

Mr. Speaker

A point of order overrides anything that is happening when it is raised. As regards asking a supplementary question on Question No. 8 I could not allow one now on that matter. We have had a great many supplementaries today, and we got through very few Questions in consequence. But, after all, the hon. Member for South Ayrshire was entitled to raise a point of order. It is one way of stopping a great many supplementary questions.

Brigadier Thorp

Can you enlighten me, Sir, as to whether it is the custom of this House for an hon. Member to raise a point of order as the hon. Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. Emrys Hughes) did, just because he wants to stop questions and even if he has no idea of raising the matter later on the Adjournment?

Mr. Speaker

That has nothing to do with me. It is a matter between hon. Members themselves.

Mr. Eden

May I ask for guidance too? This is new to me. Is it really a point of order, Sir, when an hon. Member gets up and says he wants to raise a matter on the Adjournment?

Mr. Speaker

Actually, it is not a point of order. The hon. Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. Emrys Hughes) got in by raising a point of order and then gave notice to raise the matter on the Adjournment, which stopped further questions.

Air Commodore Harvey

Will you, Sir, at the appropriate time, allow the hon. Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. Emrys Hughes) time to debate the matter referred to in Question No. 8?

Mr. Speaker

I do not allocate the time of the House.