§ Mr. DoddsOn a point of order. I should like your guidance, Mr. Speaker, on a matter about which I feel deeply. I also feel deeply about the shabby treatment accorded to George Buchanan as Chairman of the National Assistance Board. I had a Question accepted by the Table about the terms of office of chairmen of national boards which appeared on the Order Paper addressed to the Prime Minister all last week. It appeared on the Order Paper yesterday. I was prepared to deal with it today, but I found that it had been transferred to the Treasury without any notice whatever being given me. I have made all possible inquiries and have at no point discovered a communication notifying me of the change. I wish to know if there is any way in which an hon. Member can be protected against this shabby treatment.
§ Mr. SpeakerI have dealt with this matter several times. The transference of Questions from one Department to another is nothing to do with me or the Table. It is entirely a matter for Departments. I have said—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I have said that it is desirable when Questions are transferred that as much notice as possible should be given.
§ Mr. S. SilvermanIs it not a little unusual? Granted that a Minister has a perfect right to transfer a Question to another Department if he thinks it will be more suitably answered by another Department, nevertheless once it has been accepted by the Department, and, as in this case, appeared on the Order Paper addressed to the Prime Minister for a week and appeared on the Order Paper addressed to the Prime Minister as late as yesterday, to change it today when it might have been answered is surely rather unprecedented.
§ Mr. SpeakerI have nothing to do with that.
§ The Prime MinisterI am very sorry that the hon. Gentleman has suffered any inconvenience. I really had not got in mind that I ought to have asked him to transfer his Question to another day. I ought to have come to the conclusion about the proper Department to answer it at an earlier period. I express my regret.