§ Mr. HaleMr. Speaker, I seek your guidance on Question No. 41, which is the next Question on the Order Paper. This Question was put down to the Prime Minister and was No. 3 on the Order Paper today. It refers to a matter of vital importance and extreme urgency, asking about the Government's plans for the assistance of the Lancashire cotton industry, and it was put down to the Prime Minister for this specific reason: when the leaders of the cotton industry and of the textile workers sought to see the President of the Board of Trade, they were referred to the former Prime Minister, and when we complained that the former Prime Minister had resigned without giving an answer, we were told that the matter was in the hands of the present Prime Minister.
My difficulty is this: it has been moved from No. 3 on the list to No. 41, and therefore has not been reached. If I put down the Question in three weeks' time —while people remain out of work by the thousand—as I understand the rules, as they are interpreted, there is nothing to prevent the President of the Board of Trade from transferring the Question back to the Prime Minister, and again it would not be reached because it would be Question No. 45.
Everyone wishes to consult the convenience of the Prime Minister, and if he had said that he had some engagement which prevented him from being here, no one would have taken exception. But 270 he has been sitting here all afternoon doing nothing but listening to the Questions, and he could have dealt with this vital matter. It is a vital subject of great importance.
I want to ask for your guidance and your Ruling, Mr. Speaker. Are the rules of the House such that we are left completely in the power of Ministers for them to say, "We are not going to answer Questions at all and we shall juggle them about on the Order Paper as we like without complaint from the hon. Member putting the Question and without his having any right to make any representations about it"? When he makes representations, an attempt is made to howl him down. Or have we the right to put Questions down and to get answers on matters vitally affecting employment in our constituencies?
§ Mr. SpeakerI have frequently informed the House that the question of the transference of Questions is not one for me but is entirely in the hands of Ministers. I do not think the hon. Member can claim that this has happened without him making a complaint about it.