HC Deb 09 March 1955 vol 538 cc445-6
Mr. Nicholson

On a point of order. It will not have escaped your notice, Mr. Speaker, that 88 Questions have today been addressed to the first Minister down to reply to Questions. This is rather hard on hon. Members who have put down Questions to other Ministers. I am not involved in this, but I wondered whether you would be good enough to give thought to the matter to see whether the House cannot be assisted in preventing this sort of thing happening.

Mr. Speaker

Will the hon. Member repeat the last part of his remarks? He dropped his voice, and I could not hear him.

Mr. Nicholson

I wondered whether you would be good enough to give some thought to the matter, Mr. Speaker, in order to assist the House by preventing the crowding out of Questions addressed by hon. Members to other Ministers.

Mr. Braine

Further to the point of order. In view of the very great importance of the responsibilities of the House to the Colonial Territories, I hope that no suggestion will be made that Questions to the Secretary of State for the Colonies should be interfered with.

Several Hon. Members rose

—

Mr. Brockway

Further to the point of order—

Mr. Speaker

I am about to reply to the point of order. It really is not a matter for me. If hon. Members are dissatisfied with the arrangements for Questions, they should make proper representations through the usual channels, and then perhaps something can be done. However, it is obvious from the short exchange that has taken place that the House is by no means of one mind on the matter.