HC Deb 08 November 1955 vol 545 cc1657-9
Mr. Beswick

On a point of order. We have had another example today of the impossibility of the Prime Minister being able to answer all the Questions addressed to him. We have also had another illustration of the inconvenience caused to Members by the request from the Prime Minister's Office to transfer Questions from one day to two other days a week. The difficulty of answering all the Questions on one day follows from the bunching up of Questions on two days. In the circumstances, will the Prime Minister be good enough to answer Question No. 53 so that we may know on what days the right hon. Gentleman is prepared to answer Questions addressed to him?

The Prime Minister

I think that the hon. Gentleman is being a little ungenerous. Of course it is open to hon. Members—and that was my answer—to put down Questions to me or to any Minister on any sitting day except Friday. There is no doubt about that. However, in reply to the right hon. and learned Member for Rowley Regis and Tipton (Mr. Henderson) on 23rd June last, I said that I hoped it would be convenient to the House if I answered Questions on Tuesdays and Thursdays. These are certainly the days most convenient to me. That is only a suggestion that I have made, and it does not, of course, withdraw from hon. Members the right to ask Questions on any day of the week; but I hope, then, that they would not be offended if on some occasions I asked one of my colleagues to reply to them.

Mr. Beswick

Further to that point of order. It may be open to hon. Members to put down Questions on any day of the week, but what we are really interested in, Mr. Speaker, is the day on which they will be answered.

Mr. Speaker

Order. I do not think that this is a point of order.

Mr. H. Morrison

I submit to you, Mr. Speaker, as a matter of indulgence, that it does affect the rights of the House. I accept the Prime Minister's views that it is competent for hon. Members to put down Questions on any day of the week other than Friday, but I suggest to the right hon. Gentleman that it is cutting things rather fine if he takes the view that he ought not to be expected to be here to answer Questions on more than two days a week. I should have thought that for him to be present on three days a week was not unreasonable, unless pressing public business keeps him elsewhere.

The Prime Minister

I always try to treat the House with courtesy. I am a little astonished at what the right hon. Gentleman has said, because I understand that I have been following a precedent which has been in operation for quite a considerable period. However, I will certainly do all I can to meet the wishes of the House in this matter. I simply said that these two days were easier for me, and that is true. Naturally, I will try to meet the wishes of the House if it asks for more.

Mr. Speaker

I cannot allow this discussion to go on further. I think that if there is any question of this sort as to what procedure should be adopted, and if the Opposition have one view and the Government another, it is properly a subject which should be discussed through the usual channels outside. It is certainly out of order at the moment because Question time is over. What the hon. Member is really doing, under the guise of a point of order, is asking for an answer to a Question which was not reached. It would be quite irregular if I permitted that to happen.

Mr. Beswick

As this question was out of order on a point of order, may I take it, Mr. Speaker, that my Question has not been answered?

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member may take what he likes out of that situation. Now I think that we ought to see if we can get an answer to the missing Question of the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Lewis).

Dame Irene Ward

On a point of order. As Question No. 53 was asked on a point of order when it was not a point of order, could we have a non-point of order on this side of the House and have my Question No. 54 answered?

Mr. Speaker

That just illustrates the danger into which the practice of the hon. Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Beswick) would lead us. I think that the Question which was mistakenly withdrawn read as follows: To ask the Prime Minister, whether he will now invite a Parliamentary delegation from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to visit this country, as guests of Her Majesty's Government.