§ Mr. RankinOn a point of order. May I ask your guidance, Mr. Speaker, on a matter about which I have written to you? Yesterday, I had down a Question to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Before the sitting of the House commenced I asked, by telephone from London Airport, for that Question to be deferred. Later, I discovered that, despite my request, the Minister had answered the Question. I think that you should offer some guidance in a circumstance like that, Sir, because it seems to me to ignore the ordinary procedure of the House, and the right of a Member to defer a Question to another day. Perhaps you may be able to tell me what happened, and what steps you propose to take to protect the interests of Members in these matters?
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Member communicated with the office at 2.20 yesterday, according to his own letter, asking that his Question be deferred. I was duly given notice of the hon. Member's desire, and I should not have called the Question. That is as far as I can go in the matter. The Minister had prepared an Answer to the hon. Member's Question, along with two others. Perhaps he did not know anything about the hon. Member's request. He gave the Answer, as he was quite entitled to do. If an hon. Member wishes a Question to be deferred, and gives notice, I shall not call the Question, in deference to the hon. Member's wishes, but that is all I can do in the matter. If hon. Members wish to take further steps with the Minister, that is a matter between them and him.
§ Mr. RankinIt seems that there is no further step that I can take in the matter, other than raising it here and now, but surely when notice of deferment is given it is the Minister's business not to include the Answer to that Question in a reply?
§ Mr. SpeakerThat is a matter between an hon. Member and the Minister. I do not know whether the hon. Member gave notice to the Minister. Even if he did, it is a matter entirely between the two of them. He must have that quarrel out with the Minister. I must say that I think that this is a little extraordinary. I usually get complaints from hon. Members that Ministers have not answered their Questions. It is rather unusual to have complaints the other way round.