HC Deb 11 February 1958 vol 582 cc202-4
43. Dame Irene Ward

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister of Welsh Affairs what action he has taken with regard to dealing with the pollution of the River Tyne.

Mr. Bevins

The Northumberland and Tyneside River Board is the body primarily concerned with the condition of the Tyne, and I am sure that the Board has its responsibilities well in mind. I understand that some of the local authorities are now exploring ways of improving methods of disposing of domestic sewage, but it must be some time before they can formulate any proposals.

Dame Irene Ward

Might I say, being slightly surprised at that Answer, that the Minister definitely stated the other day to me that he had taken certain action with regard to asking for certain analyses? Is that not a fact, or has something happened in the meantime?

Mr. Bevins

The position is that there has been consultation between the officers of my Department and local authorities concerned. Float tests are taking place under expert supervision, and we are hoping that a scheme will emerge.

Dame Irene Ward

Why could not the hon. Gentleman say that?

Mr. Short

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the hon. Gentleman's reply, to which I had not the opportunity to put a supplementary question, in spite of the fact that my constituency lies along the river, I beg to give notice that I propose to raise the matter on the Adjournment.

Mr. Speaker

If I allow every hon. Member to ask a supplementary question, hon. Members who have taken the trouble to put Questions on the Order Paper would not receive answers.

Later—

Mr. E. Fletcher

On a point of order. A few moments ago my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Central (Mr. Short) desired to raise a matter on the Adjournment arising from the unsatisfactory reply given by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government to a Question by the hon. Lady the Member for Tynemouth (Dame Irene Ward). I understood your Ruling, Mr. Speaker, to be that a Member who wished to ask a supplementary question on the subject should put down a Question. The position is that a great many Members on this side were thoroughly dissatisfied with the Answer given by the Parliamentary Secretary to his hon. Friend the Member for Tynemouth and would like to raise the matter on the Adjournment.

May I ask for your Ruling, Mr. Speaker, as to whether it is possible for a Member on this side who is dissatisfied with an Answer given by a Minister to a Question raised on his own side of the House to give notice that, if he is dissatisfied with the Answer, he wishes to raise the matter on the Adjournment?

Mr. Speaker

Certainly, it is possible. It is open to any Member to give notice that he intends to raise the matter on the Adjournment. Why I intervened when the hon. Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Central (Mr. Short) was speaking was that I understood him to be complaining that although he was a representative of the City of Newcastle he was not allowed to ask a supplementary question. I was pointing out that if I allowed every Member of populous cities to ask supplementary questions on every Question that concerned them it would be unfair to every other Member who had a Question on the Order Paper. Of course, I accept the hon. Member's notice of his intention to raise the matter on the Adjournment, and I hope that he will get a chance of doing so.

Mr. Short

What I was doing—I thought, quite respectfully—was to say why I was dissatisfied and wished to raise the matter on the Adjournment. Your reply, Mr. Speaker, seemed to indicate that a Member who wished to get a reply must put down a Question and that, in spite of the fact that my constituency has a bigger frontage on the River Tyne than that of any other Member of the House. I was precluded from getting an answer unless I put down a Question.

Mr. Speaker

If the hon. Member had put a Question on the Order Paper he would have had an answer.

Dame Irene Ward

Further to that point of order. As the Question happened to be mine, may I share in the Adjournment?

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Lady should apply for an Adjournment and take her good fortune.