§ Mr. LiptonOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I should like your guidance in the following matter. Yesterday, I handed in the following Question to the Chancellor of the Exchequer——
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I must safeguard my position. If the hon. Gentleman is trying to raise, as a point of order, a Question which has been disallowed at the Table, he may not do so.
§ Mr. LiptonI handed in this Question yesterday, and it now appears in the Order Book of the House. It was addressed to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for answer next Tuesday, and asks for what reasons he still considers it necessary to maintain the Bank Rate at its present level.
I should not like it to be assumed that I had any prior knowledge that the Bank Rate was to come down today. Perhaps, Mr. Speaker, you may be good enough to direct that, if I now withdraw the Question, no judicial inquiry into the circumstances will be necessary.
§ Mr. SpeakerI think that the hon. Gentleman is quite free from any suspicion.