§ Mr. MellishOn a point of order. I desire, Mr. Speaker, to seek your guidance and help. I, like some other of my colleages, have been nominated to Standing Committee D. This morning we met to discuss the Betting and 230 Gaming Bill. We arrived at the Committee and we found that the main promoter of the Bill, namely, the Home Secretary, was not in attendance and that it was not his intention to attend the Committee on the Bill.
This sort of thing has happened before. When the Home Secretary was the promoter of a very controversial Bill of very great importance, namely, the Street Offences Bill, he likewise failed to attend any of the meetings of the Committee on that Bill. This morning. there was great delay in the discussion of the Bill, and as a consequence the Chairman of the Committee was compelled to rule that this was not a matter which concerned him.
The point I wish to raise with you, Mr. Speaker, though I realise that I cannot do so with much hope, is this. I ask whether something can be done so that when so controversial a Bill is to be considered the Minister mainly responsible for it should be there in the Committee to answer detailed points. I ask you, Sir, whether, as Speaker of the House, you can use your influence to make those people understand their full responsibilities to this House.
§ Mr. SpeakerI am in this difficulty. If this matter was not a point of order for the Chairman of the Standing Committee, it is difficult to see how it can be a point of order for me. No doubt the eloquent words of the hon. Member will have been widely heard.