HC Deb 16 December 1959 vol 615 cc1446-7

The following Question stood upon the Order Paper:

55. Mr. BENCE

To ask the Minister of Transport what progress has been made by the committee under the chairmanship of Lord Chandos, in its consideration of plans to replace the R.M.S. "Queen Elizabeth" and R.M.S. "Queen Mary" by Messrs. John Brown, Clydebank, Limited, for the Cunard Company; and when it is proposed to lay the keel of the first of the vessels.

Mr. Short

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I should like to ask your Ruling on whether or not it is incumbent upon an hon. Member to verify his facts in a Question before he puts it on the Order Paper. May I call your attention to Question No. 55 and ask whether or not it is a fact that the Chandos Committee is considering the replacement of the "Queens" and not the replacement by Messrs. John Brown? I ask this question because the answer is of great interest to the people whom I represent. We have 10.4 per cent. unemployment in shipbuilding and we certainly expect one of the Cunarders to be built on Tyneside.

Mr. Speaker

Whether or no a statement of fact in a Question is correct is not for the Chair. The position is that an hon. Member, when he puts on the Paper a Question containing an assertion of fact, himself bears responsibility for its accuracy.

Mr. Malcolm MacMillan

If it is possible for my hon. Friend to ask what is virtually a supplementary question to an original Question which has not been asked, would you, Mr. Speaker, allow the opportunity for the Question itself to be asked.

Mr. Speaker

I find Question Time quite difficult enough from the Chair's point of view without embroidery. With the aid of, I think, three hon. Members not being here to ask their Questions and with the utmost brusqueness on the part of the Chair in declining to see those rising to ask supplementary questions, we were today only able to get to Question No. 47.

Later—

The following Question stood upon the Order Paper:

97. Mr. RIDSDALE

To ask the Minister of Transport what further progress has now been made in the British Transport Commission's reconsideration of its pension supplement scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Ridsdale

Mr. Speaker, in view of the fact that Question No. 97 on railway pensions has been on the Order Paper for the last four weeks, may I ask the Minister of Transport to make a statement, especially as the Minister of Power made a statement on pensions in the gas and electricity industries on 23rd November?

Mr. Speaker

I can only answer that question in the negative. I have no other power.