HC Deb 03 November 1959 vol 612 cc858-9
Mr. Collick

On a point of order. I had a Question down today to the Prime Minister, but I received a letter from the Prime Minister's Secretary telling me that the Question had been transferred to the Home Secretary. I presumed from that that the chances were that the Prime Minister would not be able to be in the House today to answer my Question. I therefore want to raise this point of order.

Mr. Speaker

The transfer of Questions is not a point of order for the Chair.

Mr. Collick rose—

Mr. Speaker

Order. The transfer of Questions is not a matter for the Chair. If the hon. Gentleman has another point to raise, let him do so.

Mr. Collick

My point of order is this: is it in order for the Prime Minister to transfer a Member's Question to a Departmental Minister unless some overwhelming Departmental interest is involved, which there is not in my Question.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member's point of order is not a point of order.

Mr. Fernyhough

Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. Suppose that the hon. Member puts down a Question to the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister transfers it to the Minister for Science, who is not in this House. What happens then?

Mr. Speaker

That still would not be a point of order.