§ 49. Mr. Shinwellasked the Prime Minister whether he will now arrange to alter the Order of Questions so that questions addressed to him are answered at 3.15 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
§ The Prime MinisterThere has been a marked response to the appeal which you, Sir, made on 5th December. On the three available occasions since then Questions addressed to me have always been reached by 3.15; and there has been an improvement in the total number of Questions answered. I think, therefore, that we might leave the matter for the moment.
§ Mr. ShinwellIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this afternoon eleven Questions have not been asked and, if the hon. Members who put them down had been present and asked them, he would have been excluded from our deliberations? Is he also aware that, 601 having heard some of his Answers, I am wondering now whether it is worth while asking Questions of him at all?
§ The Prime MinisterI had a sort of feeling that the right hon. Member would make a rather caustic end to his supplementary question, but they are all accustomed to him over there.
§ Mr. ChetwyndIs it not a fact that the more time the Prime Minister has the less information he gives us? Should we not let him go back to the old-style arrangement whereby we got one or two Answers from him?
§ Mr. ShinwellIf the right hon. Gentleman regards my remark as caustic, is he aware that he has not heard anything yet from me?
§ The Prime MinisterI have a very long experience of the right hon. Member.
§ Mr. Emrys HughesWould the Prime Minister consider that once every six weeks he should be No. 1 and in that case it would at least save us from the Secretary of State for Scotland?
§ The Prime MinisterI do not know what would happen to the hon. Member's supplementary questions which are so carefully prepared over such weeks of study.