HC Deb 05 December 1961 vol 650 cc1131-2
Q1. Mr. Jay

asked the Prime Minister whether he will arrange for the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to answer Parliamentary Questions.

The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Macmillan)

The normal arrangement is that the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and the Economic Secretary answer those Questions put down to the Chancellor of the Exchequer for oral answer on a Thursday.

Mr. Jay

Is the Prime Minister aware that the Financial Secretary to the Treasury answers Questions in his own right? As the Chief Secretary to the Treasury is a very important Minister, as a member of the Cabinet and responsible, apparently, for the whole field of public expenditure, should not hon. Members have an opportunity to ask him Questions direct?

The Prime Minister

The only Questions which the Financial Secretary has, by long tradition, answered, are those that deal with the Civil Service, where he is recognised as having a special responsibility. I think that it would be really more satisfactory to keep to the normal rule of putting questions to the Ministerial head of the Department, and for them to be answered as is convenient, according to the subject.

Mr. Jay

As public expenditure is a matter of very great concern to the House, and as the Chief Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the Financial Secretary is not, should not hon. Members on both sides have the chance to ask Questions of the Chief Secretary who, otherwise, will not appear at Question Time at all?

The Prime Minister

I think that this will work itself out in the most convenient way if Questions are put to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. It just so happens that there has not been a Thursday recently on which the Treasury Questions have been reached.

Mr. Gaitskell

Would the Prime Minister reconsider this matter? If the Financial Secretary to the Treasury answers Questions in his own right—as, of course, he does—is it not really commonsense that the Chief Secretary to the Treasury should deal with Questions on public expenditure for which he is specifically responsible, and has been made responsible by the Prime Minister himself?

The Prime Minister

I only wish to do what is convenient to the House. If Questions on these particular subjects are put to the Chancellor of the Exchequer they will be answered by the Chief Secretary, but I do not think that, without careful thought, we want to upset the whole arrangements for Questions, because we shall only deprive other hon. Members of opportunities.