§ Mr. M. StewartMr. Speaker, in view of the importance of Question No. 53 and the Prime Minister's eagerness as expressed last week to answer a Question of this type, would you grant him permission to answer it now?
§ Mr. SpeakerThe House will appreciate that this practice is capable of defeating the rule about the time at which Questions end. I have to confine myself to occasions when the Minister asks leave to answer a Question, but that is not this case.
§ Mr. C. PannellOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I am fully seized of the importance of Question No. 53, but there is Question No. 44 which was beaten by a very short head. Because of the public interest in this matter, which far transcends the interest in Question No. 53, I wonder whether the Prime Minister might wish to make a statement on that and related Questions?
§ Mr. SpeakerI am sure the hon. Member will understand that that illustrates, most happily for me, the difficulty into which I shall get unless I stand firmly by the rules.
§ Mr. ParkerDoes not this show that it is time we moved Questions to the Prime Minister to a quarter past three instead of having the important Questions cut out?
§ Mr. SpeakerI am an enthusiast for brevity on the part of everyone except myself.