HC Deb 15 February 1962 vol 653 cc1512-3
Q9. Mr. Grey

asked the Prime Minister if he is aware that the practice of the Secretary to the Treasury answering Questions addressed to him after the Chancellor of the Exchequer means that Questions so addressed may never be reached for Oral Answer; and if he will arrange for all Questions addressed to Treasury Ministers to be answered in the order in which they first appeared on the Order Paper.

The Prime Minister

It is the long-established Parliamentary practice that Questions to the Secretary to the Treasury should be answered on the same day and immediately after those addressed to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. This does mean that the Questions to the Secretary to the Treasury may not be reached if there are a large number of Questions down to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. I sympathise with the hon. Member that this happened with his Question on Tuesday. If it is the wish of the House, these matters can always be re-examined through the usual channels.

Mr. Grey

In thanking the Prime Minister for that reply, may I submit the reason why I put down the Question? On 11th December, I put down a Question to the Secretary to the Treasury to be answered on 13th February, Tuesday of this week. When I put down the Question, it was No. 2, but when I received the Order Paper on Tuesday, it was No. 39. I immediately went to the Table Office and was informed that all Questions to the Secretary to the Treasury came after those to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. If this is so, it becomes doubtful whether the Secretary to the Treasury will ever be reached to give an Oral Answer. Will the Prime Minister, therefore, consider whether these two Ministers cannot be taken in rotation or the Secretary to the Treasury given a place of his own in the rota?

The Prime Minister

The order of fitting all the Ministers into the rota is one which we change from time to time to suit the convenience of the House. I think that the matter is best discussed through the usual channels to try to get the best results which suit hon. Members as a whole.