QUESTIONS TO MINISTERS (Hansard, 13 February 1964)

§ Mr. Shinwell
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I tried to put a Question on the Order Paper. I am not certain whether it would be proper for me to read the terms of my proposed Question.

§ Mr. Speaker
No. That would be out of order.

§ Mr. Shinwell
In your discretion, Mr. Speaker, you refused to allow it to appear on the Order Paper. I shall not give the terms of the Question, although it related to a reference by the Prime Minister, when he was in Ottawa, to the General Election and a possible date. You, in your discretion, refused to allow the Question to be asked. I understand that the reasons are that—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I think that some communication must have gone astray. The Officers of the House, in their discretion, which they have, did not think that the Question was in order and wrote to the right hon. Gentleman asking if he wished the matter to be referred to me. To that, no reply has been received. If the right hon. Gentleman so desires, I will treat this as his notification to me and I will consider the matter.

§ Mr. Shinwell
There has obviously been some misunderstanding, as no one has written to me on the subject, Mr. Speaker.

§ Mr. Speaker
I take it that the communication that I understand was written to the right hon. Gentleman has not reached him, but may I treat this as though the communication were deemed to have reached him, that he were deemed to have received it, and to have expressed a wish that the matter should be referred to me, and I will consider it?

§ Mr. Shinwell
May I have your guidance, Mr. Speaker? When shall I be permitted to raise the matter with you on a point of order?

§ Mr. Speaker
I have not considered it yet, but suppose I were to think that the question were permissible no doubt the need would disappear. If I took the opposite view, any time the right hon. Gentleman finds convenient, and is convenient to the House.

§ Mr. Wigg
But, surely, the date of the General Election, and the question whether it should be announced in this House or in Canada, is not a private matter between you, Mr. Speaker, and my right hon. Friend the Member for Easington (Mr. Shinwell)?

§ Mr. Speaker
On no conceivable basis could it arise as a point of order now.