QUESTIONS TO THE PRIME MINISTER (Hansard, 11 June 1964)

§ Mr. Speaker
Questions to the Prime Minister—Mr. Brockway.

§ Mr. Brockway
On a point of order. I placed two Questions on the Order Paper today to the Prime Minister. I have had a communication from the right hon. Gentleman saying that he will not be present and I understand that he is attending a political conference of his own party outside the House. [HON. MEMBERS: "Shame."] I am asking you, Sir, whether it is not the duty of the Prime Minister to Parliament to be present when he is in London and has the obligation to answer Questions.

§ Mr. Speaker
That matter gives rise to no point of order.

Hon. Members
Oh.

§ Mr. Shinwell
You are responsible, Mr. Speaker, for the proper conduct of our proceedings. May I ask why you rejected the submission of my hon. Friend as not being a point of order? Will you take into account the fact that the House of Commons is much more important than a Tory conference?

§ Mr. Speaker
It still does not give rise to any point of order.

Mr. H. Wilson
Further to that point of order—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. The right hon. Gentleman will allow me to get the preface right. He cannot say "Further to that point of order" because it was not a point of order.

Mr. H. Wilson
On a point of order. Since it is plain that it is the duty of the Prime Minister to be here and not at a political conference, and since the Standing Order provides that there shall be an interruption of our ordinary procedure of Questions at 3.15 p.m. for Answers by the Prime Minister and not by the Lord Privy Seal, the Assistant Postmaster-General or anybody else, would it not be in accordance with that Standing Order, which is a point of order—[Interruption.]—if we were now to continue with the other Questions and to defer those which another Minister is seeking to answer until the Prime Minister deems it convenient himself to be here?

§ Mr. Speaker
I cannot accept that proposition. I had reason to be reminded this week that one Minister can answer for another. Mr. Brockway.

§ Mr. Shinwell
Does the Lord Privy Seal have the permission of the House to reply for the Prime Minister?

§ Mr. Speaker
All that has happened so far is that I have called the hon. Member for Eton and Slough (Mr. Brockway) to ask his Question. We shall not hear until that Question has been asked who is going to answer it and on what terms, Mr. Brockway.