§ Q9. Sir M. Redmayneasked the Prime Minister what variation of responsibilities there has been since the appointment of the new Minister of Transport.
§ The Prime MinisterIf the right hon. Gentleman is referring to the allocation of responsibilities between Departments the Answer is "None, Sir".
§ Sir M. RedmayneBut is it not true, as we learned from the propaganda put out from No. 10, that the right hon. Lady had accepted responsibility to socialise transport by integration, whereas this responsibility had been rejected by her predecessor on the best advice available?
§ The Prime MinisterIf that is the best the shadow Minister of Transport can do, I am getting very worried about it, because it has been explained on many occasions—before the election, during the election and since—by my right hon. Friend the Member for Hamilton (Mr. Tom Fraser) that our policy is to integrate internal transport. That was the policy of my right hon. Friend's predecessor. It is her policy, and she is getting on with it.
§ Sir M. RedmayneAgainst the best advice already accepted by the Government.
§ The Prime MinisterI do not know whether the right hon. Gentleman is referring to his own ineffective speeches or whether he claims—
§ Sir Ian Orr-EwingOn a point of order. At page 35 of its Report, where the Select Committee on Procedure considered Questions, your predecessor, Mr. Speaker, drew attention to the fact that Ministers were increasingly using Question Time for personal abuse of the questioner, and it was thought to be undesirable for the well-being of the House. Mr. Speaker, will you draw the Prime Minister's attention to the example that he is setting in this direction?
§ Mr. SpeakerI still think it is important that there should be only one Speaker in the House, and that the House must leave in the control of the Chair the cut and thrust of debate. I hope, too, that hon. Members are not going to be too hypersensitive. Mr. Heath. Business question.
§ The Prime MinisterMr. Speaker, I was halfway through answering the question asked by the right hon. Member for Rushcliffe (Sir M. Redmayne).
§ Mr. SpeakerI apologise to the Prime Minister.
§ The Prime MinisterI was not sure whether the right hon. Gentleman was referring to his own effective speeches or 400 claiming some knowledge, accurate or inaccurate—presumably the latter—of the advice tendered to the Minister by his and her civil servants.