§ Q5. Mr. Kenneth Lewisasked the Prime Minister whether he will take steps to increase the number of Ministers in the House of Lords.
§ The Prime MinisterI have no immediate plans for this, Sir.
§ Mr. LewisIs not the Prime Minister being rather unfair to their Lordships in so far as he has depended on them so heavily in the Parliamentary Labour Party meetings upstairs where he has received their votes on more than three occasions?
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir; there is no question of that. In accordance with the usual practice in the Parliamentary party, their Lordships as well as the Members of the House of Commons are entitled to vote. But I can assure 1439 the hon. Gentleman that he need have no anxiety. The support of the Government in the Parliamentary party in the Commons is quite adequate for dealing with everything that right hon. and hon. Members opposite can throw against us.
§ Mr. Shinwell rose—
§ Mr. SpeakerThe Earl of Dalkeith.
§ Mr. ShinwellHim instead of me?
Earl of DalkeithCan the Prime Minister say whether there is any truth in the suggestion that he is prepared to accept the title of Duke of the Scillies so that he can carry on as Prime Minister in another place further out of the reach of his revolting back benchers?
§ The Prime MinisterI can assure the hon. Gentleman that there is no truth in that suggestion. Reverting to the Question on the Order Paper, and not some of the rather more frivolous supplementary questions, I think that the wish of the House, and the trend of constitutional development, is that as many Ministers as possible should be answerable to this House and not to another place.
§ Mr. ShinwellDoes my right hon. Friend now realise what happens when a member of the Peerage is allowed to address the House? Since the Parliamentary Labour Party has been mentioned, is my right hon. Friend aware that its proceedings are made known to the public, whereas heaven knows what goes on in the 1922 Committee?