HC Deb 11 April 1968 vol 762 cc1602-3

Motion made, and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn.—[Mr. Ioan L. Evans.]

12.30 p.m.

Mr. Speaker

May I say one word to those who have Adjournment debates? I deliberately made the timetable for the first debate longer than the others, because I anticipated that there might be some time occupied at the beginning. My prediction of the time involved has been exactly right, and now the debates will all be the same length. The first debate will end at 1.15 p.m., and the others at the times set out on the Order Paper. I ask right hon. and hon. Members to keep to the times. I must be fair to the hon. Members who have the last Adjournment debate.

Mr. Shinwell

On a point of order. The intention was to provide an hour and a quarter for the first debate. Those of us who want to speak in this very important debate affecting our constituencies were not responsible for the long string of questions addressed to my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House, which almost constituted a debate. I think that we should have the time originally allotted to us.

Mr. Speaker

The right hon. Gentleman cannot have listened carefully to what I said. I said that I made the first debate end at 1.15 p.m. because I anticipated that between 11 a.m. and the beginning of the debate there would be some business.