§ Sir A. V. HarveyFurther to the point of order raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Southend, East (Sir S. McAdden),Mr.Speaker. Surely it is within your recollection that, when a Minister is to give an Answer during Question Time at such length as the Prime Minister has given today, he usually asks for permission to give it at the end of Question Time.
Because of the Prime Minister's long reply to Question No. Q4, he was able to answer only three Questions orally. Earlier this year, we suffered great inconvenience from the Prime Minister's long and ponderous Answers. It was not until he went to Bonn that the Foreign Secretary was able to get through his right hon. Friend's Answers rapidly.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The hon. Gentleman is an experienced enough Parliamentarian not to make debating points when raising a point of order.
§ Sir A. V. HarveyI ask you, Mr. Speaker, to give the House and hon. Members protection of their right to have 836 lengthy Answers given at the end of Question Time.
§ Mr. SpeakerI did suggest today. during a long Answer to a Question that, if a reply from a Minister is to be long, it is better taken at the end of Question Time.