HC Deb 29 April 1970 vol 800 cc1250-1
Mr. Onslow

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I am sure that you will be aware that, since the latest Ministerial rearrangement, Questions to the Board of Trade cover a very wide range of subjects. I wish to draw your attention to the fact that we seem to have covered fewer than half the number on the list today. The number of Questions that we get through becomes smaller all the time. May I ask whether you are satisfied with the rate of progress which has been achieved today?

Mr. Speaker

Mr. Speaker is rarely satisfied with the number of Questions reached, for the reason that he has often stated. I am concerned about the hon. Member who puts down his Question for Oral Answer three weeks ahead only to find that it is not reached. Some Questions and Answers were long today. Long Questions and long Answers mean fewer Questions and fewer Answers.

Mr. William Hamilton

Further to that point of order. You will be aware that Question No. 36 was not reached. I knew that the answer was that more than £150,000 was contributed by banks to the Tory Party, and I wished to have it on the record.

Mr. Speaker

Order. I have a sneaking idea that, if the hon. Gentleman knew the answer, he need not have put down the Question.

Sir Ian Orr-Ewing

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Knowing that you are as anxious to speed up Questions as back bench hon. Members are, do you consider it helpful if Questions which obviously will not be reached, like Nos. 51 and 52 today, have to be taken with earlier Questions? If they are beyond the normal limit of Questions, it is important that they take their rightful position instead of being brought forward.

Mr. Speaker

I do not propose to take late-numbered Questions, for the reason that the hon. Gentleman has mentioned. The problem sometimes is to judge what is a late number. Sometimes, on the very first day, as many as 65 Questions have been tabled.

Mr. Paget

When we get through very few Questions, is not the simple answer that the Questions are interesting and that a lot of hon. Members want to contribute supplementaries? On the whole, is not that a good thing?

Mr. Speaker

There is a lot in what the hon. and learned Gentleman says. It is a matter of balance between the two factors mentioned today.