§ Mr. SpeakerI wish to correct a Ruling that I made yesterday.
In conversation with the hon. Member for Peterborough (Sir Harmar Nicholls) this morning my attention was drawn to a Ruling yesterday in HANSARD, col. 1270, when I said:
Previous Speakers have ruled that it is not in order to raise a point of order during a Ten-Minute Bill speech…"—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 11th February, 1970; Vol. 795, c. 1270.]My Ruling was far too wide. I am afraid that my words were not sufficiently precise.If the House will allow me, I should like to correct myself by repeating in full the Ruling that I gave on 22nd July, 1969, when I said:
Before I call on the hon. and learned Gentleman the Member for Montgomery (Mr. Hooson) to seek leave of the House under the Ten-Minute Rule to introduce a Bill, I feel that it is my duty to remind the House that, under the Rule, only a brief explanatory statement from the hon. Member who moves and, if necessary, one from a Member who opposes are permitted in a Ten-Minute Rule debate; and that interventions by other hon. Members are out of order."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 22nd July, 1969; Vol. 787, c. 1518.]1460 When I referred yesterday to a point of order, I should have used the term "intervention" instead. It is conceivable that a point of order might arise during a Ten-Minute Rule debate. I am grateful to the hon. Member for Peterborough for calling my attention to the width of the Ruling I made yesterday and its inaccuracy.