HC Deb 22 December 1971 vol 828 cc1507-8
Mr. Buchan

On a point of order. I have given you notice. Mr. Speaker, that I intended to raise this matter. I wish to refer to what happened at the begining of Question Time when—

Mr. Speaker

Order. I anticipated that that was what the hon. Gentleman would refer to. Nothing happened which was out of order. Whether one agrees with what happened or not is a different matter, but it was not out of order. I must be firm with the hon. Gentleman. He must find other ways of making his point.

Mr. Buchan

With respect, Mr. Speaker, it is your responsibility, duty and prerogative to protect the procedures of the House, and, in my submission, the time of back-bench Members was not protected earlier this morning.

Mr. Speaker

Order. The Chair has absolutely no control over how a Minister answers or groups Questions. That is the Minister's responsibility. If the hon. Gentleman wants to complain about what happened, he must find some other way of doing it.

Mr. Hugh D. Brown

Further to the point of order. I know that it is difficult to keep within order on this point, but there is one factor which is a bit unusual about today's business. Today the House rises for the Christmas Recess, and there has been an excellent attendance of Scottish Members. The unusual factor is that any statement made today would intrude into the time of private Members—and I am doing that now. Yesterday the time of the House was spent on debating the Island of Rockall Bill, which is hardly a burning issue in my constituency. Did any general discussions take place with you, Mr. Speaker, in these unusual circumstances?

Mr. Speaker

I sometimes wish that the Chair did control the business of the House, what is discussed and how long it is discussed, but it does not do so. These are not matters for me. They may be matters of serious complaint—I do not express an opinion about that—but they are not matters of order. Nothing happened today which was out of order.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

While, I hope, remaining in order, may I say that Questions were on the Order Paper today on a subject on which I had a short statement to make and it seemed the appropriate time to make it.

Several Hon. Members

rose—

Mr. Speaker

Order. I cannot allow this matter to be discussed.