§ Mr. LoughlinI apologise to you, Mr. Speaker, and to the House in raising this point, because I wish to seek your guidance.
I want to raise a matter relating to the Second Report of the Committee of Privileges which involved an alleged assault on a doorkeeper in this House. It will be in the recollection of the House that, during a whole series of Divisions, I raised this point. The Committee sat and in the evidence which was submitted reference was made to myself as the person who had raise the whole matter. My right hon. Friend the Member for Lanark (Mrs. Hart) was also referred to as a potential witness, as well as my hon. Friend the Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Arthur Lewis). There are certain implications in some of the questions which were put at the hearing which could be construed as a criticism of me.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I apologise for interrupting the hon. Gentleman, but this cannot possible be a point of order for me. This is an expression of opinion about a report which the House may have a chance to debate. If need be, the hon. Gentleman could table a Motion dealing with the matter to which he is referring. However, the contents of the report cannot possibly be a matter for the Chair.
§ Mr. LoughlinFurther to that point of order. What I wanted to seek your guidance upon, Mr. Speaker—I did not want to spread it out too much—was the point that the Committee proceeding and the report were a negation of all the procedures of this House. I appreciate that I can raise the matter with the Leader of the House, but I wanted your guidance as to how I could ensure that there would be a debate on this report.
§ Mr. SpeakerMy predecessor made some very wise remarks about the duty or the lack of duty of the Chair to give guidance. It is no part of the duty of the Chair to give guidance. The hon. Gentleman has certain means, under Standing Orders, by which he can raise this matter. There can be no question of a point of order for the Chair now.