LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (Hansard, 3 August 1972)

§ Q1. Mr. William Hamilton
asked the Prime Minister whether he will now appoint a separate Lord President of the Council.

§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Edward Heath)
No, Sir.

§ Mr. Hamilton
Does the Prime Minister realise that this is an affront to the House—[HON. MEMBERS: "Rubbish."] It is very important that we should have a Leader of the House who will protect the interests of the House as a whole, irrespective of the party considerations in which we are so often involved. Will the right hon. Gentleman undertake at least to make a gesture of appeasement to the right hon. Member for Wolverhampton, South-West (Mr. Powell) and to make him Leader of the House in order that we might have an agreeable confrontation between him and my hon. Friend the Member for Ebbw Vale (Mr. Michael Foot), because that would make a very pleasant change?

§ The Prime Minister
My right hon. Friend's responsibilities to the whole House as Leader of the House are in no way affected by his being the Lord President of the Council.