§ Mr. WallaceOn a point of order. I wish to raise a point of order, Mr. Speaker, that I trust will be of some general interest to the House.
Twice recently I have attempted to put down Questions on consumer protection, 1266 particularly related to my Motion of 10th May, 1971, carried by the House without a Division. On each occasion my Questions have been rejected by the Table Office on the ground that the subject of consumer protection had been recently raised at Question time. On the last occasion I was shown an extract from HANSARD, dated 18th July last, when the hon. Member for Glasgow, Cathcart (Mr. Edward Taylor) asked a supplementary question about the Government's policy for consumer protection. As a result, I accepted the decision of the Table Office. After some discussion and advice, I reworded my Written Question No. 16 on the Order Paper for today.
However, following a report in today s The Guardian, I noted that the hon. Member for Cathcart had put down Oral Question No. 30 on the very subject on which my original Question had been rejected. I am not imputing inefficiency to the Table Office, or criticising it, and I have often been grateful to it, but on this occasion I should be grateful to receive your advice.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Member was kind enough to give me notice of his intention to raise this subject. Having considered the advice that I have been given and having had notice of what he intended to say and having heard what he has said, I think that I should be wiser to think the matter over. I should therefore like to consider it and to give guidance on another occasion.
§ Mr. MolloyOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I wonder whether you could help us. We are in a difficulty with Question Time and it is a difficulty which has gone on for a considerable time. It results from the practice of some Ministers and it has now extended to Members of the Opposition Front Bench. I refer you to a supplementary question when my right hon. Friend the Member for Barnsley (Mr. Mason) sought information from a junior Minister and when you very properly reminded the House that it was Question Time. With respect, it seems to some of us that Ministers should be reminded that it is also answer time.
Some of us have been put into difficulty when we have been genuinely seeking answers because some Ministers—not often and even rarely, but sometimes—avoid giving answers. The result has 1267 been that a number of supplementary questions have had to be put to extract information, as such questions were put by my right hon. Friend the Member for Barnsley. You have had to tell the House that only questions must be put, but the logic of that must be that Ministers must honestly attempt to answer. The practice of evading questions has given rise to the difficulty. The result has been that a number of supplementary questions have been put and you have justifiably rebuked us, Mr. Speaker.
I acknowledge, of course, that you always protect the rights of backbenchers but I respectfully ask you to consider stating that it is also answer time.
§ Mr. SpeakerI am grateful to the hon. Member for his help. I was not in any way attempting to rebuke the right hon. Member for Barnsley (Mr. Mason), but pointing out that it was Question Time and not statement time. The right hon. Member was making a series of statements although it was Question Time—and answer time.