§ Mr. LathamOn a point of order. I gave you notice, Mr. Speaker, of a brief point I want to raise which I think is of some importance concerning the rights of private Members and of back-bench Members in particular. I address this point of order to the Chair because, as you are only too well aware, Mr. Speaker, one of your primary duties is that of endeavouring to safeguard the rights of individual Members.
As you, Sir, and other hon. Members will know, there is a facility under Standing Order No. 13, of which the hon. Member for Shrewsbury (Sir J. Langford-Holt) is about to take advantage, whereby at this time on Tuesdays and Wednesdays it is possible for a Member by Motion, to seek the leave of the House to introduce a Private Member's Bill. I am very concerned that recent developments—and I note that the Leader of the House is present—are causing a substantial erosion of those limited opportunities which back benchers have to make applications of this kind. I calculate that at present there are 14 days of business on the Floor of the House which are subject to timetable Motions introduced by the Government and approved by the House.
The factor to which I wish to draw your attention, Mr. Speaker, and that of 242 the Leader of the House and other backbench Members is that as a consequence of those timetable Motions Standing Order No. 13 is suspended and if, as appears probable, the guillotined business is taken on the remaining 16 or 18 Tuesdays and Wednesdays of this Session there will be virtually no further opportunities for back-bench Members to exercise their rights under the Standing Order.
Will you, Mr. Speaker, in your concern to safeguard the rights of backbench Members, use your good offices to see whether the Leader of the House is prepared to take steps to avoid the suspension of Standing Order No. 13 so that the limited powers of back-bench Members are not eroded in this manner?
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Gentleman gave me notice that he would raise this point. The reason why I did not call him at once was that he was not sitting in his usual place, and it is a convenience to the Chair if hon. Members sit more or less in the same part of the House. That is why I called the hon. Member for Shrewsbury (Sir J. Langford-Holt).
This is not a matter for the Chair. The House has agreed to guillotine Motions on certain Bills, and the provisions of those Motions override in certain cases the provisions of our Standing Orders. There is nothing unprecedented in this. When the House has agreed to guillotine Motions, the Chair must observe their provisions. The Chair has no discretion in the matter. Therefore, whatever may be my view, the hon. Gentleman must find some other way of complaining. It cannot be done on a point of order.