HC Deb 17 July 1973 vol 860 cc260-2

Motion made, and Question proposed,

That, at this day's Sitting, Mr. Speaker shall put any Question necessary to dispose of Proceedings on a Motion for the Adjournment of the House moved by a Minister of the Crown not later than Seven o'clock.—[Mr. Prior.]

Mr. Skinner

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker—

Mr. Speaker

Later. I am putting the Question. When I have put the Question. I will take another point of order.

Question put and agreed to.

Mr. Speaker

Now, a point of order. Mr. Atkinson.

Mr. Atkinson

rose—

Mr. Skinner

How do you know that this is a point of order?

Mr. Atkinson

The ruling which you have just given, Mr. Speaker, in my view is a blatant erosion of back-bench rights. How can you say that you are keeping a balance when you demonstrate most clearly a prejudice in favour of a Front Bench spokesman to the exclusion of back-bench questioners? As I understand the position, you are the unprejudiced guardian of back-bench rights. If that is right, how on earth can we allow to pass an incident of this kind? You have called a Front Bench spokesman when a number of unanswered Questions remain on the Order Paper.

Mr. Skinner

Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. You will recall that you declared that you were anxious to see that some sort of balance was maintained during Prime Minister's Questions. In view of the fact that most of the Questions concerned were tabled by Opposition hon. Members, surely you must appreciate, or you ought to appreciate—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."]—that if the Prime Minister is answering Questions, from whichever side of the House, then presumably the Government are getting a fair share of the balance, otherwise you are implying that the Prime Minister is not capable of answering the Questions.

Sir T. Beamish

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker, which arises out of previous points of order. Will you be good enough to say whether the Select Committee has given consideration to the growing practice whereby six or eight hon. Members put a Question to the Prime Minister asking him to place a copy of a speech in the Library of the House when it is already there, thus pre-empting Questions and preventing other hon. Members from asking my right hon. Friend Questions?

Mr. Speaker

I find this a very July-like discussion, especially with very limited time for the debate which is to follow.

With regard to the matter raised by the hon. Member for Tottenham (Mr. Atkinson), I was, of course, talking about the balance between the two sides of the House and not the balance between Front and back benches. I have some sympathy with what the hon. Gentleman said, and perhaps I acted against my better judgment in doing what I did. If what I did was wrong, then so be it. But I really try to preserve the balance between Front and back benches. In this case, I thought it fair to allow one supplementary question to the Opposition Front Bench spokesman.

On the matter raised by the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) I have no comment to make.

I hope that we can now get on to the debate.

Mr. Sheldon

While you are reconsidering your position on this matter, Mr. Speaker, will you also reconsider your position in respect of the asking of supplementary questions by hon. Gentlemen opposite who have not put down Questions? This was not the practice in the previous Parliament. You originated this new precedent. Will you reconsider it? There were 10 hon. Members on this side of the House who had put down Questions, only three of which were answered. No hon. Members opposite had put down a Question. Nevertheless, they had some supplementary questions answered. Will you reconsider this precedent which you initiated?

Mr. Speaker

I will reconsider it. However, I think that it is a good practice. Anyhow, the hon. Gentleman is wrong. An hon. Member on the Government side had put down a Question. Perhaps that matter can be considered by the Select Committee on Procedure. It is not an easy position for the Chair when there are 10 Questions down which appear to opt the time for later questioners.