HC Deb 29 January 1974 vol 868 cc247-8
Mr. Lipton

On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. My point of order relates to Question No. 39, which was placed on the Order Paper several days ago for answer by the Prime Minister. Yesterday I received a note from No. 10 Downing Street saying that the Question had been transferred to the Home Secretary. I have no desire whatever to ask the Home Secretary what reply he has sent to various letters. I wanted to know what reply the Prime Minister had sent to certain letters which had been addressed to him on the subject of hare-coursing. Unless there has been some arrangement under which the Home Secretary is now responsible for the Prime Minister's correspondence, I cannot understand why this tampering with the Order Paper by the executive should be tolerated. This reduces the Order Paper to a meaningless piece of tomfoolery and to that extent back benchers' rights are seriously prejudiced.

Mr. Deputy Speaker (Sir Robert Grant-Ferris)

The hon. Gentleman will realise that this point has cropped up frequently in the past and is not a matter for the Chair. Ministers arrange between themselves how they will answer Questions and it is their responsibility. I am afraid that I cannot deal with this matter on a point of order.

Mr. Lipton

I accept your ruling, Mr. Deputy Speaker. It is well established that Ministers can transfer Questions from one Minister to another. I am objecting to being made to ask of a Minister, in whom I am not at the moment interested, a Question to which I do not want an answer. To that extent if the action of Ministers makes the Order Paper a farce, then ordinary back benchers are entitled to protest without querying the right of transfer to which you, Sir, have referred.

Mr. Deputy Speaker

I have never found back benchers reticent in protesting in these circumstances. Now that the hon. Member for Brixton (Mr. Lipton) has made his protest, I shall call Mr. Frank Allaun for the next business.

The Prime Minister

Further to that point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I am not aware of the case mentioned by the hon. Member for Brixton (Mr. Lipton), but I will have it looked into, and I will write to him at once about it.