§ Mr. Cyril SmithMay I ask for your help, Mr. Speaker, on the protection of the rights of minority parties in this House? I ask for your guidance on a point of order about how minority parties can have proper representation on certain Committees of the House which are being appointed and which, indeed, have been appointed. I refer to two Committees in particular. First, I refer to the Committee to deal with the Welsh Development Agency Bill on which every Conservative Member of Parliament from Wales, with the exception of one who is a Whip, has been placed. On that Committee there has been placed a Member of the Welsh National Party. I do not object to that, but the Liberal Party polled a third more votes in Wales than that party at the last General Election, and on the Second Reading of the Bill a Liberal Member took part. However, no Liberal Member of Parliament has been included on that Committee.
May I also draw your attention, Mr. Speaker, to a similar Committee for the 1692 Scottish Development Agency Bill, again on which no Liberal Member of Parliament has been placed?
May I ask you, Mr. Speaker, how minority parties can ensure proper representation on Committees which directly effect their constituency work and their party work? In relation to an earlier point of order, I am seeking an extension of the rights of back-bench Members. Some hon. Members take the view that the Front Benches in this House have too many rights already.
§ Mr. SpeakerOn the question of minority parties, I do my best to call hon. Members. Two Liberal Members were called during business questions, which proportionately might be said to be more than a fair share. I have no power to direct the Committee of Selection, but no doubt what the hon. Member has said will have been noted.