HC Deb 25 February 1976 vol 906 cc378-80
Mr. Joseph Dean

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. During Questions to the Secretary of State for the Environment, we dealt with only one-third of the Questions put down for oral answer. This is not unusual; it is becoming the accepted practice when Questions are put down to the Secretary of State for the Environment because of the huge field covered by his Department.

This is no reflection on you, Mr. Speaker, but as a representative of an English constituency I find myself at a disadvantage compared with my colleagues from Welsh and Scottish constituencies. They have two opportunities a month to question a full battery of their own Ministers and to put down Questions to the Secretary of State for the Environment, with just as much chance of being called as I have. In betting terms, the odds are three to one against my being called at all.

I know that you cannot alter the situation, Mr. Speaker, but hon. Members representing English constituencies are not getting a fair crack of the whip. [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."] Could you, through the usual channels, see that this injustice is put right as quickly as possible by extending Question Time to allow more English Members to participate?

Mr. Donald Stewart

Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. Surely the hon. Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Dean) accepts that the writ of the Secretary of State for the Environment runs in Scotland, much to our regret. Therefore, Question Time to the Secretary of State for the Environment is the only opportunity we have to get our Questions on his responsibilities answered. If the hon. Member for Leeds, West would accept that these responsibilities should be devolved to Scotland, no one would be happier than my hon. Friends and myself. [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]

Mr. Speaker

Order. We are having English cheering and Scottish cheering. If hon. Members had co-operated in the request I made and had cut out the preamble and asked their supplementary questions, we would have dealt with nearly twice as many Questions without doing an injustice to any hon. Member. However, I shall bear in mind every point that the hon. Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Dean) submitted to me.

Mr. Dean

I thank you for your answer, Mr. Speaker, but I am afraid that I shall have to pursue this matter through the usual channels. I am totally dissatisfied with the time allocated to the Secretary of State for the Environment with the huge empire for which he is responsible.

Mr. Speaker

This is a question for the hon. Member to pursue through the usual channels.