§ Ql. Mr. Tebbitasked the Prime Minister if he will list the criteria which he takes into account in deciding if he should answer Parliamentary Questions or transfer them to departmental Ministers.
§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Wilson)I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, East (Mr. Thomas) on 2nd March, Sir.
§ Mr. TebbitFirst, on behalf of the whole House, I wish the Prime Minister many happy returns of the day. We hope that he will enjoy the rest of his birthday. We are sorry that he missed the party last night.
Why, if he is sticking to his Answer, did he shuffle off the responsibility last night for answering on the future of his Government to the unfortunate Lord President while he stayed skulking in his room with the door locked and the lights out, hiding?
§ The Prime MinisterI hope that there was no unfortunate suggestion in the hon. Gentleman's last few words. I thank the hon. Gentleman for his typically and characteristically kind and generous remarks.
There have been many precedents from all parties as to who should handle a situation such as that which arose last night. If the door was locked, I am not responsible for that. If the lights were out, it was because I had gone to my birthday party.
§ Mr. FordIf my right hon. Friend had had a Question on woollen textiles which he might have considered transferring to his right hon. Friend, is he aware that I should have put a supplementary question congratulating the Government upon their action in limiting imports of made-up woollen suits from Eastern Europe?
§ The Prime MinisterYes. I am grateful to my hon. Friend. Of course, the Question refers to the Questions which I have transferred, not to those which I have not transferred.