§ 11.35 p.m.
§ Mr. McCusker (Armagh)On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I apologise for raising this point of order at this time, but it is my first opportunity to do so. I seek your guidance on the validity of the Division on the closure of the debate.
The Doorkeeper's record shows that the Division was called at 11.6 p.m. My hon. Friend the Member for Antrim, South (Mr. Molyneaux) and I were conscious of the fact that, due to the dispute around the Table, insufficient attention might have been paid to the clock. The 664 doors were not ordered closed until 11.15 p.m. Assuming at the worst that when 11.6 p.m. was recorded the time was 11.6 and 59 seconds and, again at the worst, that the order to close the doors was given at 11.15 p.m. precisely, it appears that the doors remained open longer than the allotted time. I therefore seek your guidance, Mr. Deputy Speaker, on whether the Division was valid.
§ Mr. Deputy Speaker (Sir Myer Galpern)I appreciate what the hon. Member is saying. I am now acting as Mr. Deputy Speaker and therefore what happened in Committee is not a matter for me at the moment. The hon. Member may endeavour to raise it next time the House goes into Committee on the Bill.