HC Deb 28 July 1977 vol 936 cc932-4
Mr. Michael Latham

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker, of which I gave you notice. Last Tuesday you were courteous enough to undertake to think about giving the House guidance on the conduct of Prime Minister's Questions and said, as reported at column 307: I undertake to spend my recess considering what has been said."—[Official Report, 26th July 1977; Vol. 936, c. 307.] May I respectfully suggest one other matter on which you might give guidance, which is the practice of the Prime Minister in transferring Questions? The Prime Minister has said that he has been transferring very few Questions since the new system came into operation. I respectfully draw to your attention Question No. Q7, which the Prime Minister did not transfer today, by my hon. Friend the Member for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Ridley) on the progress made in implementing the measures foreshadowed in the Gracious speech", and Question No. 031, by myself, now to the Lord President of the Council, but previously to the Prime Minister and transferred by him. My Question talks of implementing two particular sections of the Queen's Speech.

I hope that in your consideration you will bear in mind that it now appears to be the rule that if one asks a general Question, but not too general, the Prime Minister undertakes to keep it, but if one asks a more detailed Question which deals with specific examples of Government policy for which he has overall control, it is transferred. If I may say so, it is a very discouraging procedure.

Mr. Speaker

The transfer of Questions is a matter for the Minister concerned—in this case the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister (Mr. James Callaghan)

I have tried to help the House in this matter. I think that the hon. Member for Chingford (Mr. Tebbit), who has a complete list of the Questions that I have transferred, would acknowledge, if he were to rise on a point of order, that I have transferred very few Questions indeed. I must stick to the rule that if the Question is a general one which overlaps the responsibility of all the Government, I will answer it, but if it refers to a particular departmental matter and, therefore, a section of the Government's policy, I pass it to the appropriate Minister. It is not right that I should be a catch-all for all Ministers. Ministers should answer their own Questions. That is the procedure that I have tried to adopt in an attempt to help the House—I really have tried —and it is the procedure that I must pursue. I hope that I shall have a little understanding for this, and not continual niggling about it.

Mr. Tebbit

Perhaps I might respond to what the Prime Minister has said. It is true that the Prime Minister was kind enough to send me a list, which is very helpful in trying to understand the rules that he uses.

Further to what the Prime Minister has just said, I draw his attention, and yours, Mr. Speaker, to a Question that was put down for answer on 12th July by the hon. Member for Dundee, East (Mr. Wilson). The hon. Gentleman asked the Prime Minister when he will next meet the Scottish Council (Development and Industry) and the STUC to discuss employment prospects in Scotland." —[Official Report, 12th July 1977; Vol. 935, c. 64.] That would appear to be a specific matter that is the concern of another Minister. Therefore, to judge from what the Prime Minister has just said, one would have expected him to transfer it, but he did not. He kept it.

The Prime Minister

There are no rules about this. [Laughter.] If that is the kind of attitude that is being adopted, why should I try? No rules are laid down for this matter. I therefore have to use my discretion, and with my assistants I go through every Question carefully to try to find some common denominator that would permit me to answer it. or whether, if I did answer it, I would open the door to a great many other Questions. I think that if the hon. Member for Chingford will publish the list about which I wrote to him the House will see that I have tried to deal with the matter very fairly. A margin of discretion must be left to the Prime Minister as to what he answers and what he transfers, and, with respect, I must insist on that.