HC Deb 24 May 1977 vol 932 c1190
Mr. Torney

I wish to seek your advice, Mr. Speaker, on the criteria for asking for a Private Notice Question. I understand that application should be made at the earliest possible opportunity after the matter in question has been made public. For matters reported in the Press on a Saturday or Sunday, the earliest opportunity in this House can only be on a Monday. As the news that the European Court had made a decision on the pig industry was fully reported on Saturday, I requested a Private Notice Question yesterday, on Monday—

Mr. Speaker

Order. The hon. Gentleman knows that references to Private Notice Questions that are not accepted are never made in the House. That is one of the accepted conventions of this place. I do not want to do the hon. Gentleman an injustice, but it appears that he is confusing privilege, which has to be raised at the earliest possible moment, with Private Notice Questions, which are a quite different category.