§ Mr. SpeakerI have a brief statement to make before Questions. The House is aware that one of my primary duties is to protect our long-established customs. There are four Questions on the Order Paper today which can lead only to what I call "shot-in-the-dark" questions. On 7th March I told the House that since Ministers are not able to transfer Questions directly related to their departmental work there is no reason for an hon. Member not placing on the Order Paper the Question that he really wants answered. Prime Minister's Questions are different, because the Prime Minister is able to transfer Questions.
I do not think that the ancient custom of our House with regard to Questions should be changed except by a conscious decision taken by the House as a whole. In any case, other hon. Members have a right to have notice of the real Question which is being addressed to the Minister.
To safeguard our long-established custom, I said that I would exercise my discretion with this type of Question. I want the House to know that today I shall call the four hon. Members concerned for one supplementary question and then move on, but after today I do not propose to call anyone to ask a supplementary question of a Minister, other than the Prime Minister, when it is a "shot-in-the dark" Question, until the House instructs me otherwise.