§ Mr. David PriceOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I wish to raise a matter concerning Prime Minister's Questions today. I deferred raising this matter since the Prime Minister was to make a statement on defence and I thought that it would be more convenient and courteous to you and the House to raise the matter now.
I should like to draw attention to the fact that there were 55 Questions down to the Prime Minister today. Every one of them referred to his timetable. We have had arguments before about how Prime Minister's Question Time should be conducted. Like other hon. Members. I have tried to put down Questions to the Prime Minister on broad policy, but they have all been transferred. May I appeal to you, Mr. Speaker? We have now reached the point at which Prime Minister's Questions, in terms of the Order Paper, have become a nonsense.
Do we accept as a House that the only Questions which the Prime Minister's Office is prepared to accept on his behalf relate to his timetable? I am sure that it is for the convenience of the House and of the Prime Minister that we revert to the practice of former times when one could table Questions on broad Government policy to the Prime Minister which were accepted and not transferred to departmental Ministers.
In view of the fact that we are now on the air and being judged by a wider audience, I suggest that this matter should be examined. I have no other means of raising the matter with you, Mr. Speaker.
§ Mr. John Mendelsonrose—
§ Mr. SpeakerIs the hon. Gentleman raising the same point of order?
§ Mr. MendelsonYes, Mr. Speaker. I should like to urge you to find some means of making a further reference to the Procedure Committee, or of consulting the two sides of the House. When the Procedure Committee discussed this matter, we had the fullest co-operation of the right hon. Gentleman the Prime Minister and a considerable amount of time was spent in reaching agreement. The Prime Minister assured us, and that assurance was conveyed to the House, that in about 85 to 90 per cent. of all cases he would deal with substantive Questions raised with him. It is a matter of great regret that I support the remarks of the hon. Member for Eastleigh (Mr. Price)—namely, to the effect that we have not acted on that recommendation and have made it impossible for the Prime Minister to implement it.
§ Mr. SpeakerI am much obliged to both hon. Gentlemen for the way in which they have raised this matter. It is, of course, for the Prime Minister to decide which Questions he accepts, and no doubt he will learn of what has been said this afternoon.