§ Mr. OgdenOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. A few minutes ago you rightly referred to the fact that Friday is traditionally a day for private Members' 1736 motions. I draw your attention to the simple fact, of which everyone here is aware, that the Order Paper today, which was available in the Vote Office at one minute before 11 o'clock, is headed
Friday 8th December 1978ORDER PAPERThe first motion to be discussed is entitled"Wallasey Peripheral Areas"and stands in the name of the hon. Member for Wallasey (Mrs. Chalker). I understand that that motion is not to be moved by the hon. Lady for three reported reasons. First, as she said earlier in the week, she had other engagements in the Birmingham area and hoped to get there a little earlier. Secondly, she has unfortunately been taken ill. If that is true, I am sure that the whole House wishes her a speedy recovery. There is also the simple fact that that seems to have been known by Opposition Members, because no Opposition Members for Merseyside are present whereas many Merseyside Labour Members are here.The motion refers not only to the Wirral or Wallasey areas but to the peripheral areas, On that side of Merseyside people refer to"peripheral areas ", but on our side of the water we refer to"outer urban areas ". However, the motion refers to a problem common not only to Merseyside but to any area which has an urban area.
As on this occasion the Minister and Members representing Merseyside, the North-West, Burnley and London are here to discuss what is a common problem, is it not possible, with no disrespect to the hon. Member for Wallasey, for the motion to be moved by another hon. Member so that a subject which many Members have tried to get on the Order Paper for discussion may be discussed? We do this on other occasions when a Member is successful in the Ballot; another Member can take his place. Is it not possible, without the presence of and with no disrespect to the hon. Lady, for this motion, which has drawn the majority of Members here at 11 o'clock this morning, to be discussed at this time? If it can be done on other occasions, why not now?
§ Mr. SpeakerFirst, I should inform the House that I have been told that the hon. Member for Wallasey (Mrs. Chalker) 1737 is unwell. I know that the whole House will wish her a speedy recovery.
Secondly, the hon. Lady won her place in the Ballot."Erskine May"at page 357, makes it abundantly clear that a motion can be moved only by the Member in whose name it stands on a private Members' day. Therefore, if the Member in whose name the first motion stands is unable to move it, it is my duty to call the second motion. Otherwise, we make nonsense of the whole system of the Ballot.
§ Mr. LoydenOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I wish to follow the line of argument of my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, West Derby (Mr. Ogden). Many of us cancelled engagements in our constituencies to be present today for the debate on Wallasey. Obviously this change of plan has been well known to the Opposition as there is not one Member for the Wirral area or the Merseyside area present on the Opposition Benches. It is unfair that this information was not given to hon. Members in general so that they could arrange other engagements for today.
§ Mr. SpeakerIt is not for me to arrange what information is passed to and exchanged between Members. However, I have given my ruling, and we must move on to the second motion.