HC Deb 12 December 1978 vol 960 cc234-5
Mr. Speaker

I have a brief ruling to make. My attention has been drawn to the effect of the Prime Minister's proposed motion to shorten the Christmas Recess by one day on the 10-day rule for notices of Questions.

In accordance with long-standing practice, the Table Office has been accepting Questions for days after the Adjournment on the basis of the dates announced by the Leader of the House last Thursday. Questions were accepted up to and including Tuesday 23rd January. The new proposal for the House to sit for an extra day on Monday 15th January means that the Table Office has accepted some notices for one day more than the 10 sitting days laid down in Standing Order No. 8(6) as being the longest possible period of notice.

The Standing Order does not prescribe what should be done in these circumstances. In December 1967, however, the then Leader of the House proposed to move, as now, that the Christmas Recess should be shorter than the period which he had originally announced; so that the position was substantially the same as today. My predecessor then ruled that it would be inconvenient alike to Members, Ministers and printers to insist that the out-of-time Questions should be withdrawn and retabled the following day. I agree with this ruling, and accordingly have directed that Questions tabled yesterday for Tuesday 23rd January be regarded as valid.

Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Before we leave that issue, may I ask whether it is not the case that the House has not yet approved the motion, so that the whole situation is hypothetical at this moment?

Mr. Speaker

Order—except that hon. Members, once they see on the Order Paper the date that is proposed, submit their Questions to the Table Office, and in this case they have been accepted. I am legitimising something that was almost but not quite legitimate.

Mr. McCrindie

Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. On the assumption that the motion on the Order Paper is approved, are we to take it that there cannot be any question of oral answers on Monday 15th January?

Mr. Speaker

No. There will be Questions on 15th January. I think that hon. Members ought to take time to study what I have said. There will be Questions—and Answers, I hope—on 15th January.