HC Deb 08 March 1979 vol 963 cc1504-6
Mr. Arthur Lewis

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I am sorry that I have not had an opportunity to give notice of this matter, but perhaps the question I shall raise can be looked at in general.

I read in the press that the Government were to appoint Professor Clegg as chairman of the Pay Comparability Commission at a salary of £18,000. I tabled a question to the Prime Minister on Monday. I asked him whether he would appoint Professor Hugh Clegg of Warwick university as chairman of the Government's proposed body on pay comparability in the public services, and whether the chairman's salary and the payments to the members of that committee would bear a relationship to the salaries of those persons whom they would be investigating.

I know that a Minister has the right to transfer a question without consulting the Chair, or anyone else, when there is no ministerial responsibility or when it is the concern of another Minister. My question was tabled on Monday, Mr. Speaker. I note that today it has been transferred to the Secretary of State for Employment. Hansard will bear out that only yesterday the Prime Minister, with your permission, made a statement. Strangely enough, he agreed with my suggestion that he should appoint Professor Clegg as chairman of the comparability body, though he did not then announce the amount of the salary.

Where are we going if, by subterfuge, Ministers are allowed to transfer questions on the excuse that it is not their ministerial responsibility, when the day following the tabling of the question they prove that it is their responsibility by making a statement which takes half an hour of the House's time?

Hon. Members on both sides of the House know that questions are switched when it is convenient to a Department. If it happens to be a particular Minister's day for answering, he will wait until the last moment and transfer the question to another Minister. This precludes the hon. Member concerned from having the opportunity of asking the question and putting his supplementary questions.

Therefore, I ask you, Mr. Speaker, as the protector of the rights of hon. Members, to ensure that this subterfuge, mainly by civil servants, with the aid and support of Ministers, shall cease. I hope that you will ensure that hon. Members will have the right to table questions to the appropriate Minister on the days of their choice in accordance with Standing Orders.

Mr. Speaker

I have listened with care to the hon. Member, who became a Member of this House on the same day as myself, but he knows that Ministers are responsible for transferring questions if they wish. He has succeeded in bringing our attention to the matter.

Mr. Lewis

I am sorry, Mr. Speaker. I quoted an actual case to prove my point, but I am interested in the principle. It is laid down—the Order Papers prove it, and it is in Standing Orders—that we shall have certain days for questions to certain Ministers who shall, on rota, answer those questions. The rule is that a Member may not put a question to any Minister unless there is ministerial responsibility. The Minister can switch questions. My point is that he can switch only when he can claim that the question is not within his ministerial responsibility. Yesterday, not last week or last month, the Prime Minister in his statement answered the very question that I had tabled on Monday. He replied to my question today. A proper procedure should be laid down. We cannot prevent Ministers switching questions to other Departments, but they must not dodge their responsibilities to the House.

Mr. Speaker

I am obliged to the hon. Member. I shall look at the matters that he has raised.

Mr. Stoddart

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker

Would the hon. Member please wait until we have finished with Standing Order No. 9 applications?

Mr. Stoddart

But, Mr. Speaker, you called the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Lewis).

Mr. Speaker

We are all equal in the House, but from time to time I recall that the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Lewis) entered the House on the same day as I. I shall try not to remember that in future and make him wait in the same way as I make others wait.