§ Mr. Bruce-GardyneOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I wonder whether you can help the House over a quandary that we shall face this evening when you will be required to put the Questions on 22 Estimates and Votes providing no less than £43,000 million, on which there will be no possibility of debate or discussion. I accept that the bulk of the money is not new, although the £230 million of Supplementary Estimates, mainly for Rolls-Royce and the British Steel Corporation, is new money. The £500 million for Civil Service pay is a revised allocation.
I listened with care to what my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House 1754 said during business questions. I was grateful for his undertaking in respect of the establishment of the Select Committee on procedure. I accept that the sooner the Committee resolves the matter the better, but I am still worried about the position tonight. I have tabled objections to three Estimates, and the hon. Members for Nottingham, West (Mr. English) and Colne Valley (Mr. Wainwright) have tabled objections to them all.
We shall not have a chance to debate the Estimates, nor will there be an explanation from the Treasury of why we should not vote against them. Such a situation does not give the impression of good housekeeping in the nation's interest. It is not right to vote on such massive sums, without dispute and on the nod, at 10 o'clock.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe House will understand that I have to carry out the rules of the House. I allowed the hon. Gentleman to make his point.