Falkland Islands Review (Hansard, 12 July 1982)

§ Mr. Tam Dalyell (West Lothian)
rose—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I received notice from the hon. Member for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell) of an application under Standing Order No. 9. I sent him a letter. Does he wish to pursue his application?

§ Mr. Dalyell
The subject to which I wish to draw the House's attention under Standing Order No. 9—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. In that case, I must tell the hon. Gentleman that this is an abuse of our Standing Order No. 9 procedure. The House decided last Thursday on an inquiry into the circumstances of the Falkland Islands, and to pursue the matter now, in my judgment, is not fair. I have no power to stop the hon. Gentleman, but it is not fair.

§ Mr. Dalyell
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. What is sauce for the gander, or a Back-Bench Member, is also sauce for the Government goose, in the sense that, as the House of Commons made certain decisions on Thursday about the Franks Committee, shall we have for the rest of the summer either Downing Street or the Foreign Office, or both, leaking information about those matters against each other?
If I should not move the Adjournment of the House on such matters, does not the same apply to Downing Street sources, as outlined by Mr. Anthony Bevins in The Times, and is it likely that Mr. Adam Raphael of The Observer would have written a detailed front page article about the alleged decisions of the overseas policy and defence committee of the Cabinet, involving Lord Carrington? If I am ruled out of order, should not a decision also be reached on Downing Street and the Foreign Office?

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. There is a major difference. I have no control over what happens in Downing Street. That is its concern.