§ Mr. D. N. Campbell-Savours (Workington)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I wish to raise the matter of questions and the finding by the Select Committee in 1972 concerning parliamentary questions, in particular the blocking of questions by the Prime Minister, an example of which we saw today, and the blocking reply which she gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Fife, Central (Mr. Hamilton) on Thursday last week.
Blocking is dealt with in paragraph 7 of the Select Committee's report, which states:
The ability of the Government to block questions by means of a refusal to answer is a consequence of its being under no obligation to answer any particular Question at all. This right is so powerful a protection against legitimate enquiry, however, that although no instances of abuse have been drawn to Your Committee's attention, they consider that the present absolute rule against Questions refused an answer should be modified.The Committee goes on to modify by way of the three-month rule to which you, Mr. Speaker, have repeatedly drawn our attention.Last week the Prime Minister came to the Dispatch Box and, as she has repeatedly done in the last few months, answered questions in a particular way with a view of avoiding further questions being placed upon the Order Paper.
The question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Fife, Central was highly relevant to proceedings in the House. The reply by the Prime Minister last week was not given in the normal sense of the word. She read it to ensure that the position was precise in relation to further questions which I wished to table and which I have in my possession but which I am not able to table because of the block by the Prime Minister placed upon the tabling of questions. Perhaps I can refer to one of them specifically because it relates——
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I think that I have understood the point of order. The hon. Member raises a matter which was dealt with by the 1972 Select Committee. It would be in order for him to raise the matter again with the current Select Committee. The hon. Gentleman will know that I have to deal with the rules of the House as they are. I cannot change them on my own account.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursI have not completed my point of order, Mr. Speaker, because I wish to mention the reference in that report to the word "abuse"——
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The hon. Gentleman may not have finished, but he and the House will appreciate that we have important business to deal with today. I have dealt fully with the hon. Gentleman's point of order. I shall not be able to say any more than I have already said, to there is no point in pursuing it. Another point of order—Mr. Banks.
§ Mr. Tony Banks (Newham, North-West)rose——
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursOn a completely different point of order——
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I think that that is an abuse— Mr. Banks.
§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursrose——
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder.