Privilege (Hansard, 28 November 1985)

§ Mr. George Foulkes (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley)
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. It was reported recently in the Glasgow Herald that the hon. Member for Stirling (Mr. Forsyth) had complained to you as a matter of privilege about undue pressure being put on him when 1041 a Mr. Ian Lawson was threatening to stand against him unless he changed his view on Gartcosh. Can you tell us how you will communicate your decision?

§ Mr. Speaker
I do not communicate matters of that sort. The hon. Member for Stirling (Mr. Forsyth) raised the issue with me and I am dealing with it.

§ Sir Russell Johnston (Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber)
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. There is a clear trend for Opposition spokesmen, when dealing with ministerial statements, themselves to make statements, which are sometimes as long as, if not longer than the Minister's.

§ Mr. Robert Hughes (Aberdeen, North)
They are usually better as well.

§ Sir Russell Johnston
Indeed, as was the case this afternoon with the hon. Member for Hamilton (Mr. Robertson) and the Foreign Secretary. I ask, Mr. Speaker, that you give this new development some consideration. Is there any way in which these Opposition spokesmen can be restrained?

§ Mr. Speaker
The hon. Gentleman has raised a matter which the entire House understands, but there is no way in which the Chair can influence the length of replies to statements or speeches. The Chair will be unable to do so at least until the matter is brought before the Procedure Committee.

§ Mr. Robert Maclennan (Caithness and Sutherland)
Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. I ask you to clarify the statement that you have just made and the advice contained within it. If you feel unable to curb the length of questions and statements asked or made by those who occupy the official Opposition Front Bench, would you feel similarly unable to curb the length of statements or questions made or asked by the spokesman of other parties?

§ Mr. Speaker
There is the convention in the House relating to Her Majesty's Government and Her Majesty's Opposition. There has always been discretion to allow slightly longer questions from members of the official Opposition Front Bench. The hon. Member for Caithness and Sutherland (Mr. Maclennan) was called when the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food was answering questions on the statement that he made. I think the hon. Gentleman will find that when there are questions on statements, Liberal Members and Social Democratic Members are always called. I do not think that the hon. Gentleman has any complaint.