§ Mr. Harry Greenway (Ealing, North)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. May I seek your guidance and information on the courtesies of the House? The Opposition spokesman on transport, the hon. Member for Wigan (Mr. Stott), made an erroneous and ineffective attack upon me in the House at the beginning of the debate on transport yesterday without informing me in advance that he would refer to remarks that I had made. I have today told him that I shall be referring to him in the House and I invited him to be in his place to hear me do so.
If an hon. Member intends to refer to another hon. Member, is it not customary to give notice of that so that that hon. Member has the right to reply, should he wish to exercise it? Therefore, was the hon. Gentleman not yesterday grossly discourteous to the House and to me?
§ Mr. SpeakerI have looked at this matter because the hon. Gentleman raised it with me beforehand. It was not a serious attack, but I confirm that if a right hon. or hon. Member is to be mentioned in a debate, it is our courtesy that he is informed in advance.