§ Mr. Harry Ewing (Falkirk, East)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I understand that an arrangement has been come to whereby the Members' Dining Room will be turned into the Strangers' Dining Room on an experimental basis at lunch time when the House returns from the summer recess, and that the existing Strangers' Dining Room will become the Members' Dining Room. I also understand that, if the experiment is considered to be successful, it will be extended, and the Members' Dining Room will be turned into the Strangers' Dining Room for dinner.
It is now becoming almost impossible for Members of Parliament to obtain tables in any of the facilities that should be available to them. What is happening to those facilities is nothing short of downright scandal. Hardly a day goes by without finding that it is impossible to have a buffet lunch in the Terrace Pavilion because the tables are almost entirely booked by those who are not Members of the House. The facilities that should be available to hon. Members are being increasingly encroached upon. In your capacity as Speaker, will you put that matter to the House for discussion and decision as a matter of urgency, and will you ensure that the experiment in the Members' Dining Room does not take place until the House has had a chance to discuss and decide on it?
§ Mr. SpeakerI understand that it was the unanimous recommendation of the Services Committee that the experiment should take place between October and Christmas, but if the hon. Gentleman and other hon. Members are unhappy about it their most appropriate course might be to make their strong feelings known to members of that Committee.
§ Mr. D. N. Campbell-Savours (Workington)Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. I understand that this matter comes before you as a recommendation and that it is for you to decide whether it is important enough to warrant putting it to the House. Would you consider putting it before the House, because —
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The hon. Gentleman has not got this matter quite right. It is perfectly true that the unanimous recommendation was brought to me. As it was unanimous, I inclined to agree to the experiment. If it does not work out, it will come to an end.
Mr. Willie W. Hamiliton (Fife, Central)Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. From what you have said, do I take it that the Services Committee and you have executive authority to take such action without there being any prior debate in the House? If that is so, the House seems to have no control whatever. A cabal of Members called the Services Committee, in conjunction with you, have taken it upon themselves to take a decision that adversely affects the interests of the House as a whole. That seems manifestly wrong and I hope that this course is not pursued.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe House sets up the Services Committee and charges it with making recommendations on the operation of the services of the House in the interests of the House. I do not think that the House would want every one of its decisions debated, but if the hon. 365 Gentleman feels strongly about the issue—I sense that hon. Members do feel strongly — he should make representations to members of the Services Committee.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursFurther to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. I do not wish to delay the House, but this is an important matter for all hon. Members, especially those who use the Dining Room regularly. You have said, Mr. Speaker, that it would be for us to find a way of raising the matter. The Leader of the House is present. Perhaps he will be able to tell us from the Dispatch Box whether time can be made available to enable us to discuss the matter. It seems that we have no control over events. I must tell the Leader of the House that Members are already talking of taking their places in the Dining Room irrespective of whether the change takes place. That would embarrass members of the public and the House authorities.
§ Mr. Michael Forsyth (Stirling)Silly.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursThe hon. Gentleman may think that that is silly, but some of us wish to defend the rights of Back-Bench Members. The way that the hon. Gentleman is going, he will probably spend the whole of his parliamentary life on the Back Benches. Perhaps the Leader of the House will make a statement.
§ The Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. John Biffen)I have noted the hon. Gentleman's remarks and the intensity of feeling that lies behind them. I suggest that it is an appropriate matter to put to me in my role as Leader of the House when I next announce the business.
§ Mr. SpeakerPerhaps it will help if I draw these exchanges to the attention of the Chairman of the Catering Committee.