§ Mr. Peter Hardy (Wentworth)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I am extremely sorry to raise this matter, but you will recall that when we considered Question No. 6 on the Order Paper you would not allow my question to proceed, on the grounds that you interpreted the question as applying solely to Scotland. If you look at Question No. 6 you will see that it referred to the transfer of forestry planting from the north of Scotland further south. I submit that my question was entirely in order and I regret that I shall not now receive a ministerial answer.
§ Mr. SpeakerI think that I should apologise to the hon. Gentleman. I took "further south" to mean further south in Scotland, since the question was one for the Secretary of State for Scotland. The hon. Gentleman would have been totally in order if he had raised his question on Question No. 9 on sustaining the
rural economy in the light of policies aimed at reducing agricultural production".I am sorry, but I cannot do anything about it now.
§ Mr. HardyArising from that, Mr. Speaker, do you therefore not accept that it is especially difficult for English Members who are interested in forestry matters, because we do not have any other alternative than to raise such matters at Scottish Question Time?
§ Mr. SpeakerI called a number of English Members during Scottish Questions today. [Interruption.] Scottish Members have an equal right to be called during English Questions. Therefore, it is only fair that English Members should have the right to be called during Scottish Questions.
§ Mr. Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow)Arising out of questions to the Solicitor-General for Scotland, I beg to move the Adjournment of the House under SO 20 on the subject of the—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I have not had notice of that. I am dealing with points of order at the moment.