Ministerial Statements (Hansard, 3 November 1987)

§ Mr. Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow)
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Will you reconsider your practice of taking points of order that arise out of statements at the end of all the statements, rather than at the end of each statement when the appropriate Minister is present? It will be within your recollection that in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich, South (Mr. Garrett) the Chancellor of the Exchequer said threateningly, "If the universities are run properly". The clear implication of that was that he, as Chancellor, was making a judgment on a matter that was not the direct responsibility of the Treasury. If the Chancellor makes such a remark, in that context and in that tone that he used, should he not be given an opportunity to explain exactly what he meant and why he thinks the universities are not run properly? Perhaps the right hon. Gentleman wants more pressure to be put on them.

§ Mr. Speaker
I shall keep this matter constantly in mind, but I think the whole House agrees that the current practice is of benefit to the House. What the hon. Gentleman is suggesting merely leads to a continuation of Question Time, which I think the whole House agrees is not the proper way to proceed. However, I shall certainly bear the matter very much in mind.

§ Mr. Sam Galbraith (Strathkelvin and Bearsden)
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I ask for your guidance. I am grateful to the Secretary of State for Energy for his statement on the electricity supply industry. As it is clear from his answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Garscadden (Mr. Dewar) that he is not responsible for electricity supply in Scotland, should not the Secretary of State for Scotland have been present to inform us of the implications for the electricity supply industry in Scotland?

§ Mr. Speaker
That is a matter for the Government Front Bench. I heard what the Secretary of State has just said about that matter.