§ Mr. Robert Hayward (Kingswood)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker.
§ Mr. Tony Marlow (Northampton, North)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker.
§ Mr. SpeakerI have been notified of a point of order from the Opposition Front Bench.
§ Mr. Donald Dewar (Glasgow, Garscadden)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I understand that, earlier this afternoon, the hon. Member for Tayside, North (Mr. Walker) made some gratuitously offensive allegations about some of my hon. Friends. At this stage, it is not appropriate for me, or for any hon. Members, to debate the issues raised in the recent television programme in Scotland. I do not want to follow the hon. Member for Tayside, North in his reckless course of conduct in that respect.
It should be put on record that no specific allegations were made about hon. Members in the programme. The procurator fiscal, who has the proper responsibility for these matters, has been asked to investigate any matters that may arise from the programme. Indeed, he was asked to do so some weeks ago by members of the Dundee Labour party and by my hon. Friends who were referred to in the outburst made by the hon. Member for Tayside, North.
I rise to make this point because I hope that you, Mr. Speaker, will advise the House, as I am sure that you would want to, that it would be better in these circumstances if hon. Members—even the hon. Member for Tayside, North — showed a proper and decent restraint and were not tempted into making irresponsible speculation and provocative suggestions which can only complicate the task of those who are properly looking into the issues that have been raised. Such behaviour reflects no credit on the House or on any hon. Member responsible for such opportunism.
§ Mr. SpeakerI accept what the hon. Member has said about the matter. I hope that we can conduct the affairs of this House on the basis of mutual respect and mutual honour. I trust that we will not have allegations of that kind made across the Floor of the Chamber.
§ The Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. Wakeham)There was a suggestion earlier that there was a planted question on this point. I owe it to the House to explain the position, and I can do that perfectly easily. The position is that any hon. Member who tables an early-day motion in the House is entitled to expect the Government to consider it and that, when the Leader of the House comes to the House for business questions, he should come with an answer to that early-day motion. My hon. Friend the Member for Tayside, North (Mr. Walker) raised a question specifically on early-day motion 281. The hon. Member for Halifax (Mrs. Mahon) raised a question on early-day motion 282 and the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) raised a question about early-day motion 214. I came prepared with answers to all early-day motions on the Order Paper and naturally I try to help the House. To do less would be a discourtesy.
§ Mr. SpeakerI hope that the House will leave it at that.
§ Mr. SpeakerI think that we have exhausted that matter.
§ Mr. MarlowOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. You will be well aware that "Erskine May", on page 254, states
The efficient and smooth running of the parliamentary machine depends largely on the Whips"—that is, Whips from both sides of the House. Page 445 states that, when an hon. Member persists in disorderly conduct, Mr. Speaker is "enjoined" under Standing Orders 42 and 43 to take action. "Enjoined" means basically that you. Mr. Speaker, are required to take action. Earlier this afternoon circumstances arose with regard to the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) as a result of which there was a vote, quite properly. That vote, I submit to you Mr. Speaker—I do not submit it, it is so obvious—was about your authority, the rules of order of the House and the provisions of "Erskine May". I am happy to say that—
§ Mr. SpeakerUnfortunately, I had to take an unpleasant decision. What is the point of order for me?
§ Mr. MarlowThe point of order is that I am pleased to say that the Opposition Chief Whip, the hon. Member for Bishop Auckland (Mr. Foster) supported you, Mr. Speaker. However, the Opposition Whips, the hon. Members for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Mrs. Golding) and Barnsley, West and Penistone (Mr. McKay)—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I think that this is going down an unhelpful track. [Interruption.] Well, do not let us stir it up. I hope that both sides of the House will always support Mr. Speaker.
§ Mr. MarlowI am seeking to help.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Gentleman has said enough for me to know that I am not anxious to hear any more.
§ Mr. Marlowrose—
§ Mr. David Winnick (Walsall, North)On a helpful point of order, Mr. Speaker.
§ Mr. SpeakerI am most grateful, but I think that we should get on.
§ Mr. Bob Cryer (Bradford, South)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I was one of the tellers in the vote earlier on the naming of my hon. Friend the Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell). The first person through the Aye lobby was the Prime Minister. If the complaint by my hon. Friend had been upheld, the Prime Minister might have had to relinquish the Prime Minister's job. As she would thereby lose money, she had some direct pecuniary interest.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder.
§ Mr. Kenneth Hind (Lancashire, West)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker.
§ Mr. SpeakerIs it on a totally different matter?
§ Mr. SpeakerThey are all matters of great importance, but is it a point of order?
§ Mr. HindThis is a point of order on which you can rule, Mr. Speaker. I seek your guidance over the matter, 588 which is now outstanding, of how to deal with the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell). About 15 minutes after you ordered the hon. Member for Linlithgow from the Chamber I was walking from this building to Norman Shaw and I saw the hon. Gentleman with a television camera crew. It is clear that what happened during the business statement was set up for the purpose of cheap publicity on the hon. Gentleman's part.
I seek your guidance, Mr. Speaker, on this point. 'Will you take into consideration in the sentence that is imposed upon the hon. Member for Linlithgow — [HON. MEMBERS: "Sentence?"] Whether he is banned for one day or seven days, that should be regarded as a sentence. It is a disgrace, and let no one forget that.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I do not think that I need any more help on this matter. I advise the hon. Gentleman that it is neither one day nor seven days. If he looks in "Erskine May" he will find that it is five days. I received a report from the Serjeant at Arms that the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) had in fact left the precincts of the Palace of Westminster.
§ Mr. HaywardOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker.
§ Mr. SpeakerIs it a different point of order?
§ Mr. HaywardI wish to make a suggestion.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. That is not a point of order. I cannot rule on suggestions. That would leave our proceedings wide open.
§ Mr. HaywardThe events of this week have unfortunately shown this House, both inside and out, in some of its worst moments. We can put some of that down to extreme exhaustion. However, many hon. Members regret that there has not been obvious support for the Chair from all sides of the House.
§ Mr. SpeakerWe dealt with this matter yesterday and I have said today that I believe that what happened yesterday did not show the House in a good light. I hope very much that I shall have the co-operation of the House in ensuring that that kind of thing never happens again.