§ Mr. David Winnick (Walsall, North)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Has The House Magazine any official status in the House? I ask this question because the article by the right hon. Member for Shropshire, North (Mr. Biffen) in the current edition does not apparently include all that he wrote. What has been deleted?
§ Mr. SpeakerThat is not a matter for me. I am not responsible for The House Magazine. I cannot answer the question that the hon. Gentleman is about to put to me. He should raise it with the editor.
§ Mr. WinnickOn this point—
§ Mr. SpeakerNo, I cannot answer a question like that. The hon. Gentleman now knows perfectly well the content of that article. He would not expect me to make any comment upon it. Nor do I think it is appropriate for him to raise it in the Chamber.
§ Mr. Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow)You will recollect, Mr. Speaker, that on a previous occasion an article was written in a review of a book by a professor of journalism, a former business editor of The Times, about a correspondence and contact between a Grand Companion of the Bath, Sir Robert Armstrong, and a Companion of the Bath, Sir Brian Hayes. As a result of that article, the whole issue of The House Magazine was pulped.
There is cause for reflection by the Chair, because outside the House, whether we like it or not, The House Magazine is seen to have the imprimatur of Parliament. If the magazine has nothing to do with the House, why does it have the portcullis all over it? It must be one thing or the other. This review by a respected journalist caused embarrassment to 10 Downing street. Now embarrassment has occurred again for the same reason.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe House Magazine is nothing to do with me. It is nothing to do with a point of order. It is a private publication, and a number of hon. Members sit on the editorial board. I cannot answer questions about it in the Chamber. It has nothing to do with me.
§ Mr. David Harris (St. Ives)Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. I heartily endorse everything that you have said. As somebody who has an article in the current issue of The House Magazine, which was cut and overwritten, may I say that the points of order that have been raised by Opposition Members are completely bogus?
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I am not prepared to answer any questions about The House Magazine. It is absolutely nothing to do with me— [HoN. MEMBERS: "What about the portcullis?"] That matter should be drawn to the attention of the appropriate authorities. I am not responsible for that either.
§ Mr. Dennis Skinner (Bolsover)rose—
§ Mr. Dalyellrose—
§ Mr. Richard Holt (Langbaurgh)rose—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I call Mr. Holt.
§ Mr. HoltDuring questions today, Mr. Speaker, you had occasion to reprimand me. I have no reason to cause you any aggravation and I respect this House very much. You know and I know, because we have had a private conversation on this matter—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."]—that I will continue to shout, "Shut up, Skinner," as long as—[Interruption.]
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. It would be unwise if private conversations were exposed in the Chamber because then they would hardly be private. I must advise the hon. Gentleman—[Interruption.] Order. I say to the House that it is a great disservice while the Chair is seeking to concentrate—a high level of concentration is required at Question Time—if hon. Members continually seek to cause distractions. [Interruption.] I must advise the hon. Member that every time that he comes in and does that it causes a disturbance. I ask him to refrain from doing it in future.
§ Mr. DalyellOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. No further point of order arises.