Point of Order (Hansard, 2 February 1989)

§ Mr. Ray Powell (Ogmore)
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Last weekend, I sent you a request, saying that I hoped to catch your eye during yesterday's debate on low pay. I had not asked to speak for some months, other than on behalf of the New Building Sub-Committee whose report I presented some weeks ago. I asked permission to speak yesterday as the senior Member sponsored by the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers, which has 400,000 members, quite a number of whom are on low pay, and because I am also connected directly with the wages councils. When I approached you—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I regret that I am not prepared to debate with any hon. Member why he has not been called.

§ Mr. Powell
Further to the point of order, Mr. Speaker. Looking for the pecking order, you told me that it might not be possible for me, as an Opposition Whip, to be called—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I think it would be very unwise for the hon. Gentleman to pursue private conversations that he has had with me. If he has a complaint, I suggest that he comes to see me about it. 1 shall gladly deal with it, but not on the Floor of the House.

§ Mr. Powell
Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker—

§ Mr. Speaker
But not on the Floor of the House.

§ Mr. Powell
It is a genuine point of order.

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. If the hon. Gentleman wants to take issue with me, I shall certainly take issue with him publicly.

§ Mr. Powell
All right, Mr. Speaker, that may be so, but it is an important point of order. We accept responsibility in the Whips Office, but we do not want to be denied the opportunity to speak because we are in the Whips Office. You, Mr. Speaker, should be well aware of that, having been an Opposition Whip in the past. We do not expect to be denied the right to be called. I seek your ruling on whether Opposition Members who are Whips will be called on issues directly affecting them and on which they wish to make representations. The Liberal Chief Whip was called yesterday, yet Opposition Whips were refused.

§ Mr. Speaker
I am not prepared to debate that matter with the hon. Gentleman. Every hon. Member is dealt with fairly, but Opposition Front Bench spokesmen should not expect to have the same precedence in debate as Back Benchers, who have a pretty rough life.