§ Mr. Max Madden (Bradford, West)On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. The Press Association is reporting that the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hallam (Mr. Patnick) has been appointed a Government Whip. He is, as you know, Madam Deputy Speaker, the director of Eversure Textiles Ltd. in Sheffield. The workers a t that plant have been on strike for the past five weeks, seeking trade union recognition, which has been refused by the management and the hon. Member for Hallam.
§ Madam Deputy Speaker (Miss Betty Boothroyd)Order. What is the point of order for me?
§ Mr. MaddenIt is this. Can you tell the House whether, on appointment as a Government Whip, hon. Members are advised to relinquish directorships?
§ Madam Deputy SpeakerI think that I can help the hon. Gentleman. The Chair has an enormous number of responsibilities, but the appointment of Government Whips—or the notification of this by the Press Association—is not one of them. We should now proceed to motions Nos. 1 to 3.
§ Mr. MaddenOn a point of order.
§ Madam Deputy SpeakerIs it a fresh point of order?
§ Mr. MaddenYes. I am grateful for your advice, Madam Deputy Speaker, but would you go a little further? If it is not within the jurisdiction of the Chair to say whether the hon. Member for Hallam should relinquish his directorship, would you at least say, from your vast knowledge of these matters, that it would be a good idea for him to do so, as that would enable the management and the workers of the company to go to the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service to secure arbitration and a settlement of this unnecessary dispute?
§ Madam Deputy SpeakerFlattery about the Chair's responsibility will get the hon. Gentleman nowhere. I am not inclined to make any such statement.
§ Mr. Dennis Skinner (Bolsover)On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. Has any information gone to the Speaker's Office concerning the responsibilities of the Prime Minister, and what exactly they are? In the past 24 hours, our attention has been brought to the fact that she has started letting houses. I am not sure whether that comes within the general ambit of her responsibilities. Will' the Speaker look into this matter to see whether such a role comes under the powers of the First Lord of the Treasury?
I should also like to know whether the Chancellor of the Exchequer has been given the right to purchase because he has done this before, and he had a big mortgage. I want to know whether this one will be bigger, and whether Lady Porter is involved.
§ Madam Deputy SpeakerI assure the hon. Gentleman of one thing—whatever powers it comes under, it does not come under the powers of the Chair.