§ Mr. Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. May I congratulate you on allowing questions on the statement to run for so long? I was fortunate enough to be called early. Along with other hon. Members, I congratulate you on allowing questions to run for so long on this important subject so that the Foreign Secretary could patiently answer our questions.
But there is a problem, and it is on that problem that I seek advice. The Gulf crisis is possibly the most important since 1945. You will have detected from the nature of the questioning that passionate beliefs are held by hon. Members other than those on the two Front Benches. Will you reflect on your powers of discretion? I am speaking off the top of my head, but I understand that a long time ago Mr. Speaker Gully, in the days when Sir Steven Runciman's father was a Cabinet Minister, was able to take certain decisions on controversial issues of the day to allow proper arguments to be deployed by Back-Bench Members.
My question to you, Mr. Speaker, is this. Do you believe that you have special powers of discretion to enable the many hon. Members—I hesitate to give a figure, but perhaps 30, 40, 50 or more—who hold views which may be substantially different from those voiced from the Front Bench to put their case? What are the powers of Mr. Speaker on that?
§ Mr. David Winnick (Walsall, North)Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. My hon. Friend referred to passionately held views and you had an illustration of them during the exchanges. You will be aware that I, like many of my hon. Friends, disagree with my hon. Friend the Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell). Time and time again in the history of Parliament, one of the outlets for passionately held views was a debate. Although I recognise that it is not up to you to decide—unless at some stage you grant an application under Standing Order No. 20—it would be unfortunate if parliamentary business was arranged without providing an opportunity for the House to have not merely exchanges such as we have just witnessed but a debate. Presumably the business of the House is being arranged right up to Christmas. Then we shall have the recess. I hold a view different from that of many hon. Members and I would defend and justify it if I were so fortunate as to catch your eye in any debate. I believe that a debate would be useful.
§ Mr. SpeakerI fully understand that a statement is no substitute for a debate. I have that very much in mind in thanking the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) for what he said. This is an important matter which is of interest to the whole of Britain and to the wider world. That is why I let questions run today.
However, I must always have regard to the subsequent business before the House. I was able to do that today. With regard to a debate, we have business questions tomorrow when we may hear that there is to be a debate on this matter. I fully understand the anxieties that hon. Members on both sides of the argument expressed.
§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennett (Denton and Reddish)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. You will be aware that there is a time-honoured tradition in the House that the only 887 way in which seats can be reserved is by placing prayer cards. You will also be aware that, according to another tradition, the first seat below the Gangway is always reserved for former Prime Ministers. As we now have two former Prime Ministers, would you perhaps suggest to the right hon. Member for Finchley (Mrs. Thatcher) that she might take up the seat on the second row back so that she can keep an eye on both the Prime Minister and the right hon. Member for Old Bexley and Sidcup (Mr. Heath)?
§ Mr. SpeakerThat was a good try. I can say with my hand on my heart that that is not a matter for me.
§ Mr. Stuart Bell (Middlesbrough)Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. I would not wish the House or those who read our proceedings to be misled. There is absolutely no tradition on this side of the House of placing prayer cards. That goes back to the end of the last century when the first Labour Members of Parliament came from the north. They found that prayer cards had been placed by their honourable colleagues from the south and removed them. From that time to this, Labour Members have removed prayer cards.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe House knows that there is a convention on the matter. We should now get on.