§ Mr. Michael Meacher (Oldham, West)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I wish to draw to your attention to, and to seek a statement on, a matter that arose yesterday, and which I believe constitutes a serious abuse of the proper procedures of the House. Yesterday, immediately before Social Security Question Time, I happened to come across a set of abandoned papers, of which I have full copies with me. When I was able to examine them more closely after questions, I discovered that they were photocopies of 14 oral questions tabled to Social Security Ministers for that day, together with the replies that were to be given by Ministers—[Interruption.] I am sorry that the Prime Minister does not wish to know about this breach of procedure by her party.
The answers in the photocopies were, indeed, exactly the answers that were given by Ministers. In addition, there were 16 pages of briefing, in each case headed with the title "Bull points", putting substantial defensive arguments in favour of the Government's case. It is clear that that material was circulated among Government Back Benchers to assist them at Question Time. It is also clear that the drafted ministerial replies could have come only from the Government. The briefing sheets all had code figures, which I know from my experience in government are used by Whitehall officials. It is a clear abuse of the procedures of this House that advice and briefing from civil servants, which are supposed to be tendered privately to Ministers, are then secretly made available to the Government's supporters for partisan use in the Chamber.
In the past, it has been alleged that the Government were packing the Order Paper with favourable planted questions; it now appears that they are packing Question Time with favourable planted answers. I ask for a full inquiry into the matter and that a statement be made by the Secretary of State when that is complete.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Gentleman gave me notice during Question Time of his intention to raise that matter. There is no objection to general briefings, and, as the hon. Gentleman said, he knows from his own experience that such briefings are frequently given. However, it is a discourtesy to right hon. and hon. Members who are to ask questions to reveal the proposed answers in advance, and I hope that that practice—if it has occurred—will cease.
§ Mr. Anthony Beaumont-Dark (Birmingham, Selly Oak)We are used to bogus and hypocritical points of order being raised in this House.
§ Mr. SpeakerThen I judge that this is not to be one of them.
§ Mr. Beaumont-DarkI withdraw the word "hypocritical", but more than one Opposition Member has told me that they have been asked to sign questions that they did not even understand—let alone understand the answer. The hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) suggests that there is something hypocritical in the Government's actions, but if the Opposition ever came to office—which God forbid—they would do exactly the same things for which they are criticising the Government for doing.
§ Mr. SpeakerI have already made my own views absolutely clear.