§ Mr. Francis Maude accordingly presented a Bill to apply certain sums out of the Consolidated Fund to the service of the years ending on 31st March 1992 and 1993: And the same was read the First time; and ordered to be read a Second time this day and to be printed. [Bill 60.]
§ Mr. SpearingOn a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. In the few moments at the end of the debate when I was speaking I referred to something that I thought had been said by my hon. Friend for Hemsworth (Mr. Enright). I want to make it absolutely clear that I mistook what he said. He suggested that I introduce the point of conciliation, but I thought that he said something else. Therefore, if anything I said, or the manner in which I said it, reflected upon my hon. Friend, it was completely wrong and my fault.
Can you confirm, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that the matter before us could have been debated until any hour but for the fact that the Government tabled a motion last night and no hon. Member, including any member of the official Opposition, objected to its being taken then by simply saying "Object?" Had that happened, we would have been able to debate this important matter until everyone who wished to speak had had the opportunity to do so. If you can confirm that, does that not show the unwisdom of the Government, or anyone else, in discussing matters relating to European Community finance on what is, in effect, a guillotine?
Mr. Deputy SpeakerOn the hon. Gentleman's first point, he has, with his characteristic courtesy, set the record straight concerning the comments of the hon. Member for Hemsworth (Mr. Enright). On his second point, I should say that the debate was governed by the order of the House, which was agreed yesterday, that the debate should last one and half hours, and no more.