§ Mr. Bob Cryer (Bradford, South)On a point of order., Mr. Deputy Speaker. May I draw your attention to page 614 of "Erskine May". The second paragraph says:
As a general rule a motion for the nomination of a select committee is tabled and moved by a member of the Government".A Select Committee on Procedure has not been nominated. Following today's debate, I should have thought that there was a good case for allowing, say, an hour for the second motion on the Order Paper, such as my motion today on Derek Bentley. That would invalidate the argument which people outside might make that the Government Whips had deliberately procrastinated in the first debate to exclude the second debate.In the ordinary course of events, complaints of this nature can be channelled properly to the Select Committee on Procedure. But that Committee is not yet established so that channel of potential reform is not available to Members. The Government ought to be encouraged to set up the Select Committees. It would be helpful if you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, could bring your influence to bear on them to that end.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment (Mr. Patrick McLoughlin)Further to that point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. It comes ill from the hon. Gentleman to complain, because Opposition Members spoke this morning for 153 minutes in a 300-minute debate.
§ Mr. Deputy Speaker (Mr. Michael Morris)I listened carefully to the point of order of the hon. Member for Bradford, South (Mr. Cryer)—[Interruption.] Order.
§ Mr. Deputy SpeakerI am grateful to the hon. Gentleman. I listened attentively to his point of order. I imagine that when a Select Committee on Procedure is established, he will raise the matter with it in the normal way.
§ Mr. Tony Banks (Newham. North-West)On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
§ Mr. Deputy SpeakerI hope that it is a new point of order.
§ Mr. Deputy SpeakerOrder. Is it a new point of order or not?
§ Mr. BanksYes. The new point of order is that not everyone necessarily understands the way in which the usual channels operate. Unfortunately, I am one of those who does not. Would it be fair to say that if agreement is reached between the two Front Benches about the timing of any debate, of course that can be implemented. If the two Front Benches failed to make an agreement so that we could reach the second motion, it is hardly the fault of anyone that we do not arrive at the second motion.
§ Mr. Deputy SpeakerOrder. The Chair knows nothing about the usual channels.