§ Sir Peter Emery (Honiton)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. Is it perhaps correct to point out that Standing Order No. 101(3) was introduced by the Procedure Committee specifically to allow non-contentious statutory instruments to go straight into Standing Committee? As a result of the action of hon. Members today, we shall have a debate of perhaps 15 to 20 hours on non-contentious statutory instruments. If that is the case, the sooner we get Jopling introduced, the better for everyone.
§ Madam SpeakerThe right hon. Gentleman is commenting on the findings of a Select Committee. I assume that all Members here, by the individual action they take, know precisely what they are doing.
§ Mr. D. N. Campbell-Savours (Workington)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. You will have noted the two interventions in the past week of the Chairman of the Select Committee on Procedure. Are you aware that some of us are disturbed by the way in which he is clearly backing the Government in his interventions while he remains Chairman of the Committee? Some of us believe that, if he persists in doing so, a resolution of the House will be required to deal with the problem.
§ Sir Peter EmeryFurther to that point of order, Madam Speaker. If people listened, they might notice that I have tried to further a unanimous recommendation of a Select Committee of the House to introduce some modernisation of Standing Orders—I refer to Jopling. I shall go on doing so, because I believe that it is my duty so to do.
§ Mr. Bob Cryer (Bradford, South)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. The right hon. Member for Honiton (Sir P. Emery) suggested that statutory instruments should be sent upstairs because they are non-controversial. Is it not true that Statutory Instruments can often be as long as, or, indeed, longer than, major primary legislation, and that they affect millions of people? Is there not a good case for taking more statutory instruments on the Floor of the House, where they are subject to full scrutiny, rather than pushing them upstairs into a Committee? It is time that the right hon. Gentleman acknowledged that.
§ Madam SpeakerWe are now entering into a debate on procedure. I shall not allow that to take place.