§ Mr. Mike Watson (Glasgow, Central)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. I apologise for the fact that, as you are aware, I was not present when my question was called earlier in Question Time. The reason for my absence was that I had not received notification that the Foreign Secretary had decided to link my question with others. I am aware that, under the new procedures introduced last year, a list is posted in the House to inform Members about which questions have been linked.
Given that those questions are submitted two weeks in advance, is it in order that hon. Members who have questions down on the Order Paper—in fact, all hon. Members—are informed of any linkage only on the day when those questions are to be answered? In future, can we not have notice of at least a week before the relevant Question Time?
§ Madam SpeakerI will keep in mind what the hon. Gentleman said. It is to be regretted that he was not aware, perhaps until the last minute, that his question was to be linked. I tend to know about that by midday, and I should have thought that it would be fairly reasonable for hon. Members to be informed at that time. I plead with all Departments of State to give hon. Members as much notice as possible when questions are linked. That would be reasonable. I should add that I was very generous to the hon. Gentleman today; I realised his difficulty, and called him to ask a supplementary question.
§ Mr. Hugh Dykes (Harrow, East)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. I am sure that the Minister of State made a mistake just now, probably unwittingly, when he referred to the European Court of Justice in his reply.
§ Madam SpeakerThe Minister no doubt stands corrected.
§ Mr. Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow)When the right hon. Member for Pontefract and Castleford (Sir G. Lofthouse) was in the Chair between 1.30 and 2 pm, Madam Speaker, you kindly gave me an Adjournment debate on the circumstances of the murder of Police Constable Yvonne Fletcher. My point of order concerns the behaviour of Ministers, who have repeatedly said that the debate should not have been held nor the television programme made, because of the hurt that it has caused to Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher, the parents of the deceased.
238 Would it not be in keeping with the honour of the House if Ministers, before they made such statements, at least had the courtesy to ask those parents? Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher were not contacted by the Home Office before those statements were made.
§ Madam SpeakerThat is a matter for the Minister concerned, who wants to respond to that point of order.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Jeremy Hanley)Further to that point of order, Madam Speaker. I was not the Minister who responded to the debate, but I was present throughout, and I believe that the hon. Member's interpretation of what was said is a travesty of the truth.
§ Mr. Robert Maclennan (Caithness and Sutherland)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. I am grateful for your guidance earlier in answering the hon. Member for Glasgow, Central (Mr. Watson). Hon. Members are often involved in work that is associated with their duties as Members of Parliament, and if we are to learn that questions are linked only three and a half hours—[HON. MEMBERS: "Two and a half'.]—or two and a half hours before Question Time begins, there is a serious risk that hon. Members will not be aware of Ministers' intentions. That is not desirable, and I wonder whether it is possible to reconsider the matter through the usual channels.
§ Madam SpeakerIf hon. Members have a question on the Order Paper, they should be in their places at 2.30 pm. Hon. Members could read the Order Paper and make an informed guess when they will be called. Information about questions appears on the annunciator screen some hours in advance of Question Time. Nevertheless, I plead with Departments to give hon. Members as much notice of questions as possible. We should not forget that annunciator screens are situated throughout the building, and that hon. Members have only to look at them some time during the morning.
§ Mr. Jacques Arnold (Gravesham)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. Did you notice that I had Question No. 31, and that I attended throughout Question Time on the off-chance that it might be linked with another question and be heard?
§ Madam SpeakerYes, and I was generous to the hon. Gentleman too. I noticed that he had a late question, but I called him on an early one.