§ Mr. James Gray (North Wiltshire)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. You will be aware that, since the amalgamation of the Department of the Environment and the Department of Transport after the general election, it has been the custom for Back Benchers to table oral questions on the environment and on transport separately. Were you aware that, as of today, that practice has been stopped and Back Benchers now have to choose between the environment and transport? Was that decision yours, or was it the Government's; if the latter, would you agree that it is another example of the Government's reluctance to face up to proper scrutiny from Back Benchers?
§ Madam SpeakerI am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for giving me an indication of his point of order in advance. He is of course right to say that questions will no longer be divided between environment and the regions on the one hand and transport on the other. As a result, hon. Members may submit only one oral question instead of two, as was the practice earlier. The question rota is issued on the instructions of the Government. In the normal course of events, changes are discussed through the usual channels. If the hon. Gentleman wants to pursue the issue, may I suggest that he pursues it through the usual channels?
§ Mr. GrayFurther to that point of order, Madam Speaker. I have checked with the usual channels, and it has not been discussed in that way so far.
§ Madam SpeakerThat is not my business. The usual channels are the usual channels. My business is the Speaker's business.
§ Mr. Simon Hughes (Southwark, North and Bermondsey)Further to that point of order, Madam Speaker. The news of the change has only just filtered through. The information process does not seem to have worked. Will you inquire why hon. Members were not notified of the change? Until today, there were two opportunities for tabling questions to be answered in a fortnight. No notice or circular has been issued. Hon. Members have gone into the Table Office expecting to be able to table two questions—
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. There has been no indication to hon. Members about the change, but of course it is clear on the Order of Questions, which is available to all hon. Members. All one needs to do is to look at the Order of Questions, and there it is.