§ Michael Fabricant (Lichfield)On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Will you give some guidance on protocol in the House? You may have noticed that several new Members of Parliament have tabled oral questions for the next few days. Indeed, a new hon. Member asked a question at Question Time today. I understood that, until an hon. Member had made a maiden speech, it was not proper to ask an oral question or participate in proceedings apart from tabling written questions. Does the protocol continue to exist, or is it in abeyance?
§ Mr. Deputy Speaker (Sir Alan Haselhurst)I shall try to help the hon. Gentleman and the House. No absolute rule states that an hon. Member may not participate until he or she has made his or her maiden speech, but it is the custom of the House that the maiden speech precedes any other activity in the Chamber. It is often good advice to new Members that they test the nature of the pitch before deciding to play a longer innings, but the new hon. Member who asked a supplementary question this afternoon had already made his maiden speech.