Questions To Ministers
Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield East)
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Is it right that a question should be transferred to a different Department without the knowledge of the hon. Member concerned? I realise that the Minister has left early, but it seems strange that only open-ended questions can be tabled to the Civil Service while a specific question such as mine should be moved sideways without permission.
Mr George Thomas (Cardiff West)
The hon. Gentleman has a legitimate grievance. Hon. Members should be notified when questions are transferred to another Department. I have 'made inquiries since the hon. Gentleman raised the point originally and I understand that the Table Office was notified on 28 January. There was probably a slip-up and the hon. Gentleman was not notified. It is the custom for hon. Members to be notified when questions are transferred to other Ministers.
Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull Central)
Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. I am sure that the House is grateful for your explanation to my hon. Friend the Member for Huddersfield, East (Mr. Sheerman). It would assist the House if you, Mr. Speaker, could obtain for the House a directive from the Government on responsibility for the Civil Service Department and the deployment of civil servants within Departments. Who is responsible for that deployment? Is it the Civil Service Department, or the Ministers? Without that knowledge we cannot know whether people are being used properly.
Mr George Thomas (Cardiff West)
I advise the hon. Gentleman that I cannot answer that question. However, on a Tuesday or Thursday there might be a right hon. Member who could answer it. I cannot.
Mr Leslie Huckfield (Nuneaton)
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I seek your guidance, Mr. Speaker, because today the Secretary of State for Transport made a deliberate and determined attempt to use questions—[Interruption.]
Mr George Thomas (Cardiff West)
Order. Let us hear the point of order. In my experience, all hon. Members use Question Time for some purpose. However, perhaps the hon. Gentleman has a point of order on which I can rule.
Mr Leslie Huckfield (Nuneaton)
With respect, Mr. Speaker, I think that you can rule on this point of order. As the Secretary of State clearly used question 9 to make a prepared statement, in which he intended to intervene—[Interruption.]
Mr George Thomas (Cardiff West)
Order. I am sorry to interrupt the hon. Gentleman but I must have some clear sign that he is raising a point of order and not merely a debating point.
Mr Leslie Huckfield (Nuneaton)
If I am enabled to reach at least the first comma, I shall complete the sentence.
Mr George Thomas (Cardiff West)
Whether the hon. Gentleman completes his sentence depends on the way in which he does it. He is not entitled merely to use his position to make ex parte statements, expecting me to sit here until the end and then say that he has not raised a point of order. The hon. Gentleman must raise a point of order.
Mr Leslie Huckfield (Nuneaton)
As the Secretary of State clearly used question 9—on an entirely different matter—to read out a statement that he had prepared beforehand and that he used to intervene in the rail dispute, and as he persistently intervened in that dispute—
Mr George Thomas (Cardiff West)
Order. The hon. Gentleman must raise a point of order and cannot merely make charges about another hon. Member. Will he tell me which order has been broken?
Mr Leslie Huckfield (Nuneaton)
I am merely trying to say that since the Secretary of State continually makes inflammatory statements about the dispute—[Interruption.]
Mr George Thomas (Cardiff West)
Order. It is clear that the hon. Gentleman does not have a point of order.
Mr George Thomas (Cardiff West)
I have no desire to name any hon. Member, but the hon. Member for Nuneaton (Mr. Huckfield) must realise that he is not raising a point of order; he is adducing an argument.
Mr Arthur Lewis (Newham North West)
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I think that I have a point of order and that you will rule, Mr. Speaker, that it is. If Mr. Speaker or the Chairman of Ways and Means allows an hon. Member or a Minister to make a statement, must it not be in order? Mr. Speaker cannot be wrong—[Interruption.]. If we wish to criticise, we must table a substantive motion. Whether or not the Minister did what my hon. Friend the Member for Nuneaton (Mr. Huckfield) tried to say that he did, the fact is that Mr. Speaker allowed it and therefore it must be in order.
Mr George Thomas (Cardiff West)
I am sure that the whole House will share my high opinion of the hon. Gentleman's judgment.