Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Unemployment. – in the House of Commons at on 8 February 1940.
Mr. Davidson:
On a point of Order, Mr. Speaker. I wish to ask for your guidance with regard to this particular question. As I have said already, on 1st February I addressed two Questions to the Minister of Labour, one asking for the total number of registered unemployed in Glasgow up to the last available date, and the second asking for the total number of Glasgow applications for postponement of military service and the number of such applications that were granted. I submit to you that the facts asked for in these Questions have always been easily ascertainable in the past in the Parliamentary time allowed for Questions, but the Minister replied, saying that he had only had two days' notice, and that he was having the available figures extracted and would forward them to me in due course. I received no figures and no reply to these Questions, which I put down in accordance with Parliamentary custom' and procedure, and I would therefore like to ask you what steps a Member can take to defend his rights as a private Member, to have his Questions answered within a reasonable time in order that the business of this House may be efficiently and competently conducted.
The Speaker is an MP who has been elected to act as Chairman during debates in the House of Commons. He or she is responsible for ensuring that the rules laid down by the House for the carrying out of its business are observed. It is the Speaker who calls MPs to speak, and maintains order in the House. He or she acts as the House's representative in its relations with outside bodies and the other elements of Parliament such as the Lords and the Monarch. The Speaker is also responsible for protecting the interests of minorities in the House. He or she must ensure that the holders of an opinion, however unpopular, are allowed to put across their view without undue obstruction. It is also the Speaker who reprimands, on behalf of the House, an MP brought to the Bar of the House. In the case of disobedience the Speaker can 'name' an MP which results in their suspension from the House for a period. The Speaker must be impartial in all matters. He or she is elected by MPs in the House of Commons but then ceases to be involved in party politics. All sides in the House rely on the Speaker's disinterest. Even after retirement a former Speaker will not take part in political issues. Taking on the office means losing close contact with old colleagues and keeping apart from all groups and interests, even avoiding using the House of Commons dining rooms or bars. The Speaker continues as a Member of Parliament dealing with constituent's letters and problems. By tradition other candidates from the major parties do not contest the Speaker's seat at a General Election. The Speakership dates back to 1377 when Sir Thomas Hungerford was appointed to the role. The title Speaker comes from the fact that the Speaker was the official spokesman of the House of Commons to the Monarch. In the early years of the office, several Speakers suffered violent deaths when they presented unwelcome news to the King. Further information can be obtained from factsheet M2 on the UK Parliament website.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
