Questions to Ministers

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 27 April 1970.

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Photo of Mr John Eden Mr John Eden , Bournemouth West 12:00, 27 April 1970

Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. Are there not two distinct points involved? One point concerns the question of Ministers' responsibility. It was surprising to every hon. Member, I think, that, initially, the Paymaster-General said that he did not accept responsibility and had no knowledge.

Secondly, there is the point of Questions put down late on the list; the matter, for instance, of the similarity of Questions No. 75 in the name of my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, North (Mr. R. W. Elliott). He has been waiting, I understand, for an Answer from the Department since 3rd April on the subject of the acute shortage of solid smokeless fuel in the City of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. I understand that supplies there have run out this morning. It would surely have been appropriate for that Question to have been called.

Is it the case, Sir, that you would not normally wish to call a Question which appeared later than No. 50 on the Order Paper? If that is your Ruling, it places many of us in very great difficulty, particularly with the substantial grouping of subjects under the heading. Ministry of Technology ". That heading covers a very wide range, as this afternoon's Questions can show.