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 Dr Michael Winstanley Dr Michael Winstanley , Cheadle 12:00, 27 April 1970

Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. The point is not so much, as has been suggested by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Kingston-upon-Thames (Mr. Boyd-Carpenter), which Questions are selected but which Questions are not selected. Whereas my Question No. 47 was tabled on the first possible day, the reason given by the right hon. Gentleman for his not selecting it was that it did not ask for a statement, but it does ask for information, for which the other Questions also asked.

You have ruled, and I accept your Ruling, of course, that the matter of the selection of Questions, and their grouping, is within a Minister's discretion, but where there is any possibility that that discretion may be used, as it were, in a negative sense—to fail to select certain Questions which might otherwise have been expected to be answered—is there not a good case for this subject to be looked at once again by the Select Committee on Procedure?