– in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 29 November 1973.
Dennis Skinner
, Bolsover
12:00,
29 November 1973
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. These are alarming times, and sometimes alarming situations require alarming actions, and the request I am making to you is, to some extent, a matter for you and one in which you ought personally to involve yourself.
You will no doubt have read or heard today, certainly in the exchanges which took place at Question Time, about the alarming statement made by a Privy Councillor and an ex-Minister of Health about the Prime Minister's so-called "emotional instability", etc. [Interruption.]
Mr Selwyn Lloyd
, Wirral
Order.
Dennis Skinner
, Bolsover
I have not finished yet.
Mr Selwyn Lloyd
, Wirral
Order. May I try to help the hon. Gentleman? If he is dealing with a speech made outside the House, it is nothing to do with me.
Dennis Skinner
, Bolsover
But it is, Mr. Speaker. If you will bear with me, I will now draw your attention not to any further comments or references in the speech by the right hon. Member for Wolverhampton, South-West (Mr. Powell), but to Section 137 of the Mental Health Act 1959, which deals with the question of a Member of Parliament's mental instability and his right to sit in this House.
Under Section 137, you have the power to appoint through the Royal College of Physicians, two specialists in mental disorder to decide upon the mental stability of any Member of this House, and I suggest that in view of the allegations which have been made by the right hon. Member for Wolverhampton, South-West, who is a Privy Councillor and an ex-Minister of Health, about the mental instability of the Prime Minister, it might well be an occasion for you to take notice of that section and to act on the matter.
Mr Selwyn Lloyd
, Wirral
I think the hon. Gentleman is trying to coax me on to very dangerous ground. I have frequently heard remarks by hon. Members about the mental health of other hon. Members. Once I start getting involved in that sort of thing, I am getting into trouble-However, I will read Section 137 of the Mental Health Act 1959.
Question Time is an opportunity for MPs and Members of the House of Lords to ask Government Ministers questions. These questions are asked in the Chamber itself and are known as Oral Questions. Members may also put down Written Questions. In the House of Commons, Question Time takes place for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after Prayers. The different Government Departments answer questions according to a rota and the questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the Government Department concerned. In the House of Lords up to four questions may be asked of the Government at the beginning of each day's business. They are known as 'starred questions' because they are marked with a star on the Order Paper. Questions may also be asked at the end of each day's business and these may include a short debate. They are known as 'unstarred questions' and are less frequent. Questions in both Houses must be written down in advance and put on the agenda and both Houses have methods for selecting the questions that will be asked. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P1 at the UK Parliament site.
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.
A Member of Parliament (MP) is elected by a particular area or constituency in Britain to represent them in the House of Commons. MPs divide their time between their constituency and the Houses of Parliament in London. Once elected it is an MP's job to represent all the people in his or her constituency. An MP can ask Government Ministers questions, speak about issues in the House of Commons and consider and propose new laws.
