Business of the House

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 23 July 1979.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Mr Michael Foot Mr Michael Foot , Ebbw Vale 12:00, 23 July 1979

I am grateful to you, Mr. Speaker, for taking the point of order that I raise. I gather that the main Question was claimed by the Patronage Secretary. Naturally, it is entirely within your discretion whether you accept that claim, but I put it to you, Mr. Speaker, that what occurred before the vote on the closure is one reason, among others, why you should not accept the motion when it is claimed.

I should have thought that there has very rarely been a state of affairs in a debate when the Leader of the House has made a statement and the official Opposition spokesman has been denied any chance of participating in the debate. If you were to accept the proposal to claim the main Question that would mean that the official Opposition spokesman would not have had the opportunity of putting the Opposition's case on this motion. Therefore, I ask you to rule that you will not accept the main Ques-