Adjournment Debates

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 11:18 am on 16 November 1979.

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Photo of Mr George Thomas Mr George Thomas , Cardiff West 11:18, 16 November 1979

I am grateful to the hon. Member for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell) for giving me notice of his point of order and for giving me an opportunity to make clear to the House the attitude that I have adopted since I have been Speaker, in the last Parliament as well as in this, on the question of second and, in the hon. Gentleman's case, third Adjournment debates. As it happens, the hon. Gentleman's debate would not have come on until 10.27 pm last night. He would have had only three minutes, so it is a matter of principle rather than what would actually have happened.

I have taken the view, as did my predecessor, that it is unreasonable after 8 pm to call on Ministers and their advisers to be ready to answer an Adjournment debate of which no notice has been given to the House. The House does not know the matters that are likely to be discussed. Only the individual concerned knows.

Like my predecessor, I have followed the rule that if the application is made after 8 pm it is an unreasonable application. I am mindful of my own experience as a Miniser that one cannot always get one's advisers at short notice. A Minister is not expected to answer off the cuff. What he says is Government policy and is said on behalf of the Government. In the last Parliament, I declined to accept applications after 8 pm, as I have in this Parliament. Until the House resolves otherwise, I intend to continue to pursue that policy.