asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent in 1946 goods were supplied against sterling balances which accrued from other than current transactions.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for East Aberdeen (Mr. Boothby) last Tuesday.

rose—

rose—

The Front Bench must not gatecrash on a back bencher. Mr. Shepherd.

I rise—[Interruption]—to a point of Order, Mr. Speaker. With very great respect, I would like to submit to you that I had no idea that the hon. Member who asked the Question was rising in his place—[HON. MEMBERS: "Look round."] May I also submit to you, Sir, that your application of the word "gatecrash" is wholly unwarranted?

It is always my custom that when an hon. Member asks a Question he is entitled to the first supplementary, and if a Member on the Front bench wants to get up, surely he can look round to see if the hon. Member who put the Question has risen. Personally, I do not see, if the right hon. Gentleman does not look round, what the difference is between that and gatecrashing.

With great respect, Mr. Speaker, as you have gone out of your way to inflict this censure on me, may I— [Interruption]—to inflict this censure on me in terms of unusual Parliamentary language—"gatecrash" is a slang expression—[Interruption]—may I place on record, as a very old Member of this House, my regret that you should have thought it necessary to take such action?

If the right hon. Gentleman takes offence at the expression "gatecrash," I am very sorry, but I thought it explained exactly what I meant.

Hon. Members:

Hear, hear.

It is not your cheer.

You got a cheer from Mrs. Braddock.

Mrs. Braddock:

Is it in Order, Mr. Speaker, for the noble old man opposite—[Interruption.]

rose—

Hon. Members:

Order.

Mrs. Braddock:

—to make reference to myself by my own name instead of as the hon. Member for the Exchange Division of Liverpool?

I did not hear a thing, as a matter of fact. I do not know what the noble Lord said.

On a point of Order, Mr. Speaker, may I—

He is always being offensive.

He is the rudest man in the House.

I am delighted to hear that the hon. Member thinks so. On a point of Order, Sir, may I—[Interruption.]

Hon. Members should let the noble Lord say what he wants to say.

May I say that I apologise to you, Sir, for having inadvertently used the hon. Lady's name when I should have referred to her by her constituency? I am very much ashamed of having used such a name.

If I am not gatecrashing now—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."]—perhaps I may be permitted to ask a supplementary question—

If you behave yourself.

The supplementary question which I wished to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer was about the 1946 goods supplied against sterling balances which accrued from other than current transactions. I was going to ask whether in the total statement of exports from this country, there was account taken of the fact that a large proportion of the exports of this country are merely the payment off of sterling balances which bring in no reciprocal contribution to the wage fund?

There is, of course, such an element, as the right hon. Gentleman indicates, contained in the export trade. It is not, I am glad to say, at present very large, and I hope that as a consequence of the negotiations which we have embarked upon, and which we have in mind to continue, it can be kept well within bounds.

Mr. Speaker, is it not clear from the events of last night and this afternoon that the party opposite—

Hon. Members:

Sit down.

rose—

Hon. Members:

Order.

If I am on my feet, everybody else should remain silent. I do not think the last supplementary question had anything to do with the Question on the Order Paper.