asked the Prime Minister if he will introduce legislation to provide that in future the Prime Minister shall assume office only after being elected by the House of Commons.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. A. Lewis) on 23rd January.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is a considerable body of public opinion in the country which thinks that there should be a different method of electing the Prime Minister and that there is an impression that he became Prime Minister as a result of getting the majority of spoiled votes? Does the right hon. Gentleman not also agree that this method lays too much of a burden on the Queen?

I anticipated that the hon. Gentleman might be a little worried about my election. I do not think that I can put right what happened in the past, but very soon I shall be re-elected by the whole nation.

Would my right hon. Friend not agree that the Opposition are worried about his appointment because he has become such a good opponent?

Order. It is not one of the duties of the Prime Minister of the day to rule on the reasons for alleged anxiety among the Opposition. Therefore, the question is out of order.

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the right hon. Gentleman's reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment.