Oral Answers to Questions — Industry, Trade and Regional Development – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 11 Mehefin 1964.
Sir Harry Hylton-Foster
, Cities of London and Westminster
12:00,
11 Mehefin 1964
Questions to the Prime Minister—Mr. Brockway.
Mr Fenner Brockway
, Eton and Slough
On a point of order. I placed two Questions on the Order Paper today to the Prime Minister. I have had a communication from the right hon. Gentleman saying that he will not be present and I understand that he is attending a political conference of his own party outside the House. [HON. MEMBERS: "Shame."] I am asking you, Sir, whether it is not the duty of the Prime Minister to Parliament to be present when he is in London and has the obligation to answer Questions.
Sir Harry Hylton-Foster
, Cities of London and Westminster
That matter gives rise to no point of order.
Mr Emanuel Shinwell
, Easington
You are responsible, Mr. Speaker, for the proper conduct of our proceedings. May I ask why you rejected the submission of my hon. Friend as not being a point of order? Will you take into account the fact that the House of Commons is much more important than a Tory conference?
Sir Harry Hylton-Foster
, Cities of London and Westminster
It still does not give rise to any point of order.
Sir Harry Hylton-Foster
, Cities of London and Westminster
Order. The right hon. Gentleman will allow me to get the preface right. He cannot say "Further to that point of order" because it was not a point of order.
Mr. H. Wilson:
On a point of order. Since it is plain that it is the duty of the Prime Minister to be here and not at a political conference, and since the Standing Order provides that there shall be an interruption of our ordinary procedure of Questions at 3.15 p.m. for Answers by the Prime Minister and not by the Lord Privy Seal, the Assistant Postmaster-General or anybody else, would it not be in accordance with that Standing Order, which is a point of order—[Interruption.]—if we were now to continue with the other Questions and to defer those which another Minister is seeking to answer until the Prime Minister deems it convenient himself to be here?
Sir Harry Hylton-Foster
, Cities of London and Westminster
I cannot accept that proposition. I had reason to be reminded this week that one Minister can answer for another. Mr. Brockway.
Mr Emanuel Shinwell
, Easington
Does the Lord Privy Seal have the permission of the House to reply for the Prime Minister?
Sir Harry Hylton-Foster
, Cities of London and Westminster
All that has happened so far is that I have called the hon. Member for Eton and Slough (Mr. Brockway) to ask his Question. We shall not hear until that Question has been asked who is going to answer it and on what terms, Mr. Brockway.
The order paper is issued daily and lists the business which will be dealt with during that day's sitting of the House of Commons.
It provides MPs with details of what will be happening in the House throughout the day.
It also gives details of when and where the standing committees and select committees of the Commons will be meeting.
Written questions tabled to ministers by MPs on the previous day are listed at the back of the order paper.
The order paper forms one section of the daily vote bundle and is issued by the Vote Office
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.
The House of Commons is one of the houses of parliament. Here, elected MPs (elected by the "commons", i.e. the people) debate. In modern times, nearly all power resides in this house. In the commons are 650 MPs, as well as a speaker and three deputy speakers.
The political party system in the English-speaking world evolved in the 17th century, during the fight over the ascension of James the Second to the Throne. James was a Catholic and a Stuart. Those who argued for Parliamentary supremacy were called Whigs, after a Scottish word whiggamore, meaning "horse-driver," applied to Protestant rebels. It was meant as an insult.
They were opposed by Tories, from the Irish word toraidhe (literally, "pursuer," but commonly applied to highwaymen and cow thieves). It was used — obviously derisively — to refer to those who supported the Crown.
By the mid 1700s, the words Tory and Whig were commonly used to describe two political groupings. Tories supported the Church of England, the Crown, and the country gentry, while Whigs supported the rights of religious dissent and the rising industrial bourgeoisie. In the 19th century, Whigs became Liberals; Tories became Conservatives.
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.
