Points of Order
Debate between Seamus Logan and Caroline Nokes
Seamus Logan (Aberdeenshire North and Moray East) (SNP)
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. Thank you for providing time for this important question.
Last Thursday in this place, during an urgent question to the Minister for Health and Social Care, the hon. Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire South (Johanna Baxter) began a tirade against the Scottish Government at Holyrood. Worse still, the Minister echoed her in responding. In my humble opinion, that was a waste of valuable ministerial time during a Westminster urgent question.
This place is increasingly seeing such political posturing when we are trying to honestly and earnestly deal with Westminster business, not devolved Holyrood business. I believe that the responsibility for this charade lies directly with Government Whips, who are continuously planting questions with Back Benchers. Is it in order during urgent questions to Ministers for Government Back Benchers—and, indeed, Government Ministers—to raise matters that are completely devolved to the Scottish Parliament and unrelated to the urgent question at hand?
Madam Deputy Speaker (Caroline Nokes)
I thank the hon. Member for his point of order, and for giving advance notice of it. He will be aware that there is no general rule against Members referring to matters that are devolved to Scotland. There are some restrictions on the tabling of questions on devolved matters, but those restrictions are far from absolute. Questions that relate to various matters, including those in which UK Ministers have taken an official interest, are permitted. More generally, as ever, what right hon. and hon. Members may say in the House is subject to the discretion of the Chair.