Order for Second Reading read.
Object.
On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. You will recall that last year the House passed the Protection of Children Act, which encountered a procedural difficulty at this point in its passage, when there was an objection to Second Reading. In the interests of the House, I should like it to be made clear whether the objections to the Second Reading of this Bill are procedural or whether there are hon. Members who are in favour of beating handicapped children.
It is not a matter for the Chair.
Further to that point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. We have just given a Second Reading to a Bill concerning freedom of information and open government. Repeatedly during the past week I have found it impossible to discover outside the House anyone—
Order. Those are not matters for the Chair.
rose—
The hon. Gentleman has raised no point of order.
On a new point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. It has been impossible to find anyone outside the House to debate with me the issue raised by that Bill.
Order. I have already ruled that there is no point of order in the matter that the hon. Gentleman is raising.
On a different point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Given that the hon. Member for Cheadle (Mr. Normanton) seems to spend most of his time on EEC matters, may we hear his reasons for objecting to Second Reading?
Second Reading deferred till Friday 2nd February.