§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ Mr. Tam Dalyell (West Lothian)On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. My point of order concerns the good faith of the right hon. Gentleman the Secretary of State for Social Services. When this Bill was first presented and was accepted for Second Reading, the right hon. Gentleman, after consultation with the Chancellor and the Home Secretary, suggested that the best way to deal with it would be for me as sponsor and one or two other sponsors to go to see Mr. Morris Finer, QC, the chairman of the committee on one-parent families.
At that time, I specifically asked the Secretary of State whether I should arrange the meeting or whether he should, and he said, quite naturally, that it would be better if it were arranged by the Chancellor or the Secretary of State himself.
Mr. Deputy SpeakerOrder. Will the hon. Gentleman give in a nutshell the point on which he asks me to rule?
§ Mr. DalyellDespite those undertakings, there has been no initiative by the senior Ministers involved to allow me to go to see the chairman of that important committee—at their suggestion, not mine —on the question of the payments which ought to be made to separated women granted money by court order. My point of order is whether it is right and proper, in view of the undertakings, which I am sure were given in the first place in the best of faith by the Secretary of State—because anyone who knows him knows he is serious when he has discussions—
§ Mr. Dalyell—whether it is in order that the Government should be asked to object to the Bill in view of the assurances that were given—
Mr. Deputy SpeakerOrder. The hon. Member is not being quite fair with me. He knows that any hon. Member can object to anything he likes and that he need not give any grounds for doing so. The hon. Member has now made a considerable point and I have been extremely tolerant to him in allowing him to go as far as I have. Second Reading, what day?
§ Second Reading deferred till Friday next.