HC Deb 23 February 1976 vol 906 cc34-6
Mr. Steen

I wish to raise a point of order, Mr. Speaker, relating to the conduct of the Secretary of State for Employment. Last week the right hon. Gentleman repudiated the charges that I made in an Oral Question, in which I gave the correct figures for unemployment in job creation terms in and on Merseyside. Those figures were repudiated by the right hon. Gentleman. He said that they were incorrect. Subsequent to that I wrote the right hon. Gentleman two letters, having obtained the figures from his Department, pointing out that the matters should be corrected in Hansard. That has not been done. To add insult to injury, in the Daily Telegraph on Saturday the chief civil servant in charge of the job creation programme wrote:

"The MP"

—that is myself— should belt up and come and help us. I shall be quite pleased to belt up, Mr. Speaker, but you should know that I offered to join the Action Committee on Merseyside and that my offer was refused. I thought that this matter should come to your notice, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker

The content of Ministers' replies is the responsibility of Ministers and has nothing to do with the Chair. That has often been said.

Mr. Foot

Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. As far as I know, I received no notification from the hon. Gentleman that he proposed to raise this matter in the House. If he wanted to do so, I think that he should have let me know.

Mr. Peyton

Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. I do not ask the right hon. Gentleman to answer this point now, but perhaps he will investigate the remark that my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Wavertree (Mr. Steen) alleges came from a civil servant. I am sure the right hon. Gentleman will agree that such a comment would be highly improper.

Mr. Foot

I shall not comment until I know the full circumstances. I shall have to ascertain whether the Press report is correct. As I have said, the hon. Member for Liverpool, Wavertree (Mr. Steen) gave me no notice that he was to raise the matter in the House. I should have thought that the right hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Peyton) would wish to repudiate that conduct.

Mr. Burden

Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker——

Mr. Speaker

I have ruled on this point. In fact, it is not a point of order but is a matter of dispute between two parties.

Mr. Burden

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker——

Mr. Speaker

Is the hon. Member for Gillingham (Mr. Burden) raising a new point of order?

Mr. Lane

I think that my hon. Friend the Member for Gillingham (Mr. Burden) wishes to raise a new aspect.

Mr. Speaker

There must be something wrong with my eyes. I am addressing the hon. Member for Gillingham.

Mr. Burden

It is a related matter, Mr. Speaker, and perhaps it is for your guidance. There have been complaints from the right hon. Gentleman——

Mr. Speaker

Order. It is not fair to take the time of the House unless it is a genuine point of order.

Mr. Lane

My point arises from the right hon. Gentleman's answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Wavertree (Mr. Steen). Surely it should be put on record that, in the opinion of many of us, no one has done more to help the job creation programme than my hon. Friend.