§ Mr. Guy BarnettI am grateful to you, Mr. Speaker, for allowing me the opportunity to raise a point of order about the accuracy of yesterday's Hansard. I wish to refer to a speech made by the Secretary of State for the Environment when he was introducing the rate support grant debate. I wish to make it clear that I make no imputation against his officials, or against the Hansard reporters, for whom I have the highest respect. However, it is in my recollection, and in that of certainly one of my hon. Friends, that in column 1685, eight lines from the bottom in a sentence that begins
We will judge that position"—the right hon. Gentleman was referring to actions that he might take in relation to local authorities—in the light of the expenditure, intentions and decisions of individual local authorities."—[Official Report, 16 January 1980; Vol. 976, c. 1685.]It is in my recollection that the right hon. Gentleman used the word "speeches" in that sentence. That caused a certain amount of concern, certainly on the Opposition Benches. For the sake of local authorities, if not for anyone else, it is important for the matter to be cleared up. I shall be grateful if it is investigated.
§ The Secretary of State for the Environment (Mr. Michael Heseltine)Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. May I, through you, Mr. Speaker, thank the hon. Member for Greenwich (Mr. Barnett) for his courtesy in informing me a few minutes ago that he intended to raise the point of order? In the brief time available I have checked the record as best as I am able. My memory is, broadly, that the hon. Gentleman is correct.
Last night I had no contact with Hansard. In the ordinary course of normal affairs my private secretary visited Hansard later last evening, to find that my speech had already been sent to the printers. It being a formal speech, to which I stuck in the course of delivery, it was easy for the speech to be sent to the printers rapidly. Therefore, my private secretary was unable to check what had been sent to the printers. As a consequence, my secretary accepted the official record of the Hansard reporters.
Following notification by the hon. Gentleman, we have read the official 1877 record. The part of my speech that the hon. Gentleman quoted was uttered in reply to a question from Labour Members. Therefore, it did not come from the official text from which I was delivering the speech. My memory is that I said "expenditure decisions and speeches." If it is acceptable to the House, I can instruct Hansard, the Official Report—[Interruption.] Of course, Mr. Speaker, I must be guided by you. However, for my part I am anxious that the record should be as my memory and, I believe, that of the hon. Gentleman, indicates.
§ Mr. SpeakerI am much obliged. I know that the House will be obliged to the right hon. Gentleman. I will have a word with the Hansard authorities.