§ Mr. SpeakerMr. Gerald Kaufman, on a point of order.
§ Mr. Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton)I raised a point of order immediately after Question Time and in deference to what you said, Mr. Speaker, about the wish of hon. Members to question Ministers on the various statements that have just been made, I did not pursue the matter. With your permission, I seek to pursue it now in the interests of the House of Commons.
We are about to go away for three months, but the Government have not yet satisfied the House on why they are not publishing the White Paper on the rating system, which on 6 July the Secretary of State for the Environment specifically said would be published towards the end of this month. He has since made a statement referring the House to a statement that he made on 23 June, but presumably a 6 July statement supersedes a 23 June statement. On that occasion he was quite specific that he would publish the White Paper before the end of this month—in other words, before the end of this week.
Without some satisfactory statement from the Secretary of State, it is impossible for Opposition Members to lake a view other than that the right hon. Gentleman is delaying publication of the White Paper to avoid proper scrutiny and discussion by the House of Commons.
I raise this point of order because the interests of the House of Commons are at stake. The Secretary of State undertook to publish a White Paper this week. That undertaking will not be adhered to and, therefore, the interests of the House are at risk.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe Secretary of State, who is present, is more able than I am to answer those questions, if he is prepared to do so.
§ The Secretary of State for the Environment (Mr. Patrick Jenkin)If you are satisfied, Mr. Speaker, that this is a point of order perhaps I can try to put the right hon. Gentleman's mind at rest.
In the debate on the Address, I said:
I hope that we shall be able to do that before the end of July. If the House rises before the end of that month,"—as is the case—I cannot guarantee to publish it while the House is still sitting." — [Official Report, 23 June 1983; Vol. 44, c. 253.]That has been our position throughout. I had hoped that we might be able to complete the various procedures to enable me to make a statement. The right hon. Gentleman will acknowledge that I do not have a reputation for running away from the House of Commons. We may be able to put the confidential final revised version in the hands of the press and the local authority associations on Monday, but even now I cannot guarantee it.Failure to publish this week is in no sense a discourtesy to the House. The purpose of the White Paper is to give the local authorities and those concerned with the future of the rating system a clear outline of how the Government intend to legislate. We shall not introduce the Bill until around, or even after, Christmas. The intention is that there should be a full period of consultation on the proposals in the White Paper before we give final instructions to the draftsmen.
1221 Although it would have been convenient for the House to have had a first bite at the cherry had I made a statement on the White Paper, there will be ample opportunity for the House to express its views after we come back, and knowing the right hon. Gentleman as I do, I have no doubt that we shall also discuss this at considerable length when the Bill is introduced.
§ Mr. KaufmanI thank the Secretary of State for coming to the House, and I thank the Leader of the House for responding to my representations which resulted in the Secretary of State being here.
In view of what the right hon. Gentleman said, particularly about the Government's acceptance of the need for consultation and the involvement of this House in consultation—it was in the interests of the House that I raised this matter—may I, with your permission, Mr. Speaker, ask two questions?—[HON. MEMBERS: "No."]
§ Mr. SpeakerI allow the right hon. Gentleman to do so.
§ Mr. KaufmanAs this is not a revelation of the contents of the White Paper, what will the period of consultation be? Secondly, will the right hon. Gentleman give a commitment that the House of Commons will be part of that consultation and that it will be permitted to debate the matter before the legislation is drafted?
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinI have never known right hon. and hon. Members to be slow in making their views known to Ministers on matters that closely affect their constituents. As to a debate, that must be a matter for my right hon. Friend the Lord Privy Seal.