HC Deb 16 April 1985 vol 77 cc144-5 3.55 pm
Mr. David Harris (St. Ives)

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. It will not have escaped your notice that since we returned from the recess, two microphones have sprouted in the Chamber, one over my head and one over the head of the right hon. Member for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (Mr. Steel), the Leader of the Liberal party.

In view of the cost of installing these completely unnecessary instruments, would you care to make it clear to the House that neither I nor my hon. Friends had any wish for them to be installed and that the sole responsibility must rest presumably with the Leader of the Liberal party?

Mr. A. J. Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed)

Perhaps it might encourage the wider circulation of the minutes of the Services Committee for the hon. Member for St. Ives (Mr. Harris) to know that his hon. Friends and the hon. Friends of the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) properly agreed that the microphone system needed improving.

Mr. Dennis Skinner (Bolsover)

Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker

Order. This is a matter for the Services Committee.

Sir Kenneth Lewis (Stamford and Spalding)

Further to the point of order raised by my hon. Friend the Member for St. Ives (Mr. Harris), Mr. Speaker. Might it be possible for the fact to be conveyed to the Services Committee that we on these Benches did not ask for an additional microphone to be placed above our heads, as there is no unruly element on the Bench below our Gangway? I was wondering whether an additional microphone had been placed on this side because it was hoped that the Opposition might be crossing the Floor of the House to join us — [HON. MEMBERS: "No."] — or because Opposition Members held hopes of occupying these Benches after the next general election.

Mr. Skinner

Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. I hope that you will take the matter seriously in endeavouring to discover how much it has cost to wrap the Leader of the Liberal party in cotton wool. I made no representations on the issue. I am satisfied with the microphone system that has existed in the Chamber for donkey's years. I see no reason why a microphone should be especially installed for the benefit of the Leader of the Liberal party, who is having an identity contest with the Leader of the Social Democratic Party——

Mr. Speaker

Order. That is not a matter for me. The hon. Gentleman must put a point of order, if he wishes to put one, on which I can rule.

Mr. Skinner

I hope that you will manage to establish the real reason why representations were made leading to the fixing of these new microphones, Mr. Speaker. In the House of Commons the Leader of the Official Opposition gets heckled, the Prime Minister gets heckled — [Interruption.]—and, as you can hear, I get heckled, just as others get heckled. That never worries me. I do not see why the House should spend taxpayers' money installing an extra microphone for the benefit of the Leader of the Liberal party. I am happy to share my microphone with all those who speak from the Bench which I normally occupy.

Mr. Speaker

I was about to say that so long as I do not get heckled it will be all right. It is clear that this is a matter for the Services Committee. I used to be a member of that Committee, which is composed of people of great wisdom.