HC Deb 16 January 1986 vol 89 c1213
Mr. Gavin Strang (Edinburgh, East)

On a separate point of order, Mr. Speaker. I wish to draw to your attention what I believe is an important error in the Hansard report of the speech that I made last night explaining why I believed that the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry could no longer stay in office and the Government maintain the trust that should exist between Ministers and Parliament. Is this the appropriate time to draw that to your attention, or should I do so after the statements?

Mr. Speaker

If the hon. Gentleman would raise the matter after the statements, it would give me an opportunity to look into his speech. In order that I may do that with more accuracy, will he tell me in what way the report was inaccurate?

Mr. Strang

The passage can be found in column 1150 of Hansard dated 15 January. I was quoting the question which my hon. Friend the Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) put to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on Monday. I believe that there is an important omission from that quotation, which is a direct quotation from Hansard dated Monday 13 January. I would be happy to explain the error more fully now, or I shall do so later if you wish to check Hansard.

Mr. Speaker

If the hon. Gentleman will allow me to check Hansard, I shall take his point of order after the statements.

Mr. Andrew Faulds (Warley, East)

On a further point of order, Mr. Speaker. Since the Prime Minister was party to the deception practised on the House by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, who has since been to the House and made a rather limp apology, when will the right hon. Lady apologise to the House for her part in that deception?