§ Mr. Michael Meacher (Oldham, West)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Is it not an abuse of the prerogative of the House that the Secretary of State for Social Services is unwilling to make a statement and has instead been reduced to trailing in the press the concessions that he proposes to make in another place to stave off a further mauling of his Social Security Bill? Is it not a constitutional outrage that amendments which were debated in depth during 160 hours of committal proceedings in this place, and which were voted down by the Government, should now be dumped unceremoniously in another place cynically to try to head off another massive defeat over the ending of free school meals for half a million children of low-income families?
As the Bill is so shot through with inconsistencies and botched up compromises, is it not time that the Secretary of State had the courage to admit to the House that the Bill commands no writ beyond the confines of his party Whip, has no electoral mandate and is roundly detested by the majority of the population? Surely he should now withdraw it, or resign?
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Gentleman knows that none of this is a matter for me. The Bill is in another place, and no doubt it will return to this House with Lords amendments, but I do not know when that will be.