Ministerial Statements (Hansard, 24 November 1986)

§ Mr. Giles Radice (Durham, North)
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. You will remember that last Monday the Secretary of State for Education and Science made only the shortest of statements to the House on teachers' pay on the ground that the agreement between the employers and teachers was not complete. On Friday, despite attempts by the Secretary of State to undermine the deal, the employers and four out of six unions formally signed the agreement. Why does the Secretary of State still remain silent? Will you convey to the Leader of the House or to the Secretary of State for Education and Science—

Hon. Members
Abuse.

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. Points of order must be addressed to me. I have had no request for a statement about this. The hon. Gentleman has made his point.

§ Mr. Peter Bruinvels (Leicester, East)
Further to the point of order, Mr. Speaker.

§ Mr. Harry Greenway (Ealing, North)
Further to the point of order, Mr. Speaker.

§ Mr. Speaker
I do not think that it helps.

§ Mr. Greenway
I was here last Monday as well and the Secretary of State made it clear—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I know. I was here too.

§ Mr. Roger Stott (Wigan)
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I wish to seek your advice. Last week, a ship called the Kowloon Bridge, which was loaded with iron ore from Canada, put into Bantry bay in Ireland. It is the sister ship of the merchant vessel Derbyshire, which went down in the South China sea in 1980, and all 44 people on board lost their lives. As the Department of Transport sent out a senior surveyor to Ireland last week when it became aware that the ship had incurred serious structural damage, could I, through you, Mr. Speaker, ask the Leader of the House whether he will persuade the Secretary of State for Transport to make a statement?

§ Mr. Speaker
Order, I have said that I have no responsibility for ships that are registered in Hong Kong. I call the hon. Member for Workington (Mr. Campbell-Savours) to make his application under Standing Order No. 20.

§ Mr. Eric S. Heffer (Liverpool, Walton)
Further to the point of order, Mr. Speaker.

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I have no responsibility at all in this.

§ Mr. Heffer
I know, but constituents of mine died in the Derbyshire and it seems to me that the Secretary of State has a responsibility. I agree with my hon. Friend the Member for Wigan (Mr. Stott) that the Secretary of State should be asked to make a statement to the House on this very important—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. There are other ways in which to do that—and not through the Chair.

§ Sir David Price (Eastleigh)
Further to the point of order, Mr. Speaker.

§ Mr. Speaker
I will take the hon. Member's point of order, but I cannot see that I have any responsibility in this.

§ Sir David Price
Further to the point of order, Mr. Speaker. Like the hon. Member for Liverpool, Walton (Mr. Heffer) I had a constituent who died on the Derbyshire. I have already tabled a question to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport which is to be answered on Monday. That seems to me to be the proper way in which to proceed.

§ Mr. Robert Hughes (Aberdeen, North)
Further to the point of order, Mr. Speaker. My hon. Friend the Member for Wigan (Mr. Stott) was seeking your advice about how to pursue the matter, bearing in mind the fact that the parent legislation allows the Secretary of State to hold a public inquiry into any sinking of any vessel which involves any British seaman in any part of the world. That is why my hon. Friend was asking how he might pursue the matter further.

§ Mr. Speaker
The hon. Gentleman knows that it is not the role of the Chair to offer advice on parliamentary tactics.