§ Mr. Tony Marlow (Northampton, North)On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. There is, as you know, a convention that if hon. Members are to be referred to in a debate, they are told in advance that that will happen. I understand that I was referred to in the previous debate. I also understand that it was said that I had been told that I would be referred to. That is not the case.
I tried to find out what had been said about me and, from what I understand, it was basically total nonsense. My position is the same as that of any right hon. or hon. Member. If I am approached by a constituent, I will look into the matter carefully and take great pains to do what I should for him. As you are aware, the guidelines say that if there are new, exceptional and compelling circumstances—
§ Mr. Deputy Speaker (Mr. Harold Walker)Order. The hon. Gentleman cannot now seek to make the speech that he might have made had he been here for the previous debate. The House is aware of the point made by the hon. Gentleman. The Chair regrets any lapse in the normal courtesies of the House.
§ Mr. Keith Vaz (Leicester, East)Further to that point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I informed the hon. Member for Northampton, North (Mr. Marlow) that I intended to mention him in the debate. I wrote the note myself and, because I was participating in the debate and could not leave the Chamber, the note was given to my hon. Friend the Member for Hackney, North and Stoke Newington (Ms. Abbott) and she put the note in the hon. Gentleman's pigeon hole. If he does not clear his pigeon hole or look at his correspondence, I am not responsible.
§ Mr. Deputy SpeakerOrder. The House should not be discussing pigeon holes.
§ Mr. Deputy SpeakerOrder. We must have one point of order at a time. That matter has now been adequately explained.
§ Mr. Alfred Morris (Manchester, Wythenshawe)On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Are you aware of the difficulties that right hon. and hon. Members have had in obtaining information about the allocation of time for the numerous outstanding amendments to the Housing Bill, which we are to debate tomorrow? The Clerk of the House and his colleagues were most helpful in dealing with inquiries. I have just been told that a copy of the allocation of time motion will be made available to me. Whether it was known that I would be raising a point of order, I cannot say. Is it not a serious inconvenience to right hon. and hon. Members, and a discourtesy to the House, that the motion on the allocation of time was not made available earlier? Is there anything that you can do to assist us?
§ Mr. Simon Hughes (Southwark and Bermondsey)Further to that point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I and people in my office have been making inquiries about that matter during the day in order to find out about the Government motion, which may now have been laid in the Table Office. As the Leader of the House is present, it would be helpful if he could tell us whether the Government motion has now been laid in the Table Office, or, if not, when that is likely to happen. As the debate is occurring on a Friday, the allocation of our own time needs to be planned in advance. A statement would be helpful.
§ The Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. John Wakeham)Further to that point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. The motion has either been tabled or will shortly be tabled. If hon. Members want to know the terms of it within the next few minutes, they can obtain the information from my office.
§ Mr. Frank Haynes (Ashfield)On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I am only trying to be helpful to the Chair. I do not often raise points of order, but the hon. Member for Northampton, North (Mr. Marlow) causes trouble in the Chamber by shouting and yawping from his seat and often has to be pulled up by the Chair. There are times when I mention him and do not inform him, because he breaks the rules of the House.
§ Mr. Deputy SpeakerIf that is helpfulness from the hon. Gentleman, I shudder to think what I will hear when he is not being helpful.
§ Mr. Keith Bradley (Manchester, Withington)Further to the brief statement made by the Leader of the House, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Hon. Members who served on the Housing Bill Committee are wondering how we will deal with the 240 Lords amendments that remain to be dealt with tomorrow. I press the Leader of the House to make a firmer statement to the House on what the timetable will be, or to make it available immediately.
§ Mr. Deputy SpeakerI do not think that the Leader of the House can do that. He was responding to a point of order, which has now been met. The hon. Gentleman is asking the Leader of the House to make a statement, for which there is no provision.
§ Mr. Ian McCartney (Makerfield)Further to that point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
§ Mr. Deputy SpeakerOrder. I made it clear that it was not a point of order.
§ Mr. McCartneyI do not agree with you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
§ Mr. Deputy SpeakerMany hon. Members disagree with the Chair, but the Chair must make the rulings and decisions.