§ 4.1 pm
§ Mr. Edward Leigh (Gainsborough and Horncastle)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. May I ask for your assistance? As I understand our Standing Orders, if an hon. Member wishes to use them to request an emergency debate, he should have done so by now. In view of today's grave events, could you intimate whether you would be minded to grant an emergency debate if a leading Opposition spokesman were to make a request for such a debate? Important though teacher shortages are, this issue is even more important. We have heard nothing yet about the Opposition's views. The country needs to know. Should an Opposition Member rise to his feet now and request a debate, could you please intimate whether, in view of the importance of the subject, you would be minded to grant that request?
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Gentleman knows that requests for emergency debates under Standing Order No. 20 must be received before noon in my office.
§ Mr. Dennis Skinner (Bolsover)Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. I think you will confirm that if the Minister who is responsible for these matters and who is sitting in his place wanted to make a statement on the strike, he is capable of making it. We do not need Conservative Members—the moonlighters, the representatives of the goose-stepping tendency—to tell railway men and women how much money they should be getting. If he has anything to say, the man who went to be educated beyond his intelligence should go to the Dispatch Box and tell us.
§ Mr. SpeakerI confirm to the House—
§ Mr. Harry Ewing (Falkirk, East)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder.
§ Mr. SpeakerI have already heard the hon. Member on one point of order today.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. This is a day on which the hon. Gentleman's own side has chosen the subject for debate. No fewer than 18 hon. Members wish to participate in it.
§ Mr. SpeakerI shall hear the hon. Member if he insists, but I hope that it is a genuine point of order.
§ Mr. EwingI am grateful to you for listening to me, Mr. Speaker, because I insist. [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] I should explain that when I raised my original point of order I did so for your benefit. As soon as one Government Whip disappeared from your right hand, he was replaced by another Government Whip, the Scottish Whip. My concern is that Government Whips are now rehearsing for the television cameras. Every time that you are in focus, one of the Government Whips will be standing at your right hand nodding approval. If it continues, by the time the television cameras are here in November, one of the Government Whips will be sitting on your knee. That is the last thing that I should like to see. I hope that you will deal with the problem.
§ Mr. Patrick McLoughlin (Derbyshire, West)Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. I do not see why you should apologise because a Government Whip supports the Government. It is quite obvious that the Opposition Whips, who can stand behind your Chair, do not support those on the Opposition Front Bench.
§ Mr. SpeakerWe had better get on.