Points of Order (Hansard, 23 May 1990)

Several Hon. Members
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker.

§ Mr. Speaker
It is a private Members' day, but I shall take the point of order from Mr. Marlow first.

§ Mr. Tony Marlow (Northampton, North)
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. As you know, my hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr. Hamilton) is about to explain to the House, not before time, the workings of the roof tax [Interruption.] One would have thought that that would be of great interest to the whole House, but, unfortunately, the hon. Member for Dagenham (Mr. Gould), who is the Opposition spokesman on the subject, is not here. We feel that he might want to listen to my hon. Friend's speech. Is there any way in which we can get him back to the Chamber? If not, as the roof tax is, I believe, an Opposition proposal in fundamental form, would it be more appropriate for my hon. Friend to speak from the Opposition Front Bench?

§ Mr. Speaker
Of course, it may be that the hon. Member for Dagenham (Mr. Gould) will come back when these points of order come to an end.

§ Mr. Bob Cryer (Bradford, South)
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. During Question Time, a Minister at the Department of the Environment made an entirely unwarranted and unjustified attack on the city of Bradford. I said that he was trying to trample on local democracy and intimidate Labour councillors. Is it right that a Minister should be allowed to do that, particularly when Labour councillors, after their sweeping victory at the local elections, are busy clearing up the rotten mess left behind by the Tories?

§ Mr. Speaker
We often hear things with which we may violently disagree in this Chamber. It was in order.

§ Mr. Michael Brown (Brigg and Cleethorpes)
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Further to the point of order of my hon. Friend the Member for Northampton, North (Mr. Marlow) I wonder whether you would rule that it would be in order for my hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr. Hamilton) to speak from the Opposition Dispatch Box in the absence of the hon. Member for Dagenham (Mr. Gould)?

§ Mr. Speaker
That is a hypothetical matter.

§ Mr. Dennis Skinner (Bolsover)
Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. If my hon. Friend the Member for Dagenham (Mr. Gould) manages to get back, will you have a word with him to tell him to bring the Chancellor of the Exchequer along as well, so that he can come to the Dispatch Box to try to explain to the House why, in the first four months of this year, we have had a balance of payments deficit of £7 billion? That is the worst we have ever had and, despite all the gloss and the propaganda of the past few days, that balance of payments deficit is getting no better. We want him here.

§ Mr. Speaker
These are legitimate matters to raise on the Adjournment motion. The deputy Prime Minister, the Leader of the House, will be present to answer them. I cannot answer them.

§ Mr. Simon Hughes (Southwark and Bermondsey)
On a point of Order, Mr. Speaker. Can you rule on this matter? There was originally in the list of Environment questions for today Question 7 in my name, which read as follows: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment" ——

§ Mr. Speaker
For today?

§ Mr. Hughes
Not today's Order Paper but in the paper printed on Monday and on previous days. The question was: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his Department's responsibilities in respect of the environmental protection of Antarctica. The question was transferred to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. I understand from inquiry that the decision was made not by the Table Office but by the Department. I further understand that the Department of the Environment accepts that it has responsibilities other than those relating to the United Kingdom. It is a very important matter. Environment Ministers tell us about global warming conferences, follow-up conferences to Brundtland and Bergen, and international discussions. They must have international responsibilities.
Can you inquire whether it is possible in future for Members to table questions to Environment Ministers about international environmental issues, or is it the case in this area, as in so many others, that what we feared is the truth: that they are given no responsibility by the Government, by the Prime Minister or by others for anything outside the remit of the United Kingdom?

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. It has taken the hon. Member five minutes to make his point.

§ Mr. Hughes
I should be grateful if, today or later, Mr. Speaker, you would tell us whether we can ask the Department of the Environment questions which relate to anything outside the United Kingdom.

§ Mr. Speaker
The hon. Gentleman alleged that the Table Office had transferred the question.

§ Mr. Hughes
No.

§ Mr. Speaker
I am responsible for the Table Office. The question was not transferred by the Table Office.

§ Mr. Hughes
That is what I said.

§ Mr. Speaker
It is a matter for the Department whether questions are transferred. The hon. Gentleman should take it up with the Department. It is not my responsibility.

§ Mr. David Evans (Welwyn Hatfield)
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I seek your guidance on free postage and free notepaper in the House. Is it against the rules for a Member to use that privilege to circularise constituents? If it is against the rules, will you please take swift and strong action against the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen), who persists in abusing that privilege?

§ Mr. Graham Allen (Nottingham, North)
rose——

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I think I can protect the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen). He has seen the error of his ways and has paid for the notepaper and postage that he used.

§ Mr. Tony Banks (Newham, North-West)
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. You will have heard during Environment questions the young and thrusting new 287 Minister for the poll tax making a disgraceful allegation about Bradford, which you have already covered. Did you also hear him say that, in order to find out whether the allegation was true, he had contacted the ex-leader of Bradford city council? Surely the constitutional relationship should have a Minister talking to the elected leader of Bradford city council. Will the Minister, through you, give an assurance that he will contact the elected leader—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. That sounds like a continuation of Question Time. This is private Members' time. I am bound to take points of order into account in making my selection.

§ Mr. Nicholas Bennett (Pembroke)
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Week after week, the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) has filled the Order Paper with pages of proposed alterations to the rules. Is it not time he obeyed his own rules before proposing new ones?

§ Mr. Ron Brown (Edinburgh, Leith)
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Will you explain to the lot opposite that there is a community charge, and the charge is that the poll tax is unacceptable, north and south of the border? I say that as a so-called Toy Town revolutionary. Toy Town revolutionaries will always challenge Toy Town reactionaries. The arguments and the campaign are, "Don't collect, don't co-operate—fight back."

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I cannot answer questions like that. It is time that we all went away for the holiday.