§ Mr. Harry Barnes (Derbyshire, North-East)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I have just been to the Board to collect an answer to a written question to the Department of the Environment. The answer affects tomorrow's debate on the rate support grant.
The question required a simple, but lengthy, calculation exercise relating to figures put before the House on 26 November in relation to the standard spending assessment report. I wanted to know what percentage of the poll tax comes from the business rate and what percentage comes from other avenues. The House should have such information and I should not have been told that the question would be answered shortly. We must have the answer immediately; that information should be before us. The only reason that the Department of the Environment can have for not answering the question is to deprive the House of that information.
§ Mr. SpeakerThat is not a point of order for me. The hon. Gentleman must take it up with the Department concerned.
§ Mr. Dennis Skinner (Bolsover)Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker.
§ Mr. SpeakerIt was not really a point of order.
§ Mr. SkinnerMy hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Barnes) has just been to the Table Office and, at the end of the day, it is up to you, Mr. Speaker, to adjudicate in arguments between the Table Office and an hon. Member. My hon. Friend is drawing attention to the laggardly way in which the Government are operating. Only the other day, the Prime Minister was rabbiting on about a citizens charter and answering letters on it, but the Government cannot even give my hon. Friend an answer to his question.
§ Mr. SpeakerYes; but the hon. Gentleman was complaining about the content of an answer.