HC Deb 12 March 1992 vol 205 cc991-2

Motion made, and Question proposed,

That—

  1. (1) At this day's sitting, Mr. Speaker shall put the Question necessary to dispose of proceedings on the Motion moved by Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer relating to Ways and Means —Amendment of the law not later than Ten o'clock.
  2. (2) At the sitting on Friday 13th March—
    1. (a) notwithstanding the provisions of the Order [6th November] relating to Business of the House, Government business shall have precedence, and may be proceeded with, though opposed, until any hour;
    2. (b) notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order No. 53 (Questions on voting of estimates, &c.), Mr. Speaker shall put forthwith the Question on any Motion in the name of Mr. Francis Maude relating to Estimates; and
    3. (c) notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order No. 133 (Time and manner of presenting petitions), no petition shall be read.
  3. (3) At the sitting on Monday 16th March—
    1. (a) this House do meet at half-past Nine o'clock;
    2. (b) the time for private business shall end not later than a quarter to Ten o'clock;
    3. (c) notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order No. 17 (Time for taking questions), no Questions shall be taken, provided that at Eleven o'clock Mr. Speaker may interrupt the proceedings in order to permit questions to be asked which are in his opinion of an urgent character and relate either to matters of public importance or to the arrangement of business, statements to be made by Ministers, or personal explanations to be made by Members;
    4. (d) Standing Order No. 19A (Motions for leave to bring in bills and nomination of select committees at commencement of public business (Budget day)) shall not apply;
    5. (e) Government business may be proceeded with, though opposed, until any hour; and
    6. (f) Mr. Speaker shall not adjourn the House before a Message is received from the Lords Commissioners. —[Mr. MacGregor.]

Mr. Bob Cryer (Bradford, South)

On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I am not sure whether you can do anything, but the Standing Orders require that parliamentary questions should be answered. I tabled a question on the export of ozone-destroying chlorofluorocarbons by the United Kingdom in 1991. The answer was that the information was confidential, but the information was provided for 1990, after I had received a corrected reply from the Minister denying that the information given originally was confidential and saying that 40,000 tonnes had been exported. This obviously destroys the credibility of the Government's alleged concern for the ozone layer. Even at this late stage, given what is obviously a ploy by the Government to get away from their responsibility to give proper and correct answers, could the Standing Orders be brought into operation so that they are made to provide the answer?

Mr. Deputy Speaker (Mr. Harold Walker)

The Chair has no responsibility for the content of ministerial replies, but doubtless what has been said will have been heard by the Government Front Bench.

Question put and agreed to.