§ Mrs. Teresa Gorman (Billericay)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. I seek your guidance about an article that appeared in The Guardian today in which the hon. Member for Neath (Mr. Hain)—who has left his place, despite the fact that I notified him that I would mention the matter to you—deliberately sought to link me to the assassination in South Africa of Mr. Chris Hani, an incident that I utterly deplore. The hon. Gentleman has not a shred of evidence, but alleged in The Guardian that he was already making complaints about the matter in the House through the proper authorities. Will she advise me as to how the matter can be dealt with under our Standing Orders and what she is prepared to do about the conduct of the hon. Member for Neath, who has previously made allegations—[interruption.]
§ Mrs. GormanNo, I am not. I am referring to the hon. Member for Neath. I said that he was not in his place, but he has since returned. Without having a shred of evidence for doing so, the hon. Member alleged in The Guardian today that I am linked with the assassination of Mr. Chris Hani in South Africa. It is also reported in The Guardian that the hon. Gentleman is raising the matter in the House with the relevant authorities. Will she—meaning yourself, Madam Speaker—advise me on how the matter can be dealt with and how the hon. Member for Neath can be reprimanded for his discreditable conduct?
§ Mr. Peter Hain (Neath)Further to that point of order, Madam Speaker. I have made no allegations against the 38 hon. Lady, who is being extremely misleading in making that suggestion. I said that there is evidence, reported in both The Independent and The Guardian, of links between the Conservatives and the Western Goals Institute and the Conservative party in South Africa—one of whose ex-Members of Parliament and leaders has been charged in connection with the Hani assassination. The Prime Minister needs to get to the bottom of the matter, and the hon. Member for Billericay (Mrs. Gorman) is seeking to obfuscate the matter.
Madam SpeakerThankfully, I have no responsibililty for what one Member of Parliament says about another. The hon. Members must sort it out among themselves.
§ Mr. Robert N. Wareing (Liverpool, West Derby)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. I appreciate the decision that you have just taken on the Standing Order No. 20 application of my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden), but you would probably agree that, in view of on-going events, there is need for an urgent debate on Yugoslavia. Through your good offices, Madam Speaker, would you ask the Government—I see that Ministers from the Foreign Office are present—to ensure that there is in the House a full debate, not merely questions, on the subject at an early opportunity?
Madam SpeakerThe hon. Gentleman is trying to use the Chair of the House to put questions that are not relevant now. As he knows, the business of the House has nothing whatever to do with the Speaker. I have let the statement run for quite a long time today, and I have deliberately sought to call every hon. Member who was disappointed last week during the statement. I keep accurate records and, with one exception, I have been able to call every hon. Member who was disappointed last week. I hope that the House will help me to keep up what I consider to be a reasonably high standard.