§ Mr. John McAllion (Dundee, East)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. Last night, a Northern Ireland Office Minister announced that, for technical reasons, the Government intended to withdraw their plans to privatise Northern Ireland's water. That means that only Scotland faces the prospect of water privatisation in this Parliament.
Could we have a business statement from the Secretary of State for Scotland today to explain the technical reasons for the withdrawal of plans to privatise water in Northern Ireland? We in Scotland think that the technical reason may be that the Government do not have a democratic mandate in Northern Ireland. But neither do they have a democratic mandate in Scotland for water privatisation.
§ Madam SpeakerThat is not a matter for me. The hon. Gentleman will have to pursue his point through some other channel.
§ Mr. Geoffrey Dickens (Littleborough and Saddleworth)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. You were not to know that, in my constituency, there are textile mills that manufacture the canvas on which coal is conveyed underground. My question was much more relevant than you anticipated. Perhaps I should have introduced that element earlier in my point.
§ Madam SpeakerThat is right. The hon. Gentleman ought to lead with a question rather than just make comments. I was born not far from his constituency, and I know it well.