§ Mr. Michael Connarty (Falkirk, East)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. Yesterday, the Secretary of State for Scotland may have inadvertently misled the House in an answer to a question on water privatisation. He said that his office had received about 3,000 submissions on water privatisation, but my hon. Friends the Members for Falkirk, West (Mr. Canavan) and for the Fife constituencies and I delivered 90,000 individual signed submissions on 25 and 29 January. Is there some way to correct the error, as it gives the impression that not many people are writing to the Secretary of State about the issue?
§ Madam SpeakerThat is not a point of order for the Chair, as I am sure that the hon. Gentleman appreciates. All Ministers and Members are responsible for the statements they make in the House.
§ Mr. George Foulkes (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. I think that you were understanding about my earlier frustration when I tried to ask a question about bypasses in my constituency. You rightly said that the Secretary of State for Transport was not responsible for that. I have been trying to arrange a meeting with the Secretary of State for Scotland, or even the Under-Secretary of State, for a number of months, but they keep refusing. There has been no statement in the House similar to the one that the Secretary of State for Transport gave very well. Can you, Madam Speaker, do something to get the Secretary of State for Scotland to come to the Dispatch Box and make an announcement on the roads programme in Scotland similar to the one that has been given in relation to England?
§ Madam SpeakerThe hon. Gentleman is aware that I have no authority to demand that a Secretary of State comes before the House. I very much understand the 500 frustration of all Back Benchers who seek to put questions to various Ministers. I am sorry for the hon. Gentleman; my heart bleeds for him, as his is a hard-luck case.
§ Mr. David Trimble (Upper Bann)Further to that point of order, Madam Speaker. I wish to express the annoyance that we in Northern Ireland feel about the matter. This morning my constituency office faxed me a letter about roads from one of the Northern Ireland Ministers. It is particularly galling to find that the last page of the statement delivered here refers to "national roads". Hon. Members for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are unable even to ask questions about the national roads that have not been announced in the Chamber.
§ Madam SpeakerI think that the hon. Gentleman might have sought to raise that issue with the Leader of the House in business questions. I remember calling him as he caught my eye then.
§ Mr. Foulkesrose—
§ Madam SpeakerNo, I will not take any further points of order.
§ Mr. FoulkesI did not catch your eye, Madam Speaker.
§ Madam SpeakerI know: that is why the hon. Gentleman is frustrated.
§ Mr. Bob Cryer (Bradford, South)On a different point of order, Madam Speaker. I seek to assist the process whenever I can. It occurred to me that it would be helpful to the House if, when statements are made about long lists of projects, they could be placed in the Vote Office, not when the Minister rises but well beforehand. That would allow hon. Members to get hold of a copy to see whether their constituencies are affected, which would cut out those people who ask whether their constituencies are affected and whether roads are being built. It would clarify questions to bring a sharpness and point to the interchange, which is occasionally, lamentably, absent.
§ Madam SpeakerThat is a matter that might be taken up with the Leader of the House.