HC Deb 11 January 1993 vol 216 cc605-6
38. Mr. Harry Greenway

To ask the Lord President of the Council what plans he has for a Question Time for London; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Newton

I have no proposals for a separate Question Time for London, but hon. Members can, of course, ask questions of relevance to London to any of the Departments of state.

Mr. Greenway

Would my right hon. Friend be kind enough to look to his sense of fairness on such matters within the United Kingdom, bearing in mind that Northern Ireland has 17 Members of Parliament and a whole Question Time, Wales has 36—or perhaps 32—and a whole Question Time and Scotland has 71 Members and one hour of questions? Is that not somewhat unfair to the people of London, who have 84 Members of Parliament and who are the heart and the father of this nation?

Mr. Newton

I do not think that the constitutional position of London can be equated quite with that of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. I am also mindful of the fact that my right hon. Friend the Patronage Secretary, in an unusual intervention in our affairs, asked, "What about East Anglia?"—a view with which I can sympathise. My hon. Friend's record in asking questions, not only in London but on Ealing, is second to none.

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