§ Mr. Paul Tyler (North Cornwall)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. I wish to seek your help and protection. I tabled a question for written answer yesterday to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on the number of integrated administration and control scheme forms that were received before the deadline on Saturday. The answer that I was given, which is in the Official Report, was in terms of simple generality—no figures whatever were given. I asked my office to communicate with the Minister's office to see whether a mistake had been made, and figures were still not available.
Within a matter of minutes of that being raised, I understand that the figures were made available to people outside the House, including the media. Not only did the figures appear this morning on "Farming Today", which was recorded within a matter of minutes of my question being answered, but others outside the House have received detailed figures. I submit that this is yet another example of arrogant contempt from the Minister for the House, and I seek your protection.
§ Madam SpeakerThe hon. Gentleman will understand that, of course, I cannot comment on the adequacy or otherwise of ministerial answers to questions. However, if information has been made available to the media—the hon. Gentleman tells me that it has, and I must accept his word for it—which has not been given to the House, I certainly would deprecate such action. In the light of what the hon. Gentleman tells me, he might like to take the matter further with the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, or perhaps seek to catch my eye during the spring Adjournment debate so that he can raise the matter more fully across the floor of the House.
§ Mr. John McFall (Dumbarton)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. My point of order refers to Hansard of 29 April, when the Secretary of State for Scotland gave a reply to a private notice question on cervical screen testing at Inverclyde hospital. At the time, I was assured that none of my constituents were involved. Indeed, the Secretary of State said that the matter was so urgent that it had to be cleared up straight away. Today, I received a press release from the same health board saying that my constituents are involved. In a meeting that I had with the board on 29 April, no mention whatever was made of that.
Given that it is now three weeks since that statement and the fact that public concern has been aroused yet again, and in the light of the Secretary of State's previous remarks, I ask you whether an opportunity has been made available for the Secretary of State and his Department to make a ministerial statement further to his answers to the private notice question on Thursday 29 April.
§ Madam SpeakerI have not been informed by the Minister that any further statement is to be made in the House.