Points of Order (Hansard, 19 January 1994)

§ Mr. Simon Burns (Chelmsford)
On a point of order, Madam Speaker. I wonder whether I can raise two important but related issues—

§ Madam Speaker
No. I am not here to listen to the issues that the hon. Gentleman wants to raise. If he has a point of order that I can deal with, I will listen to it now, but I want direct points of order.

§ Mr. Burns
Thank you, Madam Speaker, for that guidance.
I want to raise with you the bringing into disrepute of this House and the security of this House. As you may be aware, the hon. Member for Glasgow, Hillhead (Mr. Galloway) appeared govellingly with Saddam Hussein on Iraqi television last night, when he said that he supported Saddam and congratulated him on his courage and that he was with him until he secured victory.
Given that this country fought a war against Saddam Hussein, and given the massacre of the Kurds and the marsh Arabs, will you, Madam Speaker, make a ruling on whether an hon. Member, by associating himself with those who commit genocide and who have provoked a war with us, brings the reputation of this House into disrepute?
Furthermore, are there any precautions in place to prevent the hon. Member for Hillhead from bringing into the precincts of this building any of his Iraqi friends who are our enemies because of the actions of Saddam Hussein?

§ Madam Speaker
Let me deal with the latter point first. I never discuss security matters across the Floor of the House, and I am not about to do so now.
As for last night's television, I was otherwise occupied and did not see the programme in question. It was not a point of order, however. In fact, the hon. Gentleman has just given extra publicity to an hon. Member's opinions on which I cannot possibly comment.

§ Ms Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent, North)
On a point of order, Madam Speaker. Have you received a request from the Secretary of State for Transport to make a statement in this House about the report that has been published by the marine accident investigation branch and by the marine pollution control unit in respect of the Braer, which went aground over a year ago? I have just been in contact with the other place, where the Shipping Minister serves, and 892 with the MAIB, and I am told that a number of copies of the report have been circulated but that the Opposition were not included on the circulation list.
It is high time the Secretary of State asked to make a statement; if he does not, this House will be brought into disrepute.

§ Madam Speaker
I have not been informed by the Secretary of State that he or any other Minister is seeking to make a statement on the matter.

§ Mr. Richard Tracey (Surbiton)
On a point of order, Madam Speaker, about parliamentary language. During Environment questions the hon. Member for Blackburn (Mr. Straw) used the word "gerrymandering" in connection with two London boroughs—the City of Westminster council and the borough of Wandsworth. His suggestion has absolutely no basis.

§ Madam Speaker
Order. That is a matter for argument. The hon. Gentleman is a long-standing Member and knows that he does not argue with me in the Chair but puts his point to me. What is it, and I will do my best to deal with it?

§ Mr. Tracey
My point is very simple. To allege gerrymandering without any evidence is surely unparliamentary. [Interruption.]

§ Madam Speaker
Order. I think that I can deal with this. At this end of the Chamber I often hear rich vocabulary and, if the expression had been unparliamentary, I would certainly have stopped it at the time. Perhaps we can proceed to the ten-minute Bill.

§ Mr. Bruce Grocott (The Wrekin)
On a point of order, Madam Speaker. Has not the hon. Gentleman just abused the procedures of the House by raising a spurious point of order attacking the district auditor whose comprehensive report published last week made it clear that there was gerrymandering?

§ Madam Speaker
I am sure the day will come when I get a genuine point of order. Meanwhile, there is a genuine ten-minute Bill.

§ Mr. Ian Davidson (Glasgow, Govan)
On a genuine point of order, Madam Speaker. In view of what has been said about Westminster, may I take it that it is in order to describe the reorganisation of Scottish local government as a gerrymander?

§ Madam Speaker
At the present time that is hypothetical.