§ Mr. George Foulkes (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. I should be grateful if you would give some thought to a problem that has arisen in relation to the boundary between the legislature and the Executive, and is causing concern to some of my colleagues and to me.
Until a few years ago, parliamentary private secretaries were appointed only by senior Ministers, and—as I understand it—the Minister concerned made the appointment personally. Parliamentary private secretaries were not members of the Government. Over the past few weeks, however, it has become apparent that some consider them to be so, and there have been reports of their being appointed, and sacked, by either the Chief Whip or the Prime Minister.
A list of members of the Government is regularly published in the Official Report. I think that it should be made absolutely clear—it may be worth your while to give some thought to this, Madam Speaker—that parliamentary private secretaries either are or are not members of the Government. If they are, certain rules, regulations and other considerations apply; if they are not, they have certain rights and responsibilities of a different kind. I think that the matter is important, Madam Speaker, and I should be grateful for your thoughts on it.
§ Madam SpeakerI do not need to give much thought to it. Parliamentary private secretaries certainly are not members of the Government.
§ Mr. Nicholas Budgen (Wolverhampton, South-West)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. I wonder whether there has been any indication that a statement will be made on the appointment, or election, of Mr. Santer as President 36 of the European Commission. You will recollect that there was much public interest in the vetoing of Mr. Dehaene, and I assume that the Government will wish to explain their reasons for selecting Mr. Santer. If they do not, it is extraordinary that Opposition Members—in whose hands the matter really is—have not insisted to the Leader of the House that the bipartisan non-discussion of Europe should end—
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. The hon. Gentleman asked me whether I was aware that a statement would be made; I have not been informed by the Government that they intend to make a statement at this stage.
§ Mrs. Helen Jackson (Sheffield, Hillsborough)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. I wish to raise an issue that I raised more than three weeks ago with the Home Secretary by means of a parliamentary question; I also tabled an early-day motion, which has now been signed by more than 70 hon. Members. It is a serious issue. It concerns the use of forensic pathology photographs of murder victims in a leisure context. There is immense concern—
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. I really cannot allow the hon. Lady, or any other hon. Member, to abuse points of order in this way. If the hon. Lady will come to the matter that is for me to deal with, without giving an explanation of the photographs or the early-day motion, I will attempt to deal with it; but I fear that she is abusing a point of order.
§ Mrs. JacksonThank you, Madam Speaker.
Although responses were received from the Secretary of State for Health, police officers, the Police Federation of Englsand and Wales and the British Medical Association, the Home Secretary has not even had the courtesy to write a letter.
§ Madam SpeakerI am sure that the hon. Lady herself is quite capable of pursuing the matter with a Minister. It is by no means a point of order for me to deal with.
§ Madam SpeakerIs this a point of order?
§ Dame Elaine Kellett-BowmanI believe so, Madam Speaker. I was just wondering whether there had been any consultation with the Government on the appointment of the right hon. Member for Islwyn (Mr. Kinnock) to a £103,000-a-year job as a Commissioner.
§ Madam SpeakerThat is nothing to do with me. It is certainly a bogus point of order if I ever heard one.
§ Madam SpeakerIs this another one?
§ Mr. JamiesonNot a bogus one, Madam Speaker.
§ Madam SpeakerHon. Members may recall that I told the House last week that I hoped that its behaviour would start to improve on Monday this week. I am afraid that my words fell on fairly stony ground. I take this matter very seriously; I hope that the hon. Gentleman has a genuine point of order.
§ Mr. JamiesonThis is a genuine point of order, Madam Speaker. Is it in order for the Chancellor's parliamentary private secretary, the hon. Member for Amber Valley (Mr. 37 Oppenheim), to hand out pre-prepared questions to Conservative Back Benchers? If it is not, perhaps you can give us some guidance.
§ Madam SpeakerThat is not a matter for me: it is a question of party discipline. I have seen lots of papers and early-day motions floated around on both sides of the House. When I first came to the House, one would not dream of showing someone an early-day motion in this Chamber; one would have been sent off with a flea in one's ear if one did. Members are in this Chamber to pay attention to what is taking place, not to sign early-day motions. [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear!"] Good, that has not fallen on stony ground.