HC Deb 11 July 1995 vol 263 cc749-50 3.35 pm
Mrs. Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley)

On a point of order, Madam Speaker. I am sorry to raise a point of order for the second time, but a Minister who admitted in private having misled the House and misrepresented a Member of the House yesterday, has refused to apologise publicly for an offence committed in public. I say that especially because the BBC allowed the untruth to be repeated on the radio this morning. It was suggested that I had acted dishonourably, so it is important to me that the matter be put right publicly. I ask you, Madam Speaker, as the custodian of Back-Bench interests, to remind the Secretary of State for Wales, who is a comparatively new Member of the House, that he should respect the courtesies of the House and tell the truth.

The Secretary of State for Wales (Mr. William Hague)

Further to that point of order, Madam Speaker. As the hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd) knows, I have already written to her on the matter. I received a suggestion yesterday that she would seek to raise a particular matter during Welsh questions. Having looked into the matter, I accept the fact that the suggestion came not from her but from one of her constituents. She is right to expect an apology from me, and I have already given her one. Equally, her constituent was right to expect that she would be in the Chamber to represent his interests. Other constituents throughout Wales were also right to expect their Members of Parliament to be here to represent their interests. Welsh Labour Members have brought nothing but ridicule upon themselves by their failure to be here to do what they are elected to do.

Mrs. Alice Mahon (Halifax)

Further to that point of order, Madam Speaker. Can you help me concerning the protocol of giving an apology in the House as the Secretary of State for Wales has just done? Is it appropriate and proper that, having unreservedly apologised, he should then abuse the House by going off into a diatribe about something that has nothing to do with the matter in hand?

Madam Speaker

We must leave that matter where it is at the moment, but I expect apologies in public if some misunderstanding has taken place, as obviously happened in this case. We must leave it there now.

Mr. Gordon Prentice (Pendle)

On a point of order, Madam Speaker. As a member of the Select Committee examining the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Bill, I ask whether you have seen reports in the press today suggesting that Government policy is to be reversed, because Ministers are balking at the notion of increasing public subsidy for Eurorail, which is run by the Prime Minister's friend Lord Parkinson. Those press reports are potentially damaging to the work of the Select Committee. If there is a change in Government policy surely the Secretary of State for Transport should come to the House and explain exactly what the position is.

Madam Speaker

I make no comments on press reports, but of course I expect that whenever there is an important change in Government policy, on whatever issue, a statement should be made from the Dispatch Box so that we are all clear about it.

Mr. Alan Simpson (Nottingham, South)

On a point of order, Madam Speaker. On a similar matter reported in the press today, there was a suggestion that the change in Government policy—

Madam Speaker

Order. Ministers may comment on press reports, but since I entered the House more than 20 years ago I have made it a rule, both as a Back Bencher and as Speaker, not to comment on press reports, so the House must not ask me to do that now. If there is a point of order for me as Speaker to deal with I shall deal with it, but I do not want to hear about press reports.

Mr. Simpson

I intended, Madam Speaker, to ask for a statement to be made to the House about whether there is to be a change in Government policy on the imposition of tax on church bells. The House wants to understand whether that is part of a sleaze story about Government bonging or whether another political clanger has been dropped, so we would like to know whether the Secretary of State will make a statement to the House.

Madam Speaker

An amusing comment and a good try, but not really a point of order.

Mr. Jacques Arnold (Gravesham)

Further to that point of order, Madam Speaker. Is it really in order that there should be a statement on press reports that are quite false, because on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Bill, we in north-west Kent asked a question and got a clear answer from the Ministers that these press reports are rubbish?

Madam Speaker

That is why I never comment on press reports. I think that that is a very good policy to adopt.