§ Mr. David Rendel (Newbury)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. As someone who came to this place from local government, I am well aware that councillors are forbidden to take part in a debate or vote on a motion in which they have a declarable interest. They are not even allowed to remain in the council chamber during the debate. May I ask whether the rules that we impose on ourselves in the House are any weaker or looser than those that we impose on local councillors, in particular, in relation to the participation of the Chief Secretary to the Treasury in the forthcoming debate on BMARC?
§ Madam SpeakerI thank the hon. Gentleman for giving me notice of his point of order. The hon. Gentleman and the House must know that we have different rules from local authorities on that and many other matters.
The hon. Gentleman's point is essentially dealt with on page 358 of "Erskine May", from which he will see that there must be a pecuniary interest before any question of the disallowance of a vote can be entertained. There are no rules at all restricting attendance during a debate.
§ Mr. Peter Hain (Neath)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. Will the House have a chance to vote on the sinking of Brent Spar, which contains 100 tonnes of toxic—
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. I have heard the hon. Gentleman's question. As far as I am concerned, the House votes only when there is a motion on the Order Paper.
§ Mr. Terry Dicks (Hayes and Harlington)Further to the point of order raised by the hon. Member for Newbury (Mr. Rendel), Madam Speaker. I am afraid that the hon. Gentleman has got it wrong. Councillors in local government must vote on rent increases and—
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. I have made it clear to the House how our rules differ in many respects from those of local government.
§ Mr. Harry Cohen (Leyton)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. In July, I asked a parliamentary question—
§ Madam SpeakerJuly 1994?
§ Madam SpeakerI am glad that the hon. Gentleman has such a good memory.
§ Mr. CohenI asked the Secretary of State for Defence
on what grounds the documents and diaries of Mr. Gerald James, the former chairman of the British Manufacturing and Research Company, were taken by the Ministry of Defence police; what information of relevance was gleaned from them; when they will all be returned to him; and if he will make a statement.I shall not read the whole of the reply given by the Minister of State for the Armed Forces—it is in Hansard—but it included the statement:In 1993 at the conclusion of all aspects of the MOD investigation, the documents were returned to Astra Holdings' officially appointed receiver, Cork Gully."—[Official Report, 21 July 1994; Vol. 247, c. 554.]A statement made at the weekend has shown that that answer clearly was not correct. May I make a couple of points in relation to that?
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. The hon. Gentleman can raise only points of rules and procedure with me. He has indicated to me that he wishes to speak in the debate, and perhaps he can make his points to the Government when he speaks. If there is a point of order for me, I must of course hear it.
§ Mr. CohenI shall put my other points during the debate. The point relevant to you, Madam Speaker, is that the record is incorrect. Will you make sure that a correction is made to the record?
§ Madam SpeakerLet me answer that. If the hon. Gentleman believes the record to be incorrect—as he is alleging—he must raise that matter during the debate today.
§ Mr. CohenIt has been stated that the information contained in the record is incorrect. Will you take the matter away and have a look at what can be done with that record? Should not the Ministry of Defence's handling of the parliamentary answer be investigated, because clearly its procedures were at fault?
§ Madam SpeakerThe hon. Gentleman is attempting to make a serious point, and I shall have a look at the matter. He is obviously trying to clarify a very important matter. May I suggest that he tables further questions to obtain the information and answers that he seeks? He can obtain the information only by using the Order Paper, and questions are the best method of doing that.
§ Mr. CohenI shall take your advice, Madam Speaker, and table further questions. But what guarantee will I have that I shall receive correct answers?
§ Madam SpeakerI have no authority over the answers that Ministers give. The hon. Gentleman is a very probing Member of this House, and I am sure that he will see to it that his questions are properly answered.