HC Deb 13 March 1995 vol 256 c575 4.15 pm
Mrs. Alice Mahon (Halifax)

On a point of order, Madam Speaker. You will have read at the weekend of the decision by Cambridge health authority not to fund treatment of a seriously ill 10-year-old girl suffering from leukaemia. That case has caused great concern among my constituents and the general public. One reason given for refusing treatment was that the substantial expenditure combined with limited prospects for success would not be an effective use of resources. The Secretary of State for Health has been making pronouncements on radio. Has she said whether she will come to the House to address that worrying and serious matter?

Mrs. Anne Campbell (Cambridge)

rose—

Madam Speaker

I see the hon. Member for Cambridge (Mrs. Campbell) rising in her place. Does she wish to raise a point of order on the same matter"

Mrs. Campbell

No, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker

In that case, I will deal with the first point of order. I have not received any indication from a Minister that he or she will seek to make a statement on the matter raised by the hon. Member for Halifax (Mrs. Mahon) or any other matter today.

Mrs. Campbell

On a point of order, Madam Speaker. I seek your advice about an announcement that the Prime Minister recently made in the House. In response to a question from my right hon. Friend the Leader of the Opposition, the right hon. Gentleman assured the House that pay excesses among bosses of privatised utilities had gone too far and that he intended to deal with the matter by establishing the Greenbury committee, which would make recommendations to the Government on ways of preventing excessive pay. However, the front page of one newspaper today suggests that the Prime Minister has told a group of business men that the Greenbury committee will not make major recommendations and that the only recommendations expected are minor changes to company law. Do you, Madam Speaker, consider that the Prime Minister seriously misled the House about his true intentions?

Madam Speaker

No, I certainly do not. The hon. Lady knows that all Ministers are responsible for their comments. If the hon. Lady or any other hon. Member wants to pursue that matter further with Ministers, they can do so in Prime Minister's Questions and in other ways.