HC Deb 17 December 1996 vol 287 c775 4.43 pm
Mr. Dennis Skinner (Bolsover)

On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Has information about the Division last night been a subject of concern for you, in view of the fact that it seems that the Tory Government paired some of the absent Tory Members of Parliament with people on the Labour Benches and doubled them up with people on the Liberal Benches? In other words, they rigged the ballot. In all my 27 years here, I have never heard of anything like that before. It needs a serious investigation, because the Government are in trouble with their lack of a majority and they might do it again and again.

Mr. Deputy Speaker (Sir Geoffrey Lofthouse)

I have to inform the hon. Gentleman that that subject has nothing to do with the Chair.