§ Dr. Robert Spink (Castle Point)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. I rise to defend innocent people. Can you please advise me whether the jealously guarded privileges of the House are being improperly used? Column 20 of the Official Report for yesterday shows that the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Ms Short) stated that the London-Tilbury-Southend line management team is "corrupt". I thank the hon. Lady for being present this afternoon; I gave her notice.
As the hon. Lady knew yesterday when she made her statement, investigations are proceeding, so the matter is surely best left until they are completed, without being prejudiced or prejudged by the House under the protection of privilege. In any event, I believe that those investigations will entirely exonerate all the members of the LTS senior management team.
§ Madam SpeakerThe hon. Gentleman's point of order is rightly to me. I personally would not have used the expression that the hon. Lady used, but there are hon. Members on both sides of the House who, under questioning and in the often excitable conditions of the House, use language that I personally do not find appropriate. It is used under privilege, and all of us must be responsible for the language that we use in the House. I remind hon. Members that good temper and moderation are the characteristics of parliamentary language, and when our exchanges occasionally become heated and fractious, I wish that hon. Members on both sides of the House would use the English language with care and concern.
§ Mr. Dennis Skinner (Bolsover)No split infinitives.
§ Madam SpeakerThe hon. Gentleman has expressed himself. I should now hear from the hon. Member for Ladywood Birmingham (Ms Short).
§ Ms Clare Short (Birmingham, Ladywood)Further to that point of order, Madam Speaker. What I said yesterday, and what is very important, is that, "if the allegations that are made are true, it would show that the management team was corrupt, and therefore there is a question whether the franchise should be awarded—if the allegations prove to be true. That is what I said, and that is my view.
§ Madam SpeakerThe hon. Member for Ladywood has read the whole of the exchange yesterday. That is now the end of it.
§ Mr. D. N. Campbell-Savours (Workington)I wonder whether I could ask you briefly, Madam Speaker—
§ Madam SpeakerIs it a point of order?
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursYes, it is.
144 I ask whether the matter of a Minister of the Crown sponsoring the pass of a commercial lobbyist has been referred to you, and whether you will refer it to the Serjeant at Arms for an inquiry, because clearly there has been an abuse of our arrangements.
§ Madam SpeakerThe matter has already been referred to the Serjeant at Arms, and I understand that the pass in question has been made available to the staff member in question since—if I remember correctly—the mid or late 1980s. It has been in the possession of the staff member since that time.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursPerhaps I can narrow it down a little further. You will know that the Minister involved signed a document last May, three months after his appointment as a Minister, sponsoring that commercial lobbyist's access to the House of Commons with a pass endorsed by the Serjeant at Arms. Clearly that must be wrong. I have checked, as well.
§ Madam SpeakerI have checked the matter thoroughly, but as the hon. Gentleman has raised the matter, I shall do so again. It is my understanding that the person concerned has been a staff member of the Minister since the mid or late 1980s.
§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursrose—
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. We are not having a debate about the matter. I shall check the matter again.
§ Mr. Jacques Arnold (Gravesham)The word "if did not come in the statement on the record yesterday. There was a straight assertion
because it has shown itself to be"—
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. Let us hear the hon. Lady.
§ Ms ShortI should be grateful if you would allow me to read from Hansard for the benefit of the House. The words that I used were
because it has shown itself to be a corrupt management team … if the allegations are true."—[Official Report, 5 February 1996; Vol. 271, c. 20.]
§ Madam SpeakerI, too, am accustomed to read Hansard every morning. Not only did I listen to the exchange; I read it this morning. We shall take the matter no further.