§ Ms Glenda Jackson (Hampstead and Highgate)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. On 24 June this year, I received a response to a question that I had asked of the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office with responsibility for the Overseas Development Administration, about whether Her Majesty's Government would pay closer attention to Madam Aung San Suu Kyi's consistent calls for no encouragement of western business interests in her country until the State Law and Order Restoration Council shows a real commitment to democracy.
The Minister assured me that Her Majesty's Government are in very close contact with Madam Aung San Suu Kyi, and that they pay close attention to what she says. However, there were reports in yesterday's newspapers—[Interruption.]
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. The hon. Lady must read her point of order. Reports in newspapers and exchanges across the Floor of the House are not my responsibility as Speaker. I deal with the House's procedures. What procedures may I deal with now?
§ Ms JacksonThank you, Madam Speaker. I am asking for your advice. The reply that I received—Interruption.]
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. Is this a request for advice or a point of order? If the hon. Lady requires procedural advice, she may come to my office at any time or see the learned Clerks. I should now like to know what is the hon. Lady's point of order, and what she is asking me to deal with.
§ Ms JacksonMadam Speaker, the point of order is that a Minister of State, in response to a question from me, led the House to believe that the Government had a uniform policy on the calls made by Madam Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma. However, reports in yesterday's and today's newspapers underline the fact that the Department of Trade and Industry—[Interruption.]
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. That is not a point of order. If the hon. Lady has a matter to pursue with the Minister, she must pursue it properly across the Floor of the House at Question Time.
§ Rev. Martin Smyth (Belfast, South)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. I appreciate your difficulty in calling on all hon. Members after statements, but today the Ormeau road in my constituency was specifically mentioned, and I was not given an opportunity to deal with the issues. I crave your indulgence, and ask for an opportunity to put the record straight before the House rises for the summer recess.
§ Madam SpeakerI understand the hon. Gentleman's point of order, and I have sympathy with him. I do my best to call all hon. Members who I think have a deep interest in a matter, and he certainly has such an interest in this matter. I am sure that he realises that, out of the 801 five hon. Members in his party who wanted to intervene after the statement, I was able to call three of them. I am sorry that I missed him out, and I shall do better next time.
§ Mr. Hugh Dykes (Harrow, East)On a point of order, Madam Speaker.
§ Madam SpeakerIs this a similar point of order—that the hon. Gentleman was not called?
§ Mr. DykesMadam Speaker, with your indulgence, is it in order to register my interest as a member of the British-Irish parliamentary body?
§ Madam SpeakerI have a complete list of hon. Members who are members of the Select Committee, the British-Irish parliamentary body, the Conservative Back-Bench committee and the Opposition Back-Bench committee. If I called them all, we would never be able to get on with the House's business. Is anyone else disappointed?
§ Mr. Jerry Hayes (Harlow)Yes, Madam Speaker.
§ Madam SpeakerI have noted that; thank you. Now we can move on.
§ Mr. David Faber (Westbury)On a point of order, Madam Speaker.
§ Madam SpeakerIs it a genuine point of order?
§ Mr. FaberMadam Speaker, it is not only a new point of order, but it is the first point of order that I have raised in my four years in the House—so I hope that it will impress upon you the importance that I attach to the issue. Today, a conference on the subject of Europe is taking place in Trowbridge, in my constituency. Originally it was to be organised by West Wiltshire district council, but it seems to have been hijacked by the ruling Liberal 802 Democrat group—as I can think of no other reason for the hon. Member for Caithness and Sutherland (Mr. Maclennan) to be there today to chair the conference.
I do not ask you to rule on the hon. Gentleman's suitability as a chairman of the conference or to sympathise with my constituents on having to have foisted upon them his views on Europe, but is it not a common courtesy of the House—one which I know that you hold very dear—for hon. Members to inform other hon. Members when they visit their constituencies?
§ Madam SpeakerThat is absolutely correct. I am sorry that it has even been necessary for the hon. Gentleman to initiate a point of order on such an issue. He was right to do so, and I hope that the hon. Member for Caithness and Sutherland (Mr. Maclennan) will make note of it and offer an apology to him for appearing in his constituency without the courtesy of informing him.
§ Mr. Gerald Bermingham (St. Helens, South)On a point of order, Madam Speaker—and a genuine one. I say that as an someone who was born and bred in Ireland but never recognised. Last week I raised privately with you, Madam Speaker, and subsequently with the Serjeant at Arms the question of vehicles entering the Palace, particularly Government cars and when a Division has been called. I cannot identify the driver who nearly mowed down myself and about 20 other people, after hooting the car horn and shooting through the gate. Perhaps a 10 mph speed limit could be initiated in New Palace yard.
§ Madam SpeakerThe hon. Gentleman's remarks will have been heard by the Serjeant at Arms, and I will take that matter up with him to see what can be done.