HC Deb 18 November 1997 vol 301 cc218-20

That the Food Protection (Emergency Prohibitions) (Dounreay Nuclear Establishment) Order 1997 (S.I., 1997, No. 2622), dated 29th October 1997, which was laid before this House on 31st October, be approved. —[Mr. Pope.]

Question agreed to.

Mr. Maginnis

On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I do not know whether you were aware that the Minister, when he responded to the debate with an hour and a half left to go, deliberately ignored those Members who speak on behalf of constituencies in Northern Ireland. He responded to every other hon. Member who had spoken, but deliberately ignored two Unionists representing Northern Ireland. There may be little that you can do about it, Mr. Deputy Speaker, but I should have thought that, as a matter of courtesy, the Minister might have accorded some recognition to the fact that we have sat in the House all afternoon.

Mr. McNamara

On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

Mr. Deputy Speaker

I am dealing with that point of order.

Mr. McNamara

Further to that point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I think that, after the way that I behaved today, I should come to the defence of Ministers and say that I heard my hon. Friend the Minister, in summing up, say specifically that he was not going to refer to some of the matters that were raised by the hon. Gentlemen, so they may not have had the answer they wanted, but they were certainly referred to.

Mr. Deputy Speaker

The way in which Ministers respond to debates is not a matter for the Chair.