§ Mr. Edward Leigh accordingly presented a Bill to remove restrictions on the ownership by religious bodies of broadcasting licences and to clarify the role of the Radio Authority and the Independent Television Commission in relation to the religious content of programmes: And the same was read the First time; and ordered to be read a Second time on Friday 23 July, and to be printed [Bill 138].
§ Mr. James Paice (South-East Cambridgeshire)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. I apologise to you, and to the House, for not being in my place when I was called to ask a question at Question Time. It was nothing more than an oversight.
However, I was present to hear the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) raise the matter on a point of order. He said that I had apparently been in my office at the time when I should have been asking the question. That is true—as I have said, it was due to an oversight—but, while I was in my office, my secretary took a telephone call from a gentleman purporting to be from the Opposition Whips Office, and wanting to speak to me. As soon as he was put through to me, he put down the receiver.
It seems to me, Madam Speaker, that the information was obtained by subterfuge. I am sure that that is not an acceptable way for the hon. Member for Pendle to find out whether I was in the House.
§ Madam SpeakerI thank the hon. Gentleman. I wish that we could stop playing tit for tat through points of order that are disingenuous in the first place.