§ Mr. Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. You will have noticed the allegation by Mr. Greg Dyke that the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, in answering my parliamentary question on 10 May, misled the House about discussions between the two of them on whether Mr. Dyke would apply to become the next Director-General of the BBC. Setting aside the question of whether Mr. Dyke is an appropriate person for that job, which is a matter for the governors, I wonder whether you have received any request from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for a statement to set the parliamentary record straight and to clarify the confusion that exists about what discussions took place between Ministers and one of the Labour party's biggest donors of recent years about the appointment to that important role.
§ The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Mr. Chris Smith)Further to that point of order, Madam Speaker. There has been no misleading of the House, either intentional or unintentional. The matter is clear: in the course of a lengthy meeting on the subject of the European film industry, I inquired in passing of Mr. Dyke whether the newspaper reports were true that he intended to put his name forward for the director-generalship of the BBC. He said at the time that he was still considering the matter and had not yet made up his mind. That was the content of the conversation, and it was reflected in my parliamentary answer and in Mr. Dyke's letter to The Independent on 13 May. To make the position even clearer to those who do not appear to appreciate clarity, I would add that at no stage has Greg Dyke lobbied me in connection with the director-generalship of the BBC, nor have I sought to persuade him to stand. I have not at any stage discussed any individual candidate or candidates for the post with any of the governors of the BBC, nor will I. It is an appointment for the BBC governors alone to make, and that remains firmly the case.
§ Mr. Brian H. Donohoe (Cunninghame, South)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. I have written to you in connection with the matter that I am about to raise. It concerns the role of Members of the Scottish Parliament in matters that are reserved in this House. Is it possible 642 for you to have an early meeting with your counterpart in the Scottish Parliament to resolve what will become—if not nipped in the bud—a possible problem?
§ Madam SpeakerI am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for giving me notice of the point that he has raised and I appreciate his concern. However, I must make it clear to him and to the House that it is not for me to arbitrate on relationships between constituents and those who represent them in whichever legislature they may sit. That is a problem that will have to be resolved outside the House by good sense and mutual respect, not by me as Speaker of this House.
§ Mr. John Swinney (North Tayside)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. Have you had a request today from the new Secretary of State for Scotland to make a statement to the House on the composition of his new ministerial team? Some of us are bewildered that, at the time of substantial devolution of power to the Scottish Parliament, it is necessary to have four salaried Scottish Office Ministers. It is also not clear whether those four salaried Ministers will continue after 1 July and the assumption of full powers by the Scottish Parliament. A statement could clear up the confusion about whether that is a good deal for Ministers or a raw deal for the public finances.
§ Madam SpeakerNo, I have had no request from a Minister to make a statement on that issue. Of course, it is always open to the hon. Gentleman to put questions on the Order Paper in due course and get an answer to his questions.
§ Mr. Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. In view of information that I have submitted to you—and the press reports on the front pages of newspapers that have been submitted to you—on the apparent situation of authority having been given to alert a number of reservists for possible service in the armed forces—not necessarily in Kosovo, but possibly taking the place of people who might be called to go to Kosovo—has there been any request from the Secretary of State for Defence to make a statement on exactly what authority has been given, and to whom?
§ Madam SpeakerThe Secretary of State for Defence has not informed me that he is seeking to make a statement on that issue. In my judgment, it may well be an issue which will come before the House tomorrow, at the appropriate time.