§ Mr. Eric Forth (Bromley and Chislehurst)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. You were here earlier when we heard an almost unbelievable statement by a Minister. He told the House that a Secretary of State would make a statement about an important matter of public policy and a large sum of public money. You must have shared my astonishment when it was revealed that that statement would be made not here in the House, but in some other, as yet unspecified, location. Can you do anything to persuade or charm Ministers into coming to the House to make statements of huge public interest? That issue surely cannot be allowed to slide by without action being taken, preferably by yourself, but otherwise by anyone who can do so.
§ Mr. Quentin Davies (Grantham and Stamford)Further to that point of order, Madam Speaker.
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. I think that I can competently deal with the matter. I was dismayed to hear the Secretary of State for Social Security tell the House that a statement would be made later today outside the House, presumably by the Department of Trade and Industry. I have no knowledge of what that statement contains, whether it is new policy, an extension of policy or a change of policy. If it is a new policy or a change of policy, it should be made at least by written answer in this House. The House deserves greater respect in such matters. I hope that those on the Treasury Bench will let the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry know my views on the matter. I might add, for some of those in the media who do not know the term "Treasury Bench", it means the Government Front Bench.
§ Mr. Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. When a complicated and important statement is being delivered, would it be within the rubric of the House for copies of the Minister's statement to be made available to Members in the Chamber? I have thought about that point for a long time. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary took us through the complicated harm test rule, which I genuinely wanted to understand and would have asked about, had I caught your eye. I confess that I am still somewhat confused by, but very interested in, the issue. I notice that members of Press Gallery have the luxury, at the moment the Minister rises, of having the statement distributed to them, and some Front Benchers and other hon. Members close to those Front Benchers have access to statements. Would it be possible to explore whether statements could be made available to other hon. Members? If I were to rush out to get a copy—and this is the rub—I might offend you by being absent from the Chamber.
§ Madam SpeakerI understand the hon. Gentleman's feelings and I appreciate that they are echoed in many parts of the House. It is not a matter for me: it has always been for the Minister making a statement to determine when the documents will be made available. If the hon. 36 Gentleman wishes to take the point up with the Modernisation Committee or the Procedure Committee, he is at liberty to do so.
§ Mr. Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire)Further to that point of order, Madam Speaker.
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. I have dealt with that point. All Ministers in all Governments determine when they issue statements. It is for the Modernisation Committee or the Procedure Committee to consider the matter.
§ Mr. James Gray (North Wiltshire)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. I was surprised to read in this morning's edition of the Chippenham News that the Chancellor of the Exchequer is today visiting the Dyson factory in Malmesbury in my constituency, as I have received no notification of any kind from his private office. Am I right in thinking that that is because I am an Opposition Back Bencher, and that it might have been different were I a Government Back Bencher? At all events, will you confirm that Ministers should always notify Back Benchers when they visit their constituencies?
§ Madam SpeakerIt is custom and practice—and courtesy—for an hon. Member to inform another hon. Member when visiting that hon. Member's constituency. However, I have always made it quite clear that this is really a matter that should be resolved between the hon. Members concerned, and that it should not be dealt with by means of points of order.
§ Mr. Nicholas Soames (Mid-Sussex)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. You will have seen the news over the weekend that there is to be a very substantial increase in NATO force numbers on the Kosovo border. Given that the NATO force declaration meetings are taking place this week, it is possible that the decision will be made while the House is not sitting. The clear implication is that there may be a fundamental change in approach to NATO's Kosovo strategy. Will you inquire whether it might be possible for the Foreign Secretary or the Secretary of State for Defence to come to the House before the recess to explain exactly what the Government and NATO have in mind?
§ Madam SpeakerThe Government Front Bench will have heard the hon. Gentleman's request. It is not entirely a matter for me. The hon. Gentleman must also, of course, use the usual channels in pressing his point for a statement before the House rises for the recess.
§ Mr. Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. Bearing in mind what you said to the hon. Member for Thurrock (Mr. Mackinlay) about the substance of his point of order being a matter for the Modernisation Committee, is the fact that the Vote Office often receives the texts of statements before they are made in the Chamber a matter for you?
As the hon. Member for Thurrock said, if an hon. Member leaves the Chamber to get a statement from the Vote Office once that statement has started to be read, you have said that will not call that hon. Member, because he or she will not have been present for the whole statement. However, as that statement is often available at 37 that time in the Vote Office, hon. Members who are not interested in it are able to see it, while those who are interested are forbidden, by your ruling, from seeing a copy.
§ Madam SpeakerI would not call an hon. Member who had left the Chamber to get a consultation document or any other document and had therefore missed part of the statement, as that represents a great discourtesy to the Minister answering questions at the Dispatch Box. However, that is not a matter for me, nor for the Vote Office. If hon. Members want to pursue the matter, they should do so in the proper way. The House has two relevant Committees—Modernisation and Procedure. Such matters should be given to those Committees for examination, so as to allow discussions with Ministers on whether they want the texts of their statements to be made available to other hon. Members.