§ Dr. Evan Harris (Oxford, West and Abingdon)On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. You and the House may be aware that yesterday there was an announcement in the press of £1 billion extra funding for science. That was also reported to be in a speech by the Chancellor, but no statement appears to have been made in the House, and no question appears to have been answered in today's Hansard on the matter. Should not Ministers be making such announcements to the House rather than through the media and in speeches outside the House? Questions on whether that announcement is welcome, whether there will be funding for equal opportunities in higher education, whether the unit of resource should be better funded, and other such matters could then be put directly to Ministers.
§ Mr. Deputy Speaker (Sir Alan Haselhurst)The Chair has received no notification of any announcement in any form to the House. I can only repeat what Madam Speaker has said on a number of occasions—that significant changes of policy should be announced to the House by one means or another.
§ Mr. John Bercow (Buckingham)On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Have you had any indication from the Prime Minister or another Minister that the Government intend to return to twice-weekly Question Times, in the light of the new precedent established yesterday of the Prime Minister answering a question this week which he had failed to answer properly the previous week?
§ Mr. Deputy SpeakerNo such notification has been received. That is not a matter for the Chair.