§ Mr. John Bercow (Buckingham)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. Have you received any indication that a Minister from the Department for Education and Employment plans to come to the House to make a statement to clear up the astonishing confusion in the mind of Baroness Jay? You will be aware that on 28 May this year, the noble Baroness said that she had gone to a pretty standard grammar school. Given that it has now been revealed that the school she attended was an independent fee-paying school, she has abused that school, misrepresented her past anti denigrated grammar schools. Do not Ministers have quite a lot of explaining and apologising to do?
§ Madam SpeakerI have not been informed that any Minister wishes to make a statement today. If the hon. Gentleman has anything to say about a Member of the upper House, he should do so through our usual procedures, by means of the Order Paper.
§ Mr. Dale Campbell-Savours (Workington)Further to that point of order, Madam Speaker. It is usual for Opposition Front Benchers not to abuse the right to raise points of order from the Dispatch Box. As has been said by successive Speakers for many years, it is for Front Benchers to abide by the rules and not abuse them. Will you deprecate what you have just witnessed here in the House of Commons?
§ Madam SpeakerTo the best of my knowledge, Front Benchers do, from time to time, raise points of order with me—but they usually couch those points of order in language that is acceptable to me and to the House. On this occasion, I felt that the comments made by the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) were not in keeping with those that he has made as a Back Bencher, which are generally interesting; Opposition Front Benchers should take note of my remarks. In addition, if reference is to be made to a Member of the upper House, it is usual to do so by means of the Order Paper, through an early-day motion.