§ Mr. Robert Walter (North Dorset)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. On today's Order Paper there are 29 questions to the Secretary of State for Wales, including five which refer to discussions that he may have had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales and two which refer to someone called the First Minister. Section 53(1) of the Government of Wales Act 1998 states:
The Assembly shall elect one of the Assembly members to be Assembly First Secretary.Section 53(2) states:The Assembly First Secretary shall appoint Assembly Secretaries.The Act's only reference to Ministers is to Ministers of the Crown, and section 43 states that when those powers are devolved, they are devolved to the Assembly, not to individual office holders. There is a clear distinction between the powers and definitions in the Scotland Act 1998 and those in the Government of Wales Act.I seek your guidance, Mr. Speaker, on the correct way in which the First Secretary and the Assembly Secretaries should be referred to in the House. Should we use the titles in the legislation passed by the House, or can we call the First Secretary and Assembly Secretaries whatever we like?
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Gentleman has made a fair point. Normally, the Table Office would have corrected the notices to use the First Secretary's correct title. I hope that the proper designation will appear on the Order Paper in future. However, I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising this matter.
§ Mr. Alan Duncan (Rutland and Melton)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. In order that a confusing precedent is not set, may I ask you to advise the House under which Standing Orders a Member may be evicted from the House, even if he has not said anything on the record of the House in violation of its procedures or Standing Orders?
§ Mr. SpeakerI really do not know the incident to which the hon. Gentleman is referring. However, if he is referring to a previous incident of mine, I have discussed that with the hon. Gentleman concerned and we have come to an understanding. I will ensure that there is good order in the House: that is the important thing. There will be occasions when, perhaps, I request that an hon. Member leave the Chamber even though he or she may not have broken any rules. However, for the sake of order, I will ask that hon. Member to leave. There again, that is a request, and it is up to the hon. Gentleman or hon. Lady to accept it. I hope that that helps.
§ Mrs. Jacqui Lait (Beckenham)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Could you perhaps invite the Prime Minister to ensure that the record is corrected, and that his reference to half a million new people claiming the minimum guarantee is altered to the 24-plus thousand who, in fact, have got it, according to a House of Commons answer.
§ Mr. SpeakerThese are matters of argument. However, I suspect that the hon. Lady has managed to put something on the record.