§ Mr. Paul Keetch (Hereford)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Last Thursday, my hon. Friend the Member for Brecon and Radnorshire (Mr. Williams), the hon. Member for Leominster (Mr. Wiggin) and I met health service workers from Herefordshire outside the gates of Downing street with three separate petitions calling for more beds for Hereford hospital. I then presented my petition of some 26,000 names, along with my hon. Friend's petition of some 3,000 names, to the Prime Minister. The hon. Member for Leominster, however, whose petition was of some 500 names, kept his petition back. Last night, he presented that petition to the House. He stated:
I presented more than 20,000 signatures to Downing street last week, and it is a great pleasure to present this petition to the House now".—[Official Report, 29 April 2002; Vol. 384, c. 775.]Given that Standing Order No. 153 states that a Member presenting a petitionshall confine himself to a statement of the parties from whom it comesandthe number of signatures attached to it",will you, Mr. Speaker, explain to the hon. Gentleman how he can correct the record?
§ Mr. Bill Wiggin (Leominster)Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. I am grateful for this opportunity to draw further attention to the strength of feeling in Herefordshire about the lack of hospital beds and to give credit to the hon. Member for Hereford (Mr. Keetch) for his part in helping me with this very serious issue. [Interruption.]
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I thank the hon. Gentlemen for raising this point of order. When Members address the House—whether presenting petitions or in any other way—they must take responsibility for the accuracy of their remarks. There is nothing that the Chair can do to help the hon. Member for Hereford (Mr. Keetch).
§ Mr. Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. In the course of a very busy 24 hours for you, have you had time to reflect on the problems between 812 Westminster and the Scottish Parliament on the disposal and dispersal of productions amassed in the Lockerbie trial?
§ Mr. SpeakerIt has been a rather busy day for me. I am still looking into the matter.
§ Mr. Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I note your guidance to the House about the accuracy of Members' statements to the House. If the hon. Member for Hereford (Mr. Keetch) had been in the Chamber when my hon. Friend the Member for Leominster (Mr. Wiggin) presented his petition, would it not have been possible for the hon. Gentleman to have put the matter right then?
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Gentleman is trying to draw me into the argument.
§ Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. As you know, there is considerable concern in the House about the situation in the middle east, particularly as, once again today, the Israeli Cabinet has turned down the request for a United Nations mission to go to Jenin. The Americans hold all the cards in this case and unless they play those cards, they will be considered to be complicit in covering up what happened in Jenin. Have you, Mr. Speaker, received any indication that a Minister will come to the House—either today or later this week—to update us on the latest situation so that we know what Her Majesty's Government are doing to press the case for the UN to be allowed access?
§ Mr. SpeakerI have no information on that matter.
§ Mr. Roger Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. My hon. Friend the Member for Hereford (Mr. Keetch) and I would have been in the Chamber when the hon. Member for Leominster (Mr. Wiggin) presented his petition if he had done what he promised and told us when he was going to present it—[Interruption.]
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The hon. Gentleman is always welcome in the Chamber, whether the hon. Member for Leominster (Mr. Wiggin) is presenting a petition or not.