§ Mr. Tom Harris (Glasgow, Cathcart)On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. At Prime Minister's Question Time, when discussing the Proceeds of Crime Bill, the Leader of the Opposition referred to a position not actually held by the Conservative party. He suggested that, during the passage of that Bill, his party had supported measures for the confiscation of—
§ Madam Deputy Speaker (Sylvia Heal)Order. This cannot be an extension of Question Time.
§ Mrs. Theresa May (Maidenhead)On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. At 8 pm today, a 24-hour strike will begin on London Underground. It will close the network, causing travel chaos across London and havoc for the tube's 3 million users. Yet so far there has been a deafening silence on the issue from the Secretary of State for Transport.
Given that the Government's botched public-private partnership for London Underground has now been further delayed by legal challenge and by the wait for the European Commission's decision on state aid, the Government have an opportunity to try to introduce a no-strike deal. Have you, Madam Deputy Speaker, had any indication from the Secretary of State that he intends to make a statement to the House condemning tomorrow's strike and saying what action the Government will take to prevent further such disruption?
§ Madam Deputy SpeakerI have had no indication from any Minister that he or she intends to come to the House.
§ Mr. James Gray (North Wiltshire)On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I am very concerned about the possibility that the Secretary of State for Defence has inadvertently misled the House, and I want to give him an opportunity to correct the wrong impression that he gave us.
On 9 July, the Secretary of State answered two questions—one from my hon. Friend the Member for North Essex (Mr. Jenkin) and one from me—simultaneously. 306 Both concerned aspects of the sale of ships, in particular to the Government of Thailand. The Under-Secretary of State for Defence, the hon. Member for Kirkcaldy (Dr. Moonie), told my hon. Friend that he had
received no formal expressions of interest from the Government of Thailand about the purchase of Royal Naval warships".—[Official Report, 9 July 2002; Vol. 388, c. 852W.]On the same day the Minister told me that the Secretary of State for Defence had discussions,during his recent visit to Thailand, with his Thai counterpart and other senior Thai officials in support of proposals put forwardto sell warships. It seems to me that those two answers are incompatible. One or the other must be inadvertently misleading to the House. Would not it be right for the Secretary of State to come to the Dispatch Box to correct the misinformation?
§ Madam Deputy SpeakerThe main business before the House today is a debate on defence procurement. Perhaps it would be more appropriate for the hon. Gentleman to raise the matter then.
§ Mr. Mark Francois (Rayleigh)Further to the original point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. The operation of the underground is important to my constituents, many of whom use it—
§ Madam Deputy SpeakerOrder. I have ruled already that that is not a point of order for the Chair.