Points of Order (Hansard, 23 May 2002)

§ Mrs. Theresa May (Maidenhead)
On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Has the Speaker had any indication from the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions that he wishes to come to the House to make a statement to correct previous statements to the House on the timing of his decision to put Railtrack into administration? The Secretary of State has made numerous references in the House to the fact that he made that decision on 5 October. For example, on 5 November last year, he said of the decision: It was taken on Friday 5 October. That is the 20th time I have told the House that and it is the truth of the situation."—[Official Report, 5 November 2001; Vol. 374, c. 22.] Yesterday and today, however, there have been reports that at a meeting with the Paddington Survivors Group on 12 September the Secretary of State referred to that decision. Pam Warren from the group said: He said Railtrack wouldn't be much trouble for much longer. He was to replace it with a not-for-profit company. Another member of the group said: Mr. Byers said there would be an announcement around October 8 that would be very pleasing to us. At the very least, that throws doubt on the timing of the Secretary of State's decision. Has he indicated to you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, or the Speaker that he wishes to come to the House to make a further statement? If not, could I ask for guidance on how we can ensure that he comes to the House so that Members may question him about the matter and make sure that the House has been told the truth?

§ Mr. Deputy Speaker (Sir Alan Haselhurst)
The short answer to the hon. Lady is that Mr. Speaker has had no such indication of an impending statement. The Chair has no power to require a member of the Government to make a statement to the House. I am sure that the hon. Lady will find other ways of pursuing the matter, which she has now put on the record.

§ Norman Baker (Lewes)
On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Following yesterday's exchange during Prime Minister's Question Time about the allocation of responsibilities and the confusion about referendums, I want to draw to your attention to another confusion and ask for guidance on how to proceed.
416 When I asked how I should pursue a matter relating to a royal issue, the Table Office said that I should pose a question to the Lord Chancellor's Department. I duly did so on 15 April. On 19 April, the answer to my question on its duties in relation to royal issues came back—"None." I then asked the Prime Minister on 22 May which Department had lead responsibility for royal matters, and he answered: In England and Wales, the Lord Chancellor's Department has lead responsibility for these matters."-[Official Report, 22 May 2002; Vol. 386, c. 320W.], Given that it is difficult to pursue that, as no Department is taking responsibility, will you tell me, Mr. Deputy Speaker, how best to take the matter forward and who is responsible? Is it perhaps the Transport Secretary?

§ Mr. Deputy Speaker
As the hon. Gentleman knows, the content of ministerial answers is not a matter for the Chair. In this particular instance, however, the Chair would feel diffident about advising the hon. Gentleman how to pursue matters through parliamentary questions, as he has some form in that respect.

§ Mr. John Smith (Vale of Glamorgan)
On a point of order. Mr. Deputy Speaker. May I seek your guidance on a serious matter affecting my constituency? You may be aware that there was a report this morning of alleged safety breaches at the air traffic control centre in Swanwick. As one of the affected airports—Cardiff—is in my constituency, I have sought assurances. I am afraid that I have to report that there are serious inconsistencies in the information that I have received, with different views given by the Civil Aviation Authority and the Health and Safety Executive, both of which bodies are the responsibility of the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions. In light of the fact that I was unable to catch Mr. Speaker's eye in business questions and that the House is going into recess tomorrow, I believe that that is a matter of great public concern. How can we now best get the Minister with responsibility for aviation to look at it and report to the House?

§ Mr. Deputy Speaker
The hon. Gentleman has stretched the definition of a point of order to get the matter on the record. I recognise that it is of obvious importance, but there are parliamentary means of pursuing such issues, even on an urgent basis, and I leave him to think about that, although he has now put his concern on the record.