HC Deb 21 May 2003 vol 405 c1015 12.31 pm
Mr. Julian Brazier (Canterbury)

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I would be grateful if you could inform me how best to set the record straight, because the House appears to have been inadvertently misled. The Prime Minister said that the new applicants for work orders were all being individually vetted for their specialist skills, but that does not accord with the answers given to me by the Department over the past few weeks. Many are completely unskilled.

Mr. Speaker

We do not need to prolong Prime Minister's Question Time.

Mr. Oliver Heald (North-East Hertfordshire)

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. As recorded in column 58 of Hansard on 28 January, the then Minister for Pensions, the right hon. Member for Makerfield (Mr. McCartney), assured the House that there would be a full debate on the pensions Green Paper, but we have not had it. Ahead of tomorrow's business statement, could you, Mr. Speaker, make inquiries as to whether the reason for the hold-up is the fact that there has been no Pensions Minister since 4 April, seven weeks ago? If so, is not that a bad reason for holding up an important debate on pensions in this place?

Mr. Speaker

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman might try to catch my eye at business questions. That would be the right occasion.