§ Lord DenhamMy Lords, it may be for the convenience of your Lordships if I announce that the Report stage of the Prosecution of Offences Bill will be adjourned at approximately 7 p.m. for a short period, and that during this adjournment the Redundancy Payments (Variation of Rebates) Order 1985 will be taken.
§ Lord Hatch of LusbyMy Lords, as the noble Lord the Government Chief Whip is making a statement on Business, may I ask him a question? Two days ago, in response to the Statement repeated by the noble and 311 learned Lord on the Woolsack, I was told by the noble Viscount the Leader of the House that the correct way of pursuing the important issue of the deception of Parliament by Ministers revealed by the Ponting trial was through the usual channels. Can the noble Lord the Government Chief Whip tell the House whether the Government are prepared to devote any of their time to a Motion which can debate this matter, which is so important to both the public and Parliament?
§ The Lord President of the Council (Viscount Whitelaw)My Lords, I think it is fair to say that I suggested to the noble Lord at that time that there were channels open to him to raise this matter, if he so sought to do; and I suggested that Question Time—when we were discussing this—was not one of them. I stand by that position. There is no question of the Government offering time.