Point of Order

Lord Hanson of Flint Excerpts

Wednesday 19th December 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr David Hanson (Delyn) (Lab)]

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. You have very helpfully held more than an hour’s discussion and questions to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on the local government settlement. However, today’s Order Paper notifies us of only a written statement from the Home Office on the policing settlement. Compounding the fact that hon. Members cannot question Home Office Ministers on the important matters of police cuts, reductions in police officers and other matters, the statement from the Home Office is not released until the end of the statement from the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

I know that these matters are outside your gift, Madam Deputy Speaker, but is it possible for you to examine with the Government whether they can have parity in their treatment of statements, so that we can question the Home Office on serious and damaging police cuts across the country?

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Dawn Primarolo)]

The right hon. Gentleman in fact answered his own point of order when he pointed out that it was outside the gift of the Chair to force the Government to make oral statements. As he will know, it is entirely a matter for the Government how they present information to the House, whether by written or oral statement. He has his point on the record, but I do not think that I can help him any further.

Royal Assent