Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Leader of the House

Oral Answers to Questions

Greg Knight Excerpts
Thursday 28th April 2011

(13 years, 7 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Young of Cookham Portrait Sir George Young
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I recall the sanctions that my hon. Friend mentioned in his speech of 20 July: one was to string Ministers up from the roof and the other was to put them in stocks in Parliament square. I think even the Whips would agree that that was going slightly over the top. The Government’s view is that there are enough sanctions at the moment. A Minister can be summoned to the House in response to an urgent question; he can be grilled by a departmental Select Committee; and, under the arrangements we have just introduced, the Backbench Business Committee can table a motion for debate, including a motion deploring a Minister’s behaviour. Our view is that enough sanctions are already available.

Greg Knight Portrait Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire) (Con)
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May I remind my right hon. Friend that the circumstances surrounding the preparation of this report were rather unusual in that it was, in effect, commissioned by the House, following a debate and a motion before the Chamber, which he supported? One does expect the Government to be accommodating on this matter. In an attempt to move this issue forward, may I invite him to return to the Procedure Committee for further discussions—hopefully sooner rather than later?

Lord Young of Cookham Portrait Sir George Young
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I would be delighted to respond to my right hon. Friend’s invitation and attend his Committee at the earliest possible convenience.