Point of Order

Judith Cummins Excerpts

Thursday 11th June 2026 Commons Chamber

[Dr Al Pinkerton (Surrey Heath) (LD)]

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. As you and Members across the House know, there has been widespread speculation in the press and this House over the last 24 to 48 hours that either the Prime Minister or the Secretary of State for Defence will announce the defence investment plan in whole or large part tomorrow, on a non-sitting day and in a non-parliamentary location. I wonder whether you can advise the House on the correct protocols for announcing such nationally consequential measures. What should our expectations as Members of this House be, and is there anything that we can do to compel the Government to make nationally significant announcements here in the House, where democratic scrutiny can immediately follow?

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Judith Cummins)]

I thank the hon. Member for giving notice of his point of order. Mr Speaker has made his views on this matter very clear. The defence investment plan is a matter of great interest to Members across the House. The Government’s own ministerial code makes it clear that important policy announcements should be made in the first instance to this House when it is sitting. If that does not happen, I am sure that Mr Speaker would look favourably on any request from Members to raise the matter with Ministers at the earliest opportunity in the House.