Points of Order
Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Gregory Stafford
Gregory Stafford (Farnham and Bordon) (Con)
On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I seek your guidance on a long-established convention of this House that Members notify other Members when they intend to visit another Member’s constituency in an official or political capacity. Over the weekend, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, the right hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Ed Davey), together with two of his parliamentary colleagues and a Member from the Labour party, undertook engagements in the Farnham and Tilford parts of my constituency. No notification of any of these visits was received by my office. Given that the leader of the Liberal Democrats is frequently vocal on questions of standards, rules and propriety in public life, could you advise me on whether it is consistent with the expectations of this House that such a convention appears not to have been observed on this occasion, and in light of the fact that this concern relates directly to Members across the House—
Mr Speaker
Order. Do not overstretch your point of order. You want a good answer, not a bad one.
I reiterate once again that I do not care whether you are the leader of a party, the Prime Minister, a Back Bencher, or even a possible future Prime Minister; whoever you are, you must observe the due courtesies and let the Member concerned know, unless you are on private business. The courtesies of the House must be upheld. I do not care who you are—do that. We wanted a new beginning; this is a bad start. I am sure that the leader of the Liberal Democrats is already sending a letter to the hon. Member for Farnham and Bordon (Gregory Stafford), or it might be stuck in the computer somewhere. I am not going to make that judgment call.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Gregory Stafford(1 month, 2 weeks ago)
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Gregory Stafford
Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister said that he did not have the information to hand but did not indicate whether he was going to let me know what the answer was when he did have that information to hand. If the Chief Secretary does not provide me with a written answer to that question, what opportunities do I have in this House to get him to answer it?
Mr Speaker
I think we are trying to prolong an argument that you have already had. I do not think we need to worry, because I know you have the ability and certainly the time to pursue it in every manner possible.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor
Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Gregory Stafford(3 months, 2 weeks ago)
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Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Gregory Stafford(3 months, 2 weeks ago)
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Mr Speaker
Order. I have spoken before about trying to drag in a supplementary question that is not relevant to the main question. I call the shadow Minister and welcome him to the Dispatch Box for the first time.
Gregory Stafford (Farnham and Bordon) (Con)
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
Seven months ago, the NHS 10-year plan promised a maternity taskforce. May I ask the Minister how many times it has met?
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Gregory Stafford(1 year, 6 months ago)
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Gregory Stafford (Farnham and Bordon) (Con)
Point of Order
Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Gregory Stafford
Gregory Stafford (Farnham and Bordon) (Con)
On a point of order, Mr Speaker. On 29 July, during a statement on public spending and inheritance, in response to my question about the effect that the scrapping of a new hospitals programme will have on Frimley Park hospital, which serves the northern part of my constituency, the Chancellor of the Exchequer responded:
“My right hon. Friend the Health Secretary will meet all those with affected hospitals—including those affected by RAAC—to ensure that we can as quickly as possible address the challenges”.—[Official Report, 29 July 2024; Vol. 752, c. 1065.]
Since then, I have had no contact from either the Health Secretary or the Chancellor. I seek your guidance, Mr Speaker, on how I can secure that meeting, and whether you have any advice for Ministers when making promises in this House on behalf of their colleagues?
Mr Speaker
I assure the hon. Member that I have absolutely no responsibility for Ministers, and neither would I want to have it. The message has gone out loudly. He has put it on the record, and I am sure that it has been noted by those on the Treasury Bench. If things do not happen, I say to the hon. Member—whose brother would, I am sure, also give him some good advice—that he can go to the Table Office. Many options are open to him to pursue the matter, but I am sure that the message has been heard.