Points of Order

Maria Eagle Excerpts

Thursday 14th July 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

You are correct about the Act; the decision on whether to take evidence on oath is a matter for the Select Committee and therefore it would be for the Committee to do that. On perjury, you are absolutely correct.

[Maria Eagle (Garston and Halewood) (Lab)]

On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. Is it in order for the Secretary of State for Transport to table a written ministerial statement, as he has done today, that says only that an oral statement will be made later the same day? This appears to be a clear attempt to avoid committing to an oral statement on a matter of great importance prior to seeing whether Members of the House apply for and are granted an urgent question. It was only after an urgent question was granted that he agreed to make an oral statement today, thus leaving a written ministerial statement on the Order Paper purposeless and empty of content. Is this not an abuse of the WMS procedure? Surely it cannot be right for Ministers to attempt to manipulate the procedures of the House to attempt to avoid facing it in person in this manner. May we have your guidance please, Mr Deputy Speaker?

[Mr Deputy Speaker]

I am grateful to the hon. Lady for giving me notice of that point of order. I do not believe that there has been any breach of the House rules.