(12 years, 2 months ago)
Commons ChamberOn a point of order, Mr Speaker. Last Thursday, the Secretary of State for Wales attended an event at Airbus in my constituency. He did not have the good grace to advise me of it. I know that he has one of the busiest jobs in government, but do you agree that he should advise Members when he goes on such visits?
Yes. Visits on official business are subject to the requirement of advance disclosure to the Member whose constituency is affected. The busyness of a Minister is not a material factor. Often, these very busy, senior and respected Ministers have a significant number of people available to help them. We will leave it there for today.
(12 years, 9 months ago)
Commons ChamberThe Secretary of State was referring to the right hon. Member for Twickenham. We do not name people in this place.
2. What assessment she has made of the effect of the Budget on the National Assembly for Wales; and if she will make a statement.
(14 years, 2 months ago)
Commons ChamberIs my right hon. Friend aware that the media have reported tonight that, despite the Deputy Prime Minister saying that all Lib Dem Ministers will support the proposals, two of them will not be present for the vote? Apparently, however, it is all right, because they will be paired—
Order. The trouble with that intervention is that it has nothing to do with the allocation of time. The hon. Gentleman has put his point on the record, and he was very cheeky.
(14 years, 3 months ago)
Commons ChamberThat is a matter of debate and not a point of order, as I think the hon. Gentleman well knows. He has placed his concern firmly and fairly on the record.
On a point of order, Mr Speaker. In Prime Minister’s questions, in answer to the hon. Member for Macclesfield (David Rutley), the Prime Minister stated that BAE Systems’ loss of work under the defence review would somehow be offset by the A400M programme, which is in fact an EADS Airbus programme and not a BAE Systems programme, as the Prime Minister seems to think. BAE Systems will have little or no involvement in that programme. Will he come to the House and apologise?
No is the short answer to that. I will say to the hon. Gentleman—I will not call him a persistent offender, but he is certainly persistent—that that is a point of debate and arguably a point of frustration, but I am afraid that it does not constitute a point of order. He has put his views on the record and he may share them with others. If there are no further points of order, we will come now to the ten-minute rule Bill, for which the hon. Gentleman in question has been patiently waiting.