Points of Order

Pauline Latham Excerpts

Monday 9th November 2015 Commons Chamber

[Pauline Latham (Mid Derbyshire) (Con)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I may be wrong, but I am not aware of any Member of Parliament in this place who is transgender. I have no problem with that, but we have many women who came into the House at this election, and we do not have sufficient toilets in this place for female Members of Parliament. May I ask you to look very carefully at this and make sure that we have sufficient toilets for women, before we look at those for people who are not even here yet?

[Mr Speaker]

I thank the hon. Lady for her point of order and, indeed, for her courtesy in giving me advance notice of it. I mentioned a moment ago that I thought it was important that our proceedings and procedures should be intelligible. It might therefore be helpful if I explain what I think is the context of and the background to the inquiry by the hon. Lady—reports in the media about work that is being done by Professor Sarah Childs on steps that can be taken to make our Parliament a more gender-sensitive Parliament.

It is absolutely true that such work is being done. There are various dimensions to the work, and one part of it is looking at toilet facilities. If memory serves me correctly, that is the only reference to the issue in terms of sensitivity—nothing beyond that—but the scope is there for Professor Childs, supported by others, to look across the piece and come to a view as to what would be good for the House as a whole. I think it is right that we do not jump the gun, but let her do that work in the very studious and serious-minded way that somebody of her intelligence and background would do. I think she will be alerted to the very proper point of order that the hon. Lady has raised.

May I say to the hon. Lady that if she would like either to contact Professor Childs herself or to write to the House of Commons Commission or the Administration Committee, the very important point she has made will be taken fully on board? I do not want to get into the situation at this stage of prioritising this over that; let us look at it all, including her important point.