Point of Order

Penny Mordaunt Excerpts

Thursday 13th October 2022 Commons Chamber

[Catherine West (Hornsey and Wood Green) (Lab)]

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. This week, the Deputy Prime Minister visited my constituency as part of her ministerial brief. While I appreciate that her office provided me with notice of a visit, it did not provide the required information, and I am desperately sorry that I missed the opening of an NHS facility for which I had been calling for a long time. Could you or the Leader of the House mention guidance so that Ministers know that these are opportunities to celebrate good things about the NHS and not just to mark up a political point? I do not understand how I got left off the invitation list; I am so sad.

[The Leader of the House of Commons (Penny Mordaunt)]

Further to that point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. May I apologise if that was the case? I know that the Deputy Prime Minister in particular is assiduous about such things. I will happily look into what happened. The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is looking at how we ensure that the basic mechanics of Departments are running as they should.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Rosie Winterton)]

First, I thank the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Catherine West) for giving notice of her point of order. I understand she notified the Deputy Prime Minister that she was doing so. That was a very helpful response from the Leader of the House, but I endorse how important it is to have as much information as possible about a visit. I know Mr Speaker is very anxious that hon. and right hon. Members respect each other in that way and that when visits occur, the maximum amount of information is given, but I thank the Leader of the House for that helpful response.