Business of the House

Peter Bone Excerpts

Thursday 24th January 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I am sure that, from now on, questions and answers will relate exclusively to the business of the House for next week and the provisional business for the following week.

[Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con)]

Does the Leader of the House have any views on what will happen in next week’s local government by-elections following the Prime Minister’s speech on Europe? I welcome the fact that my right hon. Friend has granted a debate on Europe so that all the party leaders can make their position quite clear—with the Prime Minister saying we want an in/out referendum, the Leader of the Opposition opposed to it and the Liberal Democrats facing both ways.

[Mr Lansley]

My hon. Friend makes a good point. It seems to me that next week’s business, including as it does a general debate on Europe, affords an excellent opportunity for the Foreign Secretary to set out the Government’s position—and in so doing, he may well refer to the Conservative party’s policies for beyond the next election. That should provide a real opportunity for the Conservatives to maximise the Conservative vote at any by-election.