Oral Answers to Questions

Peter Bone Excerpts

Tuesday 15th October 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call Harriet Baldwin. Not here.

[Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con)]

Could the Deputy Prime Minister let us have the Government’s view on having televised party leader debates before the next general election? Will he ensure that the fourth party is allowed to take part in the debate so that he would be able to speak? [Interruption.]

[The Deputy Prime Minister]

It is the sting in the tail that I always love. The hon. Gentleman must rehearse his questions endlessly—but they are good; it was a good one today. As he knows, that is not a subject, thankfully perhaps, of Government policy. It is a subject for discussion between the broadcasters, who will have their own views, and the political parties. He should speak to his own party leader about his party’s view on these things. I think that the innovation of televised leader debates was a good one. Millions of people found it a good opportunity to see how the party leaders measured up against each other and I think that we should repeat them.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Solicitor-General]

I have not had such a discussion, but if the hon. Gentleman would like to talk to me about the issue, I would be happy to do so.

[Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con)]

Will the Solicitor-General press the Home Secretary to consider this matter in drafting the modern-day slavery Bill?

[The Solicitor-General]

The details of the Bill will be published in draft, so my hon. Friend will have an opportunity to contribute at that point. I pay tribute to the work that he does with the all-party group on human trafficking.