John Bercow
Main Page: John Bercow (Speaker - Buckingham)
Kate Green (Stretford and Urmston) (Lab)
On a point of order, Mr Speaker. As you know, we had the first ever topical questions session in Women and Equalities orals this morning. I warmly welcome that, and I want to put on record my thanks to the Leader of the House and to the Minister for Women and Equalities for supporting their introduction. Unfortunately, we had a few teething problems with the new arrangements that meant that I was unable to raise the topical—indeed, imminent—issue of the importance of the impending European Union referendum for women. Given the alarming suggestion by the Employment Minister that we could scrap half of what she called
“the burdens of…employment legislation”—
like maternity leave and part-time workers’ rights—by leaving the European Union, may I ask you, Mr Speaker, whether she has indicated to you her intention to come to the House to make a statement about her intentions?
Mr Speaker
I have received no such indication at all, but I hope that the hon. Lady is satisfied that she has put her point on the record, which I think was her principal—indeed, perhaps her only—concern. If there are no further points of order—I sincerely hope there are not, because there should not be, and therefore there cannot be, and therefore there will not be—we come to the business question.