Points of Order

John Bercow Excerpts

Thursday 27th January 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Brian H. Donohoe (Central Ayrshire) (Lab)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. In an answer by the Leader of the House about employment tribunals, he said that all would be revealed next week. I have asked questions of the Ministry of Justice to elicit information about the number of people who have been unfairly dismissed with between one and two years’ service and have gone to a tribunal. I was told that the answer could not be given without disproportionate cost. Surely that is wrong if we are to debate that subject?

[Mr Speaker]

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his point of order, which of course requires a ministerial reply. I do not know whether he was seeking to elicit something from the Leader of the House, who is welcome to comment, but under no obligation to do so.

[The Leader of the House of Commons (Sir George Young)]

I will pursue this matter with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Justice, but it has always been the practice that where an answer would require disproportionate resources, an answer is not provided.

[Thomas Docherty (Dunfermline and West Fife) (Lab)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

The morning would not be complete without a point of order from the hon. Member for Dunfermline and West Fife (Thomas Docherty).

[Thomas Docherty]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Further to business questions earlier—obviously, we have not yet had a chance to see the official record—I think that I am right in saying that the Leader of the House appeared to indicate that you, Mr Speaker, had some discretion on whether the Member for Belfast West (Mr Adams) had resigned his seat by his new appointment. There clearly continues to be dissatisfaction with the whole process. What options are available to Members of the House to have a proper and thorough discussion of the whole sorry affair?

[Mr Speaker]

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his point of order. All I want and need to say is that the notification of the disqualification of a Member appears on page 641 of yesterday’s Votes and Proceedings. I have nothing further to add to my ruling yesterday, and there are no procedural issues within my discretion on which I can rule. Doubtless, these matters will continue to be discussed, but there are no issues to be decided now.

[Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East) (Con)]

Further to that point of order, Mr Speaker. Is there any way in which I can, within the rules of order, place on the record my appreciation of the fact that Gerry Adams might not have wanted to accept the authority of the Crown when entering Parliament, but evidently has had to accept its authority in order to leave Parliament?

[Mr Speaker]

The short answer is no, but the hon. Gentleman has done so anyway.