Points of Order

John Bercow Excerpts

Wednesday 12th October 2011 Commons Chamber

[John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington) (Lab)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Last week, the BBC announced 2,000 job cuts. That is a direct result of the licence fee imposed on it by the Government. We were expecting some form of ministerial statement on the subject—at least a written one, if not an oral one. Have you had any indication from the Government that a Minister will come before the House to give some form of statement on the subject?

[Mr Speaker]

I have not, but I have a feeling that the hon. Gentleman will, very properly, return to the matter, possibly at business questions tomorrow, but if not, in another way, and pretty soon.

[Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire) (Lab)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Yesterday at the Health Committee, in response to a question of mine, the Secretary of State told us:

“I’m not aware—my colleagues may be—where trusts are seeking to manage their costs by downgrading of existing staff. If you are aware of that, please, by all means, tell us but I’m not aware of it.”

Today a statement has been issued by Janet Davies, executive director of nursing at the Royal College of Nursing, which says that

“the Royal College of Nursing has raised the issue of downbanding with the Secretary of State on a number of occasions, alongside other concerns such as recruitment freezes and redundancies in the NHS.”

Mr Speaker, have you had any indication that a written statement, or perhaps a formal apology, will be forthcoming from the Secretary of State?

[Mr Speaker]

The short answer is that I am aware of neither, but I am grateful to the hon. Lady for her point of order and advance notice of her intention to raise it. The issue, in so far as we are talking about appearances before a Committee, is a matter for the Committee rather than the Chair, unless and until the Committee draws the matter to the attention of the House. Meanwhile, the hon. Lady has registered her concerns forcefully on the record.