John Bercow
Main Page: John Bercow (Speaker - Buckingham)
Thomas Docherty (Dunfermline and West Fife) (Lab)
On a point of order, Mr Speaker. This afternoon we saw bizarre scenes where the Secretary of State did not have information in front of him about the future of Territorial Army bases. You will recall that I inquired about the future of Dunfermline TA, which was listed for closure. The Secretary of State confirmed that that TA was closing and that they would have to travel to an adjoining community. I have, late today, received a letter from the Minister for the Armed Forces, the right hon. Member for South Leicestershire (Mr Robathan), saying that what will actually happen is that they will cross a road. Given that this has caused huge distress today in Dunfermline, is there anything you can do to encourage the Ministry of Defence to get its stories accurate and straight, and to encourage Ministers to come back to the House at the earliest opportunity to clear up this whole sorry mess?
Mr Speaker
The responsibility for clarity of statement rests with every Member of the House. Obviously, where a ministerial statement is concerned, one would hope that it would be both accurate and clear. It is not for me to require a Minister to return to the House on this specific matter. However, the hon. Gentleman, through his point of order, has drawn attention to the factual situation, which I rather imagine he will communicate externally. Whether he wishes to communicate with others, including those in the Ministry of Defence, in the hope that they will wish to communicate with organs of journalistic expression I know not, but the hon. Gentleman is doing his best to advance his case.
Thomas Docherty
Further to that point of order, Mr Speaker. You will also recall that the Secretary of State undertook to write to both you and me about the Kilmarnock confusion today. I have checked the letter board and my e-mails, and I have had no such communication. I do not know whether you have received any communication, but the Scottish media have been briefed on the situation. I am curious to know whether the Secretary of State bothered to contact you, as he undertook to do so today.
Mr Speaker
I have not been contacted by the Secretary of State in the course of the afternoon. What I would like to say to the hon. Gentleman is that I stand by the remarks that I made, and which I think were echoed by others in respect of the handling of this matter today. It was clearly very unsatisfactory. If the hon. Gentleman is in his place tomorrow at business questions, and if his senior and responsible position in the team does not preclude him from participation in business questions, he may find that there are words uttered that will assuage even his very considerably wounded feelings on this matter. I think we will leave it there for now.