Points of Order

Tom Brake Excerpts

Monday 15th November 2010 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

The short answer to the hon. Gentleman is that that is not a matter for today. More fully, I think I know him well enough to know that he is unlikely to rest content with what I suppose he would judge to be a holding response. I have just a smidgen of a suspicion that it is a matter to which he will return on other occasions, and if he does, so will I. I hope that is helpful.

[Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington) (LD)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I apologise for not giving you advance notice of this. At the end of last week, some visitors came to visit me in Portcullis House and as part of the security process, their papers—the documents that they had brought with them—were scrutinised. To your knowledge, is this standard practice? Is it something that you would expect to happen when visitors come to the House of Commons?

[Mr Speaker]

I do not wish to be unkind or unhelpful to the hon. Gentleman, but the stock answer to such questions or attempted points of order is that we do not discuss security matters on the Floor of the House. However, if he wishes to pursue the matter with me in other ways, of course I am open to hearing from him and I will do my best to provide satisfaction.