Points of Order

John Robertson Excerpts

Monday 26th November 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Deputy Speaker]

That sounds to me more like a matter of debate than a point of order. The hon. Lady is a senior Member of the House and will know the tools that are available to her to pursue the matter.

[John Robertson (Glasgow North West) (Lab)]

On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. I am speaking on behalf of the shadow Home Office team, in my role as shadow Parliamentary Private Secretary, with regard to the answering of named day questions tabled by my right hon. Friend the Member for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford (Yvette Cooper). Questions 126091, 126092, 126093 and 126106 were tabled at the end of October for answer within two working days. They have still not been answered. Will you, with the help of Mr Speaker, help to get those questions answered so that Her Majesty’s Opposition are able to fulfil their duty to scrutinise the Government?

[Mr Deputy Speaker]

It is unusual for one Member to raise a point of order on behalf of another and I do not wish to encourage the practice. There is nothing to inhibit Front-Bench Members from the official Opposition in making their own points of order. That said, questions for written answer on a named day should receive some kind of answer, preferably a substantive one, on the day that is named, and a full answer should be provided in a reasonable time. If the right hon. Member for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford (Yvette Cooper) cannot get satisfaction by raising the matter with the Minister concerned, she should inform the Procedure Committee of her problems.