Delegated Legislation
Debate between Rosie Winterton and Tom Brake(5 years, 6 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text
Madam Deputy Speaker
I take the hon. Gentleman’s point. I was merely saying what the options were, and the option does remain for a statement to be made if the Adjournment went on until 7 o’clock.
Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington) (LD)
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. You helpfully clarified that the Adjournment could continue until 7 o’clock tonight, should the Government wish to come and make a statement. It may be that not everyone present has prepared a speech that is relevant to the Adjournment debate on police employer pension contributions that will take place, so would you allow some leniency, scope and flexibility in the contributions that Members might wish to make to that debate?
Madam Deputy Speaker
Members can speak, but they have to speak to the subject of the debate. Their remarks must obviously be related to police employer pension contributions.
Point of Order
Debate between Rosie Winterton and Tom Brake
Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington) (LD)
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I just want to ensure that the record of the House is correct in relation to last week’s debate on the Haulage Permits and Trailer Registration Bill. During that debate, I referred to an incident, as reported in column 840 of Hansard:
“Many people will remember what happened a couple of years ago when a huge tailback occurred at Dover. Apparently, it was triggered by two French police officers based in Dover not turning up for their shift, and that led to a 15-mile tailback.”
I was subsequently intervened on a couple of times by the hon. Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough (Andrew Jones), who, in his second intervention, said:
“The causes were very clear… The right hon. Gentleman”—
that is, me—
“is just plain wrong.”—[Official Report, 26 June 2018; Vol. 643, c. 840-842.]
I went back to the port of Dover to confirm that the incident that I referred to was indeed caused by an absence of French police officers, or a small number of French police officers being present. The hon. Gentleman may have suggested, perhaps inadvertently, that I was “plain wrong” in describing that incident, but the port of Dover has confirmed that I was plain right in the way that I described it.
Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Rosie Winterton)
I thank the right hon. Gentleman for giving me notice of this matter. He has put his views very clearly on the record. Of course, if the hon. Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough (Andrew Jones) feels that he has been inaccurate, it is open to him to correct the record. I suspect that there may be a difference of opinion—Members often do have different points of view—but, as I say, the right hon. Gentleman has put his views on the record.
Madam Deputy Speaker
As I suspected, there is a difference of opinion here. No doubt, these discussions will continue, but I think that both the right hon. Gentlemen and the hon. Gentleman have put their points of view on the record, so the best thing for us to do—
Madam Deputy Speaker
I do not think there is anything more to be said on this matter at this stage, and I would now like to move on.
Points of Order
Debate between Rosie Winterton and Tom Brake
Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington) (LD)
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. In a parliamentary written answer on 12 January 2018 the Minister for the Armed Forces stated:
“The UK will remain completely committed to European defence and security after we leave the European Union”,
yet 48 hours ago it was announced that the UK is withdrawing from providing the battle group in 2019. Is there a way in which I can hold the Government to account on what appears to be a substantial policy change, which has not been announced in this place but has in fact been announced as a result of a leak to a newspaper?
Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Rosie Winterton)
I thank the right hon. Gentleman for giving me notice that he planned to raise this matter, and I know that he has been vigorous in pursuing the issue through parliamentary questions. As he knows, there are many other routes that he can pursue, including, I am sure, forthcoming Government statements on, for example, the European Council, but his concern will have been heard on the Treasury Bench and I am sure it will be taken back to the Department concerned.