Point of Order

– in the House of Commons at 1:35 pm on 20 July 2005.

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Photo of John Hayes John Hayes Shadow Minister (Transport) 1:35, 20 July 2005

On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Yesterday evening, there was some confusion in the House, and I am sorry to say that it was caused by the Secretary of State for Transport. In relation to the Select Committee being set up to deal with the Crossrail Bill, he may inadvertently have given the House inaccurate information when he said that

"if someone comes along with a petition on something different, such as varying the line of the route, no Government or, indeed, the House, would say that the Select Committee should not consider it."—[Hansard, 19 July 2005; Vol. 436, c. 1129.]

An instruction to a Select Committee of this type is quite explicit, however. The custom of the House is that such a Select Committee can take petitions only from people with a direct or specific interest in the subject. I would therefore ask not that you make a judgment now, which would be unfair, Mr. Deputy Speaker, but that Mr. Speaker makes a considered judgment so that before the matter is taken forward, everyone can be clear about what this Select Committee can or cannot be petitioned on, and what it can or cannot consider.

Photo of Michael Lord Michael Lord Deputy Speaker (Second Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means)

I understand the hon. Gentleman's point of order and it is certainly not a matter on which I could give a decision now. I am sure that the Select Committee will consider the matter in great detail when it starts its deliberations. As regards Mr. Speaker, he will have seen his comments and will no doubt consider them, too.

B

In my opinion, in his summing up, Derek Twigg said an awful lot about this particular point without actually saying anything at all. I think it is deeply worrying that this issue was not clearly...

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