Clause 111 - Information concerning directions under section 110
Education Bill
6:45 pm
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury, Conservative)
On a point of order, Mr. Pike. The Government Whip seeks to place on the record an impression that is simply not true. I received a letter yesterday, and I daresay that the Liberal Democrat spokesman or Whip received something similar. It should be stated that it did not confirm the intention to go on past 7 pm. After receiving the letter, I instigated a telephone conversation in which I made it perfectly clear that the official Opposition declined the proposal, because the Government Whip would not consider or make any effort to meet our concerns. Normally, a deal requires interest by both parties in removing or shifting the knives. The knives are causing distortion in the debate, and are preventing us from holding the Government to account for a Bill that they seek to put through the Committee with the claim that it has had democratic scrutiny. On that basis, it is a failure of the process.