Prayers – in the House of Commons at 9:35 am on 17 May 1991.
Dennis Skinner
Member, Labour Party National Executive Committee
9:35,
17 May 1991
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. The Chancellor of the exchequer yesterday treated the unemployed with contempt by uttering a slur against them and telling them that it was necessary for them to be thrown on the scrap heap, creating a pile of human misery, in order to carry out the Government's policies. Has the right hon. Gentleman approached you with a view to making an apology in the House to the unemployed? Because he attacked them in so severe a fashion yesterday, he should before this day is out do his duty and come here to apologise to the unemployed.
Mr Bernard Weatherill
, Croydon North East
I have had no such intimation. Indeed, I do not recollect that speech. Was it made here?
Simon Hughes
Opposition Deputy Chief Whip (Commons), Shadow Spokesperson (Education)
Further to a point of order that was made yesterday, Mr. Speaker. You will recall that last night, after 10 o'clock, the Government moved that the Planning and Compensation Bill [Lords] debate be adjourned, and when you asked what day it would be resumed, the reply was, "tomorrow".
That measure appears not to feature on today's Order Paper. I wonder, first, whether that is proper—that having said that it would be on today, it is not down for debate today—and, secondly, whether we can take the inference from that that, like the General Election, it has been postponed indefinitely.
Mr Bernard Weatherill
, Croydon North East
I explained last night—the hon. Member has been here long enough to appreciate this—that "tomorrow" was a kind of code for any day. In any event, the Bill appears as item 43 on page 3213 of the Order Paper today, where it says "to be considered."
The chancellor of the exchequer is the government's chief financial minister and as such is responsible for raising government revenue through taxation or borrowing and for controlling overall government spending.
The chancellor's plans for the economy are delivered to the House of Commons every year in the Budget speech.
The chancellor is the most senior figure at the Treasury, even though the prime minister holds an additional title of 'First Lord of the Treasury'. He normally resides at Number 11 Downing Street.
The Speaker is an MP who has been elected to act as Chairman during debates in the House of Commons. He or she is responsible for ensuring that the rules laid down by the House for the carrying out of its business are observed. It is the Speaker who calls MPs to speak, and maintains order in the House. He or she acts as the House's representative in its relations with outside bodies and the other elements of Parliament such as the Lords and the Monarch. The Speaker is also responsible for protecting the interests of minorities in the House. He or she must ensure that the holders of an opinion, however unpopular, are allowed to put across their view without undue obstruction. It is also the Speaker who reprimands, on behalf of the House, an MP brought to the Bar of the House. In the case of disobedience the Speaker can 'name' an MP which results in their suspension from the House for a period. The Speaker must be impartial in all matters. He or she is elected by MPs in the House of Commons but then ceases to be involved in party politics. All sides in the House rely on the Speaker's disinterest. Even after retirement a former Speaker will not take part in political issues. Taking on the office means losing close contact with old colleagues and keeping apart from all groups and interests, even avoiding using the House of Commons dining rooms or bars. The Speaker continues as a Member of Parliament dealing with constituent's letters and problems. By tradition other candidates from the major parties do not contest the Speaker's seat at a General Election. The Speakership dates back to 1377 when Sir Thomas Hungerford was appointed to the role. The title Speaker comes from the fact that the Speaker was the official spokesman of the House of Commons to the Monarch. In the early years of the office, several Speakers suffered violent deaths when they presented unwelcome news to the King. Further information can be obtained from factsheet M2 on the UK Parliament website.
The order paper is issued daily and lists the business which will be dealt with during that day's sitting of the House of Commons.
It provides MPs with details of what will be happening in the House throughout the day.
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Written questions tabled to ministers by MPs on the previous day are listed at the back of the order paper.
The order paper forms one section of the daily vote bundle and is issued by the Vote Office
In a general election, each constituency chooses an MP to represent it by process of election. The party who wins the most seats in parliament is in power, with its leader becoming Prime Minister and its Ministers/Shadow Ministers making up the new Cabinet. If no party has a majority, this is known as a hung Parliament. The next general election will take place on or before 3rd June 2010.
