Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 4:35 pm on 23 March 1993.
Andrew MacKinlay
, Thurrock
4:35,
23 March 1993
On a point of order, Madam Speaker. I wonder whether I could draw your attention to Question 120 on the Order Paper for today. This is a question by the hon. Member for Erith and Crayford (Mr. Evennett) to the Secretary of State for the Environment in connection with the proposed east Thames corridor development. I have been to the Library as recently as five minutes ago, and there was no copy of that reply there, although I understand that members of the press either have the full substantive reply or, certainly, have received a press notice which I have in front of me now, saying that the Secretary of State for the Environment will be announcing "the Government's approach" to the proposals for the east Thames corridor at a press conference at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning at the Department of the Environment.
The point I wish to raise with you, Madam Speaker, is that it seems on the face of it, to say the least, that people outside Parliament are going to be briefed about the Government's proposals for the east Thames corridor before this place is briefed, and that, unusually, a parliamentary reply is not available for hon. Members to see in the Library. Other parliamentary replies which are on today's Order Paper are in the Library.
The press have been told about a press conference tomorrow, and I think that they have probably got a substantive reply. This House is being abused and bypassed by the Secretary of State for the Environment on a major issue affecting hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people along the east Thames corridor in which my Constituency is included.
Can I have your help, Madam Speaker? Is this a matter of privilege? Can you get us—
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