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Regulation Harmonisation Committee

Part of Orders of the Day — Private Security Industry Bill [Lords] – in the House of Commons at 4:45 pm on 8 May 2001.

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Photo of Charles Clarke Charles Clarke Minister of State, Home Office 4:45, 8 May 2001

I was glad that the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) referred to the definition provided by the right hon. Member for Kensington and Chelsea (Mr. Portillo) of equality of esteem. I am certain that, after the General Election, there will be a debate on that subject in the Conservative party, between the right hon. Member for Kensington and Chelsea, the right hon. Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Hague)—the current Leader of the Opposition—and the right hon. Member for Maidstone and The Weald (Miss Widdecombe), as they appeal for the ideological support of various bits of their party. I think that the hon. Member for Buckingham is on the fence with regard to those various attractive propositions.

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