It is my privilege to present the petition of Captain Burnett and other constituents from North East-Milton Keynes. The residents of North-East Milton Keynes are understandably incensed at the exponential increase in council tax over recent years, which has taken no cognisance of their ability to pay.

To lie upon the Table.

I am delighted to present a petition supported by thousands of my constituents, which was organised by Mr. Bustard of West Parley. It condemns the use of council tax as a stealth-wealth tax by this Government.

The petition

Declares that the year-on-year, inflation-busting increases in Council Tax are causing hardship to many and take no account of ability to pay; further that the proposed property revaluation and re-banding exercise will make an already flawed system even worse.

The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons votes to replace Council Tax with a fair and equitable tax that, without recourse to any supplementary benefit, takes into account ability to pay from disposable income. Such tax to be based on a system that is free from any geographical or politically motivated discrimination, and that clearly identifies the fiscal and managerial responsibilities of all involved parties.

And the Petitioners remain, etc.

To lie upon the Table.

I, too, wish to present a petition on council tax with signatures collected across North Cornwall:

The Petition of the Isitfair Council Tax protest campaign

Declares that the year-on-year, inflation-busting increases in Council Tax are causing hardship to many and take no account of ability to pay: further that the proposed property revaluation and re-banding exercise will make an already flawed system even worse.

The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons votes to replace Council Tax with a fair and equitable tax that, without recourse to any supplementary benefit, takes into account ability to pay from disposable income, such tax to be based on a system that is free from any geographically or politically motivated discrimination, and that clearly identifies the fiscal and managerial responsibilities of all involved parties.

And the Petitioners remain, etc.

To lie upon the Table.

Coincidentally, I wish to present a remarkably similar petition on council tax on behalf of 156 constituents in Worthing and the surrounding area. They declare:

The Petition of the Isitfair Council Tax protest campaign

Declares that the year-on-year, inflation-busting increases in Council Tax are causing hardship to many and take no account of ability to pay: further that the proposed property revaluation and re-banding exercise will make an already flawed system even worse.

The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons votes to replace Council Tax with a fair and equitable tax that, without recourse to any supplementary benefit, takes into account ability to pay from disposable income, such tax to be based on a system that is free from any geographically or politically motivated discrimination, and that clearly identifies the fiscal and managerial responsibilities of all involved parties.

And the Petitioners remain, etc.

To lie upon the Table.

On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I should like to raise the Hansard report of an exchange yesterday between Paul Holmes and the Secretary of State for Education and Skills. At column 184, the right hon. Lady told the hon. Member for Chesterfield, who had asked about looked-after children, that

"all schools will have to look at those children first".—[Hansard, 25 October 2005; Vol. 438, c. 184.]

Hansard then reported "Interruption", to which the right hon. Lady replied, "Yes." In fact, the hon. Member for Chesterfield, who is in the Chamber tonight, asked whether that would be a statutory requirement. He said, "Statutory?"

That is significant, because earlier today the Leader of the House, standing in for the Prime Minister, told Kerry McCarthy that

"the school adjudicator is charged with ensuring that admissions policies are in line with the code. That will continue to be the position under the proposals announced yesterday".

Under the code, however, schools are required to have regard to the statutory code of practice on admissions. I wish to put on the record the fact that in reply to the word "Statutory?" the Secretary of State for Education and Skills said, "Yes." Today, however, the Leader of the House said something entirely different.

Order. That is not strictly a point of order for the Chair, but the hon. Gentleman has managed to put on record his point about a possible discrepancy, which can now be pursued in other ways with which he is familiar.