– in the House of Commons at 2:09 pm on 19 July 2007.
David Wilshire
Conservative, Spelthorne
2:09,
19 July 2007
On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I am pleased to see the Leader of the House in her place, and I hope that she is there to respond to the issue that I am about to draw to the House's attention.
During business questions earlier this afternoon, I drew the attention of the Leader of the House to early-day motion 1952, which relates to the leadership of the UK delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. I pointed out that Mr. Prescott was not going to be a shoo-in, as there will be an election for the position, taking place next week. Given that the Council of Europe is all about democracy, I sought the assurance of the Leader of the House that a democratic election would involve every member of the delegation having a vote for its leadership. The answer I received was: yes, that is what would happen.
It is now clear that that answer was factually incorrect. I readily accept that the misleading of this House was totally unintentional. Nevertheless, that answer was wrong, because it is absolutely clear that only Labour members will be able to vote. We will therefore end up with a leader of an all-party delegation chosen on the basis that some of us are disfranchised. I hope that the Leader of the House now wants to correct her mistake and then explain why some of us are effectively second-class members, denied the right to say who will be our leader.
Michael Lord
Deputy Speaker (Second Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means)
The Leader of the House is present. Does she wish to respond?
Harriet Harman
The Leader of the House of Commons , Member, Labour Party National Executive Committee, Party Chair, Labour Party, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
Further to that point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I thank Mr. Wilshire for raising this point of order and providing me with an opportunity to clarify the position. I can reassure him that we have not changed the procedure in any way, as it remains the case that the leadership of the UK delegation to the Council of Europe is a matter for the Prime Minister.
David Wilshire
Conservative, Spelthorne
Further to that point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker—
Michael Lord
Deputy Speaker (Second Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means)
Order. We must leave it there. If the hon. Gentleman wants to pursue the matter further, he will have to—
David Wilshire
Conservative, Spelthorne
I simply wanted to—
Michael Lord
Deputy Speaker (Second Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means)
Order. No, the Leader of the House has responded to the point of order. If the hon. Gentleman wishes to pursue the matter further, he should consider choosing other channels to do so.
David Wilshire
Conservative, Spelthorne
On a different point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Would it be a different point of order if I were to thank the Leader of the House for being so prompt in correcting her mistake?
Michael Lord
Deputy Speaker (Second Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means)
I am more than content to accept that point of order. Perhaps we can now move on to the next business.
Of a female MP, sitting on her regular seat in the House. For males, "in his place".
An international organisation of member states (45 at the time of writing) in the European region; not to be confused with the Council of the European Union, nor the European Council.
Founded on 5 May, 1949 by the Treaty of London, and currently seated in Strasbourg, membership is open to all European states which accept the princple of the rule of law and guarantee fundamental human rights and freedoms to their citizens. In 1950, this body created the European Convention on Human Rights, which laid out the foundation principles and basis on which the European Court of Human Rights stands.
Today, its primary activities include charters on a range of human rights, legal affairs, social cohesion policies, and focused working groups and charters on violence, democracy, and a range of other areas.
The Deputy speaker is in charge of proceedings of the House of Commons in the absence of the Speaker.
The deputy speaker's formal title is Chairman of Ways and Means, one of whose functions is to preside over the House of Commons when it is in a Committee of the Whole House.
The deputy speaker also presides over the Budget.
