Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 5:33 pm on 8 October 2007.
Peter Bottomley
Conservative, Worthing West
5:33,
8 October 2007
On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. You will notice that on page 2828 of the Order of Business for today, there are a number of written Ministerial Statements. No. 14 concerns recruitment to medical training. The House will probably know that Sir John Tooke's report was released at midday today. I understand why no copies are available; I am not sure that he has had a printed copy yet. However, given that this report into what might gently be called the chaos of what happened in the summer also includes, as appendix 9, the Douglas review's final report, which was not provided to the House in July, would it be possible to invite the Secretary of State for Health to consider making a statement tomorrow, as well as a written statement today, when the Tooke report is available, so that hon. Members can question him on what happened under the previous Secretary of State? This is an important issue, but the report is not available today for us to read.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
Ministerial statements are made after questions and urgent questions, before the main business of the day. A minister speaks on behalf of the government to present its views to Parliament. Statements can be on any subject ranging from a new policy announcement to an important national or international event or crisis.
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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.
