Points of Order

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 3:33 pm on 18 November 2008.

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Photo of Julian Lewis Julian Lewis Shadow Minister (Defence) 3:33, 18 November 2008

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I believe you are aware of a letter that I recently received from Westminster city council saying that despite your robust statement on 28 October about the unauthorised and illegal protest noise in Parliament square, there are no plans to prosecute, because, as the council puts it,

"the Courts would be unlikely to impose a penalty much beyond a nominal fine".

Would you care to inform us whether the Government have responded to your request to be consulted about the matter? If they have not, when they consult you, will you draw to their attention the recent report that Westminster city council has ordered Debenhams to stop playing Christmas carols outside its window display, because, the council says,

"it will cause noise pollution"?

Mr. John Wilkinson, the council's noise team manager said:

"We don't think it's fair for hundreds of thousands of daily visitors to be bombarded by loud music in the street as they walk past shops."

Perhaps we should advise Debenhams to intersperse its carols with terms of abuse towards politicians and our armed forces, in order to be allowed to play them.