Identity Cards

Delegated Legislation – in the House of Commons at 9:50 pm on 6 July 2009.

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That the draft Identity Cards Act 2006 (Fees) Regulations 2009, which were laid before this House on 6 May, be approved. —(Mark Tami.)

The Speaker's opinion as to the decision of the Question being challenged, the D ivision was deferred until Wednesday 8 July (Standing Order No. 41A).

Photo of Peter Bone Peter Bone Conservative, Wellingborough

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. As you will know, it is very difficult to be successful in the ballot for questions. I was delighted that I came up in the ballot for questions to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government but, to my horror, I received notification this morning that my question had been bumped from tomorrow's Order Paper and made into a written question to the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families. Exactly the same thing happened to my hon. Friend Miss Kirkbride. I know, Sir, that the Ashes are coming up and cricket is on everyone's mind, so is it not fair to suggest that, similar to what happens under the LBW rule, the benefit of the doubt should be given to a Back-Bench Member who is asking a question, rather than to the Executive who are trying to bump a question? I would be very grateful for any ruling that you could make on this matter.

Photo of John Bercow John Bercow Chair, Members Estimate Committee, Speaker of the House of Commons, Chair, Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, Speaker of the House of Commons, Chair, Members Estimate Committee, Chair, Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission

I am very grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his point of order and, more particularly, for giving me advance notice of it. What I say to him is that I, in common with my predecessors, strongly deprecate the notion of late unstarring of oral questions. I hope that that point is heard very clearly by those on the Government Front Bench. The hon. Gentleman will understand that, despite his brief description of the position, I am not closely familiar with the details of his particular case, or that of Miss Kirkbride, but what I can and should fairly say to him and to the House is that I will indeed look into the matter.