Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Leader of the House – in the House of Commons at 10:30 am on 15 October 2009.
I have to say that in the current environment a defence debate is not an empty debate to be holding on a Thursday afternoon. There are vital issues involved, and when the usual channels-the business managers-consider those issues there is never any suggestion of moving defence debates or swapping them round with anything else, which is quite right in the current environment. That is not a fair comment from the hon. Gentleman at all. As I said in response to Philip Davies, the issue is under considerable review-hon. Members are contributing to the discussion and debate-and we are only a few weeks away from having recommendations in a report.