On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I noted that in answer to Emily Thornberry, the Justice Secretary seemed to make a statement about sentencing in knife crime. I was not aware of any written or oral statement having been made, so I wondered whether that was a novel way of making such a statement.

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I am very happy to take any rejoinder to that point of order from the right hon. Gentleman first. I will reserve my thunder until I have heard what the Secretary of State has to say.

With great respect to Mr. Grieve, it is part of the arrangements for topical questions that a statement can be made on a matter of departmental business. After all, the question that is put to the Secretary of State at the beginning of topical questions asks whether he will make a statement about his departmental business. I wished to show respect to the House, to ensure that the House was the first to hear of this announcement and to assure hon. Members that there had been no briefing about it, and the House was indeed the first to hear of it. I therefore thought it appropriate to make this announcement to the House in a short oral statement of a kind that is for the convenience of the House as a whole.

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I am grateful to the Secretary of State. I will allow Mr. Grieve, who was on the edge of his seat a moment ago, to raise a further point of order if he so wishes. I know that he will not seek to prolong the debate; he would not do that.

Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. I am grateful for the Secretary of State's explanation, but is not the purpose of making an oral statement to give hon. Members the opportunity to ask questions about it? The reality of these circumstances, however, makes that practice impossible, particularly as those on the front bench have asked their questions earlier. I would be grateful for your guidance on this, Mr. Speaker, for the future if not for today.

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I do not think that we need to hear from the Secretary of State. It is always a pleasure to hear his mellifluous tones, but I do not think that we need to do so again at this point. The hon. and learned Member for Beaconsfield has raised an important point, upon which I am happy to reflect. He is a very fair-minded Member of the House, and he will know that I regard as being of the utmost importance proper conduct by Members on the Treasury Bench, and as pre-eminent the rights of Back-Bench Members. That has always been my approach, and it will continue to be. In that spirit, I will reflect on what the hon. and learned Gentleman has said.

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I call Sir Nicholas Winterton. I trust that he will be very brief.

Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. I will be very brief. Would it not have been appropriate and courteous for the Secretary of State to have given the Shadow spokesman notice that he intended to raise this matter in his opening answer at the beginning of topical questions?

Unfortunately, I am afraid that that point of order adds nothing. I have already given a ruling; the position is clear. I have indicated to the hon. and learned Member for Beaconsfield my intention to reflect on the matter, and additional points of order that add nothing are unhelpful.