– in the House of Commons at 12:05 pm on 26 January 2017.
Alex Salmond
Shadow SNP Westminster Group Leader (International Affairs and Europe)
12:05,
26 January 2017
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I am glad the Brexit Secretary is here for his moment of history, but perhaps I could just detain him a second. During Brexit questions, he quoted my successor as First Minister—Nicola Sturgeon —somehow suggesting she wanted to deprive 160,000 European citizens of their right of residence in Scotland. By the wonders of modern technology, I have traced the original quote from July 2014. In fact, Ms Sturgeon was arguing exactly the opposite: that their right of residence was one of the reasons that Scotland would remain, as an independent country, a member of the European Union. I know the Brexit Secretary well—he is a decent and honourable man—but I found that another Minister used the same smear last October, so I am bound to conclude that some teenage scribblers in his Department are feeding out misleading information to hapless Ministers, who are then repeating it to the House. I am sure the Brexit Secretary—perhaps even before he has his moment of history—will want to correct the record.
Eleanor Laing
Deputy Speaker (First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means), First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means
Further to that point of order, I call Mr Secretary Davis.
David Davis
The Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union
Further to that point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. Of course, if I am wrong, I apologise. I will send the right hon. Gentleman the quote that I gave from The Scotsman at that time.
Chris Bryant
Labour, Rhondda
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker.
Eleanor Laing
Deputy Speaker (First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means), First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means
Is it a separate point of order?
Eleanor Laing
Deputy Speaker (First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means), First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means
I will first answer the point of order from Alex Salmond, which, as he and the House know, was not a point of order. The right hon. Gentleman sought, in his usual rhetorical way, to set the record straight. The Secretary of State has responded adequately to the point raised by the right hon. Gentleman, and I hope that honour is satisfied on all sides. A point of order— Mr Bryant.
Chris Bryant
Labour, Rhondda
And this one is a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. As you know, when a Minister makes a statement to the House, a printed copy is circulated around the Chamber the moment they sit down by the Doorkeepers. That is very useful for many Members—we can check exactly what the Minister has said, in case we slightly misheard something. The one time we do not do that is for the business statement. Now, I admit that it is a business question, so it is slightly different, but would it not be for the convenience of the House if, the moment the Leader of the House finished announcing the forthcoming business, it was circulated around the House for all hon. Members?
Eleanor Laing
Deputy Speaker (First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means), First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means
The hon. Gentleman raises an interesting point of administration, and it might be that the Leader of the House would like to say something further to the point of order.
David Lidington
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Further to that point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I completely concede that it is a perfectly reasonable request, and I will make sure that that happens.
Eleanor Laing
Deputy Speaker (First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means), First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means
Once again, that was not a point of order for the Chair, but we are having a very well-balanced session of points of order.
Desmond Swayne
Conservative, New Forest West
It gets better, Madam Deputy Speaker.
Eleanor Laing
Deputy Speaker (First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means), First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means
As the right hon. Gentleman says, it gets better. Would he care to make a point of order?
Desmond Swayne
Conservative, New Forest West
indicated dissent.
Eleanor Laing
Deputy Speaker (First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means), First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means
No? This seems a good point for requests to Ministers, as we seem to be having a 100% record of having requests fulfilled. That was not a point of order for the Chair, so we will move on.
The Deputy speaker is in charge of proceedings of the House of Commons in the absence of the Speaker.
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.
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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.